A5 Leaflet Printing: Size, Paper, Prices and Artwork Set-up

An A5 leaflet is 148 x 210mm (14.8 x 21cm), half of an A4 sheet, and it is the most common size for door drops and handouts. We print A5 leaflets in full colour on one or both sides, on 135gsm gloss, 170gsm gloss or 170gsm silk paper, from 100 per design. 1,000 double-sided A5 leaflets on 135gsm gloss cost £45, which is 4.5p a leaflet, with no VAT to add where leaflets qualify for zero-rating and free delivery to UK mainland addresses.

A5 leaflet size

A5 belongs to the ISO 216 A series, so it has the same proportions as A4 and A6. A design made for A5 scales to A4 or A6 without cropping. Our guide to leaflet and flyer sizes compares A5 with the other three sizes we print.

Why A5 is the usual door-drop size

A5 gives room for a headline, a photograph and a few short paragraphs on each side, and it goes through a letterbox flat. It is large enough to notice on the doormat and small enough to keep on a fridge or a noticeboard. If you need more room than one A5 sheet, a half-fold leaflet is an A4 sheet folded to A5, with four panels instead of two sides.

A5 leaflet prices

These are live prices for A5 leaflets printed on both sides, read from our price list each time the page loads. Leaflets are zero-rated for VAT where they qualify, so these are the prices you pay.

The price per leaflet falls as the quantity rises, because the cost of setting up a print run is shared across every sheet: 500 cost 7.4p each on 135gsm gloss, and 5,000 cost 1.6p each. Our guide to how much leaflets cost compares every size, and how many leaflets do I need? helps you pick a quantity.

Choosing the paper

gsm is the weight of the paper: the higher the number, the thicker it feels.

• 135gsm gloss is our everyday paper for door drops and large runs. Gloss makes photographs bright.
• 170gsm gloss is heavier and feels more substantial, which suits a leaflet people keep, such as a price list or a menu.
• 170gsm silk has a softer, lower sheen. Silk is easier to read under bright light and easier to write on than gloss.

All three are paper rather than card, which matters for VAT zero-rating. Our glossary entry on gsm explains the numbers.

One side or two

Double-sided is the default, and on A5 it is usually worth it. The front carries the headline, a picture and the offer; the back carries the details, such as a map, opening hours, prices or terms. A single-sided A5 leaflet costs £40 for 1,000 on 135gsm gloss, against £45 double-sided, so you can see what the back adds.

Setting up A5 artwork

1. Make the page 154 x 216mm: the A5 leaflet plus 3mm of bleed on every edge. Our guide to what bleed is explains why.
2. Run backgrounds and photos to the edge of that page.
3. Keep text and logos at least 5mm inside the trim, so 8mm from the edge of your page.
4. Use images at 300dpi at the size they print. A full-page photo with bleed needs about 1819 x 2551 pixels.
5. Export a PDF in CMYK with fonts embedded, the front on page 1 and the back on page 2.

Our free A5 leaflet template has the bleed, trim and safe area drawn in, and our leaflet design tips cover the layout itself. When you upload, a free automatic check looks at size, bleed, colour mode, resolution and fonts, and you approve an on-screen proof before you pay. The check does not read your words, so proofread names, dates and phone numbers yourself. Our proofs and file checks page explains what is checked.

VAT and delivery

Leaflets are zero-rated for VAT where they qualify under HMRC VAT Notice 701/10: in short, a single sheet up to A4, on paper, meant to be read and supplied in a quantity of at least 50, with no more than 25% of the area for filling in or tearing off. Our A5 leaflet prices are shown on that basis. Our VAT on printing page gives the conditions in full.

A5 leaflets are dispatched 6 working days after you approve your proof, and mainland delivery usually takes a further 1 to 2 working days. Delivery is free to UK mainland addresses; for Northern Ireland, the Scottish Highlands and islands, the Isles of Scilly, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, we quote delivery before you order.

Questions

What size is an A5 leaflet? An A5 leaflet is 148 x 210mm, or 14.8 x 21cm, which is about 5.83 x 8.27 inches. It is half of an A4 sheet. With 3mm of bleed on every edge, the artwork is 154 x 216mm.

How much does it cost to print 1,000 A5 leaflets? 1,000 A5 leaflets printed on both sides on 135gsm gloss cost £45, or 4.5p each, with free delivery to UK mainland addresses. On 170gsm silk the same order costs £47.

Which paper is best for A5 leaflets? 135gsm gloss is a good everyday choice for door drops. Choose 170gsm gloss for a heavier leaflet people will keep, or 170gsm silk for a softer sheen that is easier to read under bright light and to write on.

How many A5 leaflets can I order? From 100 per design, then 250, 500, 1,000, 2,500 or 5,000. Each design is priced separately, so two versions of a leaflet are two orders of at least 100 each.

Is there VAT on A5 leaflets? Usually not. A5 leaflets on paper, ordered in a quantity of at least 50 and meant to be read, are normally zero-rated under HMRC VAT Notice 701/10. A leaflet that is mostly a form to fill in and send back may be standard-rated.

Can I fold an A5 leaflet? We print A5 leaflets flat. If you want a folded leaflet that finishes at A5, choose our half-fold leaflet: an A4 sheet printed on both sides and folded in half to A5, giving four panels.