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An A2 poster is 420 x 594mm, which is 42 x 59.4cm or 16.5 x 23.4 inches. It is twice the area of A3 and half the area of A1, and it is the usual size for shop windows, event posters and reception walls. We print A2 posters single-sided, from one poster, on 170gsm silk paper as standard, and a single A2 poster on it costs £19 including VAT, with free delivery to UK mainland addresses.
What size is an A2 poster?
| Measurement | A2 poster |
|---|---|
| Millimetres | 420 x 594mm |
| Centimetres | 42.0 x 59.4cm |
| Inches | 16.54 x 23.39in |
| Area | 0.25 square metres |
| Artwork size with 3mm bleed | 426 x 600mm |
| Safe area | Text and logos 10mm inside the trim |
| Pixels at 150dpi (finished size) | 2480 x 3508px |
| Pixels at 300dpi (finished size) | 4961 x 7016px |
| Pixels at 300dpi (with bleed) | 5031 x 7087px |
Inches are millimetres ÷ 25.4, and pixels are inches x dpi, rounded. The A2 poster page shows the specification with live prices and options.
A2 next to A3 and A1
A2 is A1 cut in half, and two A3 sheets side by side make one A2. All A sizes share the same proportions under ISO 216, so a design made for one scales to another without cropping.
| Size | Millimetres | Compared with A2 | Scale from that size to A2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | 594 x 841mm | Twice the area | 71% |
| A2 | 420 x 594mm | - | - |
| A3 | 297 x 420mm | Half the area | 141% |
| A4 | 210 x 297mm | A quarter of the area | 200% |
An A4 design doubles to A2 exactly (420 ÷ 210 = 2), which makes A2 a handy size if you already have an A4 flyer. Our poster sizes guide compares all four poster sizes.
Where an A2 poster works
A2 is big enough to be seen from across a street or a room, and small enough to fit most windows and noticeboards. Common uses:
- shop window promotions and in-store offers;
- event, gig and theatre posters;
- reception and waiting-room walls;
- school, club and community noticeboards;
- framed menus and price boards;
- photo and art prints.
A2 gives room for event details or a short list as well as a headline and an image. For a long timetable or a detailed map, consider A1. For a noticeboard shared with other notices, A3 may fit better.
Posters and leaflets together
For an event, an A2 poster in the window often pairs with A5 leaflets on the counter for people to take away. A5 is a quarter of A2 and the same shape, so one design can work for both if the small text stays readable at A5.
Our A2 paper: 170gsm silk as standard
A2 posters are printed in full colour on one side of 170gsm silk paper, a coated paper with a soft sheen. Colours stay rich and photos stay sharp, with less glare than gloss under shop lights or behind a window. You can also choose 135 or 250gsm silk, 135, 170 or 250gsm gloss, or 150gsm satin.
Our posters are cut to the exact A size, so an A2 poster fits a frame or clip frame sold as A2. A frame's edge or mount covers part of the print, so keep text well inside the safe area.
Silk, gloss and satin posters are for indoor display, though they can face out from behind glass. For A2 outdoors, choose 115gsm blueback, a billboard paper for pasting up outside, or 170gsm waterproof PVC; for a rigid outdoor sign, a correx board stands up to rain.
A2 poster prices
Prices include VAT at 20% and free delivery to UK mainland addresses, read from our live price list.
| Quantity | Order total | Price per poster |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | £19 | £19.00 |
| 5 | £33 | £6.60 |
| 10 | £36 | £3.60 |
| 25 | £46 | £1.84 |
| 50 | £50 | £1.00 |
| 100 | £65 | 65p |
The same quantities across all four poster sizes:
| Quantity | A2 (420 x 594mm) | A3 (297 x 420mm) | A1 (594 x 841mm) | A0 (841 x 1189mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | £19 £19.00 each £15.83 ex VAT | £16 £16.00 each £13.33 ex VAT | £21 £21.00 each £17.50 ex VAT | £35 £35.00 each £29.17 ex VAT |
| 5 | £33 £6.60 each £27.50 ex VAT | £22 £4.40 each £18.33 ex VAT | £40 £8.00 each £33.33 ex VAT | £70 £14.00 each £58.33 ex VAT |
| 10 | £36 £3.60 each £30.00 ex VAT | £25 £2.50 each £20.83 ex VAT | £48 £4.80 each £40.00 ex VAT | £89 £8.90 each £74.17 ex VAT |
| 25 | £46 £1.84 each £38.33 ex VAT | £27 £1.08 each £22.50 ex VAT | £78 £3.12 each £65.00 ex VAT | £191 £7.64 each £159.17 ex VAT |
| 50 | £50 £1.00 each £41.67 ex VAT | £31 62p each £25.83 ex VAT | £102 £2.04 each £85.00 ex VAT | £279 £5.58 each £232.50 ex VAT |
| 100 | £65 65p each £54.17 ex VAT | £37 37p each £30.83 ex VAT | £152 £1.52 each £126.67 ex VAT | £329 £3.29 each £274.17 ex VAT |
These prices are read from our live price list each time this page loads, so they match the posters page. Select a price to open that option on the product page.
Posters are dispatched 5 to 8 working days after you approve your artwork, and mainland delivery usually takes a further 1 to 2 working days. Our delivery page has the details.
Setting up an A2 poster
- Page size: 426 x 600mm, the A2 size plus 3mm of bleed on every edge. Our guide to what bleed is explains why.
- Safe area: keep text and logos at least 10mm inside the trim.
- Images: aim for 300dpi at full size for photos people will see up close; 150dpi is fine for images seen from a distance. See our glossary entry on dpi.
- File: a PDF in CMYK, fonts embedded or outlined. Our CMYK vs RGB guide explains why.
Our free poster templates include A2 at 426 x 600mm, with the trim and safe area marked, as a PDF and an SVG. Designing in Canva? Our Canva to print guide covers custom sizes and the PDF download. The artwork guidelines list the file checks.
Is my photo big enough for A2?
Divide the photo's long side in pixels by 23.39, the long side of A2 in inches. A 4000 x 3000 pixel photo gives 4000 ÷ 23.39 = 171dpi, comfortably above 150dpi, so it looks sharp at normal viewing distance.
Proof and VAT
A free automatic check looks at size, bleed, colour mode, resolution and fonts when you upload, and you approve an on-screen proof before you pay. The check does not read your wording, so check dates and spellings yourself, or add a manual proof; see proofs and file checks.
Posters are standard-rated for VAT, so A2 prices include VAT at 20%. Our VAT on printing page explains why.
Questions
What size is an A2 poster? An A2 poster is 420 x 594mm, which is 42 x 59.4cm or about 16.5 x 23.4 inches. With 3mm of bleed on every edge, the artwork is 426 x 600mm.
What size is A2 in inches? A2 is 16.54 x 23.39 inches, usually rounded to 16.5 x 23.4 inches. That is the millimetre size divided by 25.4.
Is A2 bigger than A3? Yes. A2 is twice the area of A3: two A3 sheets (297 x 420mm) side by side make one A2 (420 x 594mm). A2 is half the area of A1.
How much does an A2 poster cost? One A2 poster on 170gsm silk costs £19 including VAT, and 10 cost £36, which is £3.60 each. Delivery to UK mainland addresses is free.
How many pixels is an A2 poster? At 300dpi, an A2 poster is 4961 x 7016 pixels, or 5031 x 7087 pixels with bleed. At 150dpi, which looks sharp from viewing distance, it is 2480 x 3508 pixels.
Can I turn an A4 flyer into an A2 poster? Yes. A2 is exactly twice as wide and twice as tall as A4, so an A4 design scales to A2 at 200% without cropping. Rebuild the file at 426 x 600mm with bleed, and check photos have enough pixels.
Will an A2 poster fit an A2 frame? Yes. Our posters are cut to the exact A size, so they fit frames and clip frames sold as A2. Keep text away from the edges if the frame has a mount.
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