Sheets vs. Pages FAQ

How are the number of pages in a document counted?
booklet illustrationSometimes there is confusion about the difference between sheets and pages. They are not the same. For example, the booklet on the left has two sheets of paper that are folded and saddle stitched (stapled) along the fold, joining together the folded sheets. This booklet contains eight pages.


The images below show how the printing industry counts the number of pages in a document. If you have questions about the number of pages in your project, use Contact Us in the menu above.



Sheets vs. Pages Illustration

one sheet equals two pages
One Sheet = Two Pages
A single sheet of paper has two sides. Each side is considered one page even if the back side is left blank.  So a sheet of paper is always two pages.
one sheet turned into four pages
One Sheet Folded = Four Pages
A sheet folded in half becomes a four page document.  Page one is the outside front cover (OFC), page two is the inside front cover(IFC), page three is the inside back cover (IBC), and page four is the outside back cover (OBC).
two folded sheets is eight pages
Two Folded Sheets = Eight Pages
Two folded sheets that are nested together are counted as an eight page document.