{"id":898,"date":"2026-07-02T12:24:56","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T10:24:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/printiteasy.eu\/hardcover-or-softcover\/"},"modified":"2026-08-31T12:34:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-31T10:34:00","slug":"hardcover-or-softcover","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/printiteasy.eu\/en\/knowledge-base\/types-of-books\/hardcover-or-softcover\/","title":{"rendered":"Hardcover or softcover: which binding do you choose?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Torn between a hardcover and a softcover? The choice of <strong>hardcover or softcover<\/strong> determines how your book feels, how sturdy it is and what it costs. Both have their own uses. Here you can read when to choose which.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large has-custom-border\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/hardcover-1024x683.png\" alt=\"Hardcover or softcover: which binding do you choose?\" class=\"wp-image-131\" style=\"border-radius:14px\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/printiteasy.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/hardcover-1024x683.png 1024w, https:\/\/printiteasy.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/hardcover-600x400.png 600w, https:\/\/printiteasy.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/hardcover-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/printiteasy.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/hardcover-768x512.png 768w, https:\/\/printiteasy.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/hardcover.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is a hardcover book?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A hardcover (also called a bound book) has a firm, hard cover of board covered with printed paper, cloth or leather. The book block is sewn or glued and then hung inside the hard case. Hardcover books radiate quality and durability and last for generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Choose hardcover for cookbooks, art books, anniversary editions, yearbooks and books you give as a gift or want to sell as a premium product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is a softcover book?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A softcover (paperback) has a flexible cover of thick paper, usually 240 to 300 gsm, often finished with matt or gloss lamination. Softcover is lighter, cheaper and faster to produce than hardcover, without giving up a professional look. You can read more background on the craft in the encyclopaedic explanation of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bookbinding\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">bookbinding<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Softcover is ideal for novels, manuals, portfolios, textbooks and print runs where price and weight matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hardcover vs. softcover: the main differences<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Look and feel:<\/strong> hardcover looks more luxurious and solid; softcover is sleek and modern.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Price:<\/strong> softcover is cheaper, certainly for larger print runs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Weight &amp; shipping:<\/strong> softcover is lighter and cheaper to send.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lifespan:<\/strong> hardcover stands up better to intensive use.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Delivery time:<\/strong> softcover is usually ready sooner.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Which one do you choose?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Is it a premium edition, a gift or a book that has to last? Choose hardcover. Is it about a sharp price, a large number of copies or a light book? Then softcover is the logical choice. Still in doubt? Our specialists are happy to advise you on the best binding for your project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What the difference does to your price and spine width<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A hardcover costs more per copy than a softcover, because it adds board sides, a cover sheet glued around them and extra time in the bindery. With a small print run you feel that difference most; with a larger run it becomes relatively smaller, but it never disappears entirely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It also affects your cover design. The spine of a hardcover is wider than the book block itself, because the board counts on both sides: reckon on the block plus twice 2.25 mm. So if you switch to a different edition along the way, your cover no longer fits. Decide on the binding before you lay out the cover, and check the measurement with the <a href=\"https:\/\/printiteasy.eu\/en\/knowledge-base\/spine-calculator\/\">spine width calculator<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">In doubt? Order one of each<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The choice between <strong>hardcover or softcover<\/strong> is largely a matter of feel, and feel is not something you judge on a screen. Because we print from a single copy, you can order a sample of both editions and lay them side by side. How the book sits in your hand, how it falls open and how the cover feels: you will know within five minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In practice many publications choose both: a hardcover for the first edition and the gift market, and a softcover for wider sales. Do bear in mind that each edition needs its own ISBN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently asked questions about hardcover or softcover<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>What is the difference between hardcover and softcover?<\/summary>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A hardcover has a hard, rigid cover; a softcover a flexible, bendable one. Hardcover is sturdier and more luxurious, softcover lighter and cheaper.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Which one is cheaper?<\/summary>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Softcover is cheaper to produce and to ship, certainly for larger print runs.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Can I have the same book printed in both editions?<\/summary>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes. Many creators order a small number of hardcovers and a larger softcover run. Each edition does get its own ISBN if you are going to sell it.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/printiteasy.eu\/en\/contact-en\/\">Request a free quote<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-outline is-style-outline--1\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/printiteasy.eu\/en\/hardcover-books\/\">View hardcover books<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Torn between a hardcover and a softcover? The choice of hardcover or softcover determines how your book feels, how sturdy it is and what it costs. Both have their own uses. Here you can read when to choose which. What is a hardcover book? A hardcover (also called a bound book) has a firm, hard&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":692,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-898","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/printiteasy.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/898","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/printiteasy.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/printiteasy.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/printiteasy.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/printiteasy.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=898"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/printiteasy.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/898\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5821,"href":"https:\/\/printiteasy.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/898\/revisions\/5821"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/printiteasy.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/692"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/printiteasy.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=898"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}