A3, A2, A1 and B1 posters: sizes, paper and prices

Poster size dimensions

Before ordering, measure the frame or display case the poster will hang in. Snap frames and A-boards come in A or B sizes, but you also find sizes of their own. We trim posters to any size, so you do not have to stick to the sizes in the table.

What poster printing costs

Posters up to A2 are printed like typical sheet-fed work. An example from our price list: A2 poster, single-sided 4/0 on 170 gsm coated paper: approx. €28 net for 10 (approx. €2.80 each) and approx. €85 net for 100 (approx. €0.85 each). Full options are on the posters and art prints page.

Sizes from A1 up are priced per square metre, and the rate depends on the total area of the order. For 170 gsm satin poster paper it is approx. €11 net/m² for 1–4 m², approx. €8 for 5–15 m² and approx. €7 for 16–49 m².

Worked examples:

• 10 A1 posters: 10 × 0.5 m² = 5 m² × approx. €8 = approx. €40 net, or approx. €4 each.
• 5 B1 posters: 5 × 0.7 m² = 3.5 m² × approx. €11 = approx. €39 net.
• 20 B1 posters: 20 × 0.7 m² = 14 m² × approx. €8 = approx. €112 net, or approx. €5.60 each.

We print single posters too, but our minimum order value is approx. €24 net. A single A2 poster is therefore usually ordered together with other material.

Which paper for a poster

The choice of paper depends on where the poster will hang and for how long.

• Coated 170 gsm: the standard for indoor A3 and A2 posters. Good photo reproduction at a sensible price.
• Satin poster paper 170 gsm: for larger indoor sizes and poster frames. Odourless and ready to mount straight after printing. Approx. €6–11 net/m².
• Whiteback paper 150 gsm: for backlit citylight cases. Approx. €5–10 net/m².
• Blueback paper 120 gsm: for pasting on columns and boards. The blue back stops an old poster showing through. The cheapest medium: approx. €3.05–8 net/m². More in billboard poster printing.
• Synthetic paper 160 gsm: waterproof and tear-resistant. For posters displayed outdoors without a case. Approx. €10–16 net/m².

For a poster to hang at home or in a gallery, a photographic print or canvas is a better choice: a different technology and different prices, described on the canvas prints page.

For shop window posters, think about which side they will be read from. A poster stuck to the inside of the glass to be read from the street can be printed on clear film or on ordinary paper taped in place. When the glass heats up a lot in the sun, paper fades and cockles faster, so film is the better choice.

Poster print files: what to watch out for

1. Size and bleed. File at the finished size plus 3 mm bleed on each side. A2 is a 426 × 600 mm file. Keep text at least 10 mm from the edge.
2. Resolution. For A3 and A2, aim for about 300 dpi at 1:1. For A1 and B1, which are seen from further away, 150–200 dpi is usually enough. Details in resolution for large format printing.
3. Proportions. A sizes have different proportions from B sizes. An A2 design scaled to B1 will not fill the format exactly: it needs cropping or the layout rebuilding.
4. CMYK colours. A poster with intense on-screen colours will be calmer after conversion. We explain this in CMYK or RGB.
5. Legibility at a distance. The key information (what, where, when) must be readable from 3–5 metres. Clients often design a poster like a flyer, with lots of small text nobody will read walking past.

A poster on rigid board instead of paper

If the poster is to stand on an easel, hang without a frame or be reused, it is better to print it directly on board. 3 mm foam PVC with UV print costs approx. €21–33 net per m². An A1 board is about 0.5 m², so for an order of up to 4 m² it comes to approx. 0.5 × €33 = approx. €17 net each, and with more boards the rate per m² falls. Such a board does not bend or ripple and can be wiped with a damp cloth. Board options are described on the printing on rigid boards and panels page.