Are you an indie author or publisher looking for a cover designer for sci-fi or fantasy? Been there. As an artist myself, I’m pretty particular about the quality when I hire someone to do a book cover, so I made a list of affordable designers whose portfolios I admire.
Please note: I’m not affiliated with any of these designers. The prices below (in USD) are what the artists listed on their websites for custom work in January, 2023. Some of them also offer premade covers.
Rates: $150 – $700
About (from the website): “Our team believes that book cover design can look professional without costing you a fortune. There are so many stories in this world worth telling. Let us make sure yours gets the attention it deserves.”
Rates: $180 – $200
About (from the website): “In the mid ’10s I landed a job at a publishing company and earned valuable experience in book cover design as well as advertising and print and have since then created (and re-created) hundreds of book covers for authors of different genres, including USA Today and New York Times Bestsellers. I am dedicated to help indie authors by providing quality yet affordable book cover design that will help reach and captivate its target readers.”
Rates: $250
About: A designer with a vast collection of premades available each month.
Rates: $250 – $300
About (from the website): “We Got You Covered Book Design specializes in book covers and interior design, bringing quality products to authors at affordable prices. Offering unique work in all genres as well as additional services such as branding and website design, We Got You Covered aims to make the publishing process easy by being a one-stop shop for all your book-related needs.”
Rates: $400 – $550
About (from the website): “Malaysia-based Stefanie has always been fascinated by art. … Her areas of expertise include ‘traditional-publishing’ styled covers, epic photomanipulations, as well as dark-themed landscape art. Every piece that she creates comes from the depths of her soul; a secret within a secret, and not one is the same. Being a big fan of both the gaming and epic music industry, her passion for conceptual art will never be satiated, and she continues to seek improvement in her craft.”
Rates: $649 – $799
About (from the website): “Bookfly Design is a small studio on the Oregon coast dedicated to helping indie authors self-publish with success. We love books, and our mission is to help your work reach the audience it deserves.”
Rates: $700 – $1200
About (from the website): “I make badass covers for badass stories. Full of grit and storytelling, my work is geared to instantly capture a reader’s attention. Using 3-d modeling software combined with digital painting, my fully custom creations play with perspective and scale in a way few other covers in the industry do.”
Rates: $1500 – $1600
About (from the website): “K.D. Ritchie is an artist focusing on character art featuring: fairy-tale, fae, female warrior, sorceress, witch, mythology, and retelling themes.”
Rates: Contact Them
About (from the website): “Hi, I’m Mirella Santana, a freelance artist based in Bahia, Brazil. Specializing in creating cinematographic arts. I have worked for various independent publishers and best sellers authors. I also work for photographers from around the world, creating manipulations with all thematic (fantasy, dark, sci-fi, romance, glamorous, classic style… etc).”
Rates: Contact Them
About (from the website): “Amalia Iuliana Chitulescu (born March 18, 1994), is a digital artist from Câmpina, Romania. … Every piece of art from her gallery is the telling of a secret, as her unique interpretations of the dream world reveal a myth, a fairy tale, and creatures from our distant past. Amalgamating extremist concepts, her unique technique renders a new, utterly unique story as only she can tell it.”
