Book binding types explained

We print five bindings, all from a PDF and from one copy. They differ in page count, whether the book lies flat and how the cover file works.

Paperback bookFrom €14.99
Perfect binding: glued into a flexible cover. 24 to 200 pages.
Hardcover bookFrom €18.99
Case binding: a glued block in a rigid board cover. Up to 400 pages.
Lay-flat photo bookFrom €29.99
Thick pages that open completely flat. 24 to 140 pages.
Spiral-bound bookFrom €7.99
Metal wire-O binding: lies flat and folds back on itself.
MagazineFrom €7.49
Saddle stitch: folded sheets stapled in the middle. 24 to 60 pages.

Compare them

Five bindings, from one copy
From 24 to 400 pages
Every binding from a PDF

The five bindings compared

Perfect binding (paperback)
Pages
24-200
Lies flat
No
Cover
Flexible card, separate file
A4, 24 pages
from €16.99
Best for
Novels, poetry, readers
Case binding (hardcover)
Pages
24-400
Lies flat
No
Cover
Rigid board, separate file
A4, 24 pages
from €24.99
Best for
Gifts, theses, long books
Layflat
Pages
24-140
Lies flat
Yes, completely
Cover
Rigid board, separate file
A4, 24 pages
from €29.99
Best for
Wedding albums, portfolios
Wire-O (spiral book)
Pages
24-100; A4 portrait up to 160, 21 × 21 cm up to 104
Lies flat
Yes, and folds back
Cover
First and last page of your PDF, behind a clear sheet
A4, 24 pages
from €9.49
Best for
Cookbooks, workbooks, manuals
Saddle stitch (magazine)
Pages
24-60, in steps of 4
Lies flat
Nearly, with few pages
Cover
Separate file; for A4 portrait part of the PDF
A4, 24 pages
€7.49
Best for
Zines, club and company magazines

Binding	Pages	Lies flat	Cover	A4, 24 pages	Best for
Perfect binding (paperback)	24-200	No	Flexible card, separate file	from €16.99	Novels, poetry, readers
Case binding (hardcover)	24-400	No	Rigid board, separate file	from €24.99	Gifts, theses, long books
Layflat	24-140	Yes, completely	Rigid board, separate file	from €29.99	Wedding albums, portfolios
Wire-O (spiral book)	24-100; A4 portrait up to 160, 21 × 21 cm up to 104	Yes, and folds back	First and last page of your PDF, behind a clear sheet	from €9.49	Cookbooks, workbooks, manuals
Saddle stitch (magazine)	24-60, in steps of 4	Nearly, with few pages	Separate file; for A4 portrait part of the PDF	€7.49	Zines, club and company magazines

One A4 portrait copy with 24 pages and the cheapest options, incl. VAT. The price per extra page differs per binding.

How each binding is made

Perfect binding: the pages are trimmed flat at the spine and glued into a card cover with PUR glue, which is stronger and more flexible than hot-melt glue. The flat spine can carry a title; its width depends on the page count.

Case binding: the same glued block, hung into board wrapped in your printed cover. Neither a paperback nor a hardcover opens flat. Compare the two in paperback vs hardcover.

Layflat: thick, stiff pages joined so each spread opens into one flat surface, for photos across two pages. See photo book vs layflat.

Wire-O: holes are punched along the edge and a metal double-loop wire is closed through them, in silver, white or black. The book lies flat and folds back, which is why we use it for a recipe book.

Saddle stitch: sheets are folded, nested and stapled through the fold. Each sheet makes four pages, so the count goes up in steps of 4. For A4 portrait the cover is the first two and last two pages of your PDF; for A5 landscape, A4 landscape and 21 × 21 cm it's a separate file.

Common mistakes

A manual as a paperback

It snaps shut while you work. Recipes, sheet music and workbooks belong in wire-O.

A magazine not in steps of 4

Plan blank pages before you export: a zine of 20 pages becomes 24.

The spine made too early

Finish the inside first, then make the cover at the size the product page gives for your page count.

The wrong magazine cover file

Only A4 portrait has the cover inside the pages PDF. In other sizes, cover pages in the PDF end up printed inside.

Which binding for which project

Novel or poetry collectionPerfect bindingLight, with a printed spine.
Thesis, family history or long bookCase bindingUp to 400 pages and made to last.
Wedding album or portfolioLayflatPhotos stay whole across two pages.
Cookbook, course reader, songbook or manualWire-OStays open on the page you need.
Zine, newsletter or event programmeSaddle stitchLight and the lowest price per copy.

How it works

Upload your file
Choose a product, a size and options, and add your PDF or photo. We check it right away and show you a preview, before you pay.
We print it
We print your order in the Netherlands on the paper or material you chose, from a single piece. No minimum order, no account needed.
We bring it to your door
We ship it to every country of the EU, with tracking. The checkout shows the delivery date for your address.

Questions

What is the strongest type of book binding?

Of what we print, case binding (hardcover): the board protects the pages and spine. All our glued books use PUR glue.

Which binding lies flat?

Layflat and wire-O. A thin saddle-stitched magazine nearly does. Paperbacks and hardcovers don't.

What's the difference between wire-O and coil binding?

Wire-O is a metal double-loop wire closed through the holes, so the pages line up neatly. A coil is one spiral screwed through. Our spiral books are bound with wire-O.

What file do I need for each binding?

Always a PDF of the pages. Paperback, hardcover and layflat need a separate cover file; a spiral book uses the first and last page of the PDF; a magazine needs a separate cover, except in A4 portrait.