Finding the perfect sticker paper isn’t easy. There are so many brands on the market. We bought 16 kinds of sticker paper and tested how each one performed. Here are our recommendations.
Printing stickers is a cost-effective solution to create customized planner stickers. How many times have you bought sticker packs only to find that half of them are not relevant and others would be great in a different color or with other text? Our free online sticker maker enables you to customize your stickers before you print them. You can move them around, change the size, add more, and fully utilize each sheet of sticker paper to the most.
Many people are confused as to which sticker paper is the best to create planner stickers. I was confused too so I bought one pack of each. I made stickers with each and every brand.
You will also want to purchase full-sized paper and not pre-cut sheets such as label paper.
The planner stickers on this website print on standard US letter-sized paper (8.5″ x 11″). Therefore, this review covers products in that size. If you are printing outside of the US then you might prefer to purchase the A4 alternative.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that if you purchase anything I earn a commission on your purchase but it doesn’t cost you anything. I have bought and tried all the products recommended below.
How to Make Stickers that Look Great
The quality of your stickers is determined by:
- Your printer
- The sticker paper’s print resolution is probably the most important factor in determining the quality and suitability of sticker paper. You want your lines to be sharp and you don’t want your ink to bleed. We have tried the following products to help you decide which one will work for you.
- The way you cut your stickers. You can cut simple stickers with scissors. Straight lines can be cut with a simple paper cutter. Shaped stickers are best cut with a cutting machine.
Although the quality of your planner stickers will be determined both by the quality of the sticker paper and of your printer, with good sticker paper, even a basic printer can print high-quality stickers.
Once you have designed your planner stickers with our free online sticker maker, download the file to your PC and print it on a sticker sheet. Cut out each sticker from the sheet using scissors or a craft knife. If you have a cutting machine such as Cricut or Silhouette then select a sticker paper that is compatible with your cutting machine (see below). Always check your print preview before you print.
Which is the Best Sticker Paper?
I have tried many different sticker papers to find the best product to create planner stickers. Below you will find a review of some different kinds of sticker paper for a printer with the differences between the different kinds. I have included links to these products for your convenience. If you are wondering which is the best sticker paper to print on then see the differences between the sticker papers and decide which one is for you. Once you have decided you can see the brands that I tried and tested.
The Differences Between Sticker Papers
Color
The paper can be white, clear or metallic. This is important if you do or don’t want to see the paper under the sticker.
Finish
Sticker paper usually comes in a matte or glossy finish. Matte sticker paper is similar to standard paper with an adhesive backing. You can write on the stickers and the ink won’t smudge. However, the stickers will not be as bright as those printed on glossy sticker paper. Glossy sticker paper has a shiny, glossy coating that creates professional-looking stickers that resemble store-bought stickers. It is often difficult to write on these stickers as they tend to smudge.
Permanent / Removable
There are various adhesive options. Some stickers are re-positionable and others are permanent. You can remove these positionable stickers from the page and reposition them elsewhere without destroying the sticker and the planner page. This can be useful when you make a mistake or use a sticker that needs to be replaced.
Some sticker papers are permanent whereas others are removable. This depends a lot on how you use your planner stickers. Many people probably prefer them not to be removable but in certain cases, you will want to remove them. Sometimes it will be intentional and other times you might find you adhered a sticker in the wrong space (does that only happen to me?) or it is skew and needs to be moved. If you do want to remove your stickers then it is important to use a brand that doesn’t damage your planner paper once the sticker is removed. Repositionable sticker paper is more expensive than the permanent version. I personally always prefer repositionable stickers.
Inkjet / Laser
Label paper is often for either inkjet or laser and is sometimes not interchangeable. Never use label paper intended for an inkjet printer on a laser printer as the adhesive can melt and destroy your printer.
Water-Resistant Sticker
This isn’t really a requirement since I assume that you are not planning on wetting your planner. Even if it does get wet I assume the rest of the planner will be ruined so you don’t need to save the stickers specifically. However, if you want to use the sticker paper for other uses as well then this is something you might want to consider.
Recommended Sticker Papers
Here are the ones I recommend.
Vinyl Stickers
Cricut Vinyl Stickers
They work very well with cutting machines but you can also cut the stickers by hand.
Printable Vinyl Sticker Paper – Waterproof Decal Paper for Inkjet Printer
This high-quality glossy printable sticker paper creates beautiful stickers.
These water-resistant stickers can be used both indoors & outdoors. You can use them to create labels for bottles, jars and even bumper stickers.
Labels can be removed without any sticky residue. The vinyl sheets are scratch and tear-resistant. The color performance is great.
You can only use it with inkjet printers (not laser).
It can be used with cutting machines.
The stickers can be used on all flat surfaces, including plastic, glass, wood, and metal. Great for DIY projects and home decor.
Paper Stickers
White Matte
Sticker Paper, White Matte, Online Labels
This sticker paper is really popular. The print resolution is great and the colors are vibrant. It isn’t re-positionable or removable. I personally didn’t like this. There are no slits on the liner which is important if you use a cutting machine (such as a Silhouette or Cricut). These labels also come in a protective plastic case which doubles as a storage container.
They can be used with an inkjet or laser printer.
Avery Matte Stickers
This white matt printable sticker paper is very popular. It can be used with most cutting machines such as Cricut and Silhouette. I used it with my Cricut and it worked really well. See tips on using sticker paper with a cutting machine.
It is also compatible with both laser and inkjet printers. I have both so this is convenient for me.
These stickers are re-positionable so you can move them if you make a mistake. I love this feature.
There are slits on the back which makes it easy to remove the backing and to distinguish which is the front and the back.
The stickers I created with this paper looked great but this is paper, not vinyl. If you prefer vinyl stickers then see the vinyl section.
These adhesive stickers work best with glass, paper, and plastic surfaces.
I loved this sticker paper and I will order it again.
Rock Paper Scissors Printable Sticker Paper
This sticker paper is great for planner stickers. The colors print vibrantly. The paper is on the thinner side which is perfect when you use a lot of stickers as it doesn’t make your planner too thick. Some might prefer a thicker sticker though particularly if you have color underneath and you don’t want it to show through.
I had a little difficulty determining which is the right side but I quickly solved that by peeling the edge. Please note that they offer a loose-leaf explanation page that explains which side is the right side but I took out a sheet of sticker paper before I noticed this. If you read the instructions (does anyone actually do that?) then you won’t have any problems. Even if you don’t you will still manage.
Before I purchased it I read some reviews that some people had difficulty removing the backing. I don’t have long nails and I had no problem removing the backing. I made some stickers for my 9-year-old son with this paper and he also had no problem removing the backing.
Once adhered, you cannot remove the stickers. I stuck one skew and tried to remove it to reposition it but I couldn’t. This does have an advantage as the adhesive is usually stronger than those that are removable but it is worth mentioning.
White Glossy
Printable Vinyl Sticker Paper, Zicoto
These stickers have a glossy finish. They are waterproof so they can also be used for crafts, bottles, labels, etc.
They can be used with both an inkjet and a laser printer. They are tear-resistant which is great for delicate stickers such as words.
Clear Matte
Avery Matte Frosted Clear Full Sheet Labels for Inkjet Printers
Transparent Stickers
Silhouette clear sticker paper
Printable Transparent Sticker Paper – Weatherproof – Neato
This paper is crystal clear and glossy. I love that the stickers are totally clear so you don’t get that frosted glass look that you get with some transparent stickers.
It has a permanent adhesive and is semi-tear-resistant.
It can be used with both an inkjet and a laser printer.
They are weatherproof but not waterproof. That means that they can be exposed to water but not submerged. You could not make bumper stickers with them. However, it is great for planners in case you spill something on them.
They have no back slit so it is a little more difficult to peel the backing but better for use with cutting machines.
They are also tear-resistant which is great. They also come with design software.
How to Print Planner Stickers on an Inkjet Printer
- Prepare your stickers with our free online sticker maker.
- Download as a PDF document.
- Check the print preview to ensure that the file fits on one page. You might have to select the “fit on page” option. Make sure it is set to landscape or portrait according to the specific template.
- Load the sticker paper onto your printer as per your printer’s instructions. Check if it needs to be placed face-down or not.
- Select sticker paper under paper type on your printer’s settings.
- Make sure that none of your ink cartridges are running low before you print. It is so frustrating to print a set of planner stickers only to discover that one of your cartridges was empty and the result looks really bad. It’s a waste of sticker paper and ink.
- Set your printer to the best quality print mode option available.
- Print the stickers.
- Let the ink dry before you cut the stickers.
How to Cut Stickers
You can cut stickers with scissors, a paper trimmer, or a cutting machine.
Using a Paper Trimmer to Cut Stickers
A paper trimmer will save time and give you straight lines with minimal effort. I use this one (see below). You can get replacement blades when you need to replace them so you won’t need to replace the entire cutter. I also have this one which I got with a Cricut cutting machine bundle I purchased a few years ago. A paper trimmer can only be used when all of the stickers are aligned and the same height. You can use it with our date stickers.
Using Sticker Paper with a Cutting Machine
A cutting machine is one of those things that you never knew you needed but once you get one you don’t know how you lived without it. I have a Cricut Explore Air 2 and I love it! It can be used for so many things but I have used it a lot to cut stickers and labels. This is the brand I have and love. I bought the Cricut cutting machine bundle and it came with two kinds of sticker paper.
If you use them with a cutting machine then make sure that you use them with the light grip mat. This is the light grip mat for Cricut and this is the light grip mat for the Silhouette. If you don’t use this one, then it will be difficult to remove the sticker paper from the mat.
How to Make Stickers Without Sticker Paper
You can make your own DIY stickers. You will need plain paper and a glue stick and you can make homemade stickers in minutes.
- Print a sticker or draw one on paper.
- Cut it out.
- Apply glue to the entire surface. Make sure that you apply glue to the edges so that the paper sticks like a sticker.
- Stick the DIY sticker on any surface.
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Thank you! This was very helpful. Exactly the information I was looking for, being new to sticker printing.