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Notebook Sizes Chart: A4 to A7, B5, B6 and Moleskine
Picking a notebook size sounds trivial until you've bought the wrong one: an A4 too bulky to carry, or a pocket size too cramped to write in. Get it right and the notebook gets used. Get it wrong and it sits in a drawer.
I'm Vic, founder of Vintage Leather Sydney. We make leather notebook covers, so sizing questions land on our desk all the time. Here's every common size in millimetres and inches, how the brand sizes like Moleskine compare, and which size suits the way you work.
Notebook Sizes at a Glance
The most common notebook sizes are A4 (210 × 297 mm), A5 (148 × 210 mm), A6 (105 × 148 mm), B5 (176 × 250 mm) and B6 (125 × 176 mm), with Pocket (90 × 140 mm) and Passport (90 × 125 mm) the go-to small formats. In the US, Letter (8.5 × 11 in) and Half Letter (5.5 × 8.5 in) take the place of A4 and A5. If you only remember one, A5 is the everyday all-rounder.
Notebook Size Chart
Here's the full range in one place, with what each size does best.
| Size | Millimetres | Inches | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| A8 | 52 × 74 | 2 × 2.9 | Tiny jotters, lists in a wallet |
| B8 | 62 × 88 | 2.4 × 3.5 | Card-size notebooks |
| A7 | 74 × 105 | 2.9 × 4.1 | Quick notes on the go |
| Passport / B7 | 90 × 125 (B7 is 88 × 125) | 3.5 × 4.9 | Travel journaling |
| 90 × 140 | 3.5 × 5.5 | Everyday carry, lists, jotting | |
| A6 | 105 × 148 | 4.1 × 5.8 | Compact journaling |
| B6 | 125 × 176 | 4.9 × 6.9 | Portable journals and planners |
| Regular TN | 110 × 210 | 4.3 × 8.3 | Traveler's notebooks |
| A5 | 148 × 210 | 5.8 × 8.3 | Daily journaling, bullet journals |
| Half Letter | 140 × 216 | 5.5 × 8.5 | US planners and journals |
| B5 | 176 × 250 | 6.9 × 9.8 | Study, sketching, projects |
| Composition | 190 × 248 | 7.5 × 9.75 | US school notebooks |
| A4 | 210 × 297 | 8.3 × 11.7 | Desk work, detailed notes |
| US Letter | 216 × 279 | 8.5 × 11 | US office and school use |
| US Legal | 216 × 356 | 8.5 × 14 | Legal pads, top-bound notes |
Brands don't always stick exactly to these measurements, so if you're matching a notebook to a cover, check the maker's listed size rather than the name. More on that in the brand sizes section below.
How Notebook Sizes Work: The A and B Series
Most notebook sizes outside North America come from the ISO 216 standard, which has two series. The A series (A4, A5, A6 and so on) is the one you'll meet most. Its useful feature is the √2 aspect ratio: fold any A size in half and you get the next size down. An A4 sheet folded in half gives two A5 sheets, and an A5 folded gives two A6. That's why the sizes nest so neatly.
The B series (B5, B6) fills the gaps between the A sizes. B5 sits between A5 and A4, bigger than A5 but smaller than A4, and B6 sits between A6 and A5.
ISO B5 vs Japanese JIS B5
Japan uses its own B series, JIS, which is slightly larger than the international ISO B series. ISO B5 is 176 × 250 mm, while JIS B5 is 182 × 257 mm. The same goes for B6: ISO B6 is 125 × 176 mm, JIS B6 is 128 × 182 mm. It matters when you're matching a notebook to a cover. A Japanese-brand B5 from Kokuyo, Midori or Hobonichi won't sit exactly like a European-brand B5, so check which standard your notebook follows.
US Notebook Sizes: Letter, Composition and Spiral
The US and Canada don't use the A series day to day, so American notebooks follow a different set of sizes, all measured in inches:
- Letter (8.5 × 11 in, 216 × 279 mm): the US equivalent of A4. Slightly wider and shorter, and the standard for office and school paper.
- Half Letter (5.5 × 8.5 in, 140 × 216 mm): also called junior or statement size. It's the US counterpart to A5 and is common for planners and discbound notebooks.
- Composition (7.5 × 9.75 in, 190 × 248 mm): the classic marbled school notebook. It's close to B5 in size, which is why some brands, Leuchtturm1917 among them, call their B5 notebook "Composition".
- Spiral notebooks: most US spiral notebooks are letter size or slightly trimmed to around 8 × 10.5 in, with smaller spirals at roughly half-letter size.
If you're buying a cover or refill across the two systems, remember that Letter and A4 aren't interchangeable. A4 is about 6 mm narrower and 18 mm taller.
The Most Popular Sizes, Explained
A5 (148 × 210 mm): the all-rounder
If there's a default notebook size, it's A5. It hits the sweet spot between writing room and portability: big enough for journaling, meeting notes and bullet-journal spreads, small enough for most bags. It's the safest choice if you're not sure what you want, and it's the size most of our covers are built around.
B5 (176 × 250 mm): room to spread out
B5 gives noticeably more writing space than A5 without the bulk of A4. It's a favourite with students and anyone doing detailed notes, sketches, diagrams or large bullet-journal layouts, and it's close in size to a US composition book.
A4 (210 × 297 mm): the desk workhorse
A4 is the classic office and study size. It matches standard printer paper outside North America, so handwritten notes and printouts live together neatly. It gives the most room for detailed work, but it's the least portable size, better as a desk or work-bag notebook than an everyday carry.
A6 (105 × 148 mm): pocket-friendly
A6 is built for portability: small enough for a jacket pocket or small bag, yet roomy enough for quick notes, reminders and compact journaling.
B6 (125 × 176 mm): the in-between size
B6 sits just above A6, with a bit more writing space while staying easy to carry. It's a popular everyday choice for personal journals, lists and planners, big enough to be useful and small enough to go anywhere.
Passport (90 × 125 mm): for travellers
Named for matching a real passport, this size is made for the road. It suits travel journals, daily diaries and quick sketches, and tucks into a jacket pocket alongside your actual travel documents.
Brand Notebook Sizes
Brand names like "Large" or "Medium" don't always match the standard sizes they sound like. These are the ones people ask about most.
Moleskine Notebook Sizes
| Moleskine size | Centimetres | Inches | Closest standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extra Small | 6.5 × 10.5 | 2.5 × 4.1 | Smaller than A7 |
| 9 × 14 | 3.5 × 5.5 | Pocket, near A6 | |
| Medium | 11.5 × 18 | 4.5 × 7 | Near B6 |
| Large | 13 × 21 | 5 × 8.25 | A5 height, narrower |
| Extra Large | 19 × 25 | 7.5 × 9.75 | Near B5 and Composition |
| XXL | 21.6 × 27.9 | 8.5 × 11 | US Letter |
The one that catches people out is the Moleskine Large. It's the same height as A5 but about 18 mm narrower, so it will sit loose in a cover made for true A5.
Leuchtturm1917 Notebook Sizes
| Leuchtturm1917 size | Millimetres | Inches | Closest standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mini (A7) | 70 × 110 | 2.8 × 4.3 | A7 |
| Pocket (A6) | 90 × 150 | 3.5 × 5.9 | Narrower than A6 |
| Paperback (B6+) | 125 × 190 | 4.9 × 7.5 | Taller than B6 |
| Medium (A5) | 145 × 210 | 5.7 × 8.3 | A5 |
| Composition (B5) | 178 × 254 | 7 × 10 | B5 |
| Master (A4+) | 225 × 315 | 8.9 × 12.4 | Larger than A4 |
The Leuchtturm1917 Medium is effectively A5 and fits most A5 covers. The Master is deliberately bigger than A4 so loose A4 sheets fit inside, which means it won't fit an A4 cover.
Traveler's Notebook and Hobonichi Sizes
Traveler's Company (the maker of the Midori Traveler's Notebook) uses two main sizes: Regular at 110 × 210 mm, a tall, slim format, and Passport at about 89 × 124 mm. Refills and covers are made specifically for these, so they don't swap with A-series notebooks.
Hobonichi Techo planners follow standard sizes: the Original is A6 and the Cousin is A5, so both fit covers built for those sizes, allowing a little room for the thicker page count.
Which Notebook Fits Which Bag or Pocket?
This is the question we get most as a bag and cover maker. Here's a guide for a standard notebook of around 200 pages, with a spine of roughly 15 mm. "Tight" means it goes in, but not comfortably enough for daily carry.
| Where it goes | A6 | B6 | A5 | B5 | A4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacket inside pocket | Fits | Tight | No | No | No |
| Sling bag | Fits | Fits | Tight | No | No |
| Small crossbody | Fits | Fits | Tight | No | No |
| Messenger bag | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| Tote bag | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| Backpack | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| Laptop bag or briefcase | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| 13 inch laptop sleeve | Loose | Loose | Fits | Fits | Fits |
Bag sizes vary between styles, so treat this as a starting point. Each product page lists internal dimensions if you want to check a specific bag against your notebook.
Which Notebook Size Should You Choose?
It comes down to where and how you'll use it. Find the line that sounds most like you.
| If this sounds like you | Go for | Pair it with |
|---|---|---|
| "I want one notebook I carry everywhere." | A5 | An A5 leather notebook cover |
| "I'm starting a bullet journal." | A5, dotted | A cover you can refill year after year |
| "I want something pocketable for lists." | Pocket or A6 | A jacket pocket or sling bag |
| "I journal but carry a small bag." | B6 | A crossbody bag |
| "I take detailed notes for study or work." | B5 or A4 | A messenger bag or backpack |
| "I run meetings and want everything in one place." | A4 pad | A leather compendium |
| "I'm buying a gift and don't know their habits." | A5 | A leather journal, the safest choice |
Still unsure? A5 is the easiest size to find refills and covers for, which makes it the safest first pick.
A Note for Left-Handed Writers
Size and binding matter more if you write with your left hand. Spiral bindings catch the wrist on larger sizes like A4 and B5, so smaller spirals or a stitched binding are more comfortable. Hardcover notebooks that lie flat, in A5 or B6, are the easiest all-round choice. Wide formats, like A4 turned landscape, push your wrist across the page and get tiring over long sessions. If you use a fountain pen, a quick-drying paper helps as much as the size does.
Dressing Your Notebook: Leather Covers
Once you've settled on a size, a full-grain leather cover protects the notebook, ages well with use, and lets you refill the same cover for years instead of replacing the whole thing. We build our leather notebook covers around standard sizes, so it's worth landing on your size first, then matching the cover.
Two quick fit checks before you order. If your notebook is a Japanese brand, confirm whether it's JIS or ISO sizing. And if it's a branded size like the Moleskine Large, go by the actual measurements in the tables above rather than the name on the label.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most popular notebook size?
A5, 148 × 210 mm, is the most widely used notebook size, especially for journaling, planning and bullet journals. It balances writing room with portability. B6 and A6 are popular for everyday carry.
What is the standard notebook size?
It depends on where you are and what it's for. A4 (210 × 297 mm) is the standard for offices and schools in most of the world, and A5 is the standard for personal notebooks and journals. In the US, Letter (8.5 × 11 in) fills the A4 role.
What are standard notebook sizes in inches?
The common ones are A6 at 4.1 × 5.8 in, A5 at 5.8 × 8.3 in, B5 at 6.9 × 9.8 in and A4 at 8.3 × 11.7 in. US sizes include Half Letter at 5.5 × 8.5 in, Composition at 7.5 × 9.75 in and Letter at 8.5 × 11 in.
Is A5 half the size of A4?
Yes. Fold an A4 sheet in half along its longer edge and you get an A5 sheet. The same halving works all the way through the A series, so each size folded in half becomes the next size down.
Which is bigger, A5 or B5?
B5 (176 × 250 mm) is bigger than A5 (148 × 210 mm). B sizes sit between the A sizes, so B5 is larger than A5 but smaller than A4.
What size is a composition notebook?
A standard US composition notebook is 7.5 × 9.75 inches, about 190 × 248 mm. That's close to B5, which is why some brands label their B5 notebooks as composition size.
Is a Moleskine Large the same as A5?
Not quite. The Moleskine Large is 13 × 21 cm, the same height as A5 but about 1.8 cm narrower. It will fit inside an A5 cover but sits a little loose.
What's the difference between ISO B5 and JIS B5?
ISO B5, the international standard, is 176 × 250 mm. Japanese JIS B5 is slightly larger at 182 × 257 mm. Japanese brands like Kokuyo, Midori and Hobonichi tend to use JIS sizing, so check which one your notebook follows before buying a cover.
What size notebook is best for bullet journaling?
A5 is the go-to size for bullet journaling. It has room for monthly calendars, weekly spreads and trackers while staying portable. B6 is a good, more compact alternative.
How thick should a notebook be for everyday carry?
A spine of around 10 to 15 mm is comfortable for daily carry. That's roughly 100 to 200 pages on standard paper, or more on thin paper. Anything much thicker gets awkward in a pocket or small bag.
What notebook size is best as a gift?
A5 is the safest gift size. It suits journaling, planning and note-taking, fits most bags, and it's the easiest size to find refills and covers for later.
What notebook size is best for fountain pens?
Any size works, but A5 and B6 are the most popular with fountain pen users because they give enough room to write without bulk. Paper quality matters more than size, so look for paper that's rated for fountain pen ink.
Final Thoughts
There's no single best notebook size, only the right one for how you write and where you carry it. A5 is the safe all-rounder, B5 and A4 give you room to spread out, and A6, Pocket and Passport go everywhere with you. Once you know your size, a full-grain leather cover is what turns a disposable notebook into something you'll keep refilling for years.
Browse our leather notebook covers below. Free shipping Australia-wide, with Afterpay, Zippay and Klarna available, and every full-price piece backed by a 365-day warranty.