I get asked about my opinion of various bullet journal notebooks and their ghosting or bleeding. For this reason, I decided to collect various popular and cheaper notebooks to make a comparison. Below you will find 9 different bullet journal notebooks, their specs, images of their ghosting and bleeding, pros, and cons.
Leuchtturm1917
Notebook Specs
- 249 Numbered pages
- Blank table of contents
- 8 Perforated and detachable sheets
- Expandable pocket
- 2 Page markers
- Elastic closure band
- Thread bound book opens flat
- Sticker for labeling and archiving
- Dimensions: 145 x 210 mm
- Ink proof paper
- Acid-free paper
Bleeding & Ghosting
Pros
- Hardcover is durable
- Elastic band keeps the notebook from getting damaged and bent
- Pocket in the back is a great place to store loose notes
- 2 ribbons make page marking more convenient
- Pages are numbered, and the notebook comes with a built-in index
- There are so many color options, it’s impossible to be bored
- Pages respond well to watercolor paint (still a little wrinkle, but really not bad)
- The dots are in the same place on every page
Cons
- Pages aren’t a crisp white (while I do not mind, this can be a turn off for some)
- The built-in index is a con for those who wish to design their own or does not want an index
- There is some ghosting and bleeding, but this depends on the pen or ink that is used
Northbook Dots Notebook
Notebook Specs
- 5 x 8 inch
- Vegan leather cover is textured and durable
- 192 pages/96 sheets
- 60-lb/90 gsm paper
- Dots spaced 5mm apart
- Small us-based company
- 1 ribbon page marker
Bleeding & Ghosting
Pros
- Mild ghosting and bleeding
- Ribbon marker
- US-based company for customers who prefer to buy the US only, this doesn’t matter much to me.
- White pages
- Hardcover can be a pro for those who like really hardcovers
Cons
- Paper rips fairly easy
- Cover is rough to the touch
- No page numbers
- No pouch
- Only comes in black
- Some bleeding
Rhodia Goalbook
Notebook Specs
- 8 x 8.3 inches
- 90gsm ivory brushed vellum paper made in Étival-Clairefontaine, France
- 6-page index or table of contents
- 4-pages for annual planning
- 4-pages for monthly planning
- 240 pages (224 dot grit numbered sheets)
- Pocket inside the back cover
- Elastic closure band
- 2 ribbon markers
- Flexible binding
- Softcover (16 available colors!)
Bleeding & Ghosting
Pros
- The flexible soft faux leather cover is excellent; making using the notebook pleasant
- Elastic band keeps the notebook from getting damaged and bent
- The pocket in the back is a great place to store loose notes
- Beautiful colors to choose from
- Thick, smooth pages make ink look vibrant and write smooth
- Pages are numbered
Cons
- There is a Logo on the cover. This one isn’t a big deal; I just like sleek plan covers.
- Off-white pages make it difficult to fix mistakes. I generally use white-out to cover my mistakes, but the whiteout makes an error look worse on the off-white pages
- Orange inside cover and ribbons (but I fixed this DIY style)
- Some bleeding
Lemome Eco-Friendly Natural Cork Dot Notebook
Notebook Specs
- 8.4 x 5.7
- Cork fabric as the cover
- 100% cruelty-free
- Thread-bound lay-flat design
- Micro-perforated
- 180 Pages
- 120g high-quality, acid-free writing paper
- Sturdy Sewn Elastic Pen Holder
- Expandable Pocket
- Elastic Closure Strap
- 1 Ribbon Bookmark
- Satisfaction Guaranteed
Bleeding & Ghosting
Pros
- Perforation is a pro for those who wish to remove their pages easily.
- Almost no ghosting and bleeding
- Includes ribbon, pouch, and pen loop
- Cruelty-free
- Renewable resources create the cover
- Comes in various colors
- Little bleeding/ghosting
Cons
- Perforation may make pages rip more for those who do not remove pages.
- No page numbers
Minimalism Art Classic Dotted Notebook
Notebook Specs
- Size: 5″X8.3″; A5
- 192 Pages (96 Sheets)
- Dotted Grid
100 gsm - PU Leather Hard Cover
- Elastic closure
- Bookmark ribbon
- Internal Accordion Pocket
- Designed in San Francisco
Bleeding & Ghosting
Pros
- Leather soft to touch cover
- Comes in many colors
- Includes ribbon, elastic closure, and pouch
Cons
- Some ghosting and bleeding
- Pages are not numbered
Tacuin Large Plain Notebook
Notebook Specs
- A5 | 14.8 x 21 cm | 5.8″ x 8.3″
- FSC® certified
- Manufactured in Germany
- Hardcover
- 100% biodegradable
- 192 plain pages, made from eco-friendly paper
- Thread bound
- Marker ribbon
Bleeding & Ghosting
Pros
- Hardcover is soft to touch
- Comes in various colors
- Includes ribbon marker
- Pages are smooth to write on
Cons
- Soft to touch cover gets dirty easy
- It comes in only blank and lined pages
- No page numbers
- No elastic band or pouch
- A lot of ghosting and some bleeding
Essentials Dot Matrix Notebook
Notebook Specs
- 100-gsm acid-free/archival paper preserves your work
- Inside back cover, pocket holds notes, business cards, etc
- Elastic band attached to back cover keeps journal closed
- Ribbon bookmark keeps your place
- Durable hardcover binding
- Classic A5 size (5-3/4 inches by 8-1/4 inches)
- 192 dot-grid pages
Bleeding & Ghosting
Pros
- Hardcover is durable
- Elastic band keeps the notebook from getting damaged and bent
- The pocket in the back is a great place to store loose notes
- Thick, smooth pages make ink look vibrant and write smooth
- White pages (this could be a con if you prefer off-white)
- Great price for the quality (generally around $9-$12)
Cons
- Only one color choice – black
- Pages are not numbered (this can be a pain if you like to have an index)
- Only one ribbon; some people prefer two (you can easily add a second ribbon DIY style)
Scribbles That Matter Iconic Version
Notebook Specs
- 160gsm acid-free paper
- 150+ numbered pages
- White-colored paper with grey dots spaced 5mm apart
- 3 index pages
- A page for your key (including space for color-coding)
- Pen Test page
- Expandable back pocket
- 2 different colored bookmarks
- Elastic closure
- Pen loop
Ethically sourced vegan leather cover
Bleeding & Ghosting
Pros
- Incredibly softcover
- Fun cover designs
- Minimal bleeding/ghosting
- Multiple color options
- Includes ribbon, elastic closure, and pouch
- Index, Key, and Pen Test Page included & Pre-designed
- The brand has many similar options with varying aesthetics and colors
- Numbered Pages
Cons
- Cover designs are not for everyone
- Pre-made pages are not for everyone
Wordsworth Planner
Notebook Specs
- Six free ebooks
- Hardcover
- 5.25 x 8.25 inches
- 256 pages
- 62 note pages
- 100g of paperweight
- Expandable inner pocket
- 3 ribbons
- Eco-friendly resource
Bleeding & Ghosting
Pros
- 3 ribbon markers make the notebook easy to maneuver
- Beautiful hardcover, durable
- Focuses on goal-making and goal-achieving, very helpful in goal organization
- Very detailed
- Includes black and dot pages in the back
- Pouch includes stickers
Cons
- Organized in a way that separates monthly and weekly layouts into different parts of the notebook (ribbons help make this easier to use)
- Not a blank notebook, has pre-created layouts
- Monthly and Weekly layouts start on different days of the week
- Pages are not numbered
Did you enjoy these reviews? Want more about bullet journaling tools? CLICK HERE!
Meet Elizabeth!
Elizabeth is the creator and writer here at Elizabeth Journals.
In addition to creating for ElizabethJournals, she has graduated with her Master in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
She started ElizabethJournals to share her experiences, spread organizational tips, and promote positive living.
Additionally, Elizabeth is an avid bullet journalist, dabbling artist, and houseplant fanatic.
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