Cost of Book Typesetting and Layout Design Services in the UK
When it comes to self-publishing, most authors focus on the cover, the first thing readers see. But inside those covers, it’s the typesetting and layout that truly determine whether your book feels professional or home-made. Readers might not consciously notice great typesetting, but they’ll definitely spot poor spacing, mismatched fonts or uneven margins.
So how much does professional typesetting cost in the UK? And is it something you can do yourself, or should you invest in a professional service? This guide explores the full range of options — from free DIY tools to expert design — so you can make an informed decision about what suits your book and your budget.
Cheap and Free Book Typesetting Options
Let’s start with the good news: it’s entirely possible to typeset your own book for little or no money. The main trade-off is time and patience. If you’re fairly technical, you can achieve decent results with a few well-chosen tools. If not, you might find the process surprisingly fiddly.
KDP Word templates are the most basic route. Amazon provides downloadable files for common trim sizes, complete with placeholder margins and headings. They’re free, but clunky — ideal for short, straightforward manuscripts rather than long novels or richly formatted books. Adjusting margins, page breaks or headers can be a trial of endurance.
Atticus and Vellum are two more advanced DIY tools that have become popular with indie authors. Atticus, a one-off purchase of around £120, runs on both Windows and Mac, offering genre-specific templates and simple export to print and eBook formats. Vellum (Mac only, about £200) is praised for its clean fiction layouts and ease of use, it’s especially good for novels without images or complex elements.
For children’s picture books, design tools like Canva or Google Docs can also work. But these can lack the typographic precision required for publishing standards, fine for pamphlets – not for professional titles.
Budget Freelancers and Marketplace Options
If you’d rather not handle the layout yourself, there are thousands of freelance typesetters advertising on Fiverr, Upwork and book-specific platforms like Reedsy. Prices range anywhere from £40 to £300 depending on complexity. While you might get lucky, quality is wildly inconsistent. Many rely on auto-generated templates or AI tools with little understanding of UK book trade conventions or the technical requirements of KDP and IngramSpark.
Common issues include missing page numbers, incorrect bleed settings, unbalanced white space and poor paragraph control. These errors often result in file rejections or low-quality interiors that instantly signal “self-published” to the reader.
When to choose a DIY or budget route:
- You’re producing a short eBook or sample proof.
- You enjoy learning software and have time to experiment.
- Your expectations are modest and you’re happy to iterate later.
If you’re publishing commercially or hoping to sell in bookshops, it’s usually worth investing in professional typesetting from the start.
Professional Book Typesetting Services in the UK
Professional typesetting is a completely different experience. Instead of fighting with templates, you’ll be working with someone who understands typography, genre styling and industry standards. It’s not just about making the pages look tidy, it’s about ensuring your book reads comfortably and aligns with reader expectations.
At Spiffing Publishing, our in-house design team uses Adobe InDesign, the same software employed by major publishers. Every layout is built from scratch, not from generic templates. We consider your genre, audience and tone, pairing fonts that complement your subject matter and applying subtle design cues that readers subconsciously associate with quality.
For example, literary fiction often benefits from generous margins and classic serif fonts, while modern non-fiction favours cleaner sans-serif titles and a more open page. Memoirs may include photos or captions, while illustrated works require precise alignment and consistent spacing between text and images. All of these details combine to create a professional reading experience that readers trust.
Average UK Typesetting Costs (2025)
Pricing depends on book length, complexity and format. Here’s a realistic overview based on our current rates:
| Book Type | Typical Word Count | Typesetting Cost (approx.) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiction | 60,000 – 100,000 | £445 – £695 | Straightforward text layouts with consistent chapter design |
| Non-Fiction | 60,000 – 100,000 | £495 – £745 | Includes images, headings, tables or notes |
| Children’s Readers | Up to 80,000 | £395 – £645 | Illustration coordination and custom fonts for young readers |
| Picture Books | — | £625 flat | Full-colour artwork integration and bleed setup |
All professional typesetting includes unlimited revisions on the chosen design concept and print-ready files formatted precisely for Amazon KDP and IngramSpark. We’ll also provide guidance on trim sizes, paper choices and design elements to make sure your book sits comfortably beside traditionally published titles.
What Makes Professional Typesetting Worth It?
Many authors underestimate how much a well-designed interior contributes to a book’s credibility. Fonts, margins, line spacing and alignment all shape the reader’s experience. A book with consistent typography and properly handled front and back matter feels trustworthy, while one with uneven text and misaligned chapter headings can instantly erode confidence.
Our team understands genre conventions, what readers expect from a cosy mystery versus a memoir or an academic text and champions elegant, industry-standard typography over novelty fonts. We take care to balance readability with aesthetics, ensuring your book feels as though it belongs in a bookshop rather than a Word document.
Why Work with Spiffing
- Thousands of completed titles across all genres; fiction, non-fiction, memoir and illustrated works.
- Professional file preparation for both Amazon KDP and IngramSpark, guaranteed to pass validation.
- Unlimited revisions on your chosen layout style.
- Proven, trusted typography and layout combinations suited to your genre.
- Collaborative approach: you stay in control, we handle the technical detail.
We’re not a gig-economy operation where you’re one of hundreds of clients; our designers work closely with each author, ensuring consistency and care throughout the process.
Which Typesetting Option Is Right for You?
If your book is short, text-only and you’re confident with technology, DIY tools such as Atticus or Vellum can do the job. But for authors planning a professional release, especially if you’re selling through bookshops or submitting for reviews – professionally typeset interiors make a huge difference. They ensure your book looks and feels like it belongs beside traditionally published titles.
Ultimately, typesetting is about reader comfort. Done well, it disappears; done poorly, it distracts. That’s why so many of our authors choose to hand this final stage to our design team, freeing them up to focus on what really matters – their writing.
Get Expert Help with Your Book Layout
At Spiffing Publishing, we combine classic design principles with modern technology to produce books that meet every technical and aesthetic requirement. Whether it’s a clean, minimalist fiction layout or a richly illustrated memoir, our team ensures your interior design enhances your story, not distracts from it.
Get in touch today to discuss your project and receive a tailored quote for professional typesetting.
