What is the difference between a leaflet and a flyer?
In short
In UK printing, a leaflet and a flyer are the same kind of item: a single printed sheet, usually A6, A5, A4 or DL. The words differ mainly in how the item is used.
There is no technical difference between a leaflet and a flyer: both are single sheets of printed paper, made in the same sizes and on the same papers. The difference is mostly habit. People often say flyer for something handed out at an event or in the street, and leaflet for something posted through doors, left on a counter or picked up from a rack.
How the words tend to be used
| Flyer | Leaflet | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical use | Handed out, short-lived promotions, events | Door drops, counters, racks, information |
| Content | Brief, eye-catching | Often more detail |
| Folded? | Usually flat | Flat or folded |
A folded leaflet, such as an A4 sheet folded to A5 or DL, is still a leaflet. Once you staple several sheets together it becomes a booklet.
What we print
Our leaflets and flyers are one product: A6, A5, A4 or DL, single or double-sided, on 135gsm gloss, 170gsm gloss or 170gsm silk, from 100 copies. Folded leaflets are a separate product: an A4 sheet half folded to A5, or roll or Z folded to DL.
VAT
The name doesn't change the VAT. Leaflets and flyers are zero-rated where they qualify under HMRC Notice 701/10: a single sheet up to A4 (or up to A2 printed on both sides and folded down), on limp paper, at least 50 copies, with completion areas taking up 25% or less. Our VAT on printing page explains the conditions, and the leaflet and flyer sizes guide helps you choose a size.