Notebooks & Journals
5 Notebooks for Bullet Journaling, Ranked on Numbered Pages and Paper
A bullet journal has one structural requirement nothing else has: an index, which needs page numbers. That single spec eliminates most notebooks before paper weight is even discussed.
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The short answer
Buy the LEUCHTTURM1917. It is the only notebook here that prints page numbers and includes a blank contents page, which is the one thing the method structurally requires. Everything else on this list is a better book in some other way and worse at this specific job.
How we judged these, before any ranking
Bullet journaling is a method with hard requirements, not a vibe, so the criteria are unusually concrete. This site has written in none of these books; the ranking runs on published specifications against four tests.
- Printed page numbers. The index is the method. Without numbers you either write them yourself - 240 of them, before you start - or you abandon the index, at which point you are keeping a diary rather than bullet journaling.
- A contents page. Second-order but real. A book that leaves blank pages at the front for the index saves you deciding where to put it.
- Dot grid. Dots give you alignment for boxes, trackers and tables without printing lines through the finished layout. Lined works; blank works if you draw well; dots are what the method settled on.
- Published paper weight. Bullet journals attract markers, highlighters and brush pens, all of which carry far more liquid than a pen. The published gsm predicts whether a spread survives being decorated.
Deliberately not a criterion: how the finished spreads look on social media. That is a function of the person's handwriting and patience, not of the book.
The three specs, side by side
| Notebook | Page numbers | Ruling | Paper |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEUCHTTURM1917 A5 | Printed, 251 pages | Dotted | 80 gsm |
| Rhodia Webnotebook A5 | Not published | Dot | 90 gsm brushed ivory vellum |
| Clairefontaine clothbound A5 | Not published | Plain | 90 gsm brushed vellum |
| Moleskine Classic Large | None | Dotted | 70 gsm, acid free |
| SAKURA Pigma Micron | Not a notebook | Six widths, 0.20-0.50 mm | Archival pigment ink |
Quick picks
Ranked for the person doing the buying. Every pick names who it is wrong for.
| # | Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  LEUCHTTURM1917 Medium A5 Dotted Hardcover Notebook 80 gsm paper, 251 numbered pages and a printed contents page, which is why this is the default recommendation in every journaling forum. | The bullet-journal standard | $25.50 - View on Amazon #ad Price as of September 21, 2026. How this is funded |
| 2 |  Rhodia Webnotebook A5, Dot 90 gsm Clairefontaine ivory vellum - the heaviest weight published anywhere on this site, in a book with a ribbon, an elastic and a pocket. | A fountain-pen user, without qualification | |
| 3 |  Clairefontaine Clothbound Notebook, A5, 90 gsm, Blank Ninety gsm brushed vellum in a clothbound A5, which is heavier paper than any hardcover here and usually costs less than the 80 gsm ones. | 90 gsm, the heaviest weight published here | $13.68 - View on Amazon #ad Price as of September 21, 2026. How this is funded |
| 4 |  Moleskine Classic Notebook, Large, Dotted, Hard Cover The notebook everyone knows by sight, on 70 gsm paper that is lighter than its main rival and honest about it. | The recognizable one | |
| 5 |  SAKURA Pigma Micron Fineliner Pens, 6-Pack, Assorted Sizes Six nib widths from 0.20 mm up, in pigment ink the maker states is waterproof, bleed-free and pH neutral. | A journaler or a bullet-journal user | $12.64 - View on Amazon #ad Price as of September 21, 2026. How this is funded |
1. The bullet-journal standard
LEUCHTTURM1917 Medium A5 Dotted Hardcover Notebook
80 gsm paper, 251 numbered pages and a printed contents page, which is why this is the default recommendation in every journaling forum.
#ad Price as of September 21, 2026. How this is funded
Numbered pages plus a printed contents page is the whole reason bullet journaling settled on this book. An index needs page numbers, and printing them saves the user writing 251 of them.
80 gsm against the Moleskine Classic's published 70 gsm is a 14 percent difference in paper weight, and it is the difference most people notice as ghosting on the reverse of a page.
Two ribbons is not decoration in a journal that has an index. One marks the index, one marks today.
| Paper weight | 80 gsmSource: Amazon listing - LEUCHTTURM1917 Notebook Hardcover Medium A5, Dotted |
|---|---|
| Pages | 251 numbered pages, with 8 perforated detachable sheetsSource: Amazon listing - LEUCHTTURM1917 Notebook Hardcover Medium A5, Dotted |
| Size | A5, approximately 5.75" x 8.25" (145 x 210 mm)Source: Amazon listing - LEUCHTTURM1917 Notebook Hardcover Medium A5, Dotted |
| Fittings | Blank table of contents, two page markers, gusseted rear pocket, elastic band, archival stickersSource: Amazon listing - LEUCHTTURM1917 Notebook Hardcover Medium A5, Dotted |
| Binding | Thread bound, opens flatSource: Amazon listing - LEUCHTTURM1917 Notebook Hardcover Medium A5, Dotted |
What it does well
- 251 pre-numbered pages and a blank contents page, ready for an index.
- 80 gsm published, the heaviest of the three mainstream hardcovers here.
- Thread bound, so it lies flat from the first page.
What it does not
- Still not fountain-pen-proof; 80 gsm reduces show-through, it does not eliminate it.
- The dot grid is fainter than some users want for straight-line work.
Skip this: if the recipient has never mentioned journaling. A 251-page dotted notebook handed to a non-journaler is 251 blank pages of obligation. See how to pick a journal as a gift.
2. A fountain-pen user, without qualification
Rhodia Webnotebook A5, Dot
90 gsm Clairefontaine ivory vellum - the heaviest weight published anywhere on this site, in a book with a ribbon, an elastic and a pocket.
90 gsm is the number to buy this for. Against 70 gsm Moleskine paper that is roughly 29 percent more paper between one page and the next, and that is where fountain-pen show-through stops being a problem.
The trade is page count. 160 pages against 251 for the Leuchtturm1917 at a similar size - heavier paper in a book of the same thickness means fewer sheets. That is physics, not a cost saving.
Ivory rather than white is a real preference axis. It is easier on the eye under a desk lamp and it flattens the contrast of a photograph, which matters if anyone is posting pages.
| Paper weight | 90 gsm Clairefontaine brushed ivory vellum10 gsm above the Leuchtturm1917 and 20 above the Moleskine Classic.Source: Amazon listing - Rhodia A5 Webnotebook, Dot, Black |
|---|---|
| Pages | 160 (80 sheets)Source: Amazon listing - Rhodia Webnotebook, A5 |
| Size | A5, approximately 5.5" x 8.25"Source: Amazon listing - Rhodia Webnotebook - A5 |
| Fittings | Leatherette cover, inner pocket, ribbon page marker, elastic closureSource: Amazon listing - Rhodia Webnotebook, A5 |
| Page numbers | Not publishedNot numbered. Rhodia does not target the indexed-journal use case. |
What it does well
- 90 gsm Clairefontaine paper, the heaviest weight published here, and the safe choice for fountain-pen ink.
- Ivory stock is comfortable under artificial light.
- Soft leatherette cover, pocket, ribbon and elastic as standard.
What it does not
- 160 pages, roughly two thirds of the Leuchtturm1917's count.
- No page numbers or contents page.
- Less recognizable as a brand than the other two, which matters in a gift.
Skip this: if the recipient keeps an indexed bullet journal. No page numbers means hand-numbering, and at 160 pages they will run out sooner than they expect.
3. 90 gsm, the heaviest weight published here
Clairefontaine Clothbound Notebook, A5, 90 gsm, Blank
Ninety gsm brushed vellum in a clothbound A5, which is heavier paper than any hardcover here and usually costs less than the 80 gsm ones.
#ad Price as of September 21, 2026. How this is funded
Ninety gsm is the number that makes this notebook interesting. On this site the heavy-paper argument usually stops at 80 gsm, and the books that publish 90 - the Rhodia Webnotebook, this one - are the two a fountain-pen user should look at first.
The finish matters as much as the weight. Clairefontaine's brushed vellum is a smooth, closed surface, which is why ink sits on top of it and dries slowly rather than sinking in and feathering. That is a genuine trade: cleaner lines, longer to dry.
What you give up is fittings, not paper. There is no ribbon, no elastic and no pocket, and the cover color arrives at random. If those things matter to the person opening it, this is the wrong book and the price gap explains itself.
| Paper weight | 90 gsm, brushed vellum finishTen grams above the Leuchtturm1917 and twenty above the Moleskine Classic.Source: Amazon listing - Clairefontaine Ref 9540C Clothbound Notebook, A5 |
|---|---|
| Sheets | 96 sheets, 192 pagesSource: Goulet Pens - Clairefontaine Classic Clothbound A5 Notebook |
| Size | A5Source: Amazon listing - Clairefontaine Ref 9540C Clothbound Notebook, A5 |
| Ruling | Plain (blank)Source: Amazon listing - Clairefontaine Ref 9540C Clothbound Notebook, A5 |
| Cover | Film-coated card cover with a cloth spineThe listing states the cover color ships at random from the assorted pack.Source: Amazon listing - Clairefontaine Ref 9540C Clothbound Notebook, A5 |
| Page markers and pocket | Not publishedNo ribbon, elastic or rear pocket is listed. This is a plain book, and the hardcovers that cost more are buying you those fittings. |
What it does well
- 90 gsm published, the heaviest paper weight on this site.
- Brushed vellum surface, the reason fountain-pen ink does not feather on it.
- Costs less than most 80 gsm hardcovers.
What it does not
- No ribbon, elastic or rear pocket.
- The cover color is not chosen by the buyer - it ships at random from the assorted pack.
- Card cover, not a hard board, so it does not survive a bag the way a hardcover does.
- Blank only in this reference, which suits drawing more than lists.
Skip this: Skip this as a gift if the unwrapping matters. A random-color card-covered notebook is an excellent writing instrument and a flat present; buy it for yourself and give a journal gift set instead.
4. The recognizable one
Moleskine Classic Notebook, Large, Dotted, Hard Cover
The notebook everyone knows by sight, on 70 gsm paper that is lighter than its main rival and honest about it.
70 gsm versus 80 is the entire technical argument between this and the Leuchtturm1917, and it is a real one: lighter paper shows more of what is on the reverse. Whether that matters depends entirely on what the recipient writes with.
What Moleskine has that its rival does not is recognition. For a gift that is worth something concrete - the recipient knows what it is before they open the card.
No page numbers and no contents page. For freeform notes that is irrelevant; for an indexed journal it is 240 numbers to write by hand.
| Paper weight | 70 gsmMoleskine publishes this, and it is 10 gsm under the Leuchtturm1917.Source: Amazon listing - Moleskine Classic Notebook, Large, Dotted, Hard Cover |
|---|---|
| Pages | 240Source: Amazon listing - Moleskine Classic Notebook, Large, Dotted, Hard Cover |
| Size | Large, 5" x 8.25"Source: Amazon listing - Moleskine Classic Notebook, Large, Dotted, Hard Cover |
| Paper stock | FSC certified, acid free (pH neutral)Source: Amazon listing - Moleskine Classic Notebook, Large, Dotted, Hard Cover |
| Page numbers | Not publishedPages are not numbered and there is no printed contents page. A bullet journal user will number them by hand. |
What it does well
- Universally recognized, which does real work in a gift.
- FSC certified, acid-free paper with a published weight.
- Slightly thinner block than the Leuchtturm for the same page count, so it carries better.
What it does not
- 70 gsm ghosts more than 80 gsm with gel and fountain pens.
- No pre-numbered pages or contents page.
Skip this: if you know they use a fountain pen. Buy the Rhodia at 90 gsm instead and spend the difference on ink. See Leuchtturm1917 versus Moleskine.
5. A journaler or a bullet-journal user
SAKURA Pigma Micron Fineliner Pens, 6-Pack, Assorted Sizes
Six nib widths from 0.20 mm up, in pigment ink the maker states is waterproof, bleed-free and pH neutral.
#ad Price as of September 21, 2026. How this is funded
Pigment ink is the specification that separates these from every other fineliner in a supermarket. Dye ink fades and runs when a highlighter or a drop of water crosses it; pigment does not.
Six widths in one pack is the right shape for a gift because you do not have to guess. A bullet-journal user will find their width in the first week and buy singles of it forever after.
0.20 mm is very fine, and very fine tips are fragile. A heavy hand will flatten a 005 nib on textured paper faster than the ink runs out.
| Widths in the pack | 005 (0.20 mm), 01 (0.25 mm), 02 (0.30 mm), 03 (0.35 mm), 05 (0.45 mm), 08 (0.50 mm)Source: Amazon listing - Sakura Pigma Micron Fineliner Pens, 6 Pack |
|---|---|
| Ink | Pigment-based, archival, waterproof, fade resistant, pH neutralSource: Amazon listing - Sakura Pigma Micron Fineliner Pens, 6 Pack |
| Bleed | The maker states the ink is bleed free and quick dryingA maker claim. Bleed is a function of the paper as much as the ink.Source: Amazon listing - Sakura Pigma Micron Fineliner Pens, 6 Pack |
| Certification | AP certification seal, approved by ACMI toxicologistsSource: Amazon listing - Sakura Pigma Micron Fineliner Pens, 6 Pack |
What it does well
- Waterproof pigment ink survives highlighters, which dye ink does not.
- Six widths removes the guesswork from a gift.
- Archival and pH neutral, which matters for a journal somebody intends to keep.
What it does not
- The finest tips flatten under a heavy hand.
- Black only in this pack; a color set is a separate purchase.
Skip this: if the recipient does not draw, letter, or bullet journal. Six technical pen widths given to somebody who just wants a pen is six times more decision than they wanted.
Why numbered pages decide it
The index is what separates a bullet journal from a notebook with lists in it. You write what is on which page at the front, and months later you can find the thing again. That only works if the pages are numbered, and numbering 251 pages by hand before you start is a plan almost nobody keeps.
One book here prints them and includes a blank contents page for the index. That is the whole reason the method settled on that notebook, and it is why it ranks first despite having lighter paper than the two books below it.
Ninety gsm, and what you give up for it
The second and third picks publish 90 gsm, the heaviest paper on this site, which is the right answer if your spreads involve markers, highlighters or a fountain pen. Ten grams over the Leuchtturm sounds marginal and it is the difference between a highlighter staying on its own page and not.
What you give up is the numbering, and in one case the dot grid as well - the Clairefontaine is a plain book, which suits drawing and suits anyone who rules their own lines. Decide in that order: if you index, take the numbers; if you decorate heavily, take the paper. Notebooks for fountain pens ranks the same books on ink alone.
The Moleskine is here as the honest warning
It is dotted, it is the notebook most people picture, and it publishes 70 gsm with no page numbers and no contents page. Somebody starting a bullet journal will very often buy it first, which is why it is on this list rather than left off.
If you already own one, use it - the method works in any book and the paper is fine for a fine-tipped pen. Just know what you are giving up before you buy a second one. Leuchtturm1917 vs Moleskine is the direct comparison.
The pen matters more here than in a plain notebook
Bullet journal spreads get drawn as well as written: boxes, dividers, headers, trackers. A set of fineliners in graded widths does that job in a way a single pen cannot, and pigment ink that the maker publishes as archival and waterproof means a highlighter dragged over a heading does not smear it.
That is why a pen set is the fifth pick on a page about notebooks. If you would rather start with one pen, a fine gel is the cheap answer - best pens for journaling covers the rest.
Questions people actually ask
What is the best notebook for bullet journaling?
The LEUCHTTURM1917 A5, because it prints page numbers and includes a blank contents page. An index needs numbered pages, and it is the only book here that provides them.
Does a bullet journal need dot grid paper?
No, but dots are what the method settled on: they give alignment for boxes and trackers without printing lines through the layout. Lined and plain both work.
What size notebook is best for a bullet journal?
A5 is the standard - big enough for a weekly spread, small enough to carry. Notebook sizes explained has the dimensions.
What paper weight do I need if I use markers?
80 gsm is the practical floor and 90 gsm makes bleed-through unusual. Markers and highlighters carry far more liquid than a pen, which is why decorated spreads need heavier paper than plain writing does.
Can I bullet journal in a Moleskine?
Yes, and plenty of people do. You will be numbering the pages yourself and writing on 70 gsm paper, which is fine for a fine-tipped pen and poor for markers.