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Reflowable vs fixed-layout

Publishing process

Also called: reflowable, fixed layout, fixed-layout ebook

The two ebook formats. Reflowable text rewraps to fit any screen and font size; fixed layout preserves an exact page design and does not adapt.

A reflowable ebook has no pages in the print sense. The reader chooses the font and size, and the text rewraps — which is why ebooks need a normalised page count for Kindle Unlimited payouts rather than a real one. It is the right format for anything that is fundamentally a stream of prose.

Fixed layout preserves position: every element stays where you put it, exactly as in a print page. That is necessary for children's picture books, comics, and anything where text sits on artwork, and it is the only sensible option for a puzzle grid.

The cost of fixed layout is accessibility and file size. Readers cannot enlarge the text, screen readers handle it less well, and the files are much bigger — which on the 70% royalty plan means a larger delivery fee.

SmartKDP is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon. Amazon, Kindle, and Kindle Direct Publishing are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

Related terms

  • KENP

    Amazon's standardised page count for Kindle Unlimited payouts, calculated from the ebook's content rather than its device-dependent screen pages.

  • Delivery fee

    A per-megabyte charge deducted from ebook royalties on the 70% plan, based on the converted file's size. The 35% plan carries no delivery fee.

  • Low-content book

    A book made mostly of repeating or generated page structures rather than prose — journals, planners, logbooks, and similar fill-in interiors.

  • DPI

    How many dots of ink per inch an image contains at its printed size. KDP expects 300 DPI for print interiors and covers; screen images at 72 DPI print visibly soft.