What are common poster sizes ( Inches & Cm ) in Australia?
The most common poster sizes in Australia are A0 (841 × 1189 mm), A1 (594 × 841 mm) and A2 (420 × 594 mm). A0 is the standard large poster; A1 is the usual shop-window and event poster; A2 suits a notice board or a wall menu.
Poster size chart — mm, cm and inches
Millimetres are the definition under ISO 216 and are exact. Centimetres and inches are converted from them.
| Size | Millimetres | Centimetres | Inches |
|---|---|---|---|
| A0 | 841 × 1189 mm | 84.1 × 118.9 cm | 33.11 × 46.81 in |
| A1 | 594 × 841 mm | 59.4 × 84.1 cm | 23.39 × 33.11 in |
| A2 | 420 × 594 mm | 42.0 × 59.4 cm | 16.54 × 23.39 in |
| A3 | 297 × 420 mm | 29.7 × 42.0 cm | 11.69 × 16.54 in |
| A4 | 210 × 297 mm | 21.0 × 29.7 cm | 8.27 × 11.69 in |
| A5 | 148 × 210 mm | 14.8 × 21.0 cm | 5.83 × 8.27 in |
| A6 | 105 × 148 mm | 10.5 × 14.8 cm | 4.13 × 5.83 in |
| A7 | 74 × 105 mm | 7.4 × 10.5 cm | 2.91 × 4.13 in |
| A8 | 52 × 74 mm | 5.2 × 7.4 cm | 2.05 × 2.91 in |
| A9 | 37 × 52 mm | 3.7 × 5.2 cm | 1.46 × 2.05 in |
| A10 | 26 × 37 mm | 2.6 × 3.7 cm | 1.02 × 1.46 in |
A0 is exactly one square metre, and every size below it is the one above folded in half. The ratio is always 1 : √2, which is why artwork scales between A sizes without anything being cropped.
The B series, and the US sizes you will run into
Australia uses the A series. You will occasionally meet B sizes — which sit between the A sizes and are used for larger posters and book covers — and US poster sizes, which turn up in templates downloaded from overseas.
| Name | Size | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| B1 | 707 × 1000 mm | ISO B series — between A0 and A1 |
| B2 | 500 × 707 mm | ISO B series — between A1 and A2 |
| Small US poster | 11 × 17 in (279 × 432 mm) | US — close to A3 |
| Medium US poster | 18 × 24 in (457 × 610 mm) | US — close to A2 |
| Large US poster | 24 × 36 in (610 × 914 mm) | US — close to A1 |
| US Letter | 8.5 × 11 in (216 × 279 mm) | US equivalent of A4 |
If you are working from a US template, check the dimensions before you send it to print — 24 × 36 inches is not A1, and the difference shows up as a white strip or a trimmed edge.
Which poster size should you use?
Work back from how far away it is read, not from what looks big on screen.
| Size | Read from | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| A0 | Across a room, 5 m+ | Trade show graphics, cinema-style posters, large notices |
| A1 | 3–5 m | Shop windows, event posters, seating charts, exhibition boards |
| A2 | 2–3 m | Wall menus, notice boards, real estate window cards |
| A3 | 1–2 m | Counter signage, table menus, school notices |
| A4 | Arm's length | Flyers, price lists, handouts |
The lettering rule that decides it
The working rule is about 25 mm of capital letter height for every metre of viewing distance.
| Read from | Minimum cap height | Fits comfortably on |
|---|---|---|
| 1 m | 25 mm | A4, A3 |
| 3 m | 75 mm | A2, A1 |
| 5 m | 125 mm | A1, A0 |
| 10 m | 250 mm | A0 and larger, or a banner |
A headline that fails this rule does not get fixed by going up a size — it gets fixed by using fewer words.
Printing a poster that has to last
Paper is fine indoors and behind glass. Outdoors, on a gate, a fence or a shop window in the sun, it does not last a week. The signage equivalents at the same visual sizes:
Our standard corflute sign is 600 × 900 mm — within a few millimetres of A1 — and it is waterproof and rigid. For something that stands up by itself at an entrance, a pull up banner is 800 × 2000 mm. For a footpath, an A-frame sign takes a replaceable insert. Past A0, a printed sheet stops being practical and fabric or vinyl banners are what scale.
Everything is printed in our own factory in Derrimut, Melbourne and dispatched within 24 hours of proof approval. You can add your own wording to a ready-made design online for free, or send print-ready artwork. Custom sizing is available if none of the standard sizes fit.
Related: A1 size in cm · A5 size in cm · Is A3 bigger than A4? · A1 vs A2 vs A3
