Magazine Size
The standard US magazine size is 8.375 × 10.875 inches (213 × 276 mm). This trim size is used by most consumer and trade publications in North America. International magazines typically use A4 (210 × 297 mm), while pocket or digest formats run at 5.5 × 8.25 inches.
What is the Standard Magazine Size?
The standard US magazine size is 8.375 × 10.875 inches (213 × 276 mm). Letter-size magazines (8.5 × 11 inches) and digest-size publications (5.5 × 8.25 inches) are also common.
| Format | Inches (W × H) | Millimeters (W × H) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Standard | 8.375 × 10.875 | 213 × 276 | Most common US magazine |
| US Letter | 8.5 × 11 | 216 × 279 | Some trade publications |
| Digest | 5.5 × 8.25 | 140 × 210 | Reader's Digest format |
| A4 International | 8.27 × 11.69 | 210 × 297 | Standard outside North America |
| A5 Pocket | 5.83 × 8.27 | 148 × 210 | Small-format magazines, zines |
The US standard (8.375 × 10.875 in) is slightly shorter and wider than A4. If distributing internationally, confirm which trim size your printer and distributor expect.
Magazine Size in Pixels
Pixel dimensions for the US standard (8.375 × 10.875 in):
| DPI | Width (px) | Height (px) | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72 | 603 | 783 | Screen preview |
| 150 | 1256 | 1631 | Draft / digital proof |
| 300 | 2513 | 3263 | Standard commercial print |
| 600 | 5025 | 6525 | High-quality print |
Digest Size in Pixels (5.5 × 8.25 in)
| DPI | Width (px) | Height (px) |
|---|---|---|
| 150 | 825 | 1238 |
| 300 | 1650 | 2475 |
Use our free Inches to Pixels converter or Millimeters to Pixels converter to calculate pixel dimensions at any DPI.
Magazine with Bleed
Standard bleed is 0.125 inches per side for US formats and 3 mm per side for A4/A5.
| Format | Trim | With Bleed | Pixels at 300 DPI |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Standard | 8.375 × 10.875 in | 8.625 × 11.125 in | 2588 × 3338 |
| US Letter | 8.5 × 11 in | 8.75 × 11.25 in | 2625 × 3375 |
| A4 | 210 × 297 mm | 216 × 303 mm | 2551 × 3579 |
Common Uses
- Consumer magazines and newsstand publications
- Trade and industry publications
- Product catalogs and lookbooks
- Event programs and conference guides
- Annual reports and corporate publications
- Zines and independent print media
Design Tips
- Account for spine width on the cover — spine thickness depends on page count and paper weight. A 100-page magazine on 80 gsm stock typically has a spine around 5–6 mm.
- Inside pages near the spine lose visible area to the gutter. Keep text at least 0.5 inches (13 mm) from the spine edge to prevent content from disappearing into the binding.
- Use a facing pages layout with mirrored margins — wider inside (gutter) margin and narrower outside margin.
- Standard column grids for magazines are 2, 3, or 4 columns. Three-column grids offer the most layout flexibility.
- Export each page as a separate press-ready PDF at 300 DPI. Include bleed, trim marks, and slug area with publication info.
How to Design a Magazine
Adobe InDesign is the industry standard for magazine layout — its master pages, paragraph styles, and multi-page document handling are purpose-built for long-form editorial design. Set up your document at the trim size, define consistent margins and column grids, and use facing pages for spread-based layouts.
For shorter publications or teams that prefer collaborative design, Figma with the Print for Figma plugin is a viable alternative. Print for Figma supports multi-page layouts with proper bleed, page ordering, and CMYK export — making it possible to go from Figma design to press-ready PDF. It works especially well for lookbooks, catalogs, and program guides where visual design takes priority over complex text flow. Learn more about designing magazines in Figma →
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