E-book as PDF — format, publish and distribute professionally

2 min read·25 July 2026

A PDF is one of the most popular formats for e-books — easy to create, universally openable and ready to sell or give away. This guide covers how to format a professional e-book, export it and distribute it.

Choosing format: PDF or EPUB?

PDF is ideal for e-books with lots of formatting (infographics, visuals, sidebars, colours). EPUB is better for long text e-books on e-readers. Choose PDF for a beautifully designed workbook, guide or report; choose EPUB for a novel or text-heavy book.

Format in Canva, Word or InDesign

Canva offers hundreds of free e-book templates. Export as PDF (standard quality). Word offers less design control but stronger text features. InDesign is the professional choice for book layout — steep learning curve but perfect control over typography and layout.

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Optimal PDF settings for e-books

• Page size: A4 (210×297 mm) or Letter (216×279 mm) for workbooks; or custom 1080×1080 px for social media • Font size: minimum 11 pt for long text, 14 pt for easy screen reading • Margins: minimum 20 mm so text does not press against edges • Compression: medium — file under 10 MB for easy downloading

Interactive links and table of contents

Make your e-book clickable with hyperlinks from the table of contents to chapters. In Word: use headings and export with "Keep hyperlinks". In Canva: use internal links (activate via presentation mode). External links to your website or social media are also recommended.

Distribution: give away free vs. sell

Free e-book? Send by email, share via link or embed on your website. PDF files are not DRM-protected by default — anyone can forward them. Want to sell? Use platforms like Gumroad, Payhip or Teachable that handle PDF delivery after payment. Add a personalised watermark (buyer name) via PDFrust Watermark.