Standard Poster Sizes in Inches and cm: What Each Size Is For
Poster sizes in the US come in a handful of inch formats, and most of the world uses ISO A sizes and a few metric standards. Here is what each size measures, where it is used, and which frame and mat it takes.
The standard poster sizes are 11 × 17 in (27.9 × 43.2 cm) for small posters, 18 × 24 in (45.7 × 61 cm) for medium, and 24 × 36 in (61 × 91.4 cm) for large. Movie posters are 27 × 40 in (68.6 × 101.6 cm). Outside the US the common sizes are A3 (29.7 × 42 cm), A2 (42 × 59.4 cm) and A1 (59.4 × 84.1 cm).
- Small
- 11 × 17 in
- Medium
- 18 × 24 in
- Large
- 24 × 36 in
- Movie one-sheet
- 27 × 40 in
On this page
Standard poster sizes chart
Poster sizes are given width × height in portrait orientation. The US sizes are inches; the conversions are rounded to a millimeter.
| Size (in) | cm | Aspect ratio | Common use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 × 17 | 27.9 × 43.2 | 1:1.55 | Event flyers, menus, notice boards |
| 12 × 18 | 30.5 × 45.7 | 2:3 | Art prints, photo posters |
| 16 × 20 | 40.6 × 50.8 | 4:5 | Photo enlargements, art prints |
| 18 × 24 | 45.7 × 61 | 3:4 | Medium posters, window displays, signs |
| 20 × 30 | 50.8 × 76.2 | 2:3 | Photo posters, retail displays |
| 24 × 36 | 61 × 91.4 | 2:3 | Large posters, music and art posters |
| 27 × 40 | 68.6 × 101.6 | about 2:3 | Movie one-sheets, lightboxes |
| 30 × 40 | 76.2 × 101.6 | 3:4 | Theater lobbies, trade shows |
| 36 × 48 | 91.4 × 121.9 | 3:4 | Academic and conference posters |
| 40 × 60 | 101.6 × 152.4 | 2:3 | Theater, event and lobby displays |
Each step roughly doubles the area: 11 × 17 is 187 sq in, 18 × 24 is 432 sq in and 24 × 36 is 864 sq in, exactly twice 18 × 24. The diagonals are 20.2, 30 and 43.3 in, which gives a feel for size if you know your TV or monitor.
International poster sizes (A-series and metric)
Outside North America, posters follow the ISO A series or a set of round metric sizes. A-series posters all share the 1:1.414 ratio, so one design scales to any of them without cropping.
| Size | cm | Inches | Common use |
|---|---|---|---|
| A3 | 29.7 × 42 | 11.7 × 16.5 | Small posters, notices |
| 30 × 40 cm | 30 × 40 | 11.8 × 15.7 | Art prints, frames sold in Europe |
| A2 | 42 × 59.4 | 16.5 × 23.4 | Medium posters, art prints |
| 50 × 70 cm (B2 approx.) | 50 × 70 | 19.7 × 27.6 | Art prints, gallery posters |
| A1 | 59.4 × 84.1 | 23.4 × 33.1 | Large posters, exhibition graphics |
| Maxi poster | 61 × 91.5 | 24 × 36 | Music, film and fan posters (UK/EU) |
| 70 × 100 cm (B1 approx.) | 70 × 100 | 27.6 × 39.4 | Exhibition and art posters |
| A0 | 84.1 × 118.9 | 33.1 × 46.8 | Academic posters, street posters |
ISO B2 (50 × 70.7 cm) and B1 (70.7 × 100 cm) are the sheets behind the 50 × 70 and 70 × 100 cm formats, which European frame makers stock as standard. All A sizes are listed in the paper sizes chart.
US and metric sizes are not interchangeable
A2 and 18 × 24 in look alike but differ: A2 is 3.7 cm narrower and 1.6 cm shorter, so it rattles in an 18 × 24 in frame unless matted. Likewise A1 is 1.6 cm narrower and 7.3 cm shorter than 24 × 36 in. A 24 × 36 in frame takes a European maxi poster, but not an A1 without a mat.
Movie poster sizes
Film posters use their own traditional formats, which matter if you collect or frame them.
| Format | Inches | cm | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| One sheet (current) | 27 × 40 | 68.6 × 101.6 | Standard US theater poster, usually shipped rolled |
| One sheet (older) | 27 × 41 | 68.6 × 104.1 | Common before the mid-1980s, usually folded |
| Half sheet | 22 × 28 | 55.9 × 71.1 | Landscape lobby poster on card stock |
| Insert | 14 × 36 | 35.6 × 91.4 | Tall, narrow lobby format |
| Window card | 14 × 22 | 35.6 × 55.9 | Card stock with a blank band for local listings |
| Bus shelter | 48 × 70 | 121.9 × 177.8 | Backlit outdoor displays |
| UK quad | 40 × 30 | 101.6 × 76.2 | Landscape British cinema format |
Reproduction movie posters are often printed at 24 × 36 in rather than 27 × 40 in, so check the listing before buying a frame. A 24 × 36 print in a 27 × 40 frame leaves a 1.5 in gap at each side and 2 in at top and bottom.
Which poster size to choose
- Read up close (notice boards, menus, flyers): 11 × 17 in or A3. People read these from 2 to 4 ft, so body text of 18 to 24 pt is legible.
- Seen across a room or a shop window: 18 × 24 in or A2. Headlines need to be legible from 10 to 15 ft.
- Feature wall, lobby or event: 24 × 36 in, 27 × 40 in or A1. These hold their own on a wall above furniture.
- Conference and academic posters: follow the organizer's spec; 36 × 48 in (landscape or portrait) is common in the US and A0 in Europe.
Sign makers use a rule of thumb of 1 in of capital-letter height for every 10 ft of viewing distance. A headline meant to be read from 20 ft therefore needs letters about 2 in (roughly 200 pt) tall, which quickly decides how large the poster must be. For the pixel dimensions, bleed and resolution each size needs, see the poster print-file setup guide.
On a wall, scale matters as much as reading distance. Above a sofa or console, artwork usually looks best at about two thirds of the furniture width, so a 24 × 36 in poster hung landscape (36 in wide) suits a sofa of about 54 in, and hung portrait (24 in wide) suits a 36 in console. The wall art size guide covers placement in detail.
Poster frame and mat sizes
A frame size names the poster it holds, not the frame's outside measurement. The outside adds twice the moulding width: a 24 × 36 in frame with 1 in moulding measures 26 × 38 in overall.
| Poster | Frame without mat | Frame with mat | Mat border |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 × 17 in | 11 × 17 in | 18 × 24 in | 3.5 in all round |
| 12 × 18 in | 12 × 18 in | 18 × 24 in | 3 in all round |
| 16 × 20 in | 16 × 20 in | 20 × 24 in | 2 in all round |
| 18 × 24 in | 18 × 24 in | 24 × 30 in | 3 in all round |
| 20 × 30 in | 20 × 30 in | 24 × 36 in | 2 in sides, 3 in top and bottom |
| 24 × 36 in | 24 × 36 in | 30 × 40 in | 3 in sides, 2 in top and bottom |
| A2 (42 × 59.4 cm) | A2 | 50 × 70 cm | 4 cm sides, 5.3 cm top and bottom |
| A1 (59.4 × 84.1 cm) | A1 | 70 × 100 cm | 5.3 cm sides, 8 cm top and bottom |
The mat opening is cut smaller than the poster so the mat overlaps and holds it: about 1/2 in smaller in each direction for pre-cut mats, 1/4 in for custom mats. A 24 × 36 in poster in a 30 × 40 frame gives uneven borders; if that bothers you, a custom 30 × 42 in mat gives an even 3 in. For a fuller list of ready-made sizes, see picture frame sizes.
A frame's lip (rabbet) covers about 1/4 in (6 mm) of the poster on each side even without a mat. Posters with text or a border printed right to the edge lose it, so check before choosing an unmatted frame.
Hanging, rolling and shipping posters
- Hanging height: galleries hang artwork with its center about 57 to 60 in (145 to 152 cm) above the floor. For a 24 × 36 in portrait poster, that puts the top edge around 75 to 78 in up.
- Rolling: roll posters along the short side, image facing out, so the curl relaxes against the wall. A 24 × 36 in poster needs a tube at least 25 in long; 27 × 40 in needs at least 28 in.
- Flattening: lay a rolled poster face up under weights at the corners for a day or two before framing; do not iron printed posters.
- Canvas instead of paper: poster sizes are also sold as stretched canvas, which needs no glazing. Depth and wrap allowances are on the canvas sizes page.
Frequently asked questions
What is 24 × 36 poster size in cm?
24 × 36 in is 61 × 91.4 cm (609.6 × 914.4 mm). The European maxi poster, 61 × 91.5 cm, is the same format and fits the same frames.
How big is an 18 × 24 poster?
18 × 24 in (45.7 × 61 cm) has a diagonal of exactly 30 in, the same diagonal as a 30-inch monitor, though the poster is squarer (3:4). At 432 sq in it is exactly twice the area of 12 × 18 (216 sq in) and half the area of 24 × 36 (864 sq in).
What poster size comes after 24 × 36?
27 × 40 in (the movie one-sheet), then 30 × 40 in and 36 × 48 in. Above that, 40 × 60 in is the common large display size for theaters and events.
What size is an 11 × 17 poster in cm?
27.9 × 43.2 cm. 11 × 17 in is the US Tabloid paper size, so it can be printed on many office printers; the closest metric size is A3 (29.7 × 42 cm).
What is the size of a regular poster frame?
The most common ready-made poster frames are 18 × 24 in, 24 × 36 in and 27 × 40 in. The size names the opening for the poster; the outside of the frame adds twice the moulding width, often 1 to 2 in overall.