Spiral vs comb vs saddle stitch: choosing a binding
The right binding depends on three things: how many pages you have, whether people will write in it, and how long it needs to last. Here's how the common bindings compare, and which ones we print.
The bindings at a glance
| Binding | How it works | Pages | Lies flat | Best for | We print it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saddle stitch | Folded sheets stapled through the fold | 8 to about 64 | Mostly | Programs, booklets, zines, calendars | Yes, 8 to 16 pages and 28-page calendars |
| Plastic coil (spiral) | A plastic spiral through round holes | Up to a few hundred | Yes, and folds back on itself | Workbooks, manuals, cookbooks, planners | Yes, up to 48 inside pages (100 for journals, 136 for planners) |
| Comb | A plastic comb through rectangular holes | Up to a few hundred | Yes, but doesn't fold back | Office reports, presentations | No |
| Wire-o | A double loop of wire | Up to about 250 | Yes | Calendars, presentation books | No |
| Perfect binding | Pages glued into a square spine | 40 and up | No | Novels, catalogs, retail books | No |
Saddle stitch: the simple, low-cost choice
Folded sheets nest inside each other and two staples go through the fold. Each sheet makes four pages, so the page count is always a multiple of four. It's the least expensive binding and suits anything short that people read rather than write in. See booklet printing.
Plastic coil: best when people write in it
A coil runs through holes along the edge. The book opens flat and folds all the way back, so it sits on a desk with one page showing. Coil is more durable than comb and doesn't snag like wire. That's why we use it for workbooks, planners and coil journals.
Coil vs comb
- Coil folds back 360 degrees; comb opens flat but doesn't fold back.
- Comb can be re-opened to add pages; coil can't easily.
- Coil looks more finished and holds up better in a bag.
For workbooks that get carried around and written in, coil is the better choice.
Which should you choose?
| Your project | Choose |
|---|---|
| 8 to 16 pages, mostly reading | Saddle stitch |
| A workbook people write in | Plastic coil |
| A wall calendar | Saddle stitch (ours) or wire-o |
| A planner or journal used all year | Plastic coil |
| A book for retail shelves | Perfect binding (we don't offer it) |
Prices
- Stapled booklets from from $79 for 10 copies.
- Coil workbooks from from $149 for 10 copies.
- Full breakdowns: booklet printing cost and spiral binding cost.
Printed and bound in Charlotte, North Carolina, and shipped across the US.