What size sticker should I order?
For laptops use 3x3 in, water bottles 2x2 to 3x3 in, hard hats 2x2 in or smaller, packaging seals 1.5x1.5 to 2x2 in, windshields and windows 4x4 in or larger, and equipment or asset tags 1x2 to 2x3 in. Bigger stickers read from further away but cost more per piece: a 4x4 in costs roughly 60% more than a 3x3 at the same quantity.
| Laptop | 3x3 in (2.5-4 in works) |
|---|---|
| Water bottle / tumbler | 2x2 to 3x3 in |
| Hard hat | 2x2 in or smaller, curved surface |
| Windshield / window | 4x4 in and up |
Size by surface
| Where it goes | Recommended size | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Laptop lid | 3x3 in | Big enough to read across a room, small enough to fit several |
| Water bottle, tumbler | 2x2 - 3x3 in | Must sit within the flat-ish band; taller art wrinkles on the curve |
| Phone case | 1.5x1.5 - 2x2 in | Limited flat area around the camera |
| Hard hat | 2x2 in or smaller | Compound curve; small stickers conform, large ones lift |
| Packaging seal | 1.5x1.5 - 2x2 in | Reads on a mailer without dominating it |
| Shipping box branding | 3x3 - 4x4 in | Needs to read from a shelf |
| Windshield / storefront glass | 4x4 in and up | Viewed from 6+ feet away |
| Equipment / asset tag | 1x2 - 2x3 in | Fits a control panel, holds a scannable code |
| Bumper | 3x9 - 4x11 in | Traditional bumper proportions, readable at traffic distance |
| Hard-hat helmet number | 2x3 in | Digits large enough to read from ground level |
Readability rule of thumb
Text needs roughly 1 inch of height per 10 feet of viewing distance to read comfortably. If your sticker has a phone number or URL, size the sticker around the text, not the other way round.
Curves and texture change the answer
The tighter the curve, the smaller the sticker has to be to lie flat. Anything going on a bottle, helmet, tool handle or pipe should stay small, or be shaped long and narrow so it wraps in one direction only. Rough or textured surfaces need extra adhesive contact, so avoid thin shapes there.
What size does to price
Price scales with printed area, so the same quantity gets more expensive as the sticker grows. At 250 pieces a 2x2 is $0.43 each, a 3x3 is $0.61 and a 4x4 is $0.84. If budget is tight, dropping one inch is usually a bigger saving than dropping to cheaper material.
Related questions
- What is the most popular sticker size?
- 3x3 in is the most ordered size. It reads well on a laptop, bottle or notebook and sits at a good price point per piece.
- How big can a custom sticker be?
- We print single stickers well past standard sizes, and beyond a couple of feet the right product is usually a decal, window graphic or banner rather than a sticker.
- Does a bigger sticker cost more?
- Yes, price follows printed area. At 250 pieces a 4x4 in costs about 38% more per sticker than a 3x3 in.