Paperback Vs Mass Market Paperback: The Ultimate Paperback Showdown

There are affiliate links in here.  I get a small commission if you purchase through them at no extra cost to you

You may have been wondering why some paperback books are really small and others are almost the size of hardcovers. Well, today I’m here to tell you those are mass market paperbacks and trade paperbacks.

You’re going to find out all the differences between them, my preferences between them, and which one (I think) is better. 

If you have any other questions I missed about paperbacks and mass market paperbacks in the post, leave a comment and I’ll answer there!

• Pango is my go-to for finding secondhand books affordably, sold by other readers! If you’re a new user, you can use HEYIMREADING at checkout for $5 off your first $10 purchase! Check out Pango Books here!
• Thrift Books is one of the places I check when I’m looking for a book and want it cheap. It’s great if you like buying used books. With this you can get a free book after spending $30!
• If you want to listen to some of these, consider trying Audible! You can get your first month free (one free book) plus tons of others they have for free.  Get that Audible deal here.
• If you want to read more on your Kindle but don’t want to buy books, Kindle Unlimited is a good option. If you read a lot and like to read more than just new releases (especially romance), it could be worth it. Get Kindle Unlimited here!
• Shop my collection of bookish goodies on Etsy! These aren’t my shop items, but other shops I’ve curated into a book-themed collection. Shop my Etsy bookish goodies here!
• Shop my book lists here! You can find every book list I have on Bookshop.org (except my monthly round-ups) and I add everything I can but they occasionally won’t have some. I do occasionally add extras though. If any lists are empty, they’ll be filled in shortly! Shop my bookshop.org book lists here.

What is the difference between paperback and mass market paperback?

There are a lot of differences between paperbacks and mass market paperbacks but the main gist of it is size and quality. I’ll get more into specifics below but if you want the short answer, mass market paperbacks are small than paperbacks (sometimes called trade paperbacks).

Mass markets are smaller, cheaper, usually a bit lower quality, have smaller text and line spaces, and are (I think) a little harder to read.

How big are mass market paperbacks?

Mass market paperbacks are fairly small at roughly 6.75×4.25 inches. There are some that are about an inch taller but the same width, so roughly 7.75×4.25 inches.

The lines may be slightly further apart and print a bit bigger in the tall mass market paperbacks compared to the typical smaller size.

How big are trade paperbacks?

Trade paperbacks range in size but are bigger than mass market paperbacks. They’re typically 5×8 inches to 6×9 inches. There are plenty of variations in size around that though.

Some typical sizes for nonfiction and memoirs in paperback are 5.25×8 inches, 5.5×8.5 inches, 6×9 inches, and 7×10 inches. Why there are so many sizes, I have no idea. 

But trade paperbacks are always bigger than mass market paperbacks and usually smaller than hardcovers, but some paperbacks are hardcover sized.

Is paperback and trade paperback the same thing?

Kind of. All trade paperbacks are paperbacks but not all paperbacks are trades, some are mass market. That just depends on their size and distribution.

But when people say paperback, they’re generally referring to the larger, nicer trade paperbacks. You’ll probably see, particularly on the Internet, a lot of dislike for mass markets.

Are trade paperbacks the same as mass market paperbacks?

Nope! Trade paperbacks are bigger and higher quality than mass market paperbacks. If you’re new to reading, you’ll find your preference between them eventually. If you’ve been reading a while, you likely already know.

Are mass market paperback or paperback better quality?

Paperbacks (trade paperbacks) are higher quality than mass market paperbacks. Mass markets usually have lower quality paper and binding.

Are mass market paperback or paperback more durable?

Since trade paperbacks are higher quality, that means they’re going to be more durable. Hardcover will be the most durable but if that’s not an option or you don’t like them as much trade paperbacks are going to be better than mass markets.

Is paperback or mass market paperback easier to read?

This will mostly be personal preference but I would say trade paperbacks are usually easier to read. The print is bigger, the text is a bit further apart, and they’re usually easier to open further.

Although there are some trade paperbacks that are pretty stiff and others are really floppy so it will still depend. But generally I would go with trade paperbacks being easier to read than mass market paperbacks.

Are mass market paperback or paperback cheaper to buy?

The small mass market paperbacks are usually $8ish while the bigger ones are $11ish, compared to the $15-19 for trade paperbacks. That is for adult trade paperbacks.

YA books aren’t made in mass market paperback sizes but the trade paperback ones are $12-14. Mass market paperbacks are cheaper to buy because of the lower cost materials used to make them.

Does paperback or mass market paperback have bigger text?

Thanks to the smaller pages, mass market paperbacks have smaller text. Whether this is a positive or negative is up to you. 

That said, some trade paperbacks also have tiny text so it really just varies by book. Generally though, mass markets have smaller text that is much closer together, too.

Is mass market paperback or paperback easier to hold?

I think trade paperbacks are easier to hold than mass market paperbacks. Mass markets are usually pretty stiff so if you don’t like breaking spines, they probably aren’t for you.

And like I said above, some trade paperbacks can be pretty stiff, too, but there are floppy trade paperbacks out there, too. 

Are paperbacks and mass market paperbacks sold in the same places?

Mostly yes, but not always. While you can find mass market paperbacks in bookstores, you can also find them in places like grocery stores. 

Are all books printed as mass market paperbacks?

They aren’t as popular as they used to be and not all books are printed in the mass market format. You’ll typically see mystery and romance books in mass market sizes. 

And not like, modern romance but, I’m not sure what it’s called, more like Fabio romance. The type that gets published very quickly.

You’re more likely to find mass market sizes for really popular mystery and thriller authors like Nevada Barr, Dean Koontz, and Stephen King, that sort of popularity.

Is paperback or mass market paperback better?

So, are mass market paperbacks or trade paperbacks better? Well, I would wholeheartedly say trade paperbacks but again, it’s entirely personal preference. 

I actually really hate mass market paperbacks and will only get them if it’s the only option. And if I find a trade or hardcover version later (like in a little free library), I’ll get it and switch them. 

But i personally really hate tiny text and very stiff books. I’ll actually put a book back on my shelf if I really don’t want to ready tiny print and save it for later. I’m not worried about breaking spines though, so that part is easier to get around.

Overall, mass market paperbacks aren’t bad but if there is another option out there, I would probably recommend that instead. 

In the end, books are books and as long as I can read it, I love it. So there you have it, all the differences between mass market paperbacks and trade paperbacks.

Do you prefer trade paperbacks or mass market paperbacks? Or hardcovers!? I want to hear your mass market paperback thoughts!