StickerYou Blog

Sticky Size Guide 101: Recommended Sizes

June 28, 2022
Sticker size recommendations for height and width for a few common intended applications.

One of the biggest things to consider before making or buying custom stickers, in general, is the size of the sticker. You don’t want it to be too big that it won’t fit perfectly onto the surface you intend or too small that the design isn’t as prominent as you’d like.

The size of your stickers needs to be just right, so we’ve created this sticky size guide to help you learn the different sticker sizes and decide which one is best for your intended application. 

Standard Sticker Sizes

Stickers usually come in different shapes, each with a standard or default size. They are:

Small Circle Stickers (2 x 2 inches)

Small circle stickers are the most common sticker shapes. These usually have a standard size of 2 x 2 inches, making them ideal for printing smaller designs. Because they’re so small, you often won’t find small circle stickers with heavy text. 

Small circle stickers are the most preferred by companies, used as brand logo stickers or badge stickers to communicate their branding. They’re commonly applied to objects like tumblers, notebooks, phone cases, clothing tags, and product packaging. 

Big Circle Stickers (5 x 5 inches)

Big circle stickers are the larger versions of small circle stickers, often measuring 5 x 5 inches. Because they have more space, they are able to accommodate more text and visual elements. Companies also use this type of sticker if they want their logos to be accompanied by their brand names and slogans. 

In contrast to a small circle sticker, big circle stickers make room for more detailed graphics. Their large size and round shape make them suitable for a broad range of applications. 

Square Stickers (3 x 3 inches)

Square stickers are another popular type of sticker shape, with dimensions usually starting from 3 x 3 inches. They have an equal width and height to achieve the perfect square shape, creating space that allows you to be creative with your design. Unlike round stickers that limit the art style you can print, square stickers give you more leeway to take advantage of their dimensions. 

Rectangular Stickers (3.5 x 2 inches)

There are also rectangular stickers, which measure 3.5 x 2 inches, roughly the same size as a standard business card. Rectangular stickers are commonly used for product packaging. We see them in wine bottles, containers, jars, and more. 

Businesses like this type of sticker because they can fit their logos and company name in the design without taking up too much space.

Oval Stickers (2 x 3 inches)

Oval stickers are only a little larger than small circle stickers, measuring a standard size of 2 x 3 inches. Because of this, the two have common applications. But since oval stickers have a more unique shape, they are great for printing cute illustrations, cartoon characters, and, for businesses, distinct brand images. 

The Best Sizes For Popular Items

While there are standard sticker sizes, you can absolutely play around with the sizes of your custom stickers. But when you do, always consider your intended application. To help you out, we give you our recommended sticker sizes for popular items, from water bottles and glass jars to car doors, boats, and more.

Water Bottles - StickerYou Recommends: 3 x 3” Sticker

When it comes to stickers, water bottles are an extremely common application. Whether you’re creating stickers for brand awareness, event celebration, or simply personal expression, everybody loves sticker-bombing their bottles!

Recommended sizing for bottles is extremely versatile, as many different sizes will work perfectly well on water bottles (and our vinyl is flexible, meaning even if you print a larger vinyl sticker, they will easily wrap around and adhere). 

However, our team found that 3 x 3” is our most popular and feasible size, as it is big enough to feature complex artwork — but not so big that it becomes out of place.

Water bottle sticker placed on the body of a metal water bottle.

Glass Jar - StickerYou Recommends: 2 x 2” Label

In terms of packaging, glass jars are becoming increasingly popular. Initially used for canning and preserving, jars have become a sustainable, reusable option for a wide variety of product packaging.

Whether you’re looking to add your branding to your jars, or simply want to create organizational labels, our team recommends 2 x 2” labels. This is the perfect size to feature your design, without having the label wrap around the jar and become obstructed on the sides!

Round sticker applied to a glass jar full of apricot jam.

Men’s Medium Tee - StickerYou Recommends: 8 x 8” Iron-On

Creating custom iron-ons for your t-shirts can be tricky, especially if you’re planning to print a wide variety of different sizes for shirts, sweaters, or sweatpants. For this reason, we’ve used a men’s size medium tee as a reference point, to give you an idea of how large an 8 x 8” iron-on looks applied to a shirt.

That being said, we urge you to physically measure the size of the shirts you create as there can be a large amount of variability when it comes to sizing. We would not suggest going larger than 8 x 8”, but would actually recommend sizing down your iron-ons if needed, to make both application and longevity more efficient.

Iron-on applied to a men’s size medium tee

Car Door - StickerYou Recommends: 15 x 15” Decal

Vehicle advertising has proven to be one of the most cost-efficient advertising tools when it comes to marketing on the go and reaching new potential customers and leads. If you’re looking to create something for a vehicle that is always used in a business fashion, we recommend personalized decal stickers. If you’re looking for something more temporary, car magnets are perfect for transforming your personal vehicle on the fly!

Our reference shows a 15 x 15” decal applied to the door of a car. But you also have the freedom of creating branded products for your window, bumper, or even hood — you’re in the driver’s seat when it comes to your personal expression.

Decal applied to the door of a car

Wine Bottle - StickerYou Recommends: 4 x 4.25” Label

From creating homemade, small-batch wines, to personalizing bottles for your wedding, bachelorette party, or networking event, wine bottles have proven to be a popular branded element among businesses and consumers alike.

A width of 4” and a height of 4.25” is an extremely common size when it comes to personalized labels on these bottles. However, feel free to make your labels even taller, and even wrap around if you wish!

A bottle of wine with a custom wine label and an empty wine glass next to it

Boat - StickerYou Recommends 3 x 8” Decal

Stickers are used to customize boats and add visual interest. You’ll usually find vinyl lettering or graphics attached to the boat’s body, made of light-weight custom outdoor decals with sturdy adhesive that’s meant to stay on even when exposed to water and sunlight. 

Most boat decals come in 3 x 8” sizes, but this isn’t a one-size-fits-all. Depending on the design you’re after and, of course, the size of your boat, you may opt for a smaller or bigger sticker. 

For example, vinyl lettering that indicates the boat’s name is usually 4” to 8” in height with 2 to 3 inches of space between the letters. Some states also have regulations on the measurements of boat-identifying decals. 

Bike - StickerYou Recommends 4 x 6” Sticker

Bikes usually have thin frames, which limits your options when it comes to sticker sizes to customize them with. 4 x 6-inch stickers should be the perfect size for bike frames, but you can also go bigger or smaller depending on your preferences and what makes sense for your specific bike. 

Some people opt for smaller 2 x 2-inch stickers for their bicycles so they can add more to the frame. Others, on the other hand, stick with larger custom vinyl die-cut stickers to cover a large area and achieve more visibility. 

Before choosing a sticker size for your bike, make sure to take measurements of your frame and have a plan for your sticker placement. 

Sticky Size Guide 101: Conclusion

The size of your sticker matters to ensure a perfect fit on your intended surface. While there are standard sizes that you can use, we also recommend that you take your own measurements so you can select the right dimensions and shapes for your custom stickers. Think about where you plan to place them and identify the best sticker size to achieve a seamless application. 

Sticky Size Guide 101: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the standard size for a sticker?

The standard sticker size depends on the shape you’re going for. Small circle stickers have a standard size of 2 x 2 inches, big circles are 5 x 5 inches, square stickers usually measure 3 x 3 inches, rectangular stickers are often 3.5 x 2 inches, and oval stickers are 2 x 3 inches.

How do you calculate the size of a sticker?

To measure the size of a sticker, take a ruler and start measuring the dimensions. Take note of the sticker’s width and height. For round stickers, you can simply measure the diameter of the sticker.

What is the most popular sticker size?

The most popular sticker size is 3.5 x 2 inches, which creates a rectangular shape similar to the size of a standard business card. Their shape and dimensions provide more space to get creative with the design and add lettering.

What is a good image size for stickers?

The size of your design will depend on the shape and dimensions of your sticker. If you’re going for a simple design with no text, a small circle sticker measuring 2 x 2 inches might suffice. But if you’re looking to add more detailed images and text, then you should opt for a bigger rectangular sticker size of at least 3.5 x 2 inches.