Binder Spine Template
Make spine inserts for ring binders and print them at exact size. Choose the binder size, ½, 1, 1½, 2 or 3 in, and the insert width follows the published spine insert sheet sizes for US Letter binders, from 16 strips per sheet for ½ in binders to 3 per sheet for 3 in binders. For a 4 in binder, an A4 binder or any other spine, measure the clear pocket and type a custom width in mm or inches. Type a title, a second line and a small label such as the year, choose whether the words run top to bottom, bottom to top or across, and pick one of 5 designs, a colour and a font. Paste a list to make one spine per title, with a different colour for each if you like, and add a matching front cover insert page. Download a PDF or 300 DPI PNG. Nothing is uploaded.
100% private — everything runs in your browser. Everything runs in your browser; your titles are never uploaded.
Print at 100% (Actual size) on card stock, cut along the thin grey lines and slide each strip into the clear pocket on the spine.
Binder
Words
Design
Runs in your browser with our own code: titles are read on your device and never uploaded, and nothing is saved. Insert widths for US Letter binders follow the published spine insert sheet sizes; for other binders, measure the clear pocket and use a custom width. You may use what you make here, including commercially, with no credit needed.
How to make binder spine inserts
- Choose US Letter or A4 and your binder’s spine size, or a custom width you measured.
- Type the title, an optional second line and a small label such as the year.
- Choose whether the words run top to bottom, bottom to top or across.
- Pick a design, a colour and a font; paste a list for one spine per title, and add a cover page if you like.
- Download the PDF, print at 100% (Actual size) on card stock, cut along the thin lines and slide each strip into the spine pocket.
What you can use it for
- Binders for each school subject
- Office files by year, client or project
- Recipe, manual and warranty binders at home
- Teacher binders for plans, grades and resources
- Sheet music and choir folders
- Tax, invoice and receipt binders for a small business
Binder spine insert sizes
| Binder size | Insert width | Insert length (US Letter) | Per US Letter sheet | Per A4 sheet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ½ in binder | 0.5 in (12.7 mm) | 11 in | 16 | 15 |
| 1 in binder | 1 in (25.4 mm) | 11 in | 8 | 7 |
| 1½ in binder | 1.5 in (38.1 mm) | 11 in | 5 | 5 |
| 2 in binder | 2 in (50.8 mm) | 11 in | 4 | 3 |
| 3 in binder | 2.5 in (63.5 mm) | 11 in | 3 | 3 |
US Letter widths and counts follow the published spine insert sheet layouts (the gLabels label template data, read 11 November 2026). A4 sheets use the same widths, 297 mm long, centred. For anything else, measure the clear pocket and use a custom width.
What goes on each spine
| Field | Example | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Science Notes, Invoices 2027, Recipes | Along the spine, as large as the width allows |
| Second line (optional) | A teacher, a room or a client name | Beside the title, smaller |
| Label (optional) | 2027, Vol. 3, Q1 | Across, near the bottom |
| Icon (optional) | Star, dot, page, tick or heart | Near the top |
| Colour | 8 colours, or one per spine | Colour bars, a solid fill, a frame or a side stripe |
Spine designs
| Design | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Colour bars | A wide colour bar at the top and a thin one at the bottom |
| Solid colour | The whole strip in colour, words in white |
| Thin frame | A thin coloured frame inside the strip |
| Side stripe | A colour stripe down one edge |
| Words only | Just the words, for coloured card |
Which way the words run
| Setting | How it reads | Usual on books in |
|---|---|---|
| Top to bottom | Tilt your head to the right to read it | The United States, the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth, Scandinavia and the Netherlands |
| Bottom to top | Tilt your head to the left to read it | Most of continental Europe, Latin America and French Canada |
| Across | Reads straight, in short lines | Wide spines (2 and 3 in) and short titles |
Book conventions from Wikipedia, “Spine (bookbinding)”, read 11 November 2026. For binders, choose what matches the rest of your shelf.
Printing and cutting tips
- Print at 100% (Actual size); Fit to page makes the strips narrower than the pocket.
- Cut along the thin grey lines with a ruler and craft knife or a paper trimmer.
- Card stock slides into the pocket more easily than paper and does not curl.
- Solid colour strips print white at the very ends on most home printers; the ends sit inside the pocket.
More for binders and files
Label the folders inside with the Label Maker, print Lined Paper or Graph Paper to fill the binder, and keep a school year in order with the Teacher Planner or the Study Planner.
More free tools
Printing for school or the office?
Paper, cards, labels and planners that run privately in your browser, with no sign-up and no watermark.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a binder spine insert?
For US Letter binders, published spine insert sheets use strips as long as the sheet (11 in) and as wide as the spine: 0.5 in for a ½ in binder, 1 in for 1 in, 1.5 in for 1½ in, 2 in for 2 in and 2.5 in for a 3 in binder. If your binder differs, measure the clear pocket and use a custom width.
How many binder spines fit on a sheet?
On US Letter: 16 strips for ½ in binders, 8 for 1 in, 5 for 1½ in, 4 for 2 in and 3 for 3 in binders. On A4 the same widths give 15, 7, 5, 3 and 3. Custom widths fit as many as the sheet allows with ¼ in at each side.
How do I measure a binder spine?
Measure the clear pocket on the spine from side to side, inside the plastic, and its length from top to bottom. Choose Custom width and type the width; if the pocket is shorter than the paper, choose Custom length too. The insert should be a millimetre or two narrower than the pocket so it slides in.
Which way should the words on a binder spine run?
Both are used. On books, titles usually run top to bottom in the United States, the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, and bottom to top in most of continental Europe and Latin America; pick the one that matches the books on your shelf. For a 2 or 3 in spine you can also run short words across.
Can I make a spine for each binder from a list?
Yes. Choose One spine per title and paste the titles, one per line (up to 400). Each title gets its own strip, the second line and label are shared, and A different colour for each spine cycles through the colours.
Can I make a 4 in binder spine?
Yes, with a custom width. Measure the pocket on your binder, choose Custom width and type it in mm or inches; spines up to 120 mm wide fit on the sheet.
Can I make the front cover too?
Turn on Add a matching front cover insert page: you get one more page with the title, second line, label and the same design and colour, to slide into the clear cover of a view binder.
How do I print the inserts?
Print the PDF at 100% or Actual size, not Fit to page, on card stock (65 to 110 lb, about 175 to 300 gsm) so the strips slide in without bending. Most home printers cannot print right to the edge of the sheet, so the words stay ¼ in clear of each end.
Is it free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no limit beyond the size of one batch.
Is anything uploaded?
No. Everything you type is read by JavaScript in your browser and never leaves your device. Only the free fonts load from a public font CDN, and nothing is saved when you close the page.