Book Preflight, Explained › KDP vs. IngramSpark file rules
Same book, two printers
KDP vs. IngramSpark: the file rules side by side
Most authors print with KDP, IngramSpark, or both. Their rules look alike but differ in the places that cause rejections. Here are the numbers that matter.
Both need 0.125" bleed and 300 DPI pictures. IngramSpark is stricter: 0.5" safety margins on every page, a 240% total ink limit and a 1.75" x 1" barcode area. KDP allows 0.25" outside margins (0.375" with bleed), grows the inside margin with page count and uses a 2" x 1.2" barcode area.
| Rule | Amazon KDP | IngramSpark |
|---|---|---|
| Cover bleed | 0.125" on outer edges | 0.125" on outer edges |
| Interior outside margin | At least 0.25" (0.375" with bleed) | At least 0.5" on every edge |
| Interior inside margin | 0.375" up to 150 pages, rising to 0.875" for 701 to 828 pages | At least 0.5"; more is wise for thick books |
| Total ink limit | Not published as a number | 240% |
| Barcode area (back cover) | 2" wide x 1.2" tall, lower right | 1.75" wide x 1" tall |
| Spine text allowed | More than 79 pages | 48 pages or more (paperback) |
| Spine per page, white paper | 0.002252" | About 512 pages per inch (50# white) |
| Spine per page, cream paper | 0.0025" | About 444 pages per inch (50# creme) |
| Page count range | 24 to 828 | 18 to 1,200 (depends on size and paper) |
| Preferred file | Print PDF | PDF/X-1a |
Numbers from each printer's own help pages and templates. They change from time to time, so check before you upload.
What this means for you
If you build for IngramSpark, KDP usually accepts it too
Use 0.5" margins on every side (plus the bigger inside margin your page count needs), keep total ink under 240%, and save as PDF/X-1a. That interior will usually pass both. The cover is the exception: it needs its own size for each printer.
Never reuse one cover for both
Because the paper differs, the spine differs. A 300-page book on white paper has a KDP spine of about 0.676" and an IngramSpark spine of about 0.586". That's almost a tenth of an inch, enough to push your spine text onto the front cover. Build two covers from two templates. Our IngramSpark cover size and KDP cover size chart pages show the numbers.
The ink limit trips up dark covers
A black or deep navy cover made in Canva or Photoshop is often 300% ink or more. KDP may print it; IngramSpark will reject it. How to bring ink under 240%.
Find out what's wrong with your files before the printer does
SparkPrep checks your cover and every interior page against the exact rules Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, Barnes & Noble Press and Lulu use, tells you each problem in plain English, and can fix it for you.
Scan my book free See how SparkPrep worksThe scan is free and shows how many problems your files have. To see every problem and where it is, the audit is $1.99 ($3.99 after January 1). The Advanced Audit checks every page, up to 300, for $9.99.
Questions people ask
Can I use the same files for KDP and IngramSpark?
The interior often works for both if it's built to IngramSpark's stricter rules. The cover almost never does, because the spine width differs.
Which is stricter, KDP or IngramSpark?
IngramSpark, mainly because of its 0.5 inch safety margin on every page and its 240% total ink limit.
Free help from SparkPrep
Last updated 2026-11-01. Written by Joshua Davis, founder of SparkPrep. Numbers come from each printer's own published guides; always double-check your printer's current rules before you upload.