I assume if you’re reading this post, that you’re already familiar with the Plum Paper Planners. If not, take a look at some of my reviews:

• Plum Paper Planners Haul & Review (better than the Erin Condren?)
• Plum Paper planners comparison (all layouts + add ons)
• Plum Paper Vertical Priorities Weekly Spread
• Plum Paper Horizontal Priorities
• Plum Paper Horizontal Lined + Notes (and a comparison or colorful versus neutral)

I’ve purchased almost every Plum Paper layout – it’s one of my all time favorite planner brands!

The price varies depending on the duration of the planner, page size, extras etc. The base starting price to keep in mind when comparing the prices of the alternatives in this post are:

• A5 = $29 USD
• 7″ wide x 9″ high = $32 USD
• US letter size 8.5″ wide x 11″ high = $42 USD

If you like the layouts and style of Plum Paper but need a change (after all, the colors of the inside pages and fonts haven’t really changed in the past 5 years…) then these are some planners to consider.

Similar alternatives to the Plum Paper Planner

This list contains a mix of planners that have one or more of the following similar traits (no one planner has them all unfortunately!)

• Colors
• Page size
• Multiple cover designs to choose from
• Option to personalise the cover with your choice of text
• Price
• Ability to add extra pages (and range of extra pages)
• Weekly spread
• Monthly calendar layout (traditional layout with 1 box for each day)

In no particular order…

1. Posy Paper Planner

If you’re looking for a more narrow page size (the width is about 1″ less than Plum Paper), the cover styles of this brand are similar to Plum Paper and the price point is about the same.

• Size: 6″ wide x 9″ high
• Cardstock cover personalised with your choice of text (clear cover over the top to protect it)
• Coil binding
• Cover personalisation
• Dates at a glance page
• 2 page Monthly calendar (starts on Sunday)
• 2 page weekly spread (starts on Monday)
• White paper
• Pocket folder
• Tabs are a paid extra
• Colorful monthly spread (pastel / subtle colors)
• Neutral weekly spread
• 12 Month duration

Price: Mine cost $21 USD (add another $8 USD if you want tabs) + shipping

Posy Paper Weekly layout options:

• Horizontal
• Vertical

Posy Paper Planner Review

2. SHP Planners

I’ve actually already done a detailed comparison of Plum paper versus SHP here: Plum Paper versus SHP Planners Comparison

• Size: 7″ wide x 9″ high
• Cardstock cover with clear second cover
• You choose the cover from their range of patterns
• Coil binding
• Cover personalisation
• Dates at a glance page
• 2 page Monthly calendar (starts on Sunday)
• 2 page weekly spread (starts on Monday)
• Tabs are optional (cost extra)
• Pastel colors on the inside pages (minimalist colorful)
• Dated – 12 months
• Variety of weekly layouts – Vertical weekly, horizontal weekly, month only and teacher planners

Price: Varies depending on what you choose.

• Base model $28 USD
• Personalise the cover with your name (or other text) -the price increases to $34 AUD

SHP Weekly layout options:

• Horizontal
• Vertical

SHP Planners

3. BlueSky Planners

Another brand that has similar cover designs, inside layouts and the separate clear cover (I much prefer this to laminated covers). They have plenty of collaboration planners e.g. Day Designer but the one I think is most similar to Plum Paper is their personalised planner option.

• 3 sizes to choose from:
  • Small 5 x 8″
  • Medium 7 x 9″ (this is what I chose)
  • Large Size 8.5 x 11″ (US Letter)
• Wire binding
• Frosted cover over glossy paper like material for the cover (personalisation optional)
• This belongs to page in case your planner is lost
• Dates at a glance
• Colorful inside pages
• 2 page weekly spread (starts on Monday)
• 2 Page monthly calendar (starts on Sunday)
• Tabs

Price: I chose the 7 x 9″ with a few add ons and it only came to $28 USD!

Blue Sky Weekly layout options:

• Horizontal
• Horizontal with checklist
• Vertical
• Dashboard

There’s also a day to a page option.

Something I prefer in the Blue Sky planner – the lines on the monthly calendar

One of their weekly spreads is almost exactly the same as the Plum Paper dashboard layout.

Blue Sky Personalised Weekly Planner Review

The Day Designer for Blue Sky are like the original Blue Sky planners but with more of a focus on pink and blue color schemes. They also have more planners with a floral theme.

Day Designer for Blue Sky Planners versus the original Day Designer Planner: Which is better?

4. Whistle and Birch

If you’re in Australia, this one’s my pick. Affordable, variety of weekly spreads, functional layouts, plenty of nice covers to choose from and you can personalise the cover with your choice of text.

• Size: 7.75″ wide x 9″ high (inside pages are approx 7″ wide x 9″ high)
• Coil binding
• Glossy cardstock cover (personalisation optional) with clear frosted cover
• This belongs to page in case your planner is lost
• Dates at a glance
• Neutral & colorful inside pages
• 2 page monthly planning spread
• 2 Page monthly calendar (starts on Monday)
• 2 page weekly spread (starts on Monday) – various layouts to choose from
• Lined notes page for each month
• Double sided cardstock pocket folder
• 2 clear storage sleeves
• Lined notes / list pages
• Monthly dividers & tabs
• Australian made
• 12 Month duration

Price: $55 AUD (more if you choose add on pages)

Whistle and Birch Weekly Planner Review (All layouts + pen testing)

See how I’ve used the Whistle and Birch Planner in these posts:

• Whistle and Birch Rainbow Weekly Spread using the Zebra Mildliners
• Whistle and Birch weekly planner spread using the study layout
• Whistle and Birch horizontal weekly spead (pastel theme)

Whistle and Birch horizontal weekly spead (pastel theme)

Whistle and Birch Weekly layout options:

• Horizontal with top 3
• Vertical
• Vertical family
• Vertical hourly
• Dashboard (they call it the ‘Study’ layout)
• Teacher

Whistle and Birch weekly planner spread using the study layout

Whistle and Birch Rainbow Weekly Spread using the Zebra Mildliners

5. Inkwell Press

Plum Paper recently started offering the option to punch the pages for use in a discbound system. However their website doesn’t specify which discbound system they are punching the pages for. Most of the discbound brands have different page sizes, stem length and hole for the disc binding so I will continue to order the pages unpunched.

Read more: MAMBI Happy Planner Discbound Punch versus the ARC (are they compatible?)

If you’re set on disc binding then the Inkwell Press is my recommendation. More expensive than the Plum Paper but this planner is an investment. Once you purchase the faux leather cover and the discs you can use it over and over for years to come (my ARC discbound planner is about 8 years old and the cover is still in great condition).

• Size: 7 x 9″
• Leather Cover
• Aluminium disc binding
• Dates at a glance page
• 2 page Monthly calendar (starts on Sunday)
• 2 page weekly spread (starts on Monday)
• Tabs
• Notes pages
• Subtle colorful inside pages
• Thick, smooth high quality paper (pen test at the end of this post)
• Ships from the USA

Once you have the cover you can just get the refills each year. There is a vertical or horizontal option. The layout reminds me of Plum Paper with the lined writing space with the shaded box for each day (although Inkwell Press press does 3 sections instead of 1 in the Plum Paper).

Inkwell Press Planner Review – 360 Discbound

Inkwell Press Weekly layout options:

• Horizontal with top 3
• Vertical
• Daily

6. Purple trail

A planner brand that few people seem to know about. Their 12 month planner is very chunky with a giant coil but the customisation options make up for it (custom cover, your choice of text, multiple layouts)

• Size: 6 x 8″ (which is what I chose) or 8.5 x 11″
• Coil or sewn binding
• Hardcover (personalisation optional)
• This belongs to page in case your planner is lost
• Dates at a glance
• Neutral or colorful inside pages (you pick)
• 2 page weekly spread (starts on Monday)
• 2 Page monthly calendar (starts on Sunday)
• Tabs

Price:

• 6 x 8″ starts at $45 USD
• US Letter Size starts at $55 USD

Purple Trail layout options:

• Horizontal
• Horizontal with checklist
• Vertical lined
• Vertical hourly
• Vertical 15 minute weekly <– very hard to find weekly layout
• 3 Section weekly
• Quad weekly
• Family weekly (categorised, like the Plum Paper Me Planner)
• Homeschool weekly
• Day to a page
• 2 pages per day

They have plenty of unique layouts too such as hairstylist, real estate, blog / social media content planner, meal planner, fitness planner, mum to be planner, wedding

Purple Trail Weekly Planner Review

New since I got my Purple Trail planner, is their spread customiser. I’m keen to try this as it sounds like a similar concept to the Agendio!

7. Golden Coil

This brand will customise the cover with your choice of text, choose from multiple cover designs and you can choose whatever add on pages you want. The main difference between Golden Coil and Plum Paper is the page size and the paper. Despite the higher price tag of the Golden Coil I actually prefer the paper in Plum Paper (bright white and much smoother to write on, the Golden Coil’s paper is a bit scratchy and doesn’t work well with the Frixion erasable pens).

The Golden Coil planner only comes in 1 page size which is longer than Plum Paper (9.75″ high versus 9″ high.

• Size: Approx 7.5″ wide x 9.75″ high
• Hardcover (you choose the cover)
• Wire binding
• Choose from daily or weekly pages
• Choose your add on pages
• Choose your page order
• You choose what holidays to add, upload your family’s birthdays etc.
• You choose the planner duration
• Ships from the USA

Golden Coil Planner Review

I like their more unique weekly layouts, particularly all of their dashboard weekly spreads

Related post: Agendio versus Golden Coil: Which custom personalised planner is best?

8. Personal Planner

If you’re looking for something more custom than the others on the list while still being very affordable (and free worldwide shipping!), Personal Planner allows you to customise each section of the weekly spread. You can also choose your cover design and cover text.

• Size: 8.5″ wide x 5.75″ approx. high (more sizes to choose from)
• Cardstock cover with clear plastic cover to protect it
• Wire binding
• Removable bookmark
• Removable clear plastic folder
• You choose the cover design & test
• You choose the inside weekly layout from their base options
• Dates at a glance page
• Plenty of extra pages to choose from
• 2 page weekly spread
• 12 month duration

Cost: $39.95 AUD normally (I purchased during Black Friday sales and paid $31.95). Worldwide shipping is free!

This is the weekly spread I chose. You get to choose between unlined, lined, dot grid etc. for each day, as well as the bottom sections (checklist, habit tracker, blank box etc.) and the pattern up the top (I chose a marble print).

You can choose to have the holidays for your country (not just the USA!) pre-printed on the pages.

The page sizes are non-typical. These are the starting prices (increases the more add on pages you choose)

• Mini = 4″ wide x 5.6″ high = $30 AUD
• Wide = 8.5″ wide x 5.75″ approx. high = $40 AUD
• A5 = $40 AUD
• A4 = $60 AUD
• Square = 5.8″ x 5.6″ = $35 AUD

Like with Plum Paper, you get to choose what add on pages you want.

They have some more unique layouts too like coloring in habit trackers

Personal Planner Review

9. Agendio

The premium alternative. If you’re ok with spending a bit more, I think the Agendio is the best option. You’ve probably seen me review this planner before here, here and here. Plum Paper allows you to choose the weekly spread, add on pages, color and cover design, but Agendio lets you build a completely custom planner from scratch (literally everything)!

See this post for all of the things you can customise.

Agendio Review (custom, personalised weekly planner) 

The price is based on your selections when making your planner – almost everything is an add on – tabs, metal page mark bookmark, color printing, extra pages, duration of the planner, page size and the number of pages.

They have base weekly layouts you can customise – some are more unique (like the one I chose that you can see in the photo below) but there’s also the usual vertical and horizontal layouts too.

One con: the paper quality isn’t as good as Plum Paper (and not as good as I’d expect for the price of the planner).

More planner comparisons

If you’d like a more detailed comparison of Plum Paper versus one of the planners in this list, just comment below and I’ll do another post.

Planning tips

• 10 ways to save money when buying planner supplies
• How to organize your life using 1 simple spreadsheet in Excel (plus free download)
• Where to find discs to make a discbound planner or notebook (downloadable comparison)

Found this post helpful? Pin it!