Premade book covers are often considered to be a budget option, but if you're looking for an affordable book cover then premades can be a super appealing option. Designed with indie authors in mind, professional premade book covers come in pretty much every genre under the sun, so you're bound to find something that suits your story. On the other hand though, whilst custom book cover design can be pricey, customs let you have something designed especially for your story.
Who Are Premade Book Covers Best For?
Every author can grab a premade, but for certain authors, it simply makes more sense to choose a premade over a custom cover - even if the premade you're looking at isn't completely perfect for your project.
The biggest draw to premade covers is cost. Often considerably cheaper than their bespoke counterparts, these ready-made designs tend to clock in at $200 or less, with some going as low as $50. If this is your first book and you're looking to grab a cover, then a premade can help you keep your costs low, especially when other services such as book editing don't have any cheaper workarounds.
If time's not on your side, then premade book covers might be the answer, too. Most artists can turn around a premade within 48 hours, and customs can often take days, if not weeks, to complete. If you're tackling a rapid release schedule in 2026, then premades can seriously help you hit your deadlines!
Are Custom Book Covers Worth It?
Premades seem to have everything going for them. They're affordable, fast, readily available from thousands of artists, and you don't risk winding up getting a cover you don't love. It might seem like customs are a poor option, particularly for those on a tighter budget.
Depending on your story, premades might simply not reflect your plot at all. Most designers work to trends, and some premades can be a little experimental or too specific. Plenty of authors have important symbolism, key items, or colours that need to be reflected on the cover... and premades are usually a little too vague for authors who need to show off their symbolism.
Most designers also have waiting lists, so it can be tricky handling your release dates when juggling artist timelines, but not all artists are super busy! Even if you're tackling rapid releases, tons of artists will be available for rush orders, repeat orders, or booking in advance - whatever suits you and your situation the most.
So, in short - yes, customs are completely worth it! Especially if writing is your career, or you're looking to make it your career.
Where to Buy Premade Book Covers?
If you've got this far, then chances are you're looking to grab a premade for yourself. Thankfully, premades are super easy to find online, and if you know the name of an artist, you might find they have a collection of premades available for sale, too!
If you use social media, then you'll have luck finding premade book covers on Facebook especially. There are hundreds of groups there, including open marketplaces and smaller, more niche groups. Tons of artists have their own little groups, too, where they share discounts, premades, and plenty of other goodies (feel free to jump into my group).
Online, you can grab premades at sites like The Book Cover Designer, SelfPubBookCovers (now known as BookCovers.com), and through various artist websites like mine. Most places will let you search for premades by genre, so you can browse them to your heart's content.
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