How we vet designers
Every designer in this directory is a real person whose portfolio was reviewed by a human before they were listed. That's the promise, and it's one we can actually keep.
Below is exactly what that review covers — and, just as importantly, what it doesn't. We'd rather tell you where the line is than imply a level of verification nobody in this industry can honestly perform.
What we check
- A person reviews every application. Portfolio, website, working history — nobody is listed automatically.
- We look for a real body of professional work.Designers without a genuine track record of cover design aren't listed.
- Designers confirm how they work.Each one states in writing, at application and on every cover they publish, that they don't generate their cover artwork with AI tools.
- Misrepresentation ends the listing. We act on credible reports.
What we don't claim
We don't run forensic analysis on image files, and we don't audit where every licensed asset originated. Stock libraries now carry AI-generated imagery, and their provenance can't be reliably traced by the designer buying it, let alone by us.
So we don't tell you every pixel on this site was drawn by hand. We tell you the designer is real, their work is real, and you can ask them anything you like before you commission — because you're hiring them directly, not us.
How to judge a designer yourself
- Look at the body of work, not one cover. A consistent portfolio across years and genres is the hardest thing to fake.
- Ask them directly.What do you use? Where does your stock come from? Can I see work in progress? Every listing links to the designer's own inbox.
- Put it in the brief.If AI-free artwork is a requirement for your book, agree it in writing before you commission. You're contracting with the designer directly, so that's yours to set.
- It protects the craft you're buying. The designers here built their skills over years. Hiring them keeps professional cover design a viable trade — which is what keeps good covers available to authors at all.
Common questions
How do you vet designers?
Every application is read by a person before a designer is listed. We look at their portfolio, their website and their working history rather than approving automatically. Designers who don't show a real body of professional cover work aren't listed.
Are the covers on this site made with AI?
Every designer confirms in writing — when they apply, and again on each cover they publish — that they don't use generative-AI images in their designs. We can't extend that into a guarantee: designers license stock imagery from third-party libraries, and those libraries now contain AI-generated material that nobody downstream can reliably verify. So we vet the designer, and we don't claim to certify the provenance of every asset. If it matters for your book, ask the designer directly — you're talking to them, not to us.
What does being listed here actually guarantee?
That a real person with a real portfolio was reviewed by a human before being listed, and that they've told us in writing they don't generate their cover artwork with AI. It isn't a technical audit of their files or their stock sources, and we'd rather say so plainly than imply a level of verification we don't perform.
How can I check for myself?
Ask the designer. Every listing links straight to their own website and their own inbox — there's no middleman in the conversation. Ask what they use, ask where their stock comes from, ask to see work in progress. A professional designer will have a straight answer, and you're commissioning them directly, so you can put it in writing before any money changes hands.
Why does the provenance of cover art matter?
Two practical reasons. Copyright: purely AI-generated artwork is generally not eligible for copyright protection in the US, which can matter for the central image of your book's brand. Disclosure: Amazon KDP asks you to disclose AI-generated content, including cover imagery, when you publish. Both are questions worth putting to your designer before you commission. (General information, not legal advice.)
What happens if a designer misrepresents their work?
Their listing is removed. The written confirmation each designer gives is the condition of being listed here, and we act on credible reports.
Browse reviewed designers
Every designer below was reviewed before being listed. Hire them directly — no commission, no middleman.
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