Your ad image plays a huge role in driving readers to click on (and buy!) your books. The good news is you don’t need to be a professional designer — or hire one — to create effective book ads. There are tools out there for everyone, no matter your artistic capabilities — but the many options can be overwhelming.
If you’re not sure where to start, look no further! We’ve compiled a list of book ad design tools that can help you create compelling images, from the simplest no-experience-needed options to more advanced platforms.
Should you use BookBub’s creative builder or external tools?
Before diving into dedicated design tools, consider starting with what’s already available to you. BookBub’s creative builder is a quick and easy way to create effective ad images right in the ad setup form.
When to use the in-form creative builder:
- You want to get an ad live quickly
- You’re new to book advertising
- You prefer simplicity over extensive customization
- You’re testing different messaging or offers
Our five templates offer a variety of layouts and background options, but all include the key elements you need to create an effective ad: a book cover; clear, readable text; and space for a call to action. Some of the top BookBub Ads in 2025 were created using this tool!
To use the creative builder, all you need to do is choose your book or upload the cover in the ad setup form and add your copy — the image will populate for you. The templates are designed to highlight your cover while keeping the focus on a compelling offer, whether that’s a price discount or an intriguing tagline.
When to use external design tools:
- You want complete creative control over your ads
- You’re creating ads for multiple advertising platforms
- You’re creating other marketing materials such as social media graphics
Here are four more ad design tools to consider, organized from beginner-friendly to more advanced.
1. Canva (+ Affinity)
Best for: Beginners who want ease of use and versatility
Canva is the go-to design tool for millions of creators and many authors creating their own book marketing materials. It rivals professional tools in many ways, while remaining accessible and user-friendly to complete beginners.
- Affinity: Canva now owns Affinity, a free software that combines graphic design and photo editing and integrates Canva’s design tools, so you don’t have to switch between different apps to create the different elements of your ads.
- Template library: Canva’s web-based platform includes tons of predesigned templates specifically for ads and other marketing materials, plus images and video clips that are free to use for commercial purposes, so you don’t have to purchase stock images separately.
- Mock-up generator: Mock up your book in 3D or digital — you can even turn mock-up images into animations to make content like book trailers.
- Brand consistency: Upload your logos, fonts, and color palettes to create a Brand Kit, so all your marketing materials maintain a consistent look across platforms.
- Collaboration: If you’re working with other authors, a marketing team, or a designer, Canva makes it easy for multiple people to work on the same design simultaneously.
- Pricing: Free plan available. Canva Pro is $15/month for individuals or $20/month for teams, unlocking additional editing tools you can use directly within the Affinity app.
Pro tip: When designing BookBub Ads in Canva, use the “Custom size” option and create your design at 300×250 pixels to match BookBub’s recommended ad dimensions. This will ensure your image looks crisp and professional when uploaded to the ad form.
Using templates means you can create professional designs with no experience required. Modifying them can be as simple as changing the text and colors and dragging in your book cover image. Once you’re confident using Canva, you can create designs from scratch.
— Jeevani Charika, author of Christmas at the Palace
2. Adobe Express
Best for: Authors who want Adobe’s professional polish without the complexity
Adobe Express (formerly Adobe Spark) brings Adobe’s design tools to a web-based platform for non-designers — not to be confused with the more comprehensive Creative Cloud (see #4). It’s quite similar to Canva, so it might come down to whichever tool you feel more comfortable with.
- Professional-grade templates: Like Canva, you can quickly make professional-looking designs starting from a blank canvas or using templates, with user-friendly drag-and-drop functionality. There’s a slightly steeper learning curve and a smaller template library than Canva.
- Free tools: Adobe Express offers a few handy tools for free, like a background remover and a video converter for different social media platforms.
- Adobe ecosystem: Adobe Express integrates with other Adobe products like Photoshop and Illustrator, so you can refine designs in those more powerful apps.
- Unflattened PDF exports: Unlike many web-based tools, Adobe Express can export designs with layers intact — useful if you need to make adjustments in other software later.
- Pricing: Free plan available. Premium plan at $9.99/month includes access to premium templates, more Adobe Fonts, and scheduling to post on social media.
3. Book Brush
Best for: Authors who want book-focused design tools like 3D book mock-ups, cover reveals, and ready-made marketing templates.
Book Brush is built exclusively for authors, so it’s easy to create ads, graphics, and video content designed to sell books.
- Book-specific templates: Book Brush offers templates for everything from cover reveals and sales graphics to trending designs like quote graphics and trope arrow images. Many templates come with placeholder marketing copy you can use.
- 3D book mock-ups: Show off your cover in 3D on paperbacks, hardcovers, audiobooks, and ereaders.
- Instant mock-up tool: Drop your book cover in realistic lifestyle settings — like a tablet on a desk or a print book on a coffee table — with mock-ups organized by genre, season, and vibe to match your branding.
- Box Set Creator: Create professional box set images directly in the platform — you can design the spines in Book Brush or upload your own.
- Trailer Creator: Available on higher tiers, this tool helps you create promotional videos for TikTok, Reels, YouTube, and ads without needing a separate video editor.
- Reader Hub: Create a branded landing page where readers, reviewers, and street teams can download the graphics you want them to use — great for coordinated launches and fan engagement.
- Pricing: Ranging from $149 to $246/year for individuals (annual billing only). For authors who’d rather hand off design work, Book Brush also offers “done-for-you” services where you can hire a designer by the project or for full-service social media management.
This powerful design software has all the features you need to quickly design eye-catching marketing images, including images for BookBub Ads. You can easily save each rendition as you make any necessary changes to your BookBub Ad variations.
— L.A. Sartor, author of Be Mine This Christmas Night
4. Adobe Creative Cloud
Best for: Advanced users who need the most design control
If you have design experience or time to invest in learning professional tools, Adobe Creative Cloud remains the industry standard! The tools to consider for creating ads are Photoshop and Illustrator.
- Photoshop: For composing your ad design and doing any detailed design work, if you’d like — Photoshop is great for creating simple ads, too!
- Illustrator: For creating custom graphics, logos, or illustrations to use in your ad designs.
- Pricing: You can pay for individual apps separately (e.g. Photoshop for $22.99/month) or the full suite of apps for $69.99/month.
I tested three different ad variations using BookBub Ads to find the one that worked best. I designed the ads using Photoshop, but I used very simple designs so I didn’t overwhelm the user with unnecessary information.
— Christina McDonald, author of These Still Black Waters
Which tool to try?
If you’re new to design: BookBub’s creative builder or Canva
If you want book-specific features: Book Brush
If you’re creating ads for different platforms: Book Brush or Canva
If you want more advanced features: Adobe
Remember, you’re not locked into a single tool. Many successful advertisers use a combination — perhaps BookBub for quick tests, Canva for experimenting with more design elements, and Book Brush for creating other promo graphics to go with ads.
Design tips for effective book ads
Regardless of which tools you choose, these design principles will help your ads perform better:
- Keep it simple: Your ad has seconds to capture attention, so focus on two to three key elements — usually your cover, a compelling tagline, and a clear call-to-action. We’ve found on BookBub that a clean, uncluttered design often outperforms one packed with information.
- Make text readable: Use large, simple fonts with good contrast against the background. Readers are more likely to click on ads with text they can read at a glance.
- Feature your book prominently: Your cover is often your strongest marketing asset — make sure it’s large enough to be recognizable at small sizes.
- Use consistent branding: Pull colors from your cover into your ad design to create a cohesive look and help readers connect the ad to your book.
- Consider your genre: Readers should be able to instantly distinguish a thriller ad from one for a romance or cozy mystery — use colors, effects, or elements that emphasize your book’s genre and tone.
- Test different versions: Create multiple ad designs with different headlines, images, or layouts, then test them to see which performs best with your target audience.
Ready to create your next ad? Start simple — try BookBub’s creative builder for your next campaign!
