A5 vs 6x9 Book Printing

Side-by-Side Comparison

Here is a direct comparison of A5 and 6×9 across the most important factors:

When to Choose A5

Choose A5 if your primary goal is selling in South Africa — in bookshops, at literary events, on your own website, or directly to readers. A5 is the format South African readers are most familiar with and booksellers expect from local titles.

• You are selling primarily in South Africa
• Your book will be stocked in SA bookshops
• You want the most cost-effective print run
• You are writing fiction, poetry, memoir, or local non-fiction
• You want the most familiar SA reading experience

When to Choose 6×9

Choose 6×9 if you plan to sell your book internationally, list it on Amazon KDP, or target an audience that reads a lot of US and UK published books. Business books, leadership titles, and entrepreneurship books do particularly well in 6×9.

• You are publishing on Amazon KDP
• Your audience is international or reads US/UK business books
• You want the standard trade paperback used globally
• You write business, leadership, or entrepreneurship titles
• You want parity with international professional titles

Can You Print in Both?

Many authors print an A5 edition for the South African market and use Amazon KDP for an automated 6×9 print-on-demand edition for international sales. We help authors set up both versions, and we also format and upload your book to Amazon KDP as part of our digital publishing services.

Cost Comparison for 100 Copies

Here is a pricing comparison for 100 copies of a 200-page softcover book in each format: