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An A4 booklet has pages of 210 x 297mm, the size of a standard sheet of office paper, made from A3 sheets printed on both sides, folded in half and stapled twice along the spine. We print A4 stapled booklets with 8, 12, 16, 20 or 24 pages, covers included, in full colour on 170gsm silk throughout, from 50 copies. 50 A4 booklets of 8 pages cost £57, with no VAT to add where they qualify, and delivery to UK mainland addresses is free.
A4 booklet size
| Measurement | A4 booklet |
|---|---|
| Closed page size | 210 x 297mm (21 x 29.7cm, 8.27 x 11.69in) |
| Open size (a spread) | 420 x 297mm, the size of A3 landscape |
| Each page in your PDF, with 3mm bleed | 216 x 303mm |
| Pixels per page at 300dpi, with bleed | 2551 x 3579px |
| Safe area | Text and page numbers 8mm inside the trim, a little more by the spine |
| Binding | Two staples through the spine (saddle stitched) |
| Paper | 170gsm silk, cover and inside pages the same (self cover) |
The A4 booklet page has the full specification and the price for every page count.
Page counts for A4 booklets
Each A3 sheet folds to make four A4 pages, so the page count goes up in fours.
| Pages, covers included | A3 sheets folded together | Inside pages |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 2 | 4 (pages 3 to 6) |
| 12 | 3 | 8 (pages 3 to 10) |
| 16 | 4 | 12 (pages 3 to 14) |
| 20 | 5 | 16 (pages 3 to 18) |
| 24 | 6 | 20 (pages 3 to 22) |
The four cover pages count, even if the inside covers are blank. Our booklet page count guide explains how to plan pages when your content does not fit exactly, and our saddle stitch guide explains how this binding works.
When to choose A4 over A5
A4 gives each page twice the area of A5. Choose it when the content needs room:
- Product catalogues with several photos and prices on each page.
- Prospectuses and course guides with photos, tables and contact details.
- Annual reviews and reports with charts, figures and longer articles.
- Magazines and newsletters laid out in two or three columns.
- Instruction booklets with diagrams large enough to follow.
If the booklet is mostly short text that people read in their hands, such as a programme or an order of service, an A5 booklet is easier to hold; our A5 booklet printing guide covers that size. If you only need two pages, an A4 leaflet printed on both sides may do; for four or six panels, see folded leaflets.
A4 booklet or brochure?
People use the words loosely. In print, a brochure can be a folded leaflet or a booklet. An A4 stapled booklet is what many people mean by an A4 brochure or A4 stapled brochure: several sheets folded and stapled at the spine.
Paper and finish
Every page, including the cover, is printed in full colour on 170gsm silk. Silk has a soft sheen, so photos stay sharp and text reads easily under office and shop lights. With a self cover, the booklet stays light and flexible and lies open well at the centre spread. We do not sell a separate card cover or laminated cover at the moment; our self cover guide explains what that means.
A4 booklet prices
Order totals for A4 booklets on 170gsm silk, read from our live price list. Booklets are zero-rated where they qualify, so there is no VAT to add, and delivery to UK mainland addresses is free.
| Pages | 50 booklets | 100 booklets | 250 booklets | 500 booklets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | £57 | £82 | £130 | £198 |
| 12 | £67 | £99 | £170 | £265 |
| 16 | £86 | £119 | £206 | £326 |
| 20 | £105 | £150 | £256 | £405 |
| 24 | £117 | £170 | £294 | £462 |
100 A4 booklets of 8 pages cost 82p each, and 500 cost 39.6p each. The minimum is 50 booklets per design. This table compares A5 and A4 at 8 pages:
| Quantity | A5 (148 x 210mm) | A4 (210 x 297mm) |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | £54 £1.08 each | £57 £1.14 each |
| 100 | £64 64p each | £82 82p each |
| 250 | £89 35.6p each | £130 52p each |
| 500 | £109 21.8p each | £198 39.6p each |
These prices are read from our live price list each time this page loads, so they match the stapled booklets page. Select a price to open that option on the product page.
Booklets are dispatched 5 to 10 working days after you approve your artwork, and mainland delivery usually takes a further 1 to 2 working days. See our delivery page for areas we quote separately.
Setting up an A4 booklet file
- One PDF of single pages in reading order, front cover first and back cover last. Do not send spreads.
- Each page 216 x 303mm, the A4 page plus 3mm of bleed on every edge. Our guide to what bleed is explains why.
- The page count must match the count you order.
- Keep text 8mm inside the trim and a little more near the spine, to allow for creep and the fold.
- CMYK, fonts embedded or outlined, images at 300dpi. A full-page photo needs about 2551 x 3579 pixels.
In Word, set a custom paper size of 21.6 x 30.3cm with 1.1cm margins, and do not use the Book fold setting; the page count guide has the steps. Our free booklet templates cover A4 at every page count as a PDF and an SVG, with each page labelled. Our artwork guidelines list every check.
Proof and VAT
A free automatic check looks at size, bleed, colour mode, resolution and fonts when you upload, and the on-screen proof shows every page in order before you pay. For a person to check it too, add a manual proof; see proofs and file checks.
Printed booklets and brochures are normally zero-rated under HMRC VAT Notice 701/10. A booklet made mainly for writing in, such as a workbook of forms or an order book, may be standard-rated. Our VAT on printing page explains the rules.
Questions
What size is an A4 booklet? Each page is 210 x 297mm, the same as a sheet of A4 office paper. Open flat, a spread is 420 x 297mm, the size of A3. In your PDF, each page is 216 x 303mm including 3mm of bleed.
How many pages can an A4 stapled booklet have? We print A4 stapled booklets with 8, 12, 16, 20 or 24 pages, covers included. Each A3 sheet folds to make four A4 pages, so the count goes up in fours.
How much does A4 booklet printing cost? 50 A4 booklets of 8 pages on 170gsm silk cost £57, and 100 cost £82. There is no VAT to add where booklets qualify, and delivery to UK mainland addresses is free.
Should I choose A4 or A5 for my booklet? Choose A4 for catalogues, reports and prospectuses with photos, tables or columns. Choose A5 for programmes, orders of service and short guides that people hold and read. Both come with 8 to 24 pages on 170gsm silk.
What is the minimum order for A4 booklets? 50 booklets per design. You can also order 100, 250 or 500, and the price per booklet falls as the quantity rises.
Can I have a thicker cover on an A4 booklet? Not at the moment. Our A4 booklets are self cover: the cover is printed on the same 170gsm silk as the inside pages, which keeps the booklet light and easy to post.
Can I make an A4 booklet in Word? Yes. Set a custom paper size of 21.6 x 30.3cm, which includes bleed, with 1.1cm margins, lay out one booklet page per Word page in reading order and save as PDF. Do not use Word's Book fold setting.
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