Letter vs A4: Which Paper Size for Your Calendar?

When you print a calendar, one setting matters more than any other: the paper size. Pick the wrong one and your calendar comes out cut off or shrunken. For calendars, it comes down to two options -- US Letter and A4.

The Short Answer

• In the United States, Canada, and Mexico: use US Letter.
• Almost everywhere else in the world: use A4.

The rule is simple: choose the size that matches the paper already loaded in your printer. Every calendar generator on this site lets you pick Letter or A4 before you print or download.

How They Differ

A4 is a little narrower and about 18 mm taller than Letter. It is a small difference, but it is enough that a calendar sized for one will not fit the other perfectly -- which is why matching the setting to your paper matters.

Why You Should Not 'Just Scale to Fit'

It is tempting to leave the generator on the wrong size and rely on your printer's Fit to page option. Avoid this. Scaling distorts the proportions of the grid, shrinks your writing space, and can leave uneven margins. Setting the correct paper size from the start always produces a cleaner result.

Which Should You Choose for a Wall Calendar?

For a monthly wall calendar, either size works well in landscape orientation -- just use whichever your printer holds. If you plan to frame it or slide it into a standard document sleeve, match the size to that sleeve. For a year-at-a-glance sheet, the taller A4 gives twelve months a touch more vertical room, while Letter's extra width suits a four-columns-by-three-rows layout.

Putting It Together

Paper size is a 5-second decision with an outsized effect on your final print. Choose Letter in North America or A4 elsewhere, set it in the generator, and follow our home printing guide for the remaining print-dialog settings. Do that, and your calendar fills the page every time.

All of our calendar generators support both Letter and A4, are completely free, and require no account.