A5 vs. B5 vs. A6: Which Notebook Size Is Actually Right for You?
A5 is the best all-round notebook size for most people: big enough for a full page of notes, small enough to carry every day. B5 gives you about 40% more page and suits desk work and long sessions. A6 is half the size of A5 and fits in a jacket pocket, which makes it the pick for quick notes and travel. A few questions about how and where you write will tell you which one is yours.
A5 vs. B5 vs. A6 at a Glance
| Feature | A5 | B5 | A6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Page size | 148 x 210 mm (5.8 x 8.3 in) | 176 x 250 mm (6.9 x 9.8 in) | 105 x 148 mm (4.1 x 5.8 in) |
| Relative size | Half of A4 | Between A4 and A5 | Half of A5 |
| Fits in | Most work bags, totes and backpacks | A backpack or briefcase | A jacket pocket or small bag |
| Writing space | A full page of notes or a daily journal entry | Room for diagrams, wide margins and long meeting notes | A list, a few notes or a short entry |
| Best for | Everyday journaling, planning, general note-taking | Desk work, studying, sketching, meetings | Pocket notes, travel, commuting, a second notebook |
| Price at Take Note | About $21 to $35 | About $15 to $39 | About $14 to $26 |
Makers trim their notebooks a few millimetres differently, so check the listed dimensions. Our Mnemosyne A5 notebooks, for example, measure 138 x 210 mm, a little narrower than a standard A5 sheet.
How A and B Sizes Work
The A series is built on one idea: fold a sheet in half and you get the next size down. Fold A4 and you have A5. Fold A5 and you have A6. The B series sits halfway between the A sizes, so B5 lands between A4 and A5. Both series are defined in ISO 216, the international standard for paper sizes.
This matters in Canada because we use letter-size paper (8.5 x 11 in) for most office work, and none of these sizes match it. A and B sizes come mostly from European and Japanese makers, which is why the brands we stock, such as Leuchtturm1917, Rhodia, Midori, Stalogy and Apica, list their notebooks this way. If you are moving from a half-letter pad or a school binder, A5 is the closest swap. B5 is the closest to a letter-size pad you can still carry comfortably.
A5: The All-Rounder
A5 is the size most notebooks are made in, and it is popular for a reason. The page is wide enough for handwriting, a table or a small diagram, and the notebook is slim enough to slide into a work bag next to a laptop. It is also the standard size for bullet journals, which is why dotted A5 notebooks are so easy to find.
The trade-off is that it is not truly pocketable, and a thick A5 with 200 pages or more gets heavy in a small bag. If you want one notebook to do most things, start here. Browse our full range of A5 notebooks, from the Midori MD A5 to the Leuchtturm Medium A5 hardcover.
B5: Room to Spread Out
B5 is a little smaller than a letter-size page, and it feels like a proper desk notebook. The extra room helps with long meeting notes, mind maps, lecture notes, and anything where you want diagrams next to text without squeezing. It is a favourite with students, designers and anyone who writes large.
The trade-off is portability. B5 fits in a backpack or briefcase but not a small bag, and it takes up real space on a streetcar seat or a café table. Some makers cut B5 slightly larger than others, with the Japanese JIS B5 a few millimetres bigger than the ISO version, so compare dimensions when you shop. Explore B5 notebooks such as the Stalogy Standard B5. If B5 is your size for work, our picks in notebooks for the office cover which ones hold up to daily use.
A6: Small Enough to Always Carry
A6 is the size people actually have on them. It fits a jacket pocket, a small crossbody and most coat pockets, so it is the notebook you can pull out on the TTC to capture an idea before it disappears. It also works well as a travel journal, a reading log or a notebook that lives in one bag and never leaves.
The page is small, and large handwriting fills it quickly. That makes A6 better for lists, short entries and quick thoughts than for long writing. Many people pair an A6 with a larger notebook at home. Shop A6 notebooks like the Midori MD A6 or the Hobonichi lined A6 above. If you are deciding between Hobonichi's own A6 and A5 formats, our guide to choosing your first Hobonichi goes through them in detail. And if you were hoping an A6 would fit a Traveler's Notebook cover, it will not. See Regular vs. Passport size for what does.
Which Size Fits the Way You Write?
A few questions settle it for most people:
- How much do you write at once? A page or more most days points to A5 or B5. A few lines or a list points to A6.
- Where will it live? On a desk, in a backpack or in a briefcase, B5 works. In a work bag or tote, A5. In a pocket or small bag, A6.
- How big is your handwriting? Large handwriting needs a bigger page. A6 will feel cramped within a few lines.
- Do you sketch, diagram or mind map? B5 gives you the most room. A5 is a good middle ground.
- Is it for journaling or planning? A5 is the usual choice. If you are curious about structured methods, our guide to journaling methods covers how to set up a bullet journal and more, and most of them work best in A5.
- Will you carry it every day? Honest answer: the smaller the notebook, the more often it comes along. If it stays at home, size matters less.
Size Is Only Part of the Decision
Once you know your size, the next choices are paper weight, ruling (lined, dotted, grid or blank) and binding. Those matter most if you write with a fountain pen, since thin paper can show through. Our guide on how to choose the right notebook for every writing purpose covers paper and layout, and you can see the whole range in our notebooks, notepads and planners collection.
Covers and accessories are size-specific too. A Midori MD paper cover made for A5 will not fit an A6 notebook, so buy the cover to match. Browse the Midori collection for covers and notebooks in each size.
Can You Use More Than One Size?
Plenty of people do, and it is often the best answer. A common pairing is an A5 at the desk and an A6 in your pocket, or a B5 for work notes and an A6 for personal lists. Start with the size that matches your main use, live with it for a month, and add a second once you know what the first one is missing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, an A5 or B5 notebook?
Neither is better overall. A5 is easier to carry and works for most everyday writing. B5 gives you roughly 40% more page, which suits desk work, studying and diagrams, but it is bulkier to take around.
Is B5 bigger than A5?
Yes. A B5 page is about 176 x 250 mm, compared with 148 x 210 mm for A5. It sits between A4 and A5 in the paper size system.
Which is better, an A5 or an A6 notebook?
It depends on where you use it. A5 has twice the page space and is better for journaling and longer notes. A6 is better for carrying every day because it fits in a pocket.
Is A6 just A5 folded in half?
Yes. Fold an A5 sheet in half and you have A6. That is how the whole A series works, with each size half the area of the one before it.
Is A5 or B5 better for journaling?
A5 is the more common choice. It is comfortable to hold, easy to bring with you, and widely available with dotted pages for bullet journaling. Choose B5 if you like large layouts, drawings or lots of pasted-in items.
Find Your Size at Take Note
The easiest way to settle this is to hold them side by side. Visit us at 2950 Dundas St W in Toronto's Junction to compare A5, B5 and A6 notebooks in person, or browse the full notebooks collection online. We ship across Canada.