A5 vs A6 Planner: Which Ring Binder Planner Size Is Right for You?

Choosing a planner sounds simple enough — until you start looking at all the different sizes.

A5? A6? Something bigger? Something smaller?

And if you're choosing a ring binder planner, the size you pick can make a difference to how much you can fit inside, how much writing space you have and how easy your planner is to carry around.

At Ava & Beaux, we offer both A5 and A6 ring binder planners, so we've put together this simple guide to help you decide which size might work best for you.

The short answer?

A5 is great when you want more space. A6 is ideal when you want something more compact.

But there's a little more to it than that.

What is an A5 planner?

A5 is one of the most popular planner sizes because it offers a useful balance between writing space and portability.

There's enough room for detailed planning without your planner feeling enormous on your desk.

An A5 ring binder is particularly useful if you like having lots of different sections in one place.

You might use yours for:

• Work

• Study

• Home organisation

• Goals

• To-do lists

• Appointments

• Shopping lists

• Notes

• Seasonal planning

• Projects

And because you're using a ring binder, you can add and remove inserts as your needs change.

What is an A6 planner?

An A6 planner is smaller and more compact, making it a lovely option if you prefer something that takes up less space.

It's particularly appealing if you want a planner that can easily move around with you.

Our A6 ring binders are currently available in two of our most-loved colours: Dark Pink and Cognac.

They're designed around the same idea as our A5 planners — a beautiful, flexible ring binder that you can customise with inserts and accessories.

A5 vs A6 PLANNER: What's the difference?

The biggest difference is simply space versus portability.

	A5 Planner	A6 Planner
Writing space	More	Less
Size	Larger	More compact
Desk planning	Excellent	Great
Portability	Good	Excellent
Detailed planning	Excellent	Good
Minimal planning	Good	Excellent
Multiple sections	Lots of room	More selective
Everyday carry	Depends on you	Very convenient

Neither size is necessarily better.

It really comes down to how you plan and where you use your planner.

Choose an A5 planner if...

You like lots of writing space

If your planner is somewhere you write regularly, an A5 gives you more room for notes, lists and detailed planning.

You want lots of sections

A5 is a great choice if you want one planner to manage lots of different areas of your life.

You could have separate sections for work, home, goals, notes, shopping and seasonal planning without everything feeling too cramped.

Your planner mainly lives on your desk

If you mostly use your planner at home, in your office or while studying, the slightly larger size can be a real advantage.

You love detailed planning

If you enjoy making lists, writing notes and planning things in detail, the additional space of an A5 can be particularly useful.

Choose an A6 planner if...

You want something compact

If you don't want a large planner taking up lots of space, A6 could be the perfect option.

You want to carry your planner around

An A6 ring binder can be a great choice if you want your planner to come with you throughout the day.

Keep it in your handbag or take it with you between work, home, appointments and coffee dates.

You prefer simple planning

If you don't need pages and pages of notes and prefer a more streamlined planning system, the smaller format may suit you beautifully.

You want to keep your essentials together

Rather than trying to fit absolutely everything into one planner, you can choose the inserts that are genuinely useful to you.

A smaller planner can actually encourage you to be more selective about what you keep inside.

What can you put in an A5 or

A6 ring binder?

This is where ring binders become particularly useful.

Instead of buying a completely different planner for every part of your life, you can build your own system using inserts.

For example, you could have:

Everyday planning

Calendar pages, to-do lists and notes.

Goals

Goals, plans and things you're working towards.

Seasonal planning

Christmas, Halloween or Easter planning.

Special events

Wedding planning or other big projects.

Organisation

Shopping lists, important dates and reminders.

You can add, remove and rearrange your sections whenever you want.

Don't forget the accessories

Whichever size you choose, little accessories can make your planner much more enjoyable to use.

Sticky tabs

Perfect for quickly finding your favourite sections.

Planner markers

A simple way to mark your place so you can return to the page you're currently using.

Stickers

Use organisational stickers such as "Important", "Remember" and "Birthday", or add a little personality with seasonal sticker designs.

Wallets

Our A5 wallets are perfect for keeping small papers, notes and other bits together inside your planner. We currently have 2027 and Goal Digger designs.

These little extras can turn a basic planner into something that feels completely personal.

Can you change your planner

throughout the year?

Absolutely. That's one of the reasons ring binder planners are so useful.

Your planning needs aren't necessarily the same all year.

In January, you might want a yearly overview and goal-setting pages.

In spring, you might add Easter planning.

In summer, perhaps you need holiday planning pages.

As autumn arrives, you might add Halloween planning.

And then Christmas planning takes over!

With a ring binder, you can simply add the inserts you need and remove them again when the season is over.

So, should you choose A5 or A6?

So a5 VS A6 Planner? Think about how you naturally use a planner.

Choose A5 if you want:

• More writing space

• Lots of sections

• Detailed planning

• A planner that mostly stays at your desk

• Space for plenty of inserts

Choose A6 if you want:

• A compact planner

• Something easier to carry

• A simpler planning system

• Your essential pages in one place

• A planner that can travel with you

And remember — there's no rule saying you have to plan exactly like everyone else.

The best planner is the one that fits your routine.

Plan beautifully, your way

That's the idea behind Ava & Beaux.

Our A5 and A6 ring binder planners are designed to give you a flexible foundation that you can build around your own life.

Choose your size, choose your inserts, add the accessories you love and create a planner that's as practical — and as pretty — as you want it to be.

Ready to find your planner?

Explore our A5 and A6 ring binder planners, then browse our range of inserts, stickers and accessories to create your perfect planning setup.