Wondering how much it costs to print a children’s book in 2024? In this step-by-step guide, as a professional children’s book printing manufacturer, I’ll break down the exact printing costs for kids books based on key factors like binding type, page count, print quantity, and more.
See, when I first started researching printing costs for my own children’s book, I was shocked at the high per unit prices.
Why should it cost $10+ just to print a single 24-page kids book?
That seemed outrageous to me.
Turns out, professional printing has a lot of hidden costs. And children’s book printing is especially expensive since illustrations and high print quality are non-negotiable.
After printing over 5,000 books across multiple projects, here’s everything I’ve learned about minimizing your print costs as a children’s book author or publisher.
How These Factors Impact the Cost Per Book
Through extensive testing, I found 7 key factors that determine your children’s book printing costs:
Here’s how each one impacts the per unit price of your print job:
Binding Type
- Softcover books are the most affordable binding option
- Hardcovers cost approx. $3 more per book due to sturdier materials
- Spiral and wire binding is also pricier than softcover
Book Size
- Standard sizes like 8”x8” or 8.5”x11” are the most economical
- Larger custom sizes add expense through paper waste
Page Count
- More pages equal higher paper and printing costs
- Prices jump at natural thresholds like 48, 64, 80 pages
Paper Quality
- Standard uncoated stock keeps pricing low
- Premium glossy paper spikes costs but looks stunning
Illustrations
- Black and white art is cheaper than color illustrations
- Complex, full-bleed illustrations cost more
Additional Finishes
- Spot UV and matte/gloss lamination increase the price
- Foil stamping and embossing also bump up costs
Print Quantity
- Bulk discounts kick in at 500+ copies
- Digital printing suits lower volumes better
Now let’s look at actual children’s book printing quotes for context.
Real-World Price Examples From Print Companies
To create an apples-to-apples cost comparison, I requested quotes for a standard softcover children’s book with these specs:
- Black and white illustrations
- Page count: 32 pages
- Size: 8 inches x 8 inches
- Uncoated stock
- No special finishes
Here’s what printing companies quoted me:
| Print Quantity | PrintNinja | Mixam | BookBaby |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 copies | $207.50 | $357.36 | $415.00 |
| 50 copies | $260.00 | $392.30 | – |
| 100 copies | $315.00 | $427.24 | – |
| 250 copies | – | – | $862.50 |
| 500 copies | $817.50 | $1,372.20 | – |
| 1,000 copies | – | – | $1,290.00 |
A few things stand out:
PrintNinja is the clear price leader for offset printing. Their pricing beats digital printers once you hit 500+ copies.
Mixam has good digital printing rates for sub 500 quantity. Though they lack bulk discounts.
BookBaby charges premium rates since you’re paying for book distribution. Only consider them if going wide is important.
Let’s analyze the savings potential even deeper.
Where You Can Reduce Children’s Book Printing Costs
Based on this data and my own experience, here are 5 areas with the biggest potential for savings:
1. Compare Offset vs. Digital Printing
For large quantities 500+, traditional offset printing offers maximum savings:
However, you need to print at least 500+ books to realize major savings over digital printing.
So if you’re on a budget or printing less than 500 copies, digital/POD makes sense.
2. Print During Slow Seasons
Printing costs fluctuate based on demand trends throughout the year:
- Fall/Winter: Peak demand raises prices
- Spring/Summer: Lower demand drops prices
So schedule print jobs between April – August to capitalize on 10-15% seasonal discounts.
3. Choose Standard Binding
Premium hardcover binding looks gorgeous. But adding that rigid case tacks on a ~$3 upcharge per book.
Softcover binding costs significantly less. So if your budget is tight, stick to a flexible paperback cover.
4. Set Page Count Below Thresholds
Printing quotes are tied to key page count thresholds like 48, 64, and 80 pages.
Pricing jumps $1+ per book whenever you cross one of these thresholds:
For the biggest savings, set your page count just under these thresholds.
5. Use Free Images for Illustrations
Creating custom illustrations costs a small fortune. Like $200+ per image.
Instead, use free illustration resources like UnDraw and ManyPixels to keep your book’s art budget in check.
FAQs About Children’s Book Printing Costs
Here are answers to some common questions I get asked about printing costs for kid’s books:
Does color vs. black and white printing make a big difference?
Massive difference. Because of separate plate charges, full-color printing often costs 5-7x more than black and white.
What factors make the MOST difference in average cost per book?
By far, print quantity followed by adding color pages. Together, these two factors may swing pricing by 1000% or more.
How low can I get my cost per unit?
For black and white books printed offset, you can get down to ~$2 per book when printing 10,000+ copies. $3-4 per book is reasonable for 1,000 copies.
What’s the typical price range to print a children’s book?
From working with dozens of self-published kid’s book authors, these are typical costs:
- Black and white: $2 – $12 per book
- Full-color: $12 – $25+ per book
As you can see, this stuff gets expensive fast. But now that you know where printing vendors make their money — and the secrets to lower pricing — you can make every dollar count.
Leave a comment if you have any other children’s book printing questions! I’m happy to help fellow kid lit authors and publishers squeeze out every last drop of value.