The Leuchtturm1917 is the notebook most people eventually arrive at after trying several others. It has features that most competitor notebooks don't — numbered pages, a table of contents, two ribbon bookmarks — and it combines them with a quality of construction that makes it feel like a serious object rather than a disposable one. The name means "lighthouse" in German. It's been making notebooks in Hamburg since 1917.
This guide explains the full range, what makes the Leuchtturm distinctive, and which version to choose for different uses.
What makes the Leuchtturm1917 different
Four features set the Leuchtturm apart from most competing notebooks at similar price points:
Numbered pages: Every page is pre-numbered. This matters more than it sounds — it means you can index your notebook. The front pages include a table of contents (two full spreads) where you can log entries by subject and page number. Writers and students who actually use their notes find this invaluable; a notebook you can navigate is a different tool from one you can't.
Two ribbon bookmarks: One to mark your current page, one for a page you need to return to. Most notebooks include one; the Leuchtturm includes two.
Elastic closure and back pocket: The elastic keeps the notebook shut in a bag without folding the cover; the expandable pocket inside the back cover stores cards, receipts, and loose sheets. Small details, consistently valued.
Label stickers: Three cover stickers and three spine stickers come in every Leuchtturm, designed for labelling the subject or date. For anyone who uses multiple notebooks, this is immediately useful.
The paper
Most Leuchtturm1917 notebooks use 80gsm acid-free paper with a slight texture. It handles ballpoint, gel, and pencil without any difficulty. For fountain pens, it's acceptable — minimal feathering and bleedthrough with most standard fountain pen inks and most nib sizes. Heavily saturated inks or very wet nibs may show through; the paper is not as fountain-pen-optimised as Rhodia or Tomoe River, but it performs adequately for fountain pen users who write at moderate pace with moderate ink flow.
The 120gsm Edition uses significantly heavier paper that handles fountain pens, markers, and brush pens without show-through. Worth considering for illustration work or for fountain pen writers who use wet-running inks and prefer no show-through at all.
Sizes
Pocket (A6): The smallest size — compact enough for jacket pockets and very small bags. 185 pages. Good for quick notes, to-do lists, and everyday carry. The small page size can feel limiting for extended writing, but the portability is unmatched.
Paperback (B6+): Slightly smaller than the Medium, with a size between A6 and A5. 219 pages. A useful middle ground between Pocket and Medium — more writing space than the Pocket without the full bulk of the A5.
Medium (A5): The most popular size by a significant margin. 185 pages (249 in some editions). The A5 size is large enough for comfortable extended writing, small enough to carry without difficulty. This is the size to start with unless you have specific reasons to go larger or smaller.
Composition (B5): Between A5 and A4. 219 pages. Good for students who need more horizontal writing space than A5 provides, or for left-handed writers who prefer to write across a wider page.
Master Slim (A4+): The largest size. 123 pages. For desk use primarily — this is not a bag-carry notebook. Suits people who write extensively in single sessions or who prefer the most possible space per page.
Sheet styles
Dot grid (Dotted): The most versatile ruling. The dots provide alignment guidance without imposing the rigidity of graph paper. Suitable for writing, diagramming, bullet journaling, and mixing writing with sketches. The most popular ruling in the Leuchtturm range and recommended for most buyers unless you have a strong preference for lined.
Lined (Ruled): Clean horizontal lines at 8mm spacing. The classic everyday notebook ruling. Best for people who write primarily in prose and want consistent horizontal guidance.
Graph (Squared): 5mm grid. More structured than dot grid — preferred by engineers, mathematicians, and anyone who sketches frequently alongside writing.
Blank (Plain): No ruling whatsoever. Maximum creative freedom; most demanding for keeping handwriting straight without visual guides.
The Bullet Journal edition
Leuchtturm1917 produces an official Bullet Journal edition, designed in collaboration with Bullet Journal™ inventor Ryder Carroll. It comes with a brief how-to guide, an additional set of collection stickers, and three ribbon bookmarks instead of two. The ruling is dot grid only, as the bullet journal method is designed around dot-grid pages. For anyone specifically practising the Bullet Journal methodology, this edition adds genuinely useful starters; for most other uses the standard dot grid notebook works identically.
The 120gsm Edition
For fountain pen heavy users and artists: the 120gsm Edition uses significantly heavier paper than the standard Leuchtturm. Fountain pens, markers, and brush pens won't show through the page at all — you can use both sides of every sheet without concern. The trade-off is a heavier, slightly bulkier notebook better suited to desk use than daily carry.
The Some Lines a Day 5-Year Journal
A different format entirely: each page covers the same day across five years, with five sections (one per year) on each page. For anyone committed to a daily writing practice across multiple years, this format produces the richest comparative record possible — reading today's entry alongside the same day in each of the previous four years. This is an invitation to actually maintain a daily practice, not a planner.
Leuchtturm1917 vs. Moleskine
The two are often compared, and the Leuchtturm wins on features: numbered pages, a table of contents, and two ribbons versus Moleskine's one ribbon and no numbering. The paper in the Leuchtturm handles fountain pens slightly better than Moleskine's standard paper. Moleskine has a slight edge in cultural recognition; Leuchtturm has a slight edge in practical usability. For most writers who'll use the notebook seriously, the Leuchtturm is the better choice.
Which Leuchtturm to buy
For most people: Medium A5 in dot grid. This is the most flexible choice and the most popular for good reason.
For students taking notes: Medium A5 in lined, or Composition B5 if you prefer more horizontal space. The numbered pages and table of contents are particularly useful for academic work.
For fountain pen users: Consider the 120gsm Edition for heavy fountain pen use, or the standard medium A5 for moderate use.
For daily journaling with structure: The Some Lines a Day 5-Year Journal — commit to five years.
For bullet journaling: Bullet Journal edition in Medium A5, or the standard dot grid in the same size.
Browse the full Leuchtturm1917 range at The Journal Shop, including all sizes, rulings, and editions.
Where to start: browse our notebooks and fountain-pen-friendly notebooks at The Journal Shop.
