Journal Printing

high quality journal printing
journal magazine printing
custom journal printing
Journal Printing
Journal Printing Service
high quality journal printing
journal magazine printing
custom journal printing
Journal Printing
Journal Printing Service
100% satisfation Guaranteed
We print clear, well-designed journals for scientific institutions, educational establishments, research organizations, businesses and others, using only the latest offset printing technology.

Journals play a vital role in the dissemination of important information, sharing research, ideas, and fresh developments for assessment, critique, and peer review by a body of professionals and academics with an interest in the field.

QinPrinting is your go-to printer for professional, scientific, and academic journals. We have over 25 years of experience working in the industry, an expert team with a deep understanding of your needs, state-of-the-art offset printing technology at our disposal, and a sincere commitment to customer service.

Instant Quote

Quantity
We are an offset printer, rather than a digital or print-on-demand service, so we must impose a minimum order quantity (MOQ). We’ve set ours as low as possible, at 100 units. But with offset printing, the higher the quantity you order in a single print run, the lower the cost-per-unit.
Size
Choose preset dimensions from the dropdown menu or click “CUSTOM SIZE” to enter your own custom dimensions.
Please use the format, width x height;
size
so, 5.5" x 8.5" would mean 5.5" wide and 8.5" high.
The possible size range is 3.74" to 11.69" in width or height, allowing for portrait or landscape orientation.
Cover
The cover is composed of four pages. They are the front cover, the inside front cover, the inside back cover, and the back cover.
Cover Paper
If you need special paper not shown in the dropdown menu, please contact us.

1 gsm ≈ 0.68 lb Cover Paper

Lamination
We laminate only the outside of the cover.
Surface
We offer a comprehensive selection of special surface finishes which we can apply to most covers, with a few limitations. For example, spot UV can only be applied to matte laminated and soft-touch laminated covers.
These options are only suitable for gold or silver foil stamping up to a 5.9" x 1.18" area; and embossing, debossing, or spot UV up to a 7.87" x 1.96" area. If the special finish area you need is larger than this, please contact us to get a quote.
Besides gold and silver foil, we can foil stamp designs in a range of colors. If you need a special color foil stamp or have specific surface requests, please contact us. We’ll be happy to help.
Inner
Page Count
One sheet of paper is equal to two pages.
page-sheet
page-sheet
 
The total page count is a multiple of 4. When printing and binding your book, we fold sheets into “signatures”.
If your book is larger, say, 8.5" x 11" or A4 size, one signature will have 16 pages. So, the inner page amount should be divisible by 16. Making your page counts match signatures is the most economical solution.
Inner Paper
Please select your paper choice for your internal pages from the dropdown menu. If you have a special request not listed here, get in touch. We’ll do everything possible to satisfy your needs.
1 gsm ≈ 0.68 lb Text Paper
Binding
If your book has 48 pages or fewer, we recommend saddle stich as your binding option.
If you have more pages and choose fairly thin paper, such as 80 gsm /54 lb or 105 gsm / 71 lb text paper, we recommend perfect binding.
If your book has heavier interior paper or the page count exceeds 200 pages, sewn perfect binding will be your best choice.
Wire-O and spiral binding are other options and both of them open flat.
perfect binding
sewn perfect binding
wire-o binding
saddle stitch binding
spiral binding
EXW Price 
Calculating
*The price doesn’t include shipping costs.
Estimated weight:
Quantity
We are an offset printer, rather than a digital or print-on-demand service, so we must impose a minimum order quantity (MOQ). We’ve set ours as low as possible, at 100 units. But with offset printing, the higher the quantity you order in a single print run, the lower the cost-per-unit.
Size
Choose preset dimensions from the dropdown menu or click “CUSTOM SIZE” to enter your own custom dimensions.
Please use the format, width x height;
size
so, 5.5" x 8.5" would mean 5.5" wide and 8.5" high.
The possible size range is 3.74" to 11.69" in width or height, allowing for portrait or landscape orientation.
Cover
A hardcover book’s cover is printed on one side only; the outer-facing side. The inside front cover and inside back cover are glued to the end sheets.
Cover Paper
As standard, we wrap the grayboard casing in 157 gsm / 58 lb cover paper. If you need a special material or a solid color paper for the cover, please contact us first to discuss your options.
157 gsm

157 gsm ≈ 58.0 lb Cover Paper

Grey Board Thickness
Lamination
We laminate only the outside of the cover as the inside is glued to the end sheets.
Surface

We offer a comprehensive selection of special surface finishes which we can apply to most covers, with a few limitations. For example, spot UV can only be applied to matte laminated and soft-touch laminated covers.

These options are only suitable for gold or silver foil stamping up to a 5.9" x 1.18" area; and embossing, debossing, or spot UV up to a 7.87" x 1.96" area. If the special finish area you need is larger than this, please contact us to get a quote.

Besides gold and silver foil, we can foil stamp designs in a range of colors. If you need a special color foil stamp or have specific surface requests, please contact us. We’ll be happy to help.
End sheet
The end sheets connect the hardcover casing and the interior pages when binding the book. So, there are two end sheets, one at the front and one at the back and both glued to the grayboard cover.
blank end sheet option
color end sheet option
End Sheet Paper
If your book size is 8.5" x 11" or less with an interior page count of fewer than 320 pages, then a good option for the end sheets is 140 gsm / 95 lb offset paper.
If your book size is larger than 8.5" x 11", then 170 gsm / 115 lb offset paper would be better.
If your end sheets will be printed and your book’s interior uses gloss or matte art paper—say, for an art book or coffee table book—to make sure the colors match well, use 157gsm / 58 lb gloss or matte art paper for your end sheets.
1 gsm ≈ 0.68 lb Text Paper
Inner
Page Count
One sheet of paper is equal to two pages.
page-sheet
page-sheet
 
The total page count is a multiple of 4. When printing and binding your book, we fold sheets into “signatures”.
If your book is larger, say, 8.5" x 11" or A4 size, one signature will have 16 pages. So, the inner page amount should be divisible by 16. Making your page counts match signatures is the most economical solution.
The maximum page count for a hardback book is 800 pages. If your book is more than 800 pages, please contact us for a tailor-made quote.
Inner Paper
Please select your paper choice for your internal pages from the dropdown menu. If you have a special request not listed here, get in touch. We’ll do everything possible to satisfy your needs.
1 gsm ≈ 0.68 lb Text Paper
Binding
We use high-quality sewn hardcover binding which gives a “square” printable spine.
Sewing and hardcover
EXW Price 
Calculating
*The price doesn’t include shipping costs.
Estimated weight:

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Journal Printing Costs

At QinPrinting, we collaborate with a variety of academies, institutions, and other bodies to print high caliber journals of exceptional quality. But we realize that many educational and scientific institutions must work within a limited budget for publication of their journals. That’s why we have a policy of continuous monitoring, analysis, and streamlining of our work processes to ensure that we always deliver excellent journals at a sensible price point.

To obtain an estimate of the cost of printing your journal, check out the at-a-glance price charts. The exact cost of printing your journal with us depends on your paper choices, the cover and interior pages, the numbers you order in a single run, and other options. To get a precise quotation, use our helpful Online Printing Cost Calculator. Unlike most offset printers who impose a MOQ (minimum order quantity) of 1,000 or even more copies, we’ll print as few as 100 at a time. But the more you print in one go, the cheaper it is per journal.

Paperback Journal Printing Price Chart (8.5” x 11”)

All prices listed in USD

Quantity 100pcs 500pcs 1000pcs 2000pcs 5000pcs 10000pcs
Page count
Unit
Total
Unit
Total
Unit
Total
Unit
Total
Unit
Total
Unit
Total
96pp + 4pp
$7.34
$734
$2.08
$1,038
$1.33
$1,333
$1.02
$2,034
$0.84
$4,191
$0.79
$7,850
128pp + 4pp
$9.36
$936
$2.68
$1,338
$1.72
$1,721
$1.31
$2,621
$1.08
$5,420
$1.02
$10,175
160pp + 4pp
$11.36
$1,136
$3.27
$1,637
$2.11
$2,108
$1.60
$3,207
$1.33
$6,649
$1.25
$12,473
  • Please note that all prices are EXW our facility and do not include shipping costs.
  • Cover: 250 gsm / 92 lb coated cover paper with matte lamination.
  • Interior: 100 gsm / 68 lb uncoated text paper, full color printing.
  • Sewing and perfect binding

Spiral Binding Journal Printing Price Chart (5.5" x 8.5”)

All prices listed in USD

Quantity 100pcs 500pcs 1000pcs 2000pcs 5000pcs 10000pcs
Page count
Unit
Total
Unit
Total
Unit
Total
Unit
Total
Unit
Total
Unit
Total
80pp + 4pp
$3.95
$395
$1.24
$620
$0.88
$881
$0.72
$1,434
$0.67
$3,332
$0.62
$6,208
160pp + 4pp
$6.41
$641
$1.99
$993
$1.36
$1,361
$1.09
$2,182
$0.98
$4,916
$0.93
$9,275
240pp + 4pp
$8.98
$898
$2.76
$1,382
$1.88
$1,878
$1.49
$2,986
$1.31
$6,569
$1.23
$12,342
  • Please note that all prices are EXW our facility and do not include shipping costs
  • Cover: 300 gsm / 111 lb coated cover paper with matte lamination
  • Interior: 100 gsm / 68 lb uncoated text paper, full color printing

Hardcover Journal Printing Price Chart (8” x 10” )

All prices listed in USD

Quantity 100pcs 500pcs 1000pcs 2000pcs 5000pcs 10000pcs
Page count
Unit
Total
Unit
Total
Unit
Total
Unit
Total
Unit
Total
Unit
Total
96pp + 4pp
$12.10
$1,210
$3.31
$1,656
$2.37
$2,371
$1.95
$3,897
$1.63
$8,147
$1.55
$15,530
160pp + 4pp
$17.36
$1,736
$4.75
$2,377
$3.26
$3,260
$2.58
$5,164
$2.08
$10,424
$1.99
$19,858
240pp + 4pp
$23.93
$2,393
$6.56
$3,278
$4.37
$4,370
$3.39
$6,776
$2.66
$13,294
$2.53
$25,275
  • Please note that all prices are EXW our facility and do not include shipping costs.
  • Cover: 157 gsm / 58 lb coated cover paper with matte lamination wrapped on 2.5 mm thickness greybeard
  • End sheets: 140 gsm / 95 lb uncoated text paper, blank
  • Inner: 100 gsm / 68 lb uncoated text paper for interior
  • Full color printing

And don’t forget that we’re real people at QinPrinting—not robots or exhausted call center operatives—so, we’re always here to help you with questions. Just contact us by telephone, email, Skype, or our helpful online contact form. One of our printing experts will be happy to assist.

Common Journal Sizes

We can print your journal in any size or format you would like, but remember unusual custom prints are probably unnecessary for most purposes and will often cost more than standard sizes because of the extra pre-press work and setup.

The standard journal sizes in the US are 8.5″ by 11″ and 5.5″ by 8.5″.

In Europe and Australia, the standard sizes are 210 mm x 297 mm and 148 mm x 210 mm.

From a commercial perspective, it may be in your best interests to hold to these formats. They’re established, inexpensive, ideal for mailing, meet reader expectations, and reduce set-up time, leading to a faster turnaround.

Journal Paper Options

The paper you decide on for your journal printing affects its look, quality, and the price you’ll pay. If you print the inside pages of your journal in black-and-white you can opt for lightweight, uncoated paper while if you have a high number of photographs or other graphic elements—such as diagrams, charts and graphs—then heavier, coated paper will give the best results. We’ll be happy to guide and advise you on the most appropriate paper choices for your journal, keeping in mind your budget.

While the specifications depend on your journal’s design, normally we suggest 80 gsm / 54 lb, 105 gsm / 70 lb, 128 gsm / 86 lb, 157 gsm / 106 lb coated paper or 80 gsm / 54 lb, 100 gsm / 68 lb uncoated paper for the inside pages as they furnish a print that’s easy to read while also reproducing images, diagrams, graphs, and photos well.

Usually recommend thinner paper for the inside. But if you print your journal at 8.5” x 11” or larger, using thicker paper for the inside pages is better. For example, 128 gsm / 86 lb, 157 gsm / 106 lb coated paper or 100 gsm / 68 lb uncoated paper.

If it’s a slim journal with 32 pages or fewer and you want perfect binding, then 200 gsm / 135 lb coated paper will be needed to reach the required minimum 3 mm spine width.

Paperback Cover Paper

Hardcover Paper

Interior Paper

You can download a journal cover template to check the spine thickness according to different paper types and page amounts here.

The binding style influences your journal’s cover paper. We make journal covers from heavier, gloss cover paper. But a less expensive option is to use the same paper as your interior. We refer to this as “self-covered”. Saddle stitched or perfect bound bindings are the norm, however, and make your journal look very professional.

Bindings for Journals

The binding you choose reflects your industry or area of study and research, page count, reader expectations, and budget. The most popular choices for professional journals are “saddle stitching” and “perfect binding”.

This means that we make your journal of folded sheets stacked inside each other, typically with a cover sheet of glossy art paper, and then stapled together down the curved edge. The name comes from the original process of sewing the pages together with binding thread, but this is rare and mostly unnecessary these days. Saddle stitch is only possible with a page count divisible by four, up to a maximum of 64 pages. But to make sure the journal is neat and lies flat, we recommend a limit of 48 pages or fewer for this style of binding.

This means that we make your journal of folded sheets stacked inside each other, typically with a cover sheet of glossy art paper, and then stapled together down the spine. The name comes from the original process of sewing the pages together with binding thread, but this is rare and mostly unnecessary these days.

Self-covers are the cheapest choice if you’re really strapped. Saddle stitch is the next cheapest, but has limitations in terms of page counts. Perfect bound costs more in base price, but if your journal has lots of images—so that it needs thicker paper and more pages—it often works out better. The final price always depends on the materials, size, length, and number of copies printed in a single run.

Journal Design and Artwork Tips

Are you preparing the design and layout of your journal yourself or delegating it to a third-party graphic designer? Either way, you must understand how to prepare the files to get them “print-ready”. You’ll need to allow for bleed zones, safety areas, trim lines, and borders, for example, and make sure that the resolution and the color space are correct. With that in mind, please note several useful tips to help you prepare your files for printing.

PDF

Export your files as vectors in PDF format for the best results. Our recommended software options for journal design are Adobe Illustrator or Adobe InDesign. These will also allow you to convert your color space from RGB to CMYK which you will need to do for offset printing.

300dpi

If you can’t deliver vectors — say, if you’re exporting bitmaps from Photoshop — then make sure the resolution is at least 300 DPI. With vectors, you needn’t worry about resolution, but all other images must have a high definition to tolerate resizing without becoming fuzzy and “pixilated”.

3 mm bleed zone

You’ll need to add a “bleed zone” of 3 mm around all your pages. A bleed is an extended zone at the periphery of your images, which falls outside the area that your finished page will cover. Once we’ve printed your pages, we’ll cut them to the exact size needed for your chosen journal format. This “bit extra” gets cut off and makes sure that the finished image fills the page with none of it being lost. You should mark bleed zones as red lines.

trim line 10mm

Inside your bleed zone, don’t forget to mark the “trim lines”. These will define the final dimensions of the finished page. Make sure that any necessary elements of your images stop at least 10 mm short of the trim line.

along the center crease

If an image, diagram, or photo crosses over two pages in a “spread” make sure that nothing essential lies along the center crease.

You can also spice up your journal’s cover surface with a range of special touches such as a glossy or matte finish, varnishing, soft touch lamination, die-cutting, spot UV, metallic foil stamping, and more. You can explore journal cover surface options here.

If you have a professional designer, they should understand what’s needed to make everything “print ready”. But if you’re choosing to take the “DIY” route, these are vital tips to remember before sending us your files. But our team of experts will always manually check all your files before we go to press. If we find any issues, we’ll let you know and help you resolve them. We won’t print your journal until we know you’ll get a perfect result. That’s our cast-iron guarantee.

To learn more about preparing your photographs, diagrams, text, and layout for printing, please check out our Pre-press Artwork information page.

Not seeing the option you’re looking for? Contact us!

Journal Dispatch and Delivery Services

Besides assisting with design and printing your journal, we also offer a comprehensive mailing service to handle the dispatch and delivery of your journal to the recipients. Using this service saves you time and costs in having journals delivered to your storage facility only to send them on. Why do that when we can deliver them direct?

After you’ve given the green light to the proof, the fastest standard delivery time we guarantee is 72 hours. If you have an urgent order, get in touch and we’ll do all we can to deliver your journals on time.

Let’s Talk!

If you’re ready to design and print your journal or you want to switch to a better printer who offers high-quality products and superb customer services at unbeatable prices — we should talk. Get in touch today to chat through your needs or to ask for a no-obligation quote. We can’t wait to help you make your professional journal!

Get in touch