Booklet Page Count Calculator & Imposition Preview
Enter your page count and binding to see how many pages the job really needs, how many blanks to add, and how pages land on each printed sheet.
Saddle stitch: sheets nest inside one another and are stapled on the fold. Pages must be a multiple of 4.
Imposition order
How it works
Each sheet is folded in half and carries four pages: two on the front, two on the back. A 10-page document needs 12, and the 2 extra pages are blanks, usually the back inside cover and back cover.
A signature is a group of sheets folded together. Saddle stitch is one nested signature stapled on the fold. Inner sheets wrap around outer ones and push outward slightly; this is creep. Reader spreads show pages in reading order; printer spreads show what prints on each sheet side, such as 12|1, 2|11, 10|3, 4|9, 8|5, 6|7 for 12 pages.
Printing booklets from your software
InDesign: File > Print Booklet, choose 2-up Saddle Stitch. Acrobat: Print > Booklet, then pick the binding side. Word: Layout > Margins > Multiple pages > Book fold. Pad your page count with blanks first so it suits the binding.
FAQ
How many pages can a stapled booklet have?
It must be a multiple of 4. Most saddle stitch booklets stay under roughly 48 to 64 pages on standard text paper; heavier paper lowers that limit. Your print shop sets the real limit.
What is a signature?
A group of sheets folded together as one unit. Saddle stitch is one nested signature; perfect bound books gather many.
What is creep?
The outward shift of inner pages in a nested booklet. More sheets means more creep.
What are printer spreads vs reader spreads?
Reader spreads follow reading order (2-3, 4-5). Printer spreads show each side of each physical sheet (12|1, 2|11).