What does trim size and bleed mean on a printed book?

Trim size is the finished page size after the printer cuts the paper, for example A5 or 6 by 9 inches. Bleed is the extra 3mm of artwork that runs past that edge, so a colour or photo reaching the edge still does after the cut, even if the blade wanders a fraction.

Which print services accept a PDF like this?

Print-on-demand services such as Lulu and Blurb, and most local print shops, accept a PDF at a standard trim size with bleed. RecipeHive has no partnership with any of them: pick whoever suits your budget and country.

Does printing my cookbook cost anything through RecipeHive?

No. RecipeHive makes the file and nothing else. You pay only whichever printer you choose, and there are no subscriptions or paid tiers in the app.

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Printing guide

How to print your cookbook as a real book

RecipeHive can hand you a print-ready PDF of your recipe box. What it can't do is print it, bind it or post it to you. That part is yours, and it is easier than it sounds. Here is what the settings mean and how to get a bound copy without wasting money on a bad first print run.

What the settings actually mean

Print services ask for a few specific things. The print-ready option sets all of them for you, but it helps to know what you're looking at when the upload form asks.

Trim size: the finished page size after the paper is cut. A5 (148 x 210mm) is the common European cookbook size. 6 x 9 inches (152 x 229mm) is its North American equivalent. Pick whichever your printer lists.
Bleed: 3mm of extra artwork past every edge. The cover colour runs into it, so if the guillotine wanders half a millimetre you still get colour to the edge instead of a thin white sliver.
Safe margin: nothing important sits within about 14mm of the trim edge, and the inner margin is wider so text doesn't curve into the spine.
Even page count and spreads: books are printed on folded sheets, so the page count has to be even. Each recipe starts on a right-hand page, and blank pages are inserted where the maths needs them.
Resolution: photos want roughly 300 dots per inch at printed size. RecipeHive warns you before it builds the file if a cover photo or scanned card falls below about 200.

Making the file

Open your recipe box, choose "Make my cookbook", set your title, dedication, cover and recipes as usual, then switch the version from "For reading" to "Print-ready" and pick a trim size. Everything personal stays: cover photos, provenance stories, original scanned cards.

When the print window opens, choose "Save as PDF", set margins to none and turn on background graphics. Without those two the browser shrinks the page and throws away the bleed. Then open the saved PDF and flip through it once before uploading anywhere.

Who can print it

Any printer that accepts a PDF at a standard trim size with bleed will take this file. A few that people use often, listed neutrally and with no affiliation:

Lulu: print-on-demand, no minimum order, ships in most countries, has a preflight checker that tells you if the file is off-spec.
Blurb: also print-on-demand, aimed at photo books, so paper quality is a step up and prices reflect that.
Your local print shop: often cheaper for a single copy, and you can hold the paper before deciding. Ask for perfect binding or a wire spiral, which lies flat while you cook.
Amazon KDP and similar: viable if you want a listing, though it is built for publishing rather than printing one copy for your mother.

RecipeHive has no partnership, affiliate link or kickback with any of these. Use whoever is cheapest where you live.

Cost and turnaround, roughly

A single softcover A5 book of 60 to 100 pages usually lands somewhere between 10 and 25 in most currencies, plus shipping, with hardcover and colour photos pushing it higher. Print-on-demand typically takes two to five working days to produce and then whatever shipping you choose. A local shop can often do it same week. Treat those as ballpark: paper stock and page count move the number more than anything else.

Tips before you order ten copies

Order one proof copy first, always. Screens lie about colour and about how small 12pt really looks on paper.
Check the proof with flour on your hands. If the binding won't stay open on the worktop, switch to spiral for the next run.
Matte paper is kinder in a kitchen than gloss: fewer fingerprints, less glare under a downlight.
Re-read the recipes in print before reordering. Typos hide beautifully on screen and stand out on paper.
If you're printing a family book, add the provenance stories and the original scanned cards. They are the part people actually keep.

RecipeHive makes the file, you choose the printer

There is no shop here, no shipping, no upsell. The print-ready PDF is a normal file you own, and you can take it to whoever you like, print one copy or twenty, or never print it at all.

Make my cookbook

Questions people ask

What does trim size and bleed mean on a printed book?: Trim size is the finished page size after the printer cuts the paper, for example A5 or 6 by 9 inches. Bleed is the extra 3mm of artwork that runs past that edge, so a colour or photo reaching the edge still does after the cut, even if the blade wanders a fraction.
Which print services accept a PDF like this?: Print-on-demand services such as Lulu and Blurb, and most local print shops, accept a PDF at a standard trim size with bleed. RecipeHive has no partnership with any of them: pick whoever suits your budget and country.
Does printing my cookbook cost anything through RecipeHive?: No. RecipeHive makes the file and nothing else. You pay only whichever printer you choose, and there are no subscriptions or paid tiers in the app.