Planner Sizes: Learn How to Pick the Perfect Planner

Finding the right planner for your lifestyle and to meet your specific needs is extremely important if you want to get organized, but make sure you don’t overlook the importance of finding the right size planner as well.

Planner Sizes Guide

Planners come in all different sizes these days, and this includes:

• Pocket (81 x 120 mm)

• Personal (95 x 171 mm)

• A5 (148 x 210 mm)

• Medium (7 x 9 in)

• Half-letter (8.5 x 5.5 in)

• A4 (210 x 297 mm)

• US letter (8.5 x 11 in)

As you can see, there are many sizes of paper available and this isn’t even a complete list. At the end of the day, this is a very personal decision so it’s important to look at the pros and cons for each paper size.

If you’re not sure which is the right one for you, keep reading our planner size guide for a full breakdown of your options so you can get a better idea of how to get started.

Pocket size planner 

This micro-mini planner is pretty teeny tiny, but if you’re looking for something that you can pop in your pocket and just quickly glance at and jot down a few important notes, then a pocket model is a good match for you. 

Of course, if you’re looking to make extensive notes about your school exams, your child’s after school activities or work events, then this planner will indubitably be too small so opt for a larger planner.

Our favorites include this pink one, these minimalist versions and this weekly and monthly pocket planner.

Personal planner

Like the pocket-size planner, the personal-size planner is also on the smaller side. The good news is that this size planner is totally portable and very lightweight, which makes it extremely convenient to pop it in your bag and take it with you wherever you go.

The disadvantages of using a planner of this size are that the lines are usually close together, leaving little space to write, plus you'll have to write very small.

Additionally, the monthly overview is very small so you cannot realistically fit much information in the boxes. You could, of course, use a color coding system as a way to organize, if that's how you roll.

Another downside of using the personal planner size is that planner stickers will generally be too large for these types of models, so if you're a diehard sticker fan, this is not the right planner size for you.

Keep in mind that you will be limited when using this type of planner; however, if you're not planning on adding extensive information, then this might be a viable option for you.

If you’re looking for a planner printable, this and this are great options from Etsy, and Filofax makes a snazzy red one we love.

A5 planner

An A5 size planner is also a smaller planner, coming in at half of an A4 page size. Like the planners above, these are on the small side, so they are totally portable and lightweight.

These are also a popular size, which makes it easier to find printables, if that's the route you're planning to go. There is more space for writing, compared with the two models above, so you can include more extensive plans in a planner of this size.

This size planner has several drawbacks as well. If you're going to be buying inserts, the price can really add up once you take shipping costs into account, and if you have a printer and plan on doing it yourself, you're going to need to be able to print two per page. If your printer only prints one per page,  it's going to be very wasteful and you're going to spend a lot of time cutting the pages out.

If this is the right size for you, we love this A5 ring agenda from Erin Condren, this Van Der Spek leather planner, these inserts on A5 paper and this personalized planner from Etsy. 

Medium and half-letter planners

Now we're going a bit bigger with the medium and half letter size planners. These types of planners are usually spiral bound and will offer more space for you to note down your activities and tasks. While they’re not small models, they’re not so large that they’re uncomfortable and bulky to carry around.

These may be among the most common size planners, so there are lots of options and different layouts to choose from to suit your personal preferences. That being said, if you're going to be using inserts, the medium size may be somewhat tricky to find.

Erin Condren makes a lovely weekly lifeplanner in this size, and we also like this undated journal, this academic planner and this weekly and monthly planner. 

A4 planner

These planners, which are full page US letter size, are great. As they are larger, you can’t just pop them in your purse. They are bulkier and heavier to carry.

If you’re having your planner shipped, it will be more expensive, and if you’re going to spread out and write in your planner, you’re going to need much more desk room to get comfortable. These also generally have a 2-page spread, so you’ll want space to properly envision the entire week.

On the plus side, there should be more than enough room for you to include the information you need in a planner of this size.

A full page gives you lots of space to jot down your most important tasks, and this size planner is generally suitable for your needs, whether you’re a teacher, student, working mom, SAHM, freelancer, or anyone else. Also, if you’re using a binder and looking for inserts, there’s no shortage of options for this size.

We love this luxe leather option with free embossing, this beautiful undated hardcover option, and even this desk pad. If you’re looking for inserts, we love these printables for general planning and also these fitness printables.

Our all-time favorite planner inserts come in a range of sizes, depending what you’re looking for help with. This includes:

• TV tracker inserts, available in A5 and half letter, among others
• Monthly expense trackers, available in half letter, among others
• Weekly devotional inserts, available in A5 and half letter, among others
• Debt repayment trackers, available in A5 and half letter, among others
• Cleaning inserts, available in A5, personal, half letter and other sizes
• Productivity inserts, available in A5, personal, half letter and other sizes

Still on the fence

If you’re still not sure which size is right for you, there are a few strategies you can follow.

You can always size down and get a small planner as these are easier to carry with you. If you need additional space, you can always include a sticky note on different pages to jot down any scheduling information that doesn’t fit on the pages.

Alternatively, you can get a large planner. This will ensure that you have all the space you need to include your plans, even if you have more room than you actually need.

You can always download a planner app on your phone to use in conjunction with your physical planner. You can set it to send you important reminders and use the two tools together to stay organized.

A final option is to print out pages in the insert size you’re thinking about using and give them a test run. Using them for a few weeks may help you decide whether or not they’re the right size for you.

Other considerations

Beyond your planner page size, you also need to decide what type of planner you want: ring bound, bookbound or a discbound planner? What binder sizes are available? Are you in the market for an ARC planner? How important is the planner cover? Would you like it to be personalized, thematic or plain?

Also, think about what you want to track in your planner and make sure there are planners and inserts available. Do you want hourly planner pages or weekly planner pages? Or are you going to be bullet journaling?

And what are your preferred planner accessories? Do you love tassel paperclips, stickers, or pen holders? Before you buy, make sure your preferred planner size can accommodate your faves!

Are you a fan of a certain brand of popular planner like Passion Planner, Inkwell Press or Franklin Covey? Maybe you’re deciding between Webster’s Pages, Plum Paper and Limelife Planner. Or perhaps you have your eye on the Ultimate Planner, the skinny classic Happy Planners or the Color Crush. Make sure the planner sizes will meet your needs.

As you already know, there’s a whole lot to consider before you buy a planner. Hopefully this guide to planner sizes will put you in a better position to choose the right one to help you get as organized as possible