--- title: "Dot Grid vs Lined vs Grid Notebooks: Spacing in mm" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/dot-grid-vs-lined-vs-grid/" description: "Dot grid vs lined vs grid explained: standard spacings in mm (5 mm dots, 6–8 mm lines, 5 mm squares), college and wide rule, who each suits, and examples." category: "Notebooks" published: 2026-10-21 updated: 2026-10-21 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 8 products: - name: "Leuchtturm1917 Notebook Medium (A5), Hardcover, 251 numbered pages (dotted, ruled, squared or plain)" brand: "Leuchtturm1917" brand_origin: "Germany" made_in: "Varies (Taiwan or Germany)" material: "Synthetic leather hard cover, 80 g/m² FSC-certified, slightly cream paper" released: "2005" price_band: "$$$ ($20–75 per notebook, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Leuchtturm Gruppe (Geesthacht, Germany)" model: "Notizbuch Medium (A5), Hardcover, 251 nummerierte Seiten" mpn: "329398" url: "https://www.leuchtturm1917.de/notizbuch-medium-a5-hardcover-251-nummerierte-seiten-schwarz-dotted.html" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/leuchtturm1917-a5-notebook/" - name: "Midori MD Notebook A5, 176 pages (blank, lined, grid, dot grid or frame)" brand: "Midori" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "Cream MD Paper, 80 g/m² (text, cover and endpapers); glassine jacket" released: "2008" price_band: "$$ ($5–20 per notebook, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Designphil Inc. (Tokyo); the MD line is now sold as MD PRODUCT" model: "15385006 (A5, lined)" mpn: "15385006" url: "https://md-product.com/products/md-notebook-a5" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/midori-md-notebook-a5/" - name: "LIFE Noble Note A5, 100 sheets (plain, 8 mm ruled or 5 mm grid)" brand: "LIFE" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "Card cover with cloth spine, sewn cream L Writing Paper (about 85 g/m²)" price_band: "$$ ($5–20 per notebook, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "LIFE Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)" model: "N39 (8 mm ruled); N36 (plain); N33 (5 mm grid)" mpn: "N39" gtin: "4990168048425" url: "https://life-st.jp/products/%E3%83%8E%E3%83%BC%E3%83%96%E3%83%AB%E3%83%8E%E3%83%BC%E3%83%88-a5-%E6%96%B9%E7%9C%BC" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/life-noble-note-a5/" - name: "KOKUYO Campus Notebook, Semi-B5, 30 sheets (NO-3BN 6 mm rule; NO-3BTN 6 mm dotted; NO-3ATN 7 mm dotted)" brand: "KOKUYO" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "Woodfree forest-certified paper (上質紙, 森林認証紙), laminated spine cloth" released: "1975" price_band: "$ (under $5 per notebook, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "KOKUYO Co., Ltd." model: "NO-3BN" gtin: "4901480070216" url: "https://www.kokuyo.com/stationery/category/notebook-paper/notebook/11031/" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/kokuyo-campus-notebook/" - name: "Hobonichi Techo Original Book, A6, 2027 (English or Japanese; January or April start)" brand: "Hobonichi" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Not stated" material: "Tomoe River paper (Tomoe River S since the 2024 edition), thread-sewn binding" released: "2001-10-05" price_band: "$$$ ($20–75 per notebook, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Hobonichi Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)" url: "https://www.1101.com/store/techo/ja/2027/pc/detail_cover/ob27_jan_en/" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/hobonichi-techo-original/" - name: "Rhodia No. 16 DotPad, A5, top-stapled, black cover (16559C)" brand: "Rhodia" brand_origin: "France" made_in: "France" material: "80 g/m² Clairefontaine vellum paper, coated card cover" released: "1934" price_band: "$$ ($5–20 per notebook, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Clairefontaine Rhodia (Exacompta Clairefontaine group); sold in the US by Exaclair" model: "dotPad, bloc-notes agrafé N°16 (A5)" mpn: "16559C" gtin: "3037920165592" url: "https://www.bloc-rhodia.com/fr/basics/37-137-dotpad-bloc-notes-agrafe.html" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/rhodia-no-16-dot-pad/" --- # Dot Grid vs Lined vs Grid Notebooks: Spacing in mm > Lined paper suits prose and fast notes, grid paper suits math, diagrams and tidy tables, and dot grid suits bullet journals and mixed pages, because the dots guide you but fade into the background. Common spacings are 5 mm for dots and grids, 6–8 mm for lines, and 7.1 mm for US college rule. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/dot-grid-vs-lined-vs-grid/ - Category: Notebooks - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-21 - Updated: 2026-10-21 ![Three A5 notebooks open flat to one scale with dot grid, lined and grid rulings](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/dot-grid-vs-lined-vs-grid-16x9.png) *Dots, lines and grid in three A5 notebooks (1 mm = 0.8 px).* Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Leuchtturm1917 Notebook Medium (A5), Hardcover, 251 numbered pages (dotted, ruled, squared or plain) | Leuchtturm1917 (by Leuchtturm Gruppe (Geesthacht, Germany)) | Germany | Varies (Taiwan or Germany) | Synthetic leather hard cover, 80 g/m² FSC-certified, slightly cream paper | 2005 | $$$: $20–75 per notebook | | Midori MD Notebook A5, 176 pages (blank, lined, grid, dot grid or frame) | Midori (by Designphil Inc. (Tokyo); the MD line is now sold as MD PRODUCT) | Japan | Japan | Cream MD Paper, 80 g/m² (text, cover and endpapers); glassine jacket | 2008 | $$: $5–20 per notebook | | LIFE Noble Note A5, 100 sheets (plain, 8 mm ruled or 5 mm grid) | LIFE (by LIFE Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)) | Japan | Japan | Card cover with cloth spine, sewn cream L Writing Paper (about 85 g/m²) | – | $$: $5–20 per notebook | | KOKUYO Campus Notebook, Semi-B5, 30 sheets (NO-3BN 6 mm rule; NO-3BTN 6 mm dotted; NO-3ATN 7 mm dotted) | KOKUYO (by KOKUYO Co., Ltd.) | Japan | Japan | Woodfree forest-certified paper (上質紙, 森林認証紙), laminated spine cloth | 1975 | $: under $5 per notebook | | Hobonichi Techo Original Book, A6, 2027 (English or Japanese; January or April start) | Hobonichi (by Hobonichi Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)) | Japan | Not stated | Tomoe River paper (Tomoe River S since the 2024 edition), thread-sewn binding | 2001-10-05 | $$$: $20–75 per notebook | | Rhodia No. 16 DotPad, A5, top-stapled, black cover (16559C) | Rhodia (by Clairefontaine Rhodia (Exacompta Clairefontaine group); sold in the US by Exaclair) | France | France | 80 g/m² Clairefontaine vellum paper, coated card cover | 1934 | $$: $5–20 per notebook | - Made in (Leuchtturm1917 Notebook Medium (A5), Hardcover, 251 numbered pages (dotted, ruled, squared or plain)): Varies (Taiwan or Germany). Retailer data conflicts. Galaxus has listed Germany for a forest-green Medium dotted hard cover; Digitec has listed Germany, Taiwan and United Kingdom for a red-violet one; several eBay listings for Medium A5 notebooks have given Taiwan (all three now block automated reading). Leuchtturm1917's German and US product pages name no country for the standard notebook; its US 120G page says that edition's paper is made in Germany. Check the label on your copy. Source: https://www.digitec.ch/en/s1/product/leuchtturm1917-notebook-a5-dotted-hardcover-notebooks-notepads-12221141 - Made in (Midori MD Notebook A5, 176 pages (blank, lined, grid, dot grid or frame)): Japan. Midori's Japanese MD PRODUCT store gives 原産国 (country of origin) Made in Japan for the A5, as did the older Midori online store listing for the lined A5 (15294006). The Journal Shop, Galen Leather and Boston General Store agree. Source: https://md-product.com/products/md-notebook-a5 - Made in (LIFE Noble Note A5, 100 sheets (plain, 8 mm ruled or 5 mm grid)): Japan. LIFE's own product page says craftsmen in Tokyo's shitamachi (old downtown) make each Noble Note by hand. Japanese Taste and Paper Whisper also list Japan as the origin. Source: https://life-st.jp/products/%E3%83%8E%E3%83%BC%E3%83%96%E3%83%AB%E3%83%8E%E3%83%BC%E3%83%88-a5-%E6%96%B9%E7%9C%BC - Made in (KOKUYO Campus Notebook, Semi-B5, 30 sheets (NO-3BN 6 mm rule; NO-3BTN 6 mm dotted; NO-3ATN 7 mm dotted)): Japan. KOKUYO's own global online store gives Country of Origin: Japan for the NO-3BN 3-pack and 10-pack and for the NO-3BTN and NO-3ATN dotted books. KOKUYO's Japanese catalog pages don't list origin; other Campus lines and sizes may differ. Source: https://www.kokuyostore.com/en/campus-notebook-b5-6mm-rule-30-sheets-pack-of-3/NO-3BNX3.html - Made in (Hobonichi Techo Original Book, A6, 2027 (English or Japanese; January or April start)): Not stated. Hobonichi's Japanese store listing for the 2027 English Original gives size, weight, pages and paper but no country of manufacture (it names one only for a free charm, made in China), and we found no retailer spec sheet that states it for the Original Book. Hunter Paper Co. says its Original Avec book is made in Japan by Hobonichi, but that is a different product. Check the back of the book. - Made in (Rhodia No. 16 DotPad, A5, top-stapled, black cover (16559C)): France. Rhodia says all its notepads are manufactured at its plant near Mulhouse, Alsace; its 2024 French press kit places the plant at Illzach, on the edge of Mulhouse, since 1997. Retailers The Journal Shop, Dromgooles, Bruneau and Wonderpens also list the No. 16 as made in France. Source: https://www.bloc-rhodia.com/gb/page/rhodia-universe/our-manufacturing-secrets ## Key takeaways - Dot grid notebooks almost always use 5 mm spacing: Leuchtturm1917, Rhodia and Midori MD all print 5 mm dots. - US college rule is 9/32 in (7.1 mm) and wide rule 11/32 in (8.7 mm); narrow rule is 1/4 in (6.4 mm). - KOKUYO names its Japanese rulings by letter: A rule 7 mm, B rule 6 mm, C rule 5 mm, U rule 8 mm and UL rule 10 mm. - Grid paper is usually 5 mm squares, but the Hobonichi Techo uses a finer 3.7 mm grid to fit a day on one A6 page. - Closer lines fit more writing: KOKUYO's Semi-B5 Campus has 35 lines a page at 6 mm and 30 lines at 7 mm. ## What is the difference between dot grid, lined and grid paper? **Lined paper prints horizontal rules for writing, grid paper prints squares for drawing and aligning, and dot grid prints only the corners of the squares, a light guide that works for both.** The ruling is printed on top of the paper; the paper itself can be the same. Most notebooks come in all three plus blank. The [Leuchtturm1917 Medium](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/leuchtturm1917-a5-notebook/) is sold dotted, ruled, squared and plain, and the [Midori MD Notebook A5](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/midori-md-notebook-a5/) lined, grid, dot grid, blank or frame. ## What spacing does each ruling use? **Dots and squares are almost always 5 mm apart; lines run from 5 to 10 mm, with 6, 7 and 8 mm most common.** | Ruling | Spacing | Examples | |---|---|---| | Dot grid | 5 mm | Leuchtturm1917, [Rhodia No. 16](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/rhodia-no-16-dot-pad/), Midori MD | | Grid (squared) | 5 mm | Midori MD, [LIFE Noble Note](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/life-noble-note-a5/) N33 | | Fine grid | 3.7 mm | [Hobonichi Techo](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/hobonichi-techo-original/) | | Narrow lines | 6 mm (KOKUYO B rule); 6.4 mm (US narrow, 1/4 in) | Leuchtturm1917 ruled, [KOKUYO Campus](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/kokuyo-campus-notebook/) | | Medium lines | 7 mm (KOKUYO A rule); 7.1 mm (US college, 9/32 in) | Midori MD, Maruman Mnemosyne | | Wide lines | 8 mm (KOKUYO U rule); 8.7 mm (US wide, 11/32 in) | LIFE Noble Note N39 | | Dotted lines | 6 or 7 mm lines with dots along them | KOKUYO Campus dotted | Spacings come from each maker's page or our notebook guides; US rules from Wikipedia's ruled-paper article. ![Eight ruling samples drawn to scale, from a 5 mm dot grid to 8.7 mm US wide rule](https://stationerytimes.com/images/dot-grid-vs-lined-vs-grid-rulings.svg) *The same 40 × 30 mm patch in eight rulings (1 mm = 4 px).* ## Who should choose lined paper? **Anyone who mostly writes sentences: students, diarists and fast note-takers.** Lines keep handwriting straight without thinking, and closer lines fit more words per page. KOKUYO's 6 mm Semi-B5 Campus fits 35 lines a page, against 30 for its 7 mm version. Pick 6 mm for small handwriting, 7 mm or US college rule for average, and 8 mm or wide rule for large writing. ## Who should choose grid paper? **Engineers, students of math and science, and planners who draw tables and charts.** Squares give vertical alignment as well as horizontal, so columns of numbers and diagrams stay tidy. A 5 mm grid is the European and Japanese standard. The Hobonichi Techo's 3.7 mm grid is finer, packing more rows into the single A6 page it gives each day. ## Who should choose dot grid? **Bullet journalers and anyone whose pages mix writing, lists, boxes and sketches.** Dots work as lines when you write and as a grid when you draw, yet disappear visually behind the content. The 5 mm spacing is near-universal. It is why bullet journal notebooks such as the [Leuchtturm1917 Bullet Journal Edition 2](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/leuchtturm1917-bullet-journal-edition-2/) are dotted. For heavier paper under markers, the [Archer & Olive A5](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/archer-and-olive-a5-dot-grid-notebook/) also uses 5 mm dots. To set up the pages themselves, see [how to start a bullet journal](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/how-to-start-a-bullet-journal/). ## What are dotted lines on Japanese notebooks? **KOKUYO's dotted ruling (ドット入り罫線) adds small dots at even intervals along each line.** KOKUYO says the dots help line up the start of each line and draw tables and figures, giving lined paper some of a grid's structure. The [KOKUYO Campus](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/kokuyo-campus-notebook/) sells it in 6 and 7 mm versions. It suits students who want lines for writing but neat diagrams too. ## Which ruling should you choose? **Choose by what fills your pages, not by fashion.** - **Mostly writing:** lined; 6 mm for small handwriting, 7 mm or college rule for average. - **Numbers, sketches and diagrams:** 5 mm grid. - **A mix, or a bullet journal:** 5 mm dot grid. - **Unsure:** dot grid is the safest all-rounder, and our [best notebooks](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-notebooks/) roundup covers each ruling. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is dot grid better than lined paper? For mixed pages, yes: dots guide writing, boxes and sketches without getting in the way. For long prose, lined paper keeps lines straight with less effort, so the better choice depends on what fills your pages. ### What is the standard dot grid spacing? 5 mm. Leuchtturm1917, Rhodia and Midori MD dot grid notebooks all use 5 mm between dots, which is close to a lined page of 5 or 6 mm if you write on every row. ### What is college ruled spacing in mm? 9/32 inch, or about 7.1 mm between lines. Wide rule is 11/32 inch (8.7 mm) and narrow rule 1/4 inch (6.4 mm). ### What do A rule and B rule mean on Japanese notebooks? They are KOKUYO's names for line spacing: A rule is 7 mm, B rule 6 mm, C rule 5 mm, U rule 8 mm and UL rule 10 mm. B rule fits more lines for small handwriting. ### Which ruling is best for bullet journaling? Dot grid. The bullet journal method mixes lists, calendars and trackers, and 5 mm dots let you draw them neatly; Leuchtturm1917 sells a dotted Bullet Journal Edition for it. ### Is graph paper the same as grid paper? Yes, both mean squares. Notebook grids are usually 5 mm; US makers often use inch fractions, such as the 3/16 inch grid in Field Notes graph books. ### Which line spacing should I choose for small handwriting? 6 mm or 7 mm. A 6 mm ruling (KOKUYO B rule or Leuchtturm1917 ruled) fits more lines; 8 mm and wide rule suit large handwriting and children. ## Sources - [KOKUYO (Japan): ベーシック罫 (A rule 7 mm, B rule 6 mm, C rule 5 mm, U rule 8 mm, UL rule 10 mm)](https://www.kokuyo-st.co.jp/stationery/campus/lineup/) - [KOKUYO (Japan): ドット入り罫線 (dotted ruled lines: dots at even intervals along each line)](https://www.kokuyo-st.co.jp/stationery/dotkei/lineup.html) - [KOKUYO (Japan): Campus Notebook B5, B rule 6 mm, 35 lines](https://www.kokuyo.com/stationery/category/notebook-paper/notebook/11031/) - [Wikipedia: Ruled paper (college rule 9/32 in, wide rule 11/32 in, narrow rule 1/4 in; 5 mm squared paper)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruled_paper) - [Leuchtturm1917 (Germany): Notizbuch Medium (A5), Dotted (layouts blank, dotted, ruled, squared)](https://www.leuchtturm1917.de/notizbuch-medium-a5-hardcover-251-nummerierte-seiten-schwarz-dotted.html) - [Spilhaus: Leuchtturm1917 Notebook Medium A5, ruled (6 mm lines)](https://spilhaus.co.za/products/leuchtturm1917-notebook-medium-a5-hardcover-251-numbered-pages-ruled) - [Rhodia: dotPad No. 16 (5 mm dots)](https://www.bloc-rhodia.com/fr/basics/37-137-dotpad-bloc-notes-agrafe.html) - [Hobonichi (Japan): Original guide (3.7 mm grid)](https://www.1101.com/store/techo/ja/2027/all_about/original/)