Print & Design tools
Free calculators for getting a file ready to print: the right artwork size with bleed, enough pixels for a sharp result, and the paper weight your printer is talking about. They work with numbers you type, so there is nothing to upload.
Print Size & DPIIs your image sharp enough to print? Effective DPI and largest print size.
Bleed & Trim SizeArtwork size with bleed, safe area and pixel size for any print size.
Paper Weight (GSM to LB)Convert gsm to lb bond, text, cover, index and banner oz, with typical uses.
Banner & Large FormatResolution and image size for banners and signs, from size and viewing distance.
Print Job Cost & PricePieces per sheet, cost per piece and a price for a print job, from your own costs.
Getting a file ready for print
Most print problems come from a handful of avoidable mistakes: a white edge after trimming, a blurry image, text too close to the edge, or paper that is not what you expected. Working through these in order avoids nearly all of them.
- Decide the finished size. This is the trim size, where the print is cut. Use the bleed and trim calculator to turn it into the size you build your artwork at.
- Add bleed and keep text inside the safe area. Backgrounds and images run to the outer edge of the bleed, and text and logos stay inside the safe margin. The same calculator marks all three on a diagram.
- Check that your images are sharp enough. Enter the image pixels and the print size into the print size and DPI calculator to see the effective resolution and the largest size the image can print at. For banners and signs seen from a distance, the banner and large format calculator gives the resolution to aim for.
- Choose the paper. If your printer quotes pounds and you think in gsm, or the other way round, the paper weight converter gives the equivalent in every system and the usual uses for each weight.
- Price the job. If you are the printer, the print job cost and price estimator fits the job on your sheet, adds up your costs and gives a price from your margin or markup.
- Export the way your printer asks. Every print shop has its own template and file requirements, and they come before any general rule.
Numbers print shops commonly use
| Item | Common value | Tool |
|---|---|---|
| Bleed | 0.125 in (3 mm) on each side | Bleed & Trim Size |
| Safe margin | 0.125 to 0.25 in (3 to 6 mm) inside the trim | Bleed & Trim Size |
| Image resolution | 300 DPI for prints held in the hand, less for posters and banners | Print Size & DPI |
| Office paper | 20 lb bond, about 75 gsm | Paper Weight |
| Business card stock | Roughly 300 gsm or more | Paper Weight |
These are typical figures, not rules. If your printer gives you different numbers, use theirs.
Frequently asked questions
Are these print tools free?
Yes. They are free, need no account, and work with numbers you type in. They never ask for your artwork or any file, so nothing is uploaded.
Which tool should I start with?
Start with the bleed and trim calculator to get the artwork size right, then use the print size and DPI calculator to check that your images have enough pixels. If you are choosing the paper too, the paper weight converter turns gsm into pounds and shows what each weight is usually used for.
Will my printer accept the sizes these tools give me?
The standard figures here, such as 0.125 inch (3 mm) bleed and 300 DPI, are what most printers ask for, but every print shop and product has its own template. If your printer gives different numbers, enter theirs in the tools and follow their instructions.
Do you have a tool for banners and large prints?
Yes. The banner and large format calculator works out the resolution and image size from the print size and how far away it is viewed, since a banner read from across a room needs far fewer pixels per inch than a flyer. If there is another calculation you keep doing by hand, tell us through the contact page.