Flyers · Glossary
What is the standard bookmark size? Dimensions in inches and cm
A common printed bookmark is 2 by 6 inches, about 51 by 152 millimetres, a tall strip with a 1 to 3 shape. At 300 DPI the artwork is 600 by 1800 pixels, or 675 by 1875 pixels with an eighth of an inch of bleed on each edge. Longer strips suit hardbacks.
A bookmark is the smallest print most businesses order and one of the few that people keep for months. Its narrow shape suits a single message read from top to bottom, and the size is chosen so it sits inside a book without poking out of the top.
Nuwan Madhusanka · Co-founder
4 min read · Published
| Measure | 2 x 6 in | 2 x 6 in with 0.125 in bleed | Safe area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inches | 2 x 6 | 2.25 x 6.25 | 1.75 x 5.75 (0.125 in inside trim) |
| Millimetres | 50.8 x 152.4 | 57.2 x 158.8 | 44.5 x 146.1 |
| Pixels at 150 DPI | 300 x 900 | 338 x 938 | |
| Pixels at 300 DPI | 600 x 1800 | 675 x 1875 | 525 x 1725 |
| Aspect ratio | 1 : 3 | 1 : 2.78 | |
| Bookmarks per sheet | 4 on letter, 10 on 11 x 17 | fewer once bleed gutters are added |
Why 2 by 6 inches
VistaPrint's US range offers bookmarks at 2 by 6 inches, and many bookmark templates start from that size. The proportion, one to three, fits inside a paperback with a little showing at the top, and the width leaves room for a short line of text in a readable size. In millimetres the same card is about 51 by 152, which also sits comfortably in A5 and B format books. Larger bookmarks, 2 by 7 or 2 by 8 inches, show above the page in a hardback, and narrow 1.5 inch strips suit slim pocket editions.
Laying out a tall narrow card
Treat each side as a short vertical poster. A logo or title at the top, one image or pattern in the middle, and a call to action at the bottom works well because people see the top first when it sticks out of a book. Keep text an eighth of an inch inside the trim. Lines of type are short, around 15 to 25 characters at a comfortable size, so cut copy to fit rather than shrinking it. The back is often used for a reading list, an event date or a QR code to a booking page.
Paper, corners and tassels
Bookmarks are usually printed on 300 to 400 gsm card so they survive being bent between pages, often with a matte or soft touch coating that does not scuff. Rounded corners make them gentler on book pages. A hole punched near the top takes a tassel or ribbon, which looks good for gifts but adds handling cost; keep a 10 millimetre circle at the top clear of text if a hole may be punched later.
Common mistakes
The first is a landscape layout rotated onto a portrait card, which forces readers to turn the bookmark sideways. The second is text crammed into the full width with no margin, so the trim nicks the first and last letters. The third is a QR code smaller than about 15 millimetres, which is hard to scan on a card this narrow. The fourth is printing on thin paper that creases the first time it is closed in a book.
Bookmarks and the flyer editor
The flyer editor has no bookmark canvas; its sizes are A4 portrait and landscape and six social formats, none tall and narrow enough for a 1 to 3 card. A bookmark is better laid out at its own size, starting from the blank PNG linked above, 600 by 1800 pixels, 2 by 6 inches at 300 DPI. The DPI calculator converts any other bookmark size to pixels, the bleed and trim calculator adds the margin the printer asks for, and an A4 flyer from the generator can carry the same colours and logo for the counter beside the bookmarks.
Questions people ask
What is a bookmark size in centimetres?
A 2 by 6 inch bookmark is about 5.1 by 15.2 centimetres. Printers in metric countries often quote round figures close to that, such as 5 by 15 or 5 by 21 centimetres for a longer strip, so check the template for the exact trim before setting up the file.
Can I print bookmarks at home?
Yes, on card stock your printer can feed. Lay several bookmarks on one letter or A4 page with gaps between them, print, then cut with a craft knife and ruler or a paper trimmer. Leave white borders rather than full bleed colour, because home printers rarely print right to the edge.
What should go on the back of a bookmark?
Something people will look at again: a reading list, opening hours, an event calendar, a discount code or a QR code to a booking page. Libraries often print their borrowing rules there. Keep the back as clear as the front, with one main message and plenty of space.
What thickness is best for a bookmark?
Card of around 300 to 400 gsm feels solid and stays flat between pages without leaving a dent. Very thick or laminated bookmarks can mark the pages of soft paperbacks, so for promotional bookmarks a matte coated 350 gsm card is a common middle choice.
Should a bookmark have a tassel?
A tassel makes a bookmark feel like a gift and easy to find in a closed book, which suits weddings, author launches and premium bookshops. For large giveaway runs it adds cost and assembly time, so most promotional bookmarks skip it and rely on the design instead.
Make one with flyers
The button opens the generator with this use case already described. Change the wording to match your own.
Create a flyer with OneCraftRelated questions
- What is door hanger size? Standard sizes and the holeDoor hanger sizes: 4.25 x 11, 3.5 x 8.5 and 4.5 x 11 inches, with a 30 mm hole and slit. Pixels at 150 and 300 DPI, paper weight and how to lay out the top.
- What is table tent size? Folded and flat dimensionsTable tent size: 5 x 7, 4 x 6 inch and A6 panels, with two and three panel flat sheets, pixels at 300 DPI and how to keep the second face the right way up.
- Sticker sizes: common sticker and label dimensionsCommon sticker sizes: 2, 3, 4 and 5 inch squares and 1 to 4 inch circles, in mm and pixels at 300 DPI, with die cut, kiss cut and file tips for each.
Step by step in the builder: Choose your flyer template, theme and size.
Written and checked by the OneCraft team. Last checked .