Standard Poster Sizes & Dimensions: 2025 Guide With Examples

Posters are the most culturally significant print media. Whether for event advertising, product marketing, or simply for decoration, they can be captivating, beautiful and cost-effective.

But choosing the right poster size is key, this will depend on where you intend to display your poster, and what it is advertising.

Whether you’re bulk poster printing or designing your own custom short-run posters, it’s important to make sure you’re choosing the right poster size.

Different printers will offer different dimensions, and sometimes it can seem confusing when you’re trying to format your design.

An Overview of the Most Common Standard Poster Sizes

Posters come in all shapes and sizes, and each dimension has a particular use case that makes it the right choice for displaying your message.

In our comprehensive guide, we go through the standard paper sizes for posters so you’ll know which one to choose to best optimize your product or campaign.

What Are the Most Common Poster Sizes?

Before diving into your design, it’s crucial to understand the landscape of standard poster sizes, as choosing a conventional dimension offers significant benefits in both printing and framing.

A conventional poster size provides you with a much easier time of it when it comes to printing your posters since most printers will be set up already to be able to handle the size. This can help keep costs lower and avoid any technical complications when ordering.

So here’s an overview of the standard poster sizes:

Size Category	Dimensions (Inches)	Primary Use Cases
Small	11″ x 17″	Indoor notices, bulletin boards, shop windows, street posts, informational flyers.
Art Print	13″ x 19″	Photographic prints, art reproductions, home decoration.
Medium	18″ x 24″ & 19” x 27”	General advertising, concert promotions, university events, versatile art prints.
Large	24″ x 36″	High-impact retail ads, trade show displays, event promotions, point-of-sale.
Movie Poster	27″ x 40″	Official movie theater displays, bus stops, major festivals, collector’s prints.

Poster Board Sizes Comparison

To help you select the perfect canvas for your message, let’s break down the most popular poster board sizes, exploring their specific dimensions, ideal applications, and key design considerations.

Small Poster Sizes (11″ x 17″)

Often referred to as Ledger or Tabloid size, the 11″ x 17″ poster is the most compact of the standard poster sizes, making it a highly effective tool for communication in areas where space is at a premium.

Small posters are ideal for event advertisements without taking up too much space. They are commonly found on bulletin boards, lamp posts, and in shop windows. They’re perfect for public use, and informing passers-by about upcoming events. 

If you’re designing a small poster, try using a minimalist approach to text and imagery, as you’ll want to use space efficiently.

Think big lettering, simple messages. Bold colors and a large font size will help catch people’s attention.

Medium Poster Sizes (18″ x 24″)

Striking the perfect balance between impact and convenience, the 18″ x 24″ poster is one of the most versatile and popular poster sizes for a wide array of projects.

A medium-sized poster is a very versatile and widespread format and is sometimes referred to as Architectural C size. It’s large enough to contain a little more information, and perhaps a more detailed image. 

That said, we would still recommend a minimalistic approach when it comes to designing posters in this size. You don’t have a lot of graphic space to play with. These posters are large enough for advertising and promoting concerts, festivals or sporting events, and are often seen in doctor’s offices, in the street, and on bulletin boards.

Large Poster Sizes (24″ x 36″)

When you need to make a bold, unmissable statement, the 24″ x 36″ format is the quintessential choice and the most common of all standard poster sizes.

A large-sized poster, 24” x 36”, is by far the most common standard poster size.

Also called Architectural D Size, these posters are very popular and ubiquitous. They’re perfect for a variety of uses, ranging from events, to small movie posters and commercial adverts. You will often see large-sized posters in retail stores, concert halls and public spaces. 

When designing large posters, you will want to grab attention by using one carefully chosen central image, bright colors and a larger font. 

Given the larger canvas, you can include further details elsewhere in your design, in smaller lettering, meaning that people who read closely can gain a lot of information about your product or event.

Extra-Large or Movie Poster Sizes (27″ x 39″)

Instantly recognizable to film lovers, the 27″ x 39″ ‘One Sheet’ is the official industry standard for movie poster sizes, designed to create cinematic excitement and draw audiences in.

If you’re standing in a movie theater, you’re probably looking at a poster of this dimension, known in the film industry as a One Sheet. These posters are also great for promoting concerts, festivals and music albums. 

These extra large posters are ideal for outdoor advertising, as they can be viewed effectively from a distance.

Bear in mind that if you’re creating a poster for outside use, you’ll want to use a durable poster paper, one that’s waterproof and doesn’t crinkle up or tear apart when wet, or when glue is applied.

Custom Size

If you are designing your own poster, you can’t go wrong by using the standard dimensions we’ve outlined above. They are used by printing companies worldwide, and are tried and tested to be successful. 

However, you might need to work with different dimensions, and customize your own posters. Posters can be cut into any dimension you like. Just get in contact with your printer and check that they are able to print your desired custom poster size. 

At ChilliPrinting we offer a range of intermediary sizes, such as: 13” x 19” (Small-Medium), 19” x 27” (Medium-Large), and 32” x 48” (XXL), all of which are available as single and double-sided prints.

Poster Design with Dimensions

Along with the dimensions, the poster design is important to consider to make sure everything fits well on the paper and within the margins. The way that your design aligns on the paper can ensure that it will be printed properly and in the way that you envision it.

Keeping in the Margins

When designing your posters, considering the bleed, trim and safe areas ensure that your design comes out as clearly as possible when your order is printed.

With most graphic design tools, you will be able to clearly see these to help you best layout what you have. 

• Bleed: Extend your background colors, images or graphics about 1/8” to 1/4” beyond the trim edge depending on the size of your poster. This ensures that there are no thin white edges if the cut shifts slightly.
• Trim: The trim line marks the final size of your poster (for example, 24” x 36”). Everything outside this line will be cut away when printed.
• Safe Area: Keep all important text, logos, and key elements at least 1/8” to 1/4” inside the trim line. This not only prevents them from being accidentally cut off during trimming, but also ensures a more balanced, professional look. Be warned that designs with text too close to the edge tend to appear cramped and less polished.

Using Grid Lines

Grid lines are a handy and practical way of keeping everything aligned well on your poster design. This is important for getting your content as accurate as possible from digital to print.

The type of grid lines you use will depend on the content of your posters:

• Text-heavy / Informational Posters: Posters that are text-intensive with paragraphs, captions, or lists should use a column grid combined with a baseline grid. This organizes text into clean, readable columns ensuring all text aligns horizontally, creating a calm and professional rhythm that’s easy for the eye to follow.
• Balanced Mix of Text + Images: When there’s a mixture of text and images, a modular grid creates a flexible, organized structure that keeps every element perfectly aligned, no matter the combination. It is like a checkerboard where you can place images in some blocks and text in others and is ideal for promotional, event, or exhibit posters.
• Graphical Posters: With graphical or image-led posters, a hierarchical or asymmetric grid allows you to give the most prominent position and scale to your main visual, creating a clear focal point. Text and secondary elements can then be placed in a way that supports the image without competing with it.
• Typography / Poster-as-Art: For typographically driven posters, use a baseline and column grid to provide an underlying structure that keeps complex typographic arrangements feeling cohesive. A more free-form or hierarchical grid can also be a loose guide, allowing for expressive and unconventional positioning of text elements. 
• Data-Driven Posters: Posters with charts, graphs, timelines, and statistics, a modular or matrix-style grid is best. These provide a rigid row-and-column structure that makes complex information easy to navigate, compare, and digest.

Choosing the Right Paper and Finish for Posters

The right paper and finish for your posters depends immensely on what they will be used for and where they will be hung.

Always use acid-free paper for poster printing. You don’t want your poster to turn yellow over time, so you must ensure that you’re printing on paper that is acid-free!

Paper Weight

The paper weight you choose will define the final feel of your posters.

For the vast majority of posters, lighter-weight paper (text stock) is the most practical choice, especially when it comes to large print prints.

For personal prints or limited editions, you could consider a heavier paper weight. The added thickness not only feels more luxurious but also ensures your poster stands the test of time. However, it does also add more cost. 

You will almost never print a poster on card stock.

Learn more about Paper Weight in our guide!

Coating

The finish you pick for your poster paper is important not just for aesthetics, but also for readability.

Gloss and matte coatings both have their purposes so it’s important to evaluate which is best for your posters.

• Gloss Coating features a shiny, reflective coating that makes colors appear vibrant and saturated. This quality is ideal for promotional posters, such as for concerts, sales, or movie releases, where the primary goal is to capture attention from a distance. It also enhances the look of photographic prints, giving them a sharp, rich feel. However, be mindful that this reflectivity can cause glare in brightly lit environments.
• Matte Coating offers a smooth, non-reflective surface, lending a more subtle, sophisticated, and artistic feel. It is the preferred choice for fine art prints, illustrations, and posters displayed in galleries, as it eliminates distracting glare. Matte is also highly recommended for designs with a lot of text or for posters intended as home decor, as it ensures excellent readability from any angle.

Indoor or Outdoor Use

Location and longevity are important factors to consider when choosing your print materials, especially whether you need to display them inside or outside. 

For indoor displays, posters are protected from the elements so you have more flexibility.

• Short-Term Use: For one-day events or weekly promotions, a thinner, cost-effective paper stock is the best choice.
• Long-Term Use: For art prints or permanent signage, choose a heavier stock to prevent warping or fading from indoor lighting.
• Consider the Finish: A matte finish can reduce glare from overhead lights, making your text and images easier to see.

For outdoor displays, posters need to be tough enough to withstand weather conditions.

• Durability is Key: Opt for the thickest and most durable paper stock available to resist wind and wear. For instance, our 90 lb BlueBack outdoor paper, specially engineered with extra wet strength and block-through protection.
• Weather-Resistance: Look for materials with waterproof coatings or synthetic paper stocks to protect against rain.

Poster Orientation: Horizontal vs. Vertical Poster Sizes

The orientation of your poster, whether vertical or horizontal, plays a fundamental role in its composition and how your audience interacts with the design.

The way that you position your poster affects the information that you want to display and the detail.

• Vertical poster: this is the default and most common format, ideal for showcasing single subjects, portraits, or designs that require information to be stacked vertically. It creates a stable, classic layout that guides the eye naturally from top to bottom.
• Horizontal poster: this is perfect for displaying wide landscape photography, group shots, timelines, and creating a cinematic feel for your design. The choice between them should be one of the first you make, as it dictates the visual balance of your layout. 

Ultimately, the amount of information you want to display will determine which orientation you should use.

Get Quality Printing Solutions in the US with ChilliPrinting

ChilliPrinting is an online printing service specializing in high-quality, cost-effective solutions for a wide range of organizations and individuals across the US.

We offer:

• Extensive Size Selection: From all the standard poster sizes discussed in this guide to fully custom dimensions, we can print the perfect fit for your design.
• All Your Printing Needs Covered: Along with your posters, we also offer printing products such as brochures, flyers, and catalogs to print in bulk at competitive prices.
• Premium Paper & Finishes: Choose from a variety of high-quality poster paper weights with gloss or matte finishes to match your project’s aesthetic and durability needs.
• Reliable, On-Time Delivery: Our efficient printing process ensures your posters are produced and shipped on schedule, helping you meet every deadline.
• Expert Personal Support: Have a question about your file setup or need help choosing the right options? Our team is here to provide the guidance you need.

Whether you’re a small business promoting a sale, an artist preparing for a gallery show, or an event planner advertising a concert, we provide the tools and quality you need for a successful outcome!