The Definitive Envelope Size Guide: Your Handbook to Standard Envelope Sizes - The Paper Mill Blog (2024)

3. Envelope Size

Envelopes come in a wide range of styles, including:

  • Letter envelope sizes, including business envelope sizes
  • Invitation envelope sizes, including announcement envelopes, as well as baronial and Monarch envelope sizes
  • Catalog and manila envelope sizes
  • Square envelope sizes
  • Small envelope sizes, including coin and mini-lope envelope sizes

To make matters even more complicated, each of these styles comes in a range of different sizes. We’ll spend the rest of this envelope size guide digging into different US envelope sizes and other standard envelope sizes.

Let’s peek under the flap!

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Standard Envelope Sizes

No. 10 regular is the most common envelope size (bills and other business correspondence are typically sent using this size), but there are countless standard envelope sizes available for every imaginable purpose, from teeny-tiny mini-lopes to full size 9” x 12” catalog envelopes.

These are the most common standard envelope sizes used for printing and mailing:

Standard Envelope Sizes for Printing & Mailing

Shop standard envelope sizes:

A1 Envelopes
A2 Envelopes
A6 Envelopes
A7 Envelopes
A8 Envelopes
Monarch Envelopes
No. 10 Commercial Envelopes

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Letter Envelope Sizes

Letter or correspondence envelopes are the most popular envelope style for general correspondence, including most business and personal correspondence. They are typically broken down into two further categories—business and commercial.

These envelopes are used for a variety of purposes, including:

  • Business and personal correspondence
  • Billing
  • Statements
  • Legal correspondence
  • Invoices
  • Promotional mailers
  • Handwritten letters

Business Envelope Sizes

Despite their name, business envelopes are commonly used for both business and personal correspondence. They are available in a number of styles with square, side, or pointed flaps (called “commercial flaps”), as well as with or without windows. The term “regular” indicates that the envelope does not have a window.

They are commonly used for:

  • Business correspondence
  • Bills and notices

Business Envelope Size Chart

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Invitation Envelope Sizes

Invitation envelope sizes include:

  • Announcement envelopes
  • Baronial and monarch envelopes

Announcement Envelope Sizes

Announcement envelopes feature a side seam and a square flap. They are more casual than other styles and are available in a wide range of different paper stocks, including different paper finishes and basis weights.

They are commonly used for:

  • Invitations and wedding stationery
  • Greeting and holiday cards
  • Photos
  • Promotional or marketing material

Announcement Envelope Size Chart

Shop announcement envelope sizes:

A1 Envelopes
A2 Envelopes
A6 Envelopes
A7 Envelopes
A8 Envelopes
A9 Envelopes
A10 Envelopes

Baronial and Monarch Envelope Sizes

Baronial envelopes have diagonal seams with a pointed flap. They are available in many of the same sizes and paper finishes as Announcement envelopes, but their flap style and seam direction make them a more formal alternative. Monarch envelopes are a type of baronial envelopes, but only come in one size (3 ⅞” x 7 ½”).

They are commonly used for:

  • Formal announcements
  • Wedding invitations
  • Hand-lettered notes

Baronial and Monarch Envelope Size Chart

Shop baronial and Monarch envelope sizes:

No. 4 Baronial Envelopes
No. 5 ½ Baronial Envelopes
No. 6 Baronial Envelopes
Monarch Envelopes
Lee Envelopes

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Catalog and Manila Envelope Sizes

Catalog envelopes are constructed using Kraft paper or Manila or other card stocks, with a strong center seam and a heavily gummed flap along the shorter dimension. They’re the perfect size for sending paper documents that can’t be folded, and their strong construction makes them durable and ideal for mailing heavy-weight materials.

They are commonly used for:

  • Catalogs
  • Large booklets
  • Annual reports
  • Documents and contracts
  • Brochures
  • Sales materials

Catalog and Manila Envelope Size Chart

Shop catalog and manila envelope sizes:

No.1 Catalog Envelopes
No. 10 ½ Catalog Envelopes
No. 13 ½ Catalog Envelopes

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Square Envelope Sizes

Square envelopes are a modern and stylish square shape (surprise!) with side seams and contemporary flat flap.

PRO TIP: The United States Postal Service considers square envelopes to be a non-standard, “non-machineable” size, so they require an extra $0.44 (or more, depending on size) in postage per letter in addition to the normal postage required.

They are commonly used for:

  • Announcements
  • Card making
  • Invitations
  • Holiday cards
  • Greeting cards

Square Envelope Size Chart

Shop square envelope sizes:

No. 5 Square Envelopes
No. 5 ½ Square Envelopes
No. 6 Square Envelopes
No. 6 ½ Square Envelopes
No. 7 Square Envelopes
No. 8 Square Envelopes
No. 8 ½ Square Envelopes
No. 9 ½ Square Envelopes

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Small Envelope Sizes

Coin and Mini-lope Envelope Sizes

Coin envelopes and mini-lopes are small specialty envelopes that are typically too small to mail, but they’re ideal for hand-delivered notes, coins, or gift cards. Mini-lopes are more decorative with eye-catching colors and styles, while coin envelopes are also commonly made of Manila card stock.

Coin and Mini-lope Envelope Size Chart

Shop coin and mini-lope envelope sizes:

No. 1 Coin Envelopes
Mini-lopes

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Wrapping Up

Envelopes come in copious styles and sizes, which can make it tricky to know which envelope to use for what purpose. The good news is that there are no “rules” when it comes to selecting an envelope, and you can usually adopt the “if I fits, I sits” approach (IYKYK). So long as the envelope contains the item you are sending and it meets postal regulations, you can send it on its way knowing it will arrive.

Shop all envelope sizes:

Business Envelopes
Announcement Envelopes
Square Envelopes
The Definitive Envelope Size Guide: Your Handbook to Standard Envelope Sizes - The Paper Mill Blog (2024)
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