Discbound is my all time favorite type of binding for making a DIY planner with printables. The discs mean you can add and remove pages, turn the pages back completely on themselves to have a flat surface to write on, and you can add and remove pages as often as you like.
They are becoming more common these days, so if you want to make the switch (and I highly recommend you do!) or already have and just want to try a new discbound notebook, here are a few to consider:
Discbound Notebooks
1. ARC from Staples
The first discbound notebook I ever purchased and the one I still use to this day, is the ARC system from Staples. I have an A5 size that I use for frequently referred to printables such as password logs, project planners, extra checklists, lined paper for brain dumping, scratch paper etc. and an A4 size that I use for homekeeping, business stuff (more of a reference notebook that I don’t refer to as often).
The punch, while expensive, is good quality. It’s served me well for 6+ years plus the leather cover. They were about a third of the cost when I bought them years ago but I’d still pay the expensive price they are today.
Planning with a functional minimalist DIY weekly planner printable
2. Office by Martha Stewart
I think of this as a more pretty version of the ARC. If you’re in the USA these come in letter size and junior (half letter size) and are more affordable than the ARC.
3. Happy Planner
You need a daily, weekly planner? What size? How about accessories? Happy Planner would have to be the planner company that offers the most options for literally everything. You better set a budget before you start shopping!
- How to print printables at MAMBI Happy Planner Size (step by step tutorial)
- MAMBI Happy Planner horizontal dimensions & measurements (classic size) for making planner stickers
- MAMBI Happy Planner Happy Notes Review
- Honest review of the Happy Planner by Me and my Big Ideas (MAMBI)
- Happy Planner Super Mom
4. Levenger Circa
On the pricey side… and not that great. Limited cover options, expensive, limited and very basic inserts. However, they do have lots of different colors discs and leather covers.
Related: Levenger Circa Discbound Planner Review
5. Inkwell press
For their 2019 planners, Inkwell Press bought out a discbound option. Um, yes please!
Review here: Inkwell Press Planner Review – 360 Discbound
6. Busy Days Notebook
A relatively unknown planner from the UK that reminds me of the Happy Planner (but only 1 style notebook).
7. The Perfect Notebook
I did a review here. The only problem is that there is currently only 1 disc size available.
8. Atoma
Hard to find and super expensive. It’s not very pretty and there’s very limited accessories, inserts etc. so I haven’t purchased.
9. Tul
Very similar to the ARC from Staples. See my review in this post. They don’t only have student planners, they have plain lined notebooks and teacher planners too. And leather covers.
10. Idoc from Switzerland
A random find when I was in Switzerland – a simple cheap discbound option. If you stumble across it then great, but I wouldn’t go out of your way to get one.
11. Dokibook Discagenda
A bit pricey and not very well known, Dokibook is another discbound option. They have aluminium (including rose gold!) discs instead of plastic.
Does it come with a compatible punch?
If you want to add your own printables to create a custom planner, the ability to print any page you like (and as many copies) and punch then pop it in is rather important!
All of the above brands have a punch that is compatible with their brand of notebook except for:
- Inkwell Press (at the time of writing this)
- The Perfect Notebook
- Idoc
As for whether one brand of punch can be used with other brands, I’ve only ever used the ARC punch. I’ve tested it with the Happy Planner and Levenger both of which is was compatible with. I cannot say if the hole size, spacing and discs are compatible with other systems.
Some such as the Busy Days notebook state they are compatible with other brands (that one says the spacing and disc size works with MAMBI). I’ve been content with the ARC (it’s really strong and can punch through multiple sheets at once) so haven’t tried another punch.
Related: Guide to Discbound Planners & Frequently Asked Questions
Related: How to resize printables for the MAMBI Happy Planner (tutorial)
If a planner doesn’t come in discbound option, there are a few companies that will sell you the planner unpunched, as they know some people want to disc bind it themselves. Companies that do this are Plum Paper and Limelife Planners. There are probably many more that I’m forgetting so please comment below if you know of others 🙂
Related: Arcing my Plum Paper Planner – everything you need to know if you’d like to try it yourself!
Planning tips
- Best paper planners if you have large handwriting (and planners you should avoid)
- Bullet Journal Ideas: 26 Weekly Spread Layouts to Try
- How to make planner printables (advice from a planner addict that’s made over 4000 printables)
Learn how to make your own printables for your discbound notebook (click here)
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Hi Rachel! Love all your posts!
I have ARC, TUL (available at Office Depot and Office Max in the US), IQ 360 (carried for a short time at WalMart), and Happy Planner disc bound books, and a Classic size Happy Planner punch and a TUL punch. They are all compatible BUT the “stems” on the Happy Planner holes are about 2 cm longer than the others. I purchased the HP/MAMBI punch because I was trying to make divider tabs for my Happy Planner using the TUL punch, and was having a really hard time calculating the way to adjust the size my dividers should be to adapt to the different stem size. (I know, it shouldn’t be that hard, but it was. Besides, the dividers punched with the shorter holes “stuck” or snagged on the disks. I had a coupon to Michael’s and decided that wasted scrapbooking paper and laminating sleeves would cost more than the punch.)
I was browsing Amazon the other day and found a couple more brands of disc-bound books, They look compatible with ARC and TUL. The brand names I saw were Talia and Eagle. I want a set of covers that is lighter weight than my ARC leather covers, but I don’t like the way the ARC plastic covers look. They look cheap to me, so I went looking on Amazon. I’m not sure that the Talia or Eagle look any better for what I want! Maybe scrap booking paper and laminator will be my solution.
What I really want is a planner that is the size and weight of a Leuchterm or Moleskine bullet journal, but the pages can come in and out and be rearranged! The closest I’ve been able to cobble up is ARC or TUL pages (and printables) in a plastic cover with small discs (i.e., HP mini size, which are about 7/8″. Of course, there are only 8 discs on an HP mini, and a “half-letter” or junior size ARC or TUL uses 9 discs! Fortunately I purchased 2 of the mini HP notebooks that were just dotted grid paper with dividers, so I have a matching set of 16 blue discs. That may be my answer.
Anyway, just wanted to pass on info about sources and compatibility.
I enjoy your posts and always watch for them. I’m a rainbow lover too.
https://dokibook.com/
Also I’d a disc bound system and also regular 6 ring system. Great covers & basic inserts, but have some basic accessories too.