Journal reviews from Reddit
Summary
We analyzed 162 Reddit reviews across 18 subreddits and 44 posts to rank the best Journal brands recommended by redditors, including communities like r/notebooks, r/bulletjournal, r/Journaling, r/fountainpens, r/onebag. Top-rated brands include Rhodia (4.6/5), Midori (4.7/5), Leuchtturm1917 (4.7/5).
Stats
Reviews162
Subreddits18
Posts44
Brands89
Products29
162 reviews from
and
By Brand
/By Product
#1
Rhodia
4.6
(13)
"Throw another vote to Rhodia spiral notebooks. My go-to for this type of paper."
"Rhodia pads are always a good choice."
"Cant go wrong with a rhodia pad."
"I like rhodia the best so far"
"I like Clairefontaine and Rhodia notebooks."
"I think I am going to go for the Rhodia goal book. It has a pen loop, nice paper color and a wide array of covers."
"I love Rhodia paper."
"Look for paper called Midori, Rhodia, Tomoe River or Clairefontaine for best results."
"Rhodia is good, too but the white is really bright and the cream is too cream."
"A3 sized Rhodia notepad (No. 38 Pad) or Maruman MNEMOSYNE Notebook might be up your alley."
#2
Midori
4.7
(11)
"Midori is always a great choice. Tons of sizes and fantastic paper."
"As for brands, I use Midori and Clairfontaine."
"Midori, stalogy, and kokuyo campus are great pocket notebooks and commonplace journals"
"I love their paper. It might not show ink properties as well, but it's just very nice to write on."
"It's a notebook from Japanese paper company Midori. Its very well made and will lay completely flat as it opens vertically."
"Midori are excellent if you can find them."
"Look for paper called Midori, Rhodia, Tomoe River or Clairefontaine for best results."
"I use a Midori notebook as a journal. Works great with fountain pens."
"The Midori MD notebook journal comes in dot grid and has at least 140 pages."
"I prefer smoother paper, so I prefer Midori."
#3
Leuchtturm1917
4.7
(7)
"I’ve always stuck with the Leuchtturm1917 dotted. It is white paper, maybe a tiny bit off white and has 251 pages."
"Leuchtturm1917s have never failed me and check all the boxes you mentioned - dot grid, thick pages, hardback."
"I use a Bullet Journal daily and it's fantastic for not only organization but the size is perfect."
"My choice for a classic journal."
"I LOVE my Leuchtturm1917 120gsm journal."
"I use a lined Leuchtturm1917, but pretty much like a notebook."
"I use a Leuchtturm B5. On the left side of each page I have Mon - Fri stacked."
#4
Leuchtturm
4.1
(7)
"Go for a Leuchtturm, Midori, Rhodia... Anything else."
"Paper doesn’t bleed!"
"If you decide on Leuchtturm, be sure to take the one with 120 gsm paper, because that’s the only one resistant to bleeding from most inks."
"Maybe a blank notebook (a nice quality one, like a Leuchterm)."
"Perhaps leuchtturm has an edition that suits what's you're looking for?"
"Leuchterms with 80gsm paper will work fine."
"The notebook itself is good quality and pretty, but I don't like how the paper performs. Too much ghosting, bleedthrough and feathering."
#5
Clairefontaine
4.5
(6)
"As for brands, I use Midori and Clairfontaine."
"I prefer the ClaireFontaine 6552 Classic 3x3.5" (stores list it as 3.0 x 4.5") graph pad."
"Look for paper called Midori, Rhodia, Tomoe River or Clairefontaine for best results."
"Claire Fontaine is nice too but definitely in the extremely smooth/coated side"
"I like Clairefontaine and Rhodia notebooks."
"Other good notebooks include the Rhodia web notebooks with the 90gsm Clarefontaine paper."
#6
Archer & Olive
4.8
(5)
"I personally like the TN size of Archer & Olive for my commonplace, since I like the thick paper and the size is just right for me."
"I just started using an Archer & Olive dot-grid A5 that I bought several years ago and I love it."
"I really do love archer and Olive. Just something about the covers gives me all the dopamine."
"There was an amazing one from archer and olive!! Sold out right now but maybe they’ll come out again"
"Mark from Mark your pages on YouTube has made an Archer & Olive journal that's very masculine."
#7
Moleskine
3.7
(6)
"I think, in this case, the Moleskine is your best bet."
"Moleskin for sure. They have many formats."
"Moleskine is very popular as 'regular' travel journals and offers many many designs and styles."
"Moleskine and a “bullet” space pen."
"Moleskin is good for ballpoint and gel pens."
"Both Stálogy and Moleskin are good brands but it’s all up to what you’re looking to do in your book."
#8
Notebook Therapy
4.5
(4)
"They do gorgeous artwork on the covers as well as more understated ones."
"Love notebook therapy."
"Recently bought my first Notebook Therapy journal and I absolutely adore it."
"I watercolour in mine and don’t get bleed through."
#9
Tomoe River
5.0
(3)
"The Tomoe River I love can be quite expensive."
"I prefer Tomoe River 58 g/sm, the thin stuff."
"Look for paper called Midori, Rhodia, Tomoe River or Clairefontaine for best results."
#10
Scribbles That Matter
4.7
(3)
"Scribbles that matter 160gsm. If you’re artsy then this is the one in my opinion."
"The paper is really thick and the book is overall great quality."
"The perfect balance between price and beat-up-ability."
#11
Amazon
3.3
(3)
"Look on Amazon for '160gsm dot grid journal' you should get a lot of results."
"Amazon have a few plain ones."
"I grabbed a blank notebook from Amazon with 100 GSM paper for about $9.00."
#12
Midori MD
5.0
(2)
"I have a separate Midori MD A6 for pressing thoughts."
"I would recommend Midori MD as well!"
#13
Stonk Journal
5.0
(2)
"[app.stonkjournal.com](http://app.stonkjournal.com) is amazing .. 10/10"
"Www.stonkjournal.com"
#14
Hobonichi
5.0
(2)
"Something with tomoe river paper - hobonichi, sterling ink are good options."
"Hobonichi is worth every penny if you tend to do any fountain pen ink work."
#15
Dingbats
5.0
(2)
"My favorite rn is Dingbats."
"Dingbats yet- they are super smooth and nice pages, and also have super cute designs imo :)"
#16
Etchr
5.0
(2)
"Etchr is my favorite sketchbook."
"I have an Etchr journal ($40)."
#17
Traveler's Notebook
4.5
(2)
"Traveler's Notebook is also under Midori and uses their paper if you're looking for a refillable journal with different inserts."
"It's more on the expensive side but it's just called the travelers notebook and it's a module notebook which I personally love."
#18
Maruman
4.5
(2)
"Same with Maruman."
"A3 sized Rhodia notepad (No. 38 Pad) or Maruman MNEMOSYNE Notebook might be up your alley."
#19
Mamás Quiero Escuchar Historia Comparte
4.0
(2)
"Https://www.amazon.com/Mam%C3%A1-Quiero-Escuchar-Historia-Comparte/dp/1955034672"
"Like this?"
#20
Scribble & Dot
4.0
(2)
"It'll take fountain pen ink and watercolour and acrylic paints without bleeding through."
"The binding and paper quality is really good."
#21
Stálogy
4.0
(2)
"Midori, stalogy, and kokuyo campus are great pocket notebooks and commonplace journals"
"Both Stálogy and Moleskin are good brands but it’s all up to what you’re looking to do in your book."
#22
Etsy
4.0
(2)
"Etsy has some good ones, just watch out for dropshippers if you want good quality!"
"The quality is worth it. I got a handmade leather A5 6 ring binder that I use as a grimoire, and it's has lasted for several years."
#23
Rettacy
4.0
(2)
"Just standard, lots of pages and 160gsm."
"My wife is using a 'rettacy' brand one from Amazon that’s got thicker pages."
#24
Paperblanks
4.0
(2)
"For my daily journal I like the Paperblanks Midi, which is close to B6 although a bit bigger I believe."
"Paperblanks has some decent 120gsm paper and I think their covers are beautiful."
#25
Mnemosyne
4.0
(2)
"Mnemosyne (Maruman) pads are pretty good."
"Mnemosyne is definitely better in performance and just off white."
#26
Barnes & Noble
3.5
(2)
"There are some nice ones to be found there."
"Barns and Noble has tons of leather journals."
#27
Kokuyo
3.5
(2)
"Check out kokuyo binders, I think the space is enough and their paper feels really great."
"Kokuyo notebooks have a spot for the date but less aesthetic."
#28
Midori Patto
5.0
(1)
"Midori Patto!"
#29
Rhodia Dot Pads
5.0
(1)
"I use the Rhodia Dot Pads at work, a5, top-spiral bound, micro perforated pages."
#30
Sakae TP
5.0
(1)
"Sakae TP Iroful is pretty cheap and spectacular for fountain pens! It's my favorite paper!"
#31
Hobonichi Cousin and Weeks
5.0
(1)
"Also Hobonichi cousin and weeks."
#32
Financial Tech Wiz
5.0
(1)
"I’d recommend checking out Financial Tech Wiz trading journal, it syncs with Kraken Pro and has a clean, user-friendly interface."
#33
Baohong
5.0
(1)
"My favorite watercolor sketchbook is Baohong, ordered from Amazon."
#34
Hobonichi Techo
5.0
(1)
"Hobonichi (Techo) from Japan have covers that will likely last a lifetime."
#35
Little Mountain Bindery Fillion
5.0
(1)
"I've been more than happy with my Little Mountain Bindery Fillion in grey leather."
#36
Happy Self Journal
5.0
(1)
"I’ve used the Happy Self Journal a couple of times now and I’ve managed to fill the whole thing out both times."
#37
Smythson Duke Agenda
5.0
(1)
"Got my mom the smythson duke agenda last year for her birthday and it has changed her life."
#38
Kokuyo Campus B5 Binder
5.0
(1)
"I really like the japanese B5 binders and love the refill paper by Kokuyo Campus."
#39
Leuchtturm1917 A4 Master Slim
5.0
(1)
"It has page numbers and an index, makes organizing stuff easier."
#40
Midori MD A5 Grid
5.0
(1)
"The paper handles gel pens, Zebra Mildliner, and Tombow Dual brush pens well."
#41
Amazon Daily Prayer Journal
5.0
(1)
"I would like to recommend this Prayer journal to you."
#42
String and Space
5.0
(1)
"It's super cute, and the pages are 160 gsm, so it doesn't transfer to the back of the page."
#43
Every Sacred Sunday
5.0
(1)
"Every Sacred Sunday has all the Sunday mass readings for the year and room for notes."
#44
Quirky Journals
5.0
(1)
"I honestly love this journal because of how detailed it is compared to others."
#45
StoryGraph Journal
5.0
(1)
"I switched from Goodreads to StoryGraph because it has a journal feature that's private."
#46
Buke
5.0
(1)
"Nothing bleeds through!"
#47
SeQeS
5.0
(1)
"The pages so far show absolutely no bleed."
#48
Neurodivergent Workbook
4.0
(1)
"The Neurodivergent Workbook of DBT Skills is pretty good"
#49
Children's Emotions Journal
4.0
(1)
"I've also successfully used this children's emotions journal for dealing with trauma with alexithymia"
#50
Blueline Business Notebook
4.0
(1)
"They have quadrille graph paper version, its on amazon "Blueline Business Notebook, 4 x 4 Quad Ruled, 9.25" x 7.25", 192 Pages (A9Q)"."
#51
Kokuyo Campus
4.0
(1)
"Midori, stalogy, and kokuyo campus are great pocket notebooks and commonplace journals"
#52
Fabriano Traccia
4.0
(1)
"If you want to try something different and they're available where you live you should try Fabriano Traccia pads."
#53
Fabriano Ecoqua
4.0
(1)
"Fabriano ecoqua when I can find it"
#54
Ottergami
4.0
(1)
"Ottergami B5 from Amazon - cover gets dirty, but everything else is great."
#55
Vivid Scribbles
4.0
(1)
"I’ve been buying one called Vivid Scribbles off Amazon. Thick, 160gsm pages that won’t bleed."
#56
Galen Leather
4.0
(1)
"Galen Leather has a lot of Leather Goods for Notebooks of most common Brands."
#57
CoinTracking
4.0
(1)
"For crypto trading with API integration, try CoinTracking, TradesViz, or TraderSync."
#58
TraderSync
4.0
(1)
"For crypto trading with API integration, try CoinTracking, TradesViz, or TraderSync."
#59
TradeZella
4.0
(1)
"The best if you want to pay a bit is tradezella imo."
#60
Standard Notes
4.0
(1)
"I use Standard Notes. It's e2e encrypted and very easy to use."
#61
Cheap Joe's
4.0
(1)
"I also have the Cheap Joes one which is good but more textured than the Etchr."
#62
Kilimanjaro
4.0
(1)
"In the US, I just bought some Kilimanjaro sketchbooks from Cheap Joe’s."
#63
Hand Book Paper Company
4.0
(1)
"I’ve used two different brands of journals. The first brand I bought was from Hand Book Paper Company."
#64
U.S. Art Supply
4.0
(1)
"Then the second set I was given by my daughter as a gift and they are U. S. Art Supply ordered off of Amazon."
#65
Obsidian
4.0
(1)
"Obsidian with the diarian plugin, or any other journal like plugin."
#66
Day One
4.0
(1)
"DayOne has a good UX and an option for End2End-encryption."
#67
Gallery Leather Journal
4.0
(1)
"Great quality. They do have leather journals, which you can personalized."
#68
Ottergami Journal
4.0
(1)
"For 2025 I've gone with Ottergami which is similar in thickness (I think it's 140) and colour."
#69
Buke Journal
4.0
(1)
"I like the Buke ones on Alieexpress, 160gsm."
#70
Baylee Jae
4.0
(1)
"They use 200gsm dot grid paper so it can handle a lot more abuse."
#71
My Mellow Days
4.0
(1)
"They use dot grid watercolor paper so it can handle paint a lot better than typical 160gsm paper."
#72
Odyssey Notebooks
4.0
(1)
"It’s beautiful. A little pricey, but is made by a small, woman-owned company in Maryland."
#73
Creator's Friend
4.0
(1)
"I've quite liked their products."
#74
Temu-Type
4.0
(1)
"There are even some temu-type notebooks that have some lovely paper and don’t cost as much."
#75
Michael's
4.0
(1)
"I did buy a nice hard back dotted journal from Michael’s once though."
#76
Rite in the Rain
4.0
(1)
"[https://www.riteintherain.com/side-spiral-notebooks]"
#77
Craftise
4.0
(1)
"[Craftise] has some good options. I had picked up their meal planner notepad."
#78
Stalogy
4.0
(1)
"It's minimalist, compact & looks fancy. The pages are thin but still prevent bleeding."
#79
Amazon Blank Notebook
4.0
(1)
"Great quality paper for the price."
#80
Christian Journal Co.
4.0
(1)
"Hey if you're after aesthetically pleasing you should check out the christian journal co."
#81
Paperage
4.0
(1)
"Right now I’m about to finish an unlined journal from Paperage. I like that it lays flat."
#82
Temu
4.0
(1)
"Temu has some nice thick paged blanks."
#83
Denik
4.0
(1)
"Denik is good (100 gsm)."
#84
Papier
4.0
(1)
"Papier has really cute customizable travel journals."
#85
Paperideas
4.0
(1)
"The only gripe I have is I wished the paper is 100% white."
#86
Field Notes
3.0
(1)
"Field Notes are for what they’re actually named for: to take notes in the field - the paper is fine but not built for heavy marker or fountain pen use."
#87
TradesViz
3.0
(1)
"I’ve found TradesViz to be pretty decent for journaling, and I believe it has integration with crypto as well."
#88
Daylio
3.0
(1)
"I use Daylio. You can use their templates as prompts, or you can create your own."
#89
STM
3.0
(1)
"The paper is lovely and smooth and zero bleed through or ghosting..... however the binding is breaking."
Discover your audience
GummySearch is an audience research toolkit for 130,000 unique communities on Reddit.
If you are looking for startup problems to solve, want to validate your idea or find your customers online, GummySearch is for you.
Sign up for free, get community insights in minutes.
Tell me more
Get started
