How are binders measured? The Ultimate 3-Ring Binder Size Guide.

How are binders measured? That is one of the most common questions we get from customers at OnTimeSupplies.com. What they really want to know is how big a binder they need for their projects. So Office Ink is here to clear up the mystery of 3-ring binder sizing.

Let’s clear up one thing first:  3-Ring Binders are measured by the ring diameter. So this 1″ Avery View Binder  has 1″ binder rings, this Universal 4″ D-Ring Binder has 4″ rings, and so on.

The bigger the binder ring, the more pages the binder holds. The shape of the ring also affects capacity. Round ring binders hold the fewest pages; D-ring binders hold the most. Use the 3 ring binder size chart below to find out what size binders you’ll need for your project.

Round Ring Binders Size Chart

Avery® Economy Binder with Round Rings from $1.89 / EA!

Universal® Round Ring View Binders from $1.60 / EA!

Round ring binders are staples of offices and classrooms for a very good reason — they are typically the cheapest option. In the case of binders, cheap doesn’t mean shoddy. Round ring binders are a great choice when you need just need a basic binder for your documents.

D-Ring Binders Size Chart

Universal One™ D-Ring Economy View Binder from $2.38 / EA!

Samsill® Nonstick D-Ring View Binder from $6.73 / EA!

D-ring binders have two great advantages over basic round ring binders — they hold more pages and last longer. D-ring binders are ideal for:

• large projects.
• frequently referenced materials like traning manual and reference guides.
• frequent use. Thanks to the extra-durability of the rings, you can use D-ring binders over and over again without breaking or warping the rings.

Slant Ring Binders Size Chart  

Avery® Durable EZD™ Ring Binder from $3.67 / EA!

Cardinal® Tabloid Slant-D® Ring Binders from $18.27 / EA!

Slant ring binders are the sturdiest of the lot. But what you gain in durability, you lose in capacity. Slant rings are more durable than D-rings, but they hold fewer pages. Slant ring binders are the best choice for large documents that will see a lot of use. 

More 3-ring binder info.

You can find in-depth information about the different binder styles in our buying guide.