How to Calculate the Right Number of Pages for Your Booklet

Designing without calculating the number of pages you need for your booklet is a recipe for a design disaster. Knowing the number of pages and creating a proper layout makes sure your booklet printing will run smoothly and that your company saves time, money, effort, and other resources. So, how many pages should a booklet be? 

So, how many pages should your booklet have? While there’s flexibility, there are important rules and best practices to follow.

Minimum Page Requirements

To be classified as a booklet (and not a folded leaflet), your document needs at least 8 pages. However, the actual minimum depends on the binding method you choose:

However, the actual minimum depends on the binding method you choose:

• Saddle stitched: minimum of 8 pages
• Perfect bound: minimum of 28 pages
• Wire-O: minimum of 8 pages

Understanding Booklet Binding and Page Multiples

Most binding methods, such as saddle-stitched (stapled) or perfect bound,involve folding large sheets in half and binding them along the spine. Each sheet contributes 4 pages (front and back of the folded paper). That means your total page count must be a multiple of 4: 8, 12, 16, 20, and so on.

Important: If your design includes a total page count that’s not divisible by 4, you’ll end up with blank pages automatically added to fill the space.

There is an exception to the rule: wire bound booklets. These booklets are created by binding individual printed pages with an aluminium silver wire. Booklet pages only need to come in multiples of 2. For every sheet fastened, only 2 pages are added.

Maximum Page Limits by Binding Type

Different binding styles also have maximum capacities. Exceeding these can cause issues with stability, appearance, or usability.

• Saddle stitched: up to 92 pages
• Perfect bound: up to 200 pages
• Wire-O: up to 88 pages

Match Page Count to Purpose

Choosing how many pages you need depends largely on the purpose of your booklet. Here’s a quick guide based on common use cases:

Direct Mail Campaigns

Keep it compact. An 8–16 page booklet is lightweight and cost-effective for mailing, while still giving you room to highlight products or promotions.

Brand Books

For large corporations or creative agencies, 52–64 pages might be necessary to explain branding guidelines in detail. For smaller businesses, a 20–32 page booklet may be enough to showcase your brand story and visuals.

Trade Show Giveaways

Booklets in swag bags should be concise and informative.

• 8 pages = brief product promo

• 12–24 pages = company overview or product catalog

Employee Training Manuals

If your goal is to onboard employees or outline processes, plan for 100–150 pages depending on how much content is needed.

Pro Tip: Plan First, Design Later

Before diving into your design software, determine:

• Your target page count

• The binding method that fits it

• The corresponding page multiple rule (by 4 or by 2)

This ensures you use the right template and avoid layout surprises during production.