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September 10, 2020

7 Dot Grid Notebooks with Smooth Paper

Some dot grid notebooks have that textured rough paper that’s not smooth to write on, and erasable pens are scratchy (or even shave off layers of paper when you erase). Given that I basically only use erasable pens for bullet journaling, notebooks with smooth paper is an important factor for me, so here is a list of what I think are the notebooks with the smoothest paper. Note that the trade off is that the paper might not be thick enough to withstand ghosting.

If you’re looking for my favorite top 5 dot grid notebooks for lack of ghosting and bleed through, see this post.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click one of the links and make a purchase I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only affiliate with products I use and recommend.

Dot Grid Notebooks with smooth paper

1. Dingbats

This is the smoothest paper I’ve come across to date. The different cover colors and animals on the front are a nice change from boring black covers too.

  • Size: 5.5″ wide x 8.25″ high (there are other page sizes to choose from)
  • Faux leather cover (multiple cover colors to choose from)
  • Sewn bound
  • 100 GSM Cream paper
  • Perforated pages
  • 29 Dots horizontal and 40 vertically (5mm dot grid)
  • 1 Ribbon bookmark
  • No page numbers
  • No index, legend etc.

Price: $22 USD on Amazon.

Dingbats dot grid notebook review bullet journal bujo smooth cream paper_01 purple cover hippo

Dingbats dot grid notebook review bullet journal bujo smooth cream paper_04

Dingbats dot grid notebook review bullet journal bujo smooth cream paper_11 Dingbats dot grid notebook review bullet journal bujo smooth cream paper_12

Read more: Dingbats* Notebook for Bullet Journaling Review (super smooth paper!)

2. Rhodia Goalbook

Really smooth paper like the Dingbats. The reason I’ve placed it lower on the list is that they embed the page numbers inside the dot grid which I rather annoying when ruling up spreads.

There are plenty of cover colors to choose from.

Related post: Bullet journal notebooks with colorful covers (not black!)

  • Size: approx 5.75″ wide x 8.25″ high (about A5 size)
  • Sewn binding
  • Leatherette soft cover
  • 16 different cover colors to choose from
  • This belongs to page in case your planner is lost
  • Dates at a glance
  • 224 dot grid pages
  • Extra pages: future log, annual planning, index
  • Pocket folder

Price: $25 USD on Amazon

rhodia goal book review for bullet journaling pros and cons future log dot grid alternative to leuchtturm1917

rhodia goal book numbered pages dot grid a5 size bullet journal bujo must have planner supplies

rhodia goal book review tombow brush pen testing bleed through ghosting bullet journal supplies tips inspiration

rhodia goal book review tombow brush pen testing bleed through ghosting bullet journal supplies tips inspiration recommendation

Read more: Rhodia Goalbook for Bullet Journaling Review 

3. Nuuna

If you’re looking for a dot grid that’s less than 5mm, the Nuuna is 3.5mm. Made in Germany the page size is bigger than most dot grid notebooks.

  • Size:16.5cm wide x 22cm high
  • Softcover
  • Multiple geometric covers to choose from
  • Sewn binding
  • 3.5mm dot grid
  • White paper
  • 176 pages
  • 120 GSM paper

Nuuna dot grid notebook 3mm dot grid spacing softcover made in germany white paper pen test pros and cons review_01 Nuuna dot grid notebook 3mm dot grid spacing softcover made in germany white paper pen test pros and cons review_11

Nuuna dot grid notebook 3mm dot grid spacing softcover made in germany white paper pen test pros and cons review_13

Read more: Nuuna dot grid notebook review including pen test (3.5mm dot grid)

4. PAPERIDEAS

This notebook is similar to the Leuchtturm but without the expensive price tag.

  • Size: 5.75″ wide x 8.5″ high (14.5cm wide x 21.5cm high)
  • Hardcover
  • Sewn binding
  • Multiple cover colors to choose from
  • Index / contents (1 double sided page)
  • 100 GSM paper
  • Ivory / cream
  • 188 numbered pages
  • Pocket folder
  • 2 ribbon bookmarks

Price: $14.95 USD on Amazon

paper ideas dot grid notebook review pros and cons pen testing paper quality pocket folder index paper cheaper alternate to leuchtturm_10

The paper has really bad ghosting so you might want to write on every second page.

paper ideas dot grid notebook review pros and cons pen testing paper quality pocket folder index paper cheaper alternate to leuchtturm_13

Read more: Paper Ideas Dot Grid Notebook Review

5. Jumping Fox

Not obvious in the photos but this one has a shimmery cover.

  • Size: 13 x 21 cm (approx A5)
  • Hardcover (5 colors to choose from)
  • Sewn binding
  • Silver foil edges
  • Contents pages
  • 140 Numbered dot grid pages
  • 120 GSM Ivory paper
  • 8 Double sided perforated dot grid pages
  • 2 Ribbon bookmarks
  • Pocket folder

Price: $18 USD on Amazon (if you want the same one I got it’s the Satin Purple cover)

jumping fox design bullet journal dot grid notebook review sewn bouns minimalist glitter cover purple pen testing contents index numbered pages_18

The paper doesn’t have as much show through as some of the other notebooks on this list but it does still have some show through.

jumping fox design bullet journal dot grid notebook review sewn bouns minimalist glitter cover purple pen testing contents index numbered pages pen testing jumping fox design bullet journal dot grid notebook review sewn bouns minimalist glitter cover purple pen testing contents index numbered pages pen testing (2) jumping fox design bullet journal dot grid notebook review sewn bouns minimalist glitter cover purple pen testing contents index numbered pages_11

Read more: Jumping Fox Designs Dot Grid Notebook

6. Posy Paper

If you’d prefer a coil bound (and personalised) dot grid notebook Posy Paper would be my pick. It’s a good in between page size – bigger than A5 (most sewn bound notebooks size) but smaller than 7″ wide x 9″ high (the size of most planners).

  • Size: 6″ wide x 9″ high
  • Cardstock cover personalised with your choice of text (clear cover over the top to protect it)
  • Coil binding
  • No page numbers
  • White paper
  • Pocket folder
  • 5mm dot grid spacing

Price: $16 USD + shipping

posy paper dot grid notebook review bullet journal personalised coil bound pretty pen testing bright white paper_10

posy paper dot grid notebook review bullet journal personalised coil bound pretty pen testing bright white paper_07

posy paper dot grid notebook review bullet journal personalised coil bound pretty pen testing bright white paper_01

posy paper dot grid notebook review bullet journal personalised coil bound pretty pen testing bright white paper_02

Read more: Posy Paper personalised coil bound notebook

7. Plum Paper

A favorite of mine for years, if you don’t want one of their planners you can order a notebook with dot grid pages only or a mix of dot grid and lined, or add some dot grid pages at the back of one of their planner layouts. This notebook is a good mix of affordable price tag for the ability to choose your own cover, personalise with your choice of text and smooth bright white paper.

Choose from 3 page sizes:

  • A5
  • 7 x 9″
  • 8.5 x 11″ (US letter size)

Price varies depending on the page size you choose and the number of add ons.

plum paper bullet journal review pros and cons a5 page size

One thing I do wish was improved in this notebook – the grey dots are quite bold – more bold than sewn bound notebooks.

plum paper planner review graph pros and cons a5 page size cute personalised bujo bullet journal custom notebook dot grid

Read more: Plum Paper Bullet Journal Custom Notebook

If you want to build a hybrid planner and bullet journal, I did a detailed comparison of all their layouts and add ons which you can download here.

Plum Paper Planners Comparison detailed guide which layout is right for you add on pages compared how to choose a planner all about planners

 

8. Clever Fox

Another notebook that’s affordable and good quality. The paper is smooth but not as smooth as the other notebooks mentioned earlier in this post. However there’s hardly any ghosting.

There’s almost as many cover colors to choose from as the Leuchtturm and there’s even gold and rose gold.

I bought the dotted journal 2.0 version. It costs $17 USD which is slightly more than the original dotted journal ($15, but sometimes on sale for $10 USD), but it’s supposed to have thicker paper.

  • Size: 5.75″ wide x 8.5″ high
  • Softcover
  • Sewn Binding
  • 5mm dot grid spacing
  • Multiple cover colors to choose from
  • Softcover
  • Pocket folder
  • 3 ribbon bookmarks
  • 1 Sheet of rainbow stickers included
  • 3 contents / index pages
  • 1 symbol / color key page
  • 155 dot grid pages

clever fox dotted journal notebook review dot grid notebook sewn bound bright white paper rose gold cover affordable no ghosting bleed through paper_18

clever fox dotted journal notebook review dot grid notebook sewn bound bright white paper rose gold cover affordable no ghosting bleed through paper_05

clever fox dotted journal notebook review dot grid notebook sewn bound bright white paper rose gold cover affordable no ghosting bleed through paper_02

clever fox dotted journal notebook review dot grid notebook sewn bound bright white paper rose gold cover affordable no ghosting bleed through paper_01

Read more: Clever Fox Dotted Journal Notebook

9. Agendio

Another coil bound (or not, you can get inserts only if you like) dot grid notebook. If you follow me you’ve probably already seen some of my past reviews of the Agendio. The paper is very smooth and you could build a completely custom dot grid notebook (you can even pick the size of the dot grid!). All of this does come with an expensive price tag but it’s one of the few companies that will make you a completely custom notebook and out of those few, it’s the one I think has the smoothest paper.

  • Choose from multiple page sizes
  • Can choose whatever inside pages you like – add more index pages (create your own index pages), if you want checklists then add those. You don’t have to only add dot grid pages
  • Can have colorful or black and white pages
  • Different dot grid spacing – you choose the size that works for you
  • You choose the cover design (and you can personalise it)
  • Choose between hardcover or clear plastic cover with cardstock

agendio planners comparison hardcover versus softcover a5 and medium size bright white paper colorful versus neutral

The only con is the paper. For the price I expected thicker paper and hope they upgrade this in the future.

agendio planner pen testing ghosting bleed through highlighters stamps pens fine tip gel ballpoint paper quality 100 GSM

agendio planner pen testing ghosting bleed through highlighters stamps pens fine tip gel ballpoint paper quality 100 GSM

Read more: Agendio custom dot grid notebook 

More dot grid notebook reviews

  • Buke stationery dot grid notebook
  • CEDON dot grid notebook
  • Vivid Scribbles Dot Grid Notebook (bleedproof 140GSM paper!)

Bullet journal tips

  • Best highlighters for bullet journaling
  • Bullet Journal Layouts: 26 Non-typical 2 page weekly spreads to try
  • 7 Useful spreads your bullet journal should have

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comparison of 30 dot grid notebooks pros and cons page size paper quality price binding index page numbers review video

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Posted In: Bullet Journal, Bullet Journal Reviews · Tagged: best bujo notebook, best dot grid notebook, best notebooks dot grid, best notebooks for bullet journaling, bujo dot grid notebook, bujo notebook, bullet journal notebook best paper, bullet journal smooth paper, bullet journal with smooth paper, dot grid notebook review, dot grid notebook smooth paper, dot grid notebooks smooth paper, dot grid notebooks with the best paper, notebooks with smooth dot grid paper, pretty bullet journal notebook

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