Which Blurb Book Format Should You Choose and What Does It Cost?

Blurb offers four main print formats, each with a different starting price: Photo Books from US $12.00, Paperback & Hardcover from US $4.99, Magazines from US $7.00, and Notebooks & Journals from US $14.67. Choose Photo Books for image-led work that needs premium paper and trim options, Paperback & Hardcover for text-heavy or mixed art-and-text projects, Magazines for series or one-off projects that need newsstand quality, and Notebooks & Journals when the product itself is meant to be written in. All are printed on demand, and volume discounts start at 10 copies.

Format comparison at a glance

Prices are starting points from Blurb's published product listings; your actual cost depends on format, size, page count, and paper choices, so confirm in the pricing section before ordering.

How to pick the right format

Choose Photo Books if images are the point

This is Blurb's most premium format, aimed at photographers and anyone making a keepsake album. The multiple trim sizes and paper types matter most when color accuracy and paper feel are part of the value. If your project is mostly full-bleed images, start here even though it has the highest entry price of the book formats.

Choose Paperback & Hardcover if you need a "real book"

At US $4.99 to start, this is the lowest-cost way to produce something that reads as a conventional book. It suits portfolios, cookbooks, novels, and children's books — in other words, projects that combine art with text or are text alone. For a first self-published title or a proof copy, this is usually the sensible default.

Choose Magazines for series or short-run projects

Starting at US $7.00 with newsstand quality, magazines fit a recurring series or a one-off custom piece. If you plan to distribute copies or want a lighter, periodical feel rather than a bound book, this format is the closer match.

Choose Notebooks & Journals when the user writes in it

From US $14.67, these come with blank, lined, square, or dot-grid pages, and you can add photos or illustrations within the pages. Pick this when the finished object is a usable notebook — a branded journal, a guided workbook, or a gift — rather than a book to read.

Design and ordering basics

Blurb provides free design tools matched to how you work: an online editor in the browser or on your phone with no download, the BookWright desktop application with templates, Adobe plugins for InDesign or Lightroom, and PDF to Book for uploading a file designed elsewhere. You can print one book or many; every book is printed and shipped on demand, and volume discounts begin at 10 copies — useful for teams, classes, or customer lists.

Selling what you make

Blurb lists four ways to sell, and you can start with one channel and add more. The Instant Store is positioned for getting started fast: sell directly to readers with one shareable link, no website needed, and up to 70% lower print costs than Blurb retail pricing. Retail Distribution is positioned for maximum reach, listing your book on Amazon and the Blurb Bookstore. If selling is part of your plan, factor the channel into your format choice — for example, a magazine series may suit direct sharing, while a paperback novel may benefit from broader retail listing.

A quick decision path

1. Is the finished item meant to be written in? Choose Notebooks & Journals.
2. Is it primarily images? Choose Photo Books.
3. Is it a recurring or periodical-style project? Choose Magazines.
4. Otherwise — text, or art plus text — choose Paperback & Hardcover and confirm your size and page count against the pricing page before ordering.