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What is a brochure (and how is it different from a booklet or leaflet)?

In short

A brochure is a printed publication that presents a business, its products or its services. In practice it is either a folded leaflet or a stapled booklet, depending on how much there is to say.

A brochure is a printed piece that introduces a business, a venue, a course or a range of products, usually with more pictures and polish than a simple flyer. "Brochure" describes the purpose rather than the format: the same brochure could be a folded A4 sheet or a stapled booklet of several pages.

Brochure, booklet or leaflet?

Format Pages Good for
Flat leaflet 1 or 2 sides A single offer, event or message
Folded leaflet 4 panels (half fold) or 6 panels (roll or Z fold) A short brochure: services, a menu of options, a step-by-step story
Stapled booklet 8 to 24 pages A fuller brochure: catalogues, prospectuses, programmes, annual reviews

A folded leaflet is the simplest brochure and fits a C5 envelope (half fold) or a DL envelope (roll or Z fold). Choose a stapled booklet when you need eight pages or more, or want something that feels like a publication.

Our brochure options

  • Folded leaflets: A4 on 135gsm or 170gsm gloss, half folded to A5 or roll or Z folded to DL.
  • Stapled booklets: A5 or A4, 8 to 24 pages, 170gsm silk throughout, from 50 copies.

VAT on brochures

Brochures and booklets are normally zero-rated under HMRC Notice 701/10, and folded leaflets are zero-rated where they qualify. Our VAT on printing page explains the rules, and the booklet page count guide helps you plan a multi-page brochure.

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