Creating Ebook Covers on Canva: What Actually Works (Spoiler: ChatGPT Got It Wrong)

So there I was, staring at my screen, ready to create my first ebook cover. Like any sensible person in 2025, I asked ChatGPT for help. It confidently told me to use 1280 × 720 pixels for Gumroad, create a custom size in Canva, and boom, done.

Except… it wasn’t done. Not even close.

When the Instructions Don’t Match Reality

Here’s what ChatGPT told me to do:

• Use 1280 × 720 px for Gumroad
• Create a custom size in Canva
• Use readable fonts and high contrast
• Export and upload

Sounds simple, right? Wrong.

When I opened Canva, there was no option to select 1280 × 720 px. The default ebook cover size? 512 x 800 px. Completely different from what I was told. I spotted a resize option, but guess what? That’s behind a paywall.

I went back to ChatGPT. “Is resize a premium feature?”

“No, it’s freemium,” it said.

I tried again. Still locked. At this point, I realized I was wasting time arguing with a chatbot, so I just rolled with the default size and started creating.

What Actually…