--- title: "Leuchtturm1917 Softcover A5: 123 Pages, 224 Grams" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/leuchtturm1917-softcover-a5-notebook/" description: "Leuchtturm1917 Medium (A5) softcover explained: 145 × 210 mm, 123 numbered pages of 80 g/m² paper, 224 g, rulings, colours, origin and vs the hardcover." category: "Notebooks" type: "Softcover notebook" published: 2026-10-22 updated: 2026-10-22 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 7 products: - name: "Leuchtturm1917 Notebook Medium (A5), Softcover, 123 numbered pages (dotted, ruled, squared or plain)" brand: "Leuchtturm1917" brand_origin: "Germany" made_in: "Varies (Germany or China)" material: "Flexible cover, 80 g/m² FSC-certified slightly cream paper, thread-sewn book block" price_band: "$$$ ($20–75 per notebook, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Leuchtturm Gruppe (Geesthacht, Germany)" model: "Notizbuch Medium (A5), Softcover, 123 nummerierte Seiten" mpn: "324804" gtin: "4004117328220" url: "https://www.leuchtturm1917.de/notizbuch-medium-a5-softcover-123-nummerierte-seiten-schwarz-dotted.html" --- # Leuchtturm1917 Softcover A5: 123 Pages, 224 Grams > The Leuchtturm1917 Notebook Medium (A5) Softcover is the flexible-cover version of the brand's best-known notebook. It measures 145 × 210 mm (5.75 × 8.25 in) and has 123 numbered pages of 80 g/m² cream paper, an index, two page markers, an elastic band and 8 perforated sheets, and weighs 224 g, about half the hardcover. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/leuchtturm1917-softcover-a5-notebook/ - Category: Notebooks - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-22 - Updated: 2026-10-22 ![Forest Green Leuchtturm1917 Medium A5 softcover, closed and opened flat on dotted, numbered pages](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/leuchtturm1917-softcover-a5-notebook-16x9.png) *The Medium softcover closed and open, with a perforated back sheet magnified (1 mm = 1 px).* Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Leuchtturm1917 Notebook Medium (A5), Softcover, 123 numbered pages (dotted, ruled, squared or plain) | Leuchtturm1917 (by Leuchtturm Gruppe (Geesthacht, Germany)) | Germany | Varies (Germany or China) | Flexible cover, 80 g/m² FSC-certified slightly cream paper, thread-sewn book block | – | $$$: $20–75 per notebook | - Made in (Leuchtturm1917 Notebook Medium (A5), Softcover, 123 numbered pages (dotted, ruled, squared or plain)): Varies (Germany or China). Retailer data conflicts. The Journal Shop lists Germany as the country of origin for the 2026-colour Medium softcover. Digitec has listed China for a Pumpkin lined and a Deep Sea lined softcover (seen in its search listings; Digitec blocked our reader on October 22, 2026). Leuchtturm1917's German product page names only the company's address in Geesthacht, not a country of manufacture. Check the label on your copy. Source: https://www.thejournalshop.com/products/leuchtturm1917-medium-softcover-notebook-a5-2026-colors-collection ## Key takeaways - Leuchtturm1917's German site lists the Medium softcover at 145 × 210 mm with 123 numbered pages and a weight of 224 g, versus 251 pages and 423 g for the hardcover. - The paper is the same 80 g/m², slightly cream, FSC-certified stock as the hardcover, in a thread-sewn book block. - It comes dotted, ruled, squared or plain, and the German site lists 27 cover colours for the line, from Schwarz (black) to the 2027 colours Dove, Moss, Burgundy and Bubblegum. - Leuchtturm1917's German store priced the black dotted softcover (article 324804) at €22.95 (about US$26) on October 22, 2026; US retail sits in our $$$ band. - Origin varies by batch: The Journal Shop lists Germany, while Digitec has listed China for some softcover colours. ## What is the Leuchtturm1917 Medium softcover? **It is the Leuchtturm1917 A5 notebook with a flexible cover and half the pages: 123 numbered pages instead of 251.** Everything else carries over from the [hardcover Medium](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/leuchtturm1917-a5-notebook/): the 145 × 210 mm format, 80 g/m² paper, index, two page markers, elastic band and back pocket. It is one of the few premium notebooks in Amazon's US best-seller list for hardcover executive notebooks: the Forest Green dotted version ranked 27th on October 22, 2026, with 2,918 ratings averaging 4.8 stars. ## Leuchtturm1917 softcover A5 specs | Spec | Leuchtturm1917 Medium (A5) Softcover | |---|---| | Size | 145 × 210 mm (5.75 × 8.25 in) | | Pages | 123 numbered pages, plus a blank table of contents | | Paper | 80 g/m², slightly cream, FSC-certified | | Rulings | Dotted (5 mm), ruled, squared, plain | | Binding | Thread-sewn book block | | Extras | 2 page markers, elastic closure, gusseted back pocket, 8 perforated sheets, labels | | Weight | 224 g (7.9 oz) | | Colours | 27 listed on the German site | | Article (black, dotted) | 324804; UPC 4004117328220 (Blick) | | List price (Germany) | €22.95 (about US$26) | Every figure except the UPC comes from Leuchtturm1917's German product page, which we read in full on October 22, 2026. The Journal Shop repeats the 123 pages, 224 g and 80 g/m². ## How does the softcover differ from the hardcover Medium? **The softcover has about half the pages and half the weight; the size and paper are the same.** Leuchtturm1917 lists 123 pages and 224 g for the softcover, and 251 pages and 423 g for the hardcover. ![Bar chart of page count and weight for the Leuchtturm1917 Medium A5 softcover and hardcover](https://stationerytimes.com/images/leuchtturm1917-softcover-a5-notebook-pages.svg) *Same footprint and paper; the softcover halves the page count and the weight.* That makes the softcover the lighter one to carry, and a natural pick if you fill a notebook every month or two and would rather not carry 251 pages around. The flexible cover gives you no rigid writing surface on your lap, which is the main reason to stay with boards. A leather case such as Galen Leather's [Zippered A5 Notebook Folio](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/galen-leather-zippered-a5-notebook-folio/), which Galen designed around the Leuchtturm1917 A5, adds that firmness back. If you're choosing between brands rather than covers, our [Moleskine vs Leuchtturm1917](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/moleskine-vs-leuchtturm1917/) comparison covers width, paper and page numbering. Moleskine's own flexible version is the [Classic Soft Cover Large](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/moleskine-classic-soft-cover-large/), 15 mm narrower with 192 unnumbered pages of 70 g/m² paper. ## Which ruling and colour should you pick? **Pick dotted for bullet journaling, ruled for prose, squared for lists and sketches, and plain for drawing.** The softcover comes in all four rulings, like the hardcover. - **Dotted:** a 5 mm dot grid, the most popular choice for bullet journals. For a hardcover with printed bullet journal key and index pages, see the [Leuchtturm1917 Bullet Journal Edition 2](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/leuchtturm1917-bullet-journal-edition-2/). - **Colours:** the German site lists 27 cover colours, including the four 2027 colours Dove, Moss, Burgundy and Bubblegum, which Leuchtturm1917 calls its "Human Intelligence" colours. - **Smaller:** the same softcover comes in Pocket (A6), as covered in our [Pocket A6 guide](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/leuchtturm1917-pocket-a6-notebook/), and in Paperback (B6+). ## How much does the Leuchtturm1917 softcover cost? **In the US it sits in our $$$ band ($20–75 per notebook), just above the $20 line.** Leuchtturm1917's German store priced the black dotted Medium softcover at €22.95 (about US$26) including VAT on October 22, 2026, against €24.50 (about US$27) for the black dotted hardcover. The small gap is worth knowing: per page, the softcover costs nearly twice as much as the hardcover. You pay for a lighter book, not for more paper. ## Where is the Leuchtturm1917 softcover made? **It depends on the batch: retailers list Germany for some softcovers and China for others.** The Journal Shop gives Germany as the country of origin for the 2026-colour Medium softcover, while Digitec has listed China for softcovers in Pumpkin and Deep Sea. Leuchtturm1917 is a German brand, run by the Leuchtturm Gruppe from Geesthacht near Hamburg, but its product page doesn't name a country of manufacture. Check the label on the shrink-wrap if origin matters to you. For an Italian softcover with a horizontal elastic, see the [Ciak Classic Notebook A5](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/ciak-classic-notebook-a5/). For more A5 options, see our [best notebooks for bullet journaling](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-notebooks-for-bullet-journaling/). ## Frequently asked questions ### Does the Leuchtturm1917 softcover have numbered pages? Yes. All 123 pages are numbered, and a blank table of contents at the front lets you index them, the same system as the hardcover. ### What paper weight is in the Leuchtturm1917 softcover? 80 g/m² (80 gsm), the same slightly cream, FSC-certified paper Leuchtturm1917 uses in its A5, B5, B6+ and A6 notebooks. Only the A4+ Master formats get 100 g/m². ### Does the Leuchtturm1917 softcover lie flat? Leuchtturm1917 says the book block is thread-sewn, which is what lets a notebook open flat. The flexible cover also folds back more easily than boards. ### What is in the back of a Leuchtturm1917 softcover? A gusseted pocket inside the back cover, 8 perforated sheets at the end of the book and a sheet of labels for archiving the finished notebook, per Leuchtturm1917's German site. ### Does the Leuchtturm1917 softcover have an elastic band? Yes. It keeps the elastic closure and both ribbon page markers of the hardcover, so only the cover itself and the page count change. ### Is the softcover made in other Leuchtturm1917 sizes? Yes. The German site lists softcovers in Composition (B5, 360 g), Paperback (B6+, 180 g) and Pocket (A6, 115 g), each with 123 pages of 80 g/m² paper. ### Can you use a fountain pen in the Leuchtturm1917 softcover? Leuchtturm1917's Amazon listing describes the paper as having high ink compatibility to help prevent bleed-through, and Amazon reviewers report using fountain pens in it. At 80 g/m² it is lighter than 100 to 120 g/m² journal paper, so expect some show-through with wet inks; we haven't tested it yet. ## Sources - [Leuchtturm1917 (Germany): Notizbuch Medium (A5), Softcover, 123 nummerierte Seiten, Schwarz, Dotted (article 324804, €22.95, 80 g/m², 2 page markers, 8 perforated sheets, thread-sewn, format weights incl. Medium softcover 224 g and hardcover 423 g, 27 colours) — full page read October 22, 2026](https://www.leuchtturm1917.de/notizbuch-medium-a5-softcover-123-nummerierte-seiten-schwarz-dotted.html) - [Leuchtturm1917 (Germany): Notizbuch Medium (A5), Hardcover, 251 nummerierte Seiten (for comparison)](https://www.leuchtturm1917.de/notizbuch-medium-a5-hardcover-251-nummerierte-seiten-schwarz-dotted.html) - [The Journal Shop: Leuchtturm1917 Medium Softcover Notebook (A5), 2026 Colours Collection (145 × 210 mm, 123 pages, 224 g, 80 g/m², country of origin Germany)](https://www.thejournalshop.com/products/leuchtturm1917-medium-softcover-notebook-a5-2026-colors-collection) - [Blick Art Materials: Leuchtturm1917 Dotted Softcover Notebook, Black, 5-3/4 × 8-1/4 in (80 gsm, stitch-bound, UPC 4004117328220)](https://www.dickblick.com/items/leuchtturm1917-dotted-softcover-notebook-black-5-34-x-8-14/) - [Amazon.com: LEUCHTTURM1917 Notebook Softcover Medium A5, 123 numbered pages, Forest Green, Dotted (4.8 stars, 2,918 ratings; #27 in Hardcover Executive Notebooks, October 22, 2026)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BKGLWRJB) - [Amazon.com Best Sellers: Hardcover Executive Notebooks (checked October 22, 2026)](https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Office-Products-Hardcover-Executive-Notebooks/zgbs/office-products/490755011) - [Digitec: Leuchtturm1917 Notebook A5, lined, Pumpkin, Softcover (country of origin China, per its listing)](https://www.digitec.ch/en/s1/product/leuchtturm1917-notebook-a5-lin-pumpkin-softcover-a5-lined-soft-cover-notebooks-notepads-62924876)