Before you work with any of the designers below, be sure to read my 7 Tips for Working with a Book Cover Designer.

Then consider the genre you’ve written in. A designer that makes excellent romance covers might not make great nonfiction covers, and vice versa. I’ve included recommended genres for each designer. Try searching this post for your genre by using the shortcut [ctrl] + [F].

I’m still updating this list. If you have any book cover designers you’d like to recommend, email me: querylara AT gmail.com

Premium Designers

These are companies who have put out covers I’m really impressed with. 

Bookfly Design offers custom e-book and print cover design for indie authors, self publishers, and small presses. Prices start at $549. Check website for current prices.

Recommended genres: war, adventure, fantasy, audiobook, mystery.

Damonza is a team of designers offering cover design, e-book formatting, layout, and book trailers. Prices start at $495 for custom designs, $195 for pre-designed covers. Formatting starts at $199, trailers start at $995. Check website for current prices. Momir and Giovanni have made some of my favorite covers.

Recommended genres: nonfiction, thriller, historical, literary.

Ebook Launch offers pre-made and custom book cover designs as well as formatting for both e-books and print. Prices start at $249 for custom designs, $99 for pre-designed covers. Formatting starts at $19 for e-book novels and $118 for print novels. Check website for current prices.

Recommended genres: women’s fiction, literary.

Paper and Sage offers cover and social media designs plus has a great selection of pre-made cover designs. Prices start at $150 for custom designs and $50 for pre-designed covers. Check website for current prices.

Recommended genres: romance, contemporary.

Reader-Recommended Designers

These are designers recommended by blog readers and friends, in alphabetical order:

Blue Valley Author Services has a good selection of inexpensive pre-made covers. They also offer interior formatting and custom covers. Recommended genres: romance, women’s fiction, horror. Any genres for internal layout.

Cardboard Monet offers an array of design services, from covers, to interior layout, to marketing. Recommended genres: contemporary, romance, literary. Any genres for internal layout.

Envelup Design offers book covers, album art, and branding. Recommended genres: nonfiction, historical, memoir, general

Erica Crouch designs book covers and social media imagery. Recommended genres: new adult, young adult, fantasy

Maggie Hall designs book covers and swag. Recommended genres: new adult, romance

Mooney Graphics does web design and advertising along with book cover designs. Recommended genres: science fiction, dystopian

Storm Owl Art is a self-taught artist offering affordable book covers. Recommended genres: paranormal, fantasy. 

Yonderworldly Design offers book design services ranging from covers, interior layout and formatting, marketing graphics, and even author branding. Recommended genres: romance, fantasy. Any genres for internal layout.

Reader-Recommended Illustrators

These are illustrators recommended by blog readers and friends. I recommend hiring a graphic designer to do the typography for the cover if the illustrator doesn’t do lettering. In alphabetical order:

Diana Pinguicha is a character portrait artist. Recommended genres: young adult, fantasy, contemporary

Veronica V. Jones has been a freelance illustrator since 2000. Recommended genres: middle grade, fantasy, adventure

Zelda Devon is an illustrator and letterer. Recommended genres: adult, fantasy, science fiction