The short answer: a dot grid notebook with numbered pages, an index spread and paper at 100 gsm or heavier is the best bullet journal notebook for a beginner. The LEUCHTTURM1917 Bullet Journal Edition 2 is the one most beginners should start with, because it arrives with the key, index and future log pages already printed, so you can start writing on page one instead of researching spreads for a week.
I have kept bullet journals on and off for years, and the pattern is always the same. The people who keep one are not the people with the fanciest notebook; they are the people whose notebook was comfortable to write in from the first page. Paper weight and a binding that stays flat do more for consistency than any cover design.
One quick clarification before the list. Bullet Journal is a registered method with a registered name, and the official Edition 2 notebook is a specific product. What we are ranking here is the broader category that searchers mean: dot grid notebooks, sometimes called dotted notebooks or dot grid journals, which any system can be built in. That is why you will see Leuchtturm1917, PAPERAGE, Dingbats-adjacent designs, Scribbles That Matter and TIEFOSSI on the same list; they are all blank dotted notebooks, and the method lives in the pages you create, not the brand on the cover.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Bullet Journal Notebooks for Beginners in 2026
Leuchtturm1917 Edition 2
- 120 GSM paper
- 204 numbered dot-grid pages
- Key
- index and future log printed in
PAPERAGE Dotted Journal
- 100 gsm acid-free ivory paper
- Lay-flat thread binding
- Expandable back pocket
All 8 Bullet Journal Notebooks at a Glance
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Leuchtturm1917 Bullet Journal Edition 2 |
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| PAPERAGE Dotted Journal 160 Pages |
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| And Per Se A5 Dotted Journal |
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 SeQeS A5 Bullet Dotted Journal |
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 VIVID SCRIBBLES A5 Bullet Journal |
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 feela Dotted Journal Kit 224 Pages |
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 Scribbles That Matter Black Paper |
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 TIEFOSSI 160gsm Dot Journal |
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1. LEUCHTTURM1917 Bullet Journal Edition 2 – Best Overall for Beginners
LEUCHTTURM1917 368952 Bullet Journal Edition 2 Green23, Medium A5, Hardcover, 206 Numbered Pages,Dotted
120 GSM paper
204 numbered dot-grid pages
A5 hardcover 8.27 x 5.7 in
Lay-flat thread binding
Pros
- Built-in key index and future log pages
- 120 GSM paper resists bleed from most pens
- Thread-bound cover stays flat
- BuJo pocket guide doubles as a ruler
- Sticker sheet included for monthly logs
Cons
- Front matter reduces usable page count
- Dot spacing feels tight for large headers
- Sticker and index pages take writable space
Of the eight notebooks on this list, this is the one I hand to someone who says they have never bullet journaled before. It arrives with a Bullet Key, an Index, a Future Log and a BuJo pocket guide that doubles as a page ruler, which removes the single biggest reason people abandon the system in month one: staring at a blank dotted page with no idea where to start.
The paper is 120 GSM, sustainably sourced, and it is a real step up from the 80 GSM paper that makes many first notebooks frustrating. I wrote with gel pens, a fineliner and a mid-weight fountain pen and got no bleed-through and only faint ghosting on the heaviest ink. That matters because a bullet journal spread you cannot read on the reverse page is a spread you will avoid using.
One thing to know before you buy: 206 printed pages does not mean 206 pages of usable spread. The key, index, future log and grid guide take a slice at the front, and the sticker sheet eats more. In practice I plan around roughly a year of daily entries plus a handful of collection spreads, which is normal for the format.
The hardcover is faux leather over board and thread-sewn, so it stays open at about 180 degrees. I write with my hand braced on the page, and the pen loop on later models is not included here, but the flat binding removes the need for one. If you want a pen tethered to the book, pair it with a slim elastic band or accept the small inconvenience.
Who this notebook suits
Pick this one if you want the scaffolding built in, if you have never set up a spread before, or if you would rather read a printed future log than build one on a blank page. It is also the safest choice if you plan to write every day, because a year of daily logs fits and the paper will not punish you for using a fountain pen on a busy spread.
It is a hardcover at 8.27 by 5.7 inches, so it lives on a desk or in a bag rather than a coat pocket. The Smart Grid and Grid Guide pages with subtle status markers are a nice touch that most dotted notebooks skip.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you want the widest possible canvas for hand lettering or big brush titles. The dot spacing is on the tight side, and the front matter removes room from an already standard page count. People who draw more than they plan usually prefer the 200-page options later in this list.
Also skip it if you are drawn to black paper or heavy art supplies and want one notebook for everything. At 120 GSM it handles markers well enough for planning, but it is not the paper you want for alcohol markers on both sides of the page.
2. PAPERAGE Dotted Journal – Best Value with the Biggest Review Base
PAPERAGE Dotted Journal Notebook, (Black), 160 Pages, Medium 5.6 in x 8 in – 100 GSM Thick Paper – Hardcover Journaling Notebook for Work, School & Bullet Journaling
100 gsm acid-free ivory paper
160 dotted pages
8 x 5.63 in hardcover
Back pocket and elastic
Pros
- Well under the price of the premium notebooks
- 100 gsm paper takes gel pens and fineliners cleanly
- Thread-bound lay-flat construction
- Expandable back pocket with label sheet
- Dozens of colour and style variants
Cons
- Pages are not numbered
- No index or key page
- No pen loop
- Light ghosting with wet markers
With more than 20,000 reviews averaging 4.7 stars, this is the most proven notebook in the group, and it is the one I recommend for anyone unsure whether bullet journaling will stick. You are testing the habit, not the accessory, so spending heavily at this point is a mistake. This hardcover gives you a real notebook at a budget price and the paper is better than the price suggests.
Paper is 100 GSM acid-free ivory, which handles gel pens, fineliners and pencil without bleed-through in my testing. Ghosting shows up with wet markers and fountain pens left sitting for a minute, which is a fair trade at this tier. The thread-bound cover lies flat for left-handed and right-handed writers alike, and there is a single ribbon bookmark plus an elastic closure.
The biggest limitation is structural rather than material: the pages are not numbered and there is no index. You will number the first few pages yourself with a fine tip pen, which takes about ten minutes and is a good exercise in the method anyway. If that setup step feels like friction to you, jump to the Leuchtturm1917 instead.
Because there is no printed key or future log, everything comes from you. That sounds like a con, but plenty of people prefer a truly blank book and treat the freedom as the point. Colour choice is broad, so if the aesthetic matters to you there are plenty of options, and the same listing family includes grid and lined variants if dotted pages turn out not to be for you.
Who this notebook suits
This is the pick for anyone who wants to try bullet journaling cheaply, keeps a written journal already, or wants a second book for travel. The 5.6 by 8 inch footprint is close to A5 but slightly wider, which gives spreads a bit more breathing room than a strict A5.
It also suits people who write with dry media only. Fineliners, gel pens, rollerballs and pencil are all comfortable here, and if you are not planning markers, watercolour or fountain pens, the 100 GSM paper is more than enough.
Who should skip it
Skip it if fountain pens are your main tool or if you want an index, numbered pages and a key without doing the setup yourself. Those are real gaps for a method built on page numbers, and they are the reason this sits at number two rather than first.
Reviewers also flag the ribbon bookmark as feeling inexpensive, and it is the part of the book that wears first. If you want the tactile feel of a premium hardcover, spend up and move to a 160 GSM option instead.
3. And Per Se A5 Dotted Journal – Best Budget Pick
&And Per Se Dotted Journal Notebook, A5 Hardcover Leather Bullet Dotted Journal, 160 Pages 100 gsm Thick Paper, 3 Sheets of Stickers Included – 5.7” x 8” （Green）
100 gsm thick paper
160 pages at 8 x 5.7 in
PU leather hardcover
Two ribbon bookmarks
Pros
- Lowest cost hardcover on this list
- 100 GSM performs with fountain and gel pens
- 180-degree lay-flat binding
- Two ribbon bookmarks and elastic
- Three sticker sheets plus back pocket
Cons
- Alcohol markers bleed to the reverse
- Bulky for heavy collage use
- Some covers have low-resolution printing
- Some variants have no index page
This is the cheapest hardcover on the list, and the one I would buy for a gift or as a spare for someone who loses notebooks every few months. At 100 GSM the paper is described as roughly 20 percent thicker than standard notebook stock, and in practice it behaves like a good mid-tier dotted notebook for dry pens and most fountain pen inks.
The binding is rated at 180 degrees, so the spread stays flat while you write, and there are two ribbon bookmarks rather than one. A back pocket and three sticker sheets are included, which sounds like a small thing until you are three months in and need somewhere to keep a receipt or a folded tracker page.
The honest weakness is the marker story. Alcohol-based pens can bleed through to the reverse at 100 GSM, so this is a planning notebook rather than an art notebook. If your idea of bullet journaling includes heavy colour on both sides, the 160 GSM picks further down handle that far better.
It also runs bulky. The hardcover plus 160 pages gets chunky in a bag, and if you plan to do dense collage work with glue and extra paper, the thickness becomes noticeable. The cover printing quality varies between designs, with a few buyers mentioning pixelated patterns on certain variants, so pick a solid colour if that bothers you.
Who this notebook suits
It suits first-timers working on a strict budget, students who want a hardcover without spending much, and anyone who wants to experiment with colour options before committing to one notebook style. Multi-packs and 365-page variants exist in the same family if you want to buy in bulk.
It is a good fit for people who write with fountain pens at normal ink flow. At 100 GSM with two ribbon bookmarks and a lay-flat binding, it delivers most of what a beginner asks for at a fraction of the price of the premium sets.
Who should skip it
Skip it for heavy marker art, for people who need an index page in the book, and for anyone who wants a notebook that looks identical to the premium brands. The value here is functional, not decorative, and the finishing on patterned covers is inconsistent.
If you are still deciding whether you like dotted pages at all, this is actually a fine budget way to find out. Buy it, write in it for a month, and if the format grabs you, move to a 160 GSM notebook for the second book.
4. SeQeS A5 Bullet Dotted Journal – Best 160 GSM Paper for the Money
SeQeS A5 Bullet Dotted Journal Notebook | 160gsm Thick Bleedproof Paper, Lay Flat Binding, 160 Numbered Pages | Hard Cover Dot Grid Notebook/Bullet Journals for Creatives & Professionals-olive
160 GSM bleed-resistant paper
160 numbered pages
8.25 x 5.7 in fabric hardcover
Lay-flat binding with pen loop
Pros
- 160 GSM resists fountain pen and marker bleed
- Reinforced binding holds at 180 degrees
- Numbered pages with pen loop and dual bookmarks
- Sticker sheets and mini metal stencil included
- Large inner pocket and elastic
Cons
- Some copies arrive with loose pages or detached ribbons
- Gilded edges can discolour
- Cover material varies between designs
- No contents pages on some designs
This is the notebook I recommend when someone tells me they ruin pages with a fountain pen. The paper is 160 GSM, engineered to resist bleed-through, ghosting and feathering, and with flex nibs and markers I got a clean reverse side on almost every spread. If bleed-through is the thing that stopped you keeping a journal before, this is the fix.
It is also the most complete feature set in the budget tier. Pages are numbered, there is a pen loop, two ribbon bookmarks, a large inner pocket and an elastic closure, plus two sticker sheets and a mini metal stencil that helps beginners build headers without drawing them freehand.
The trade-off is finishing quality. Buyers report occasional copies arriving with loose first pages or a detached ribbon bookmark, and the gilded page edges are not always even against certain cover designs. The cover material also varies by design, with some variants using faux leather rather than the fabric-textured finish shown in the listing.
There is one size caveat. The listed dimensions are 8.25 by 5.7 inches, which is A5 in spirit but runs a touch under strict A5, so paper cut to A5 will overhang very slightly. If you plan to use printable A5 inserts or a binder, check that first.
Who this notebook suits
This suits fountain pen users, marker doodlers and anyone upgrading from a thin budget notebook who is still nervous about ink. It also fits people who want pen storage in the book, since the pen loop is one of the features most of this list omits.
The stencil and sticker sheets matter more than they sound for a first-timer. They give you a template for weekly layouts on pages where you would otherwise stare at dots and give up, which is the moment most systems die.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you care about consistent finishing. Quality control on the binding and the gilding is the recurring complaint across reviews, and for some people a book that arrives with a detached ribbon is a bad enough first impression to sour the whole experience.
Skip it if you need exactly A5 dimensions, or if you want more than 160 writable pages. For a full year of daily logs plus collections, the 200-page option later in this list is the better shape.
5. VIVID SCRIBBLES A5 Bullet Journal – Best for More Writable Pages
VIVID SCRIBBLES A5 Bullet DOTTED Journal – 160GSM Bleed-Proof Dotted Notebook with 200 Numbered Dot Grid Pages, Lay-Flat Hardcover with Pen Loop & Expandable Pocket (Purple Moon Design)
160 GSM bleed-resistant paper
200 numbered 5mm dot pages
8.27 x 5.83 in linen hardcover
Three ribbon bookmarks
Pros
- 200 numbered pages gives more room than most A5 journals
- 160 GSM handles fountain pens and markers
- True flat-lay binding across both pages
- Three ribbons plus pen loop and back pocket
- Planner stickers and keepsake box included
Cons
- Linen cover is stiff and bulky
- Comes as a styled set rather than a plain notebook
- Fewer colour and design options
The headline number here is 200 numbered 5mm dot grid pages, and that is why this one wins for people who write more than they plan. Daily logs eat pages fast, and a collection spread with a tracker, a reading list and a monthly review can eat ten more. Two hundred pages means you finish a notebook at a sensible pace rather than at an awkward half-used state.
Paper is 160 GSM, tested with fountain pens, fineliners, gel pens and markers, and I got no bleed and very little ghosting with wet fountain pen ink. The binding is a true flat lay across both pages rather than a partial lay-flat, which matters more than most specs suggest when you are drawing boxes across a spread.
Three ribbon bookmarks is an unusually generous number. In practice I use one for the current month, one for a reference spread like the key, and one for the future log, so you are not constantly flipping back through pages to check a date.
What you get is a complete set rather than a bare notebook. It arrives with planner stickers and a keepsake gift box, which makes it a strong gift option. The flip side is that you cannot try a plain dotted page first, so if dotted pages are new to you, the budget pick earlier in this list is the lower-risk test.
Who this notebook suits
This suits daily writers, people tracking multiple habits, and anyone who finished their last notebook in a few months and felt the loss of a half-empty book. It also suits people who want to gift a bullet journal setup to someone else, since the box makes it feel finished.
If you work with 5mm dot spacing as your own rhythm, the grid matches the common standard rather than a denser or looser variant. That consistency keeps your handwriting, headers and boxes aligned across a whole year.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you need a soft, flexible cover. The linen-textured board is noticeably stiffer and bulkier than a leather-bound journal, and the whole book is heavier, so it is less pleasant to carry than an A5 softcover.
It is also a heavier commitment for a total beginner who might not like the format. Know that you are buying into a styled set with its own visual language rather than a blank notebook you will shape yourself.
6. feela Dotted Journal Kit – Best Starter Kit for First-Timers
feela Dotted Journal Kit, Dot Grid Journal Hardcover Planner Notebook Set For Beginners Women Girls Note Taking with Journaling Supplies Stencils Stickers Pens Accessories, A5, 224 Pages, Pink
A5 kit with 224 dotted pages
15 fineliners, stencils, washi
Includes 1 black pen
8.2 x 5.7 in hardcover
Pros
- Journal pens stencils
- stickers and washi in one box
- 224 pages is the largest count here
- Thread-bound cover stays together
- Slim washi fits the dot grid and re-sticks
- Stencils template layouts for nervous beginners
Cons
- Thinner paper bleeds with permanent markers
- Bundled black pen runs dry and bubbles
- Thread binding must be held open
- Accessories get misplaced
This is the one to buy if the reason you have not started is that you do not know what to buy. Inside the box you get the journal, 15 fineliner pens, one black pen, five reusable stencils, six sticker sheets and six washi tapes. It removes the shopping list problem entirely, and for a genuine beginner that is worth more than a marginal difference in paper weight.
The journal itself is A5, 224 pages, with 925 dotted grids at 25 by 37 dots per page. The thread-bound hardcover does not loosen with use, and the page count is the largest of any A5 kit here, which means a full year of daily logs plus collection spreads with room to spare.
Two details deserve credit. The washi tape is slim enough to sit inside the dot grid without pushing it out of alignment, and it re-sticks when lifted, which is not true of thicker decorative tape. The stencils also give you shapes for headers and boxes when freehand drawing feels like a test you are failing.
Now the honest part. The paper is on the thinner side, and permanent markers such as Sharpies will bleed through. The bundled black pen is reported to run dry and bubble with heavy use, so treat it as a placeholder and buy your own ink. Thread binding also means you hold the book open with one hand while writing with the other, which gets tiring across a long spread.
Who this notebook suits
This suits absolute beginners, people buying a gift for someone curious about bullet journaling, and anyone who wants hand lettering practice without buying supplies one at a time. Fifteen fineliners is more than most people will use, and having them in the box removes the excuse of not having the right pen.
It also suits people who like structure in the physical sense. Ten colour options and a coordinated box make the whole setup feel like one object rather than a notebook surrounded by loose accessories on a desk.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you write with fountain pens or alcohol markers. At this paper weight you will be fighting bleed-through constantly, and the extras will not compensate for ink on the reverse of every spread.
Skip it if you dislike clutter. Thirty-plus accessories in one box is a lot to keep organised, and reviewers frequently mention losing pens and stencils. If you already own a good pen and prefer a bare notebook, the value here is largely wasted on you.
7. Scribbles That Matter Black Paper Journal – Best for Blackout Pages and Art
Scribbles That Matter Black Paper Bullet Dotted Journal Notebook | A5 Starry Night Free white gel pen | 160gsm Blackout no-bleed dot grid paper | For Men and Women | 5.75 x 8.5 in | Black
160 gsm blackout dot grid paper
A5 at 5.75 x 8.5 in
Vegan leather with lay-flat binding
Key code, index and pen test pages
Pros
- True black pages stop bleed from light pens
- 160 GSM takes markers and paint on both sides
- Pre-numbered with key
- index and pen test pages
- Lay-flat binding with flexible pen loop
- White gel pen and edge ruler included
Cons
- Needs light pens only
- Low visibility in dim light
- Stickers lift the paper top layer
- Larger footprint than other A5 options
Black pages are not a gimmick here. The 160 GSM blackout dot grid stops light gel pens and metallic watercolour from showing through, so you can write and paint on both sides of the page. For anyone who draws, hand letters or does digital-style layouts on paper, this solves the problem white pages create.
It is also the most thoughtfully organised notebook on the list for the method itself. Pages arrive pre-numbered with a key-code page, three index pages and two pen test pages. Those pen test pages are a real feature: you can run your own inks across two pages before committing, which is exactly the habit the pen-testing community on r/bulletjournal recommends before buying an expensive book.
The cover is vegan leather with a lay-flat binding and a flexible pen loop, and two colour-coded bookmarks let you separate the current section from reference pages. A white gel pen, an edge divider ruler, stickers and a bujo storage sleeve are included, so the first session is fully equipped.
There is a learning curve with light pens, and it is real. Standard dark gel ink disappears, so you need to shift your whole kit, not just one pen. The grey dots and page numbers are also hard to see in low light, which matters if you journal at night in a dim room, and adhesive cannot be moved without the paper top layer peeling.
Who this notebook suits
This suits artists, hand lettering hobbyists and anyone who wants one book for planning and creative work together. Because the pen test pages are printed in, you can verify your inks work on this paper before you commit to the whole notebook, which removes the biggest risk of buying dark pages.
It also suits people who have tried dotted notebooks and found plain white pages too exposed. Working on black changes how layouts feel, and many users describe it as more satisfying to write on.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you do not want to switch to light-coloured pens. That is the single deal-breaker, and it cannot be worked around with habit or technique, because dark ink on black paper is simply invisible.
Skip it if you carry a large notebook already. At 5.75 by 8.5 inches it is the biggest footprint in this roundup, and it will not fit a small bag the way a pocket notebook will. Some buyers also want white pages for everyday writing, which is a fair preference.
8. TIEFOSSI 160gsm Dot Journal – Best Rated for Everyday Writing
TIEFOSSI Dot Journal Notebook for Women Men, 160GSM Notebook
160 gsm high-density paper
190 numbered pages
A5 at 8.3 x 5.8 in
Hot-stamped faux leather cover
Pros
- Highest average rating in the group
- 160 gsm resists ink absorption on the reverse
- 190 pages is close to a year of daily logs
- 5mm dot grid with even alignment
- Two ribbons
- back pocket and bonus bookmark
Cons
- Black and silver hot stamping shows fingerprints and wear
- Fewer built-in journaling aids than the kits
- Plain dotted format with no printed scaffolding
This one carries the highest average rating in the group and a 92 percent five-star share, and the paper is the reason. At 160 GSM it resists ink absorption on the reverse side, so fountain pens and markers behave the way people assume paper should behave. For pure daily writing quality, that is as good as it gets at this size.
There are 190 numbered pages, which works out to roughly a year of daily entries with a little room for monthly logs, and the 5mm dot grid spacing stays consistent across the book. Two ribbon bookmarks, a back pocket and a bonus sun and moon themed bookmark come included, so navigation is covered.
The honest weakness is that it gives you nothing to start with. There is no printed key, index, future log or pen test section, so the setup work falls on you. For a confident journaler that is a feature, because the method stays entirely yours. For a nervous first-timer it is one more reason to feel you are doing it wrong.
The hot-stamped faux leather cover gives it a premium look, though the black and silver stamping shows fingerprints and wears at the corners over time. At 8.3 by 5.8 inches it is slightly larger than A5, similar to the other 160 GSM hardcover on this list.
Who this notebook suits
This suits people who already keep a journal and are choosing their next one on paper quality, and it suits fountain pen users who want clean pages without moving up to a larger or heavier format. The even 5mm grid is stable enough for shorthand, collage planning and consistent box layouts.
If you like building your own system, the lack of printed scaffolding means nothing is imposed. You build the key and index on your own terms, and the extra pages all go to content rather than printed reference.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you want help getting started. There are no built-in journaling aids here, so if you are starting from zero, one of the notebooks with a printed key and index will get you writing on day one instead of day one plus a research session.
Skip it if cover longevity matters to you. Hot stamping on faux leather wears visibly, and reviewers who carry their notebooks in a bag notice it sooner than those who leave them on a desk.
How to Choose Your First Dot Grid Notebook
Paper weight decides more than any other spec. It is measured in gsm, and higher numbers mean thicker paper that takes more time for ink to travel through. The practical groupings are straightforward.
At 80 gsm you get thin, cheap pages where a fountain pen or felt pen will bleed to the reverse and most wet markers ghost badly. This weight shows up in very cheap notebooks and is best reserved for pencil. At 100 gsm you get a genuine step up, and dry media plus normal-flow fountain pen inks are comfortable. At 120 gsm you can push into wetter fountain pen ink and light markers with minimal ghosting. At 160 gsm you can write on both sides of the page with markers, paint on it and stop worrying about it.
Paper weight and which pen to pair with it
Match the pen to the weight and you will avoid most disappointments. With 100 gsm paper, use fineliners, gel pens, rollerballs, pencils and highlighters with a light touch. Avoid permanent markers and flex nibs, which pool ink and soak through. Wet or dry erasing pencil is fine on all weights, but the tooth of 160 GSM gives a slightly grainier pencil line that some people prefer.
With 120 gsm you can add a moderate fountain pen with a fine or medium nib and most acrylic markers, provided you let ink sit before turning the page. With 160 gsm the list opens up to alcohol markers, brush pens, watercolour and gel highlighters on both sides. If you are unsure, run two pages with the pens you actually own, wait a few minutes and turn the sheet over.
A5 vs B5 vs pocket: what a beginner actually needs
A5 is the right default for almost everyone. It is around 8.27 by 5.7 inches, fits in most bags, and leaves enough room for a daily spread with room for a small tracker or habit grid. Nearly every notebook on this list is A5 or within an inch of it, and none of them are B5.
B5 is larger, closer to 7 by 10 inches, and gives you a full two-page spread with real space for hand lettering, mind maps or weekly layouts with several columns. The cost is bulk and a higher price. Pocket size is the opposite, and it suits people who write in short bursts on the go rather than sitting down for a spread. My advice for a first-timer is A5, and moving up or down only once you know how you actually use the pages.
Six features worth paying for, and two you can skip
In priority order, look for these six. Numbered pages matter because the index only works if pages have numbers. A dot grid at roughly 5mm spacing gives you enough structure for alignment and enough freedom for drawing. Paper at 100 gsm or above decides whether you will keep writing. A lay-flat or thread-bound binding stops the book fighting you mid-spread. Two ribbon bookmarks let you hold more than one section at once, and a back pocket catches the small loose pages that arrive in every notebook.
A printed index, key and future log is a strong bonus rather than a requirement, because you can build them in ten minutes. You can also skip a pen loop, which is convenient but not essential, and elastic closures are nice on paper but rarely decide the purchase. Do not chase a premium cover until you know how long you will actually write.
Setting up your first bullet journal in five steps
Start by numbering the first 20 or so pages in the bottom corner. Use the next two pages for an index, leaving room to add lines as your system grows. Add a key page defining your symbols, such as a dot for a task, a circle for an event and a triangle for a note.
Then build a future log for the next six months, followed by a monthly log with a simple calendar and your top three priorities for that month. From there each day gets one spread: a header with the date, tasks on the left, notes or a tracker on the right. Finally, keep two pages at the back as collection pages and add a new index line every time you create a section.
Do that on your first notebook and you have the whole system. One more piece of advice: if you are unsure whether you will stick with it, start with the budget pick on this list rather than the most expensive one. That approach is not unique to journals; it runs through all of our beginner guides, including our beginner’s flute guide, our wood carving kit guide and our metal detector guide. Buy something you can experiment with, learn the craft, then invest once the habit exists.
Frequently Asked Questions
What notebook is best for bullet journaling?
Is A5 or B5 better for journaling?
What paper weight is best for a bullet journal?
What is the best bullet journal that does not bleed through?
What to put in a bullet journal for beginners?
Is bujo good for ADHD?
Is bujo a waste of time?
Are 160gsm bullet journals overkill for plain writing?
The Verdict
If you want one notebook to start bullet journaling in 2026 and you have no idea where to begin, get the Leuchtturm1917 Bullet Journal Edition 2. The printed key, index and future log pages mean you are writing on day one, and 120 GSM paper keeps fountain pen ink and markers from ruining your spreads.
If you want to test the habit cheaply, the PAPERAGE journal is the proven value pick with the largest review base on this list, and the And Per Se A5 is the cheaper route into a hardcover with two ribbon bookmarks. If you already know you will write every day and want a full year of pages in one book, the VIVID SCRIBBLES 200-page journal or the TIEFOSSI 190-page model give you the most writable space per notebook.
Whichever you pick, run a pen test on two pages before you commit to the layout. That single habit removes more bad purchases than any list, including this one.