A5 leaflet printing cost: what you actually pay per run
A5 is the workhorse size for door-to-door and counter-top flyers. Prices move with quantity far more than with anything else, so the first question to answer is not 'what does an A5 leaflet cost' but 'how many do I need before the per-unit price stops falling'.
Starting prices by quantity
Our A5 pricing starts from around £29 for 250 leaflets on 170gsm silk, single-sided. A 1,000-run double-sided on the same stock starts from around £89, and 5,000 double-sided starts from around £295.
The pattern is simple: setup, plate and make-ready costs are fixed, so they are spread across more sheets as the run grows. Below 500 units you are mostly paying for setup; above 5,000 you are mostly paying for paper and ink.
- 250 A5, 170gsm silk, single-sided - from £29
- 1,000 A5, 170gsm silk, double-sided - from £89
- 5,000 A5, 170gsm silk, double-sided - from £295
The four variables that move your quote
Quantity is the big one, but paper weight, sides printed, finish and turnaround all shift the number. Moving from 130gsm to 250gsm on a 5,000 run is a material cost you feel; moving from single to double-sided is usually a smaller uplift than people expect, because the sheet is already on press.
- Paper weight: 130gsm, 170gsm and 250gsm are the common steps
- Sides: double-sided rarely doubles the price
- Finish: matt or gloss lamination adds a per-sheet cost
- Turnaround: 24-hour express carries a surcharge over the standard 3-5 working days
Print-only versus print plus distribution
If the leaflets are going through letterboxes, budget for the drop as well as the print. Buying both from one supplier removes the delivery leg between printer and distributor and means the artwork is checked once against both print and letterbox requirements.
As a rough planning split, expect distribution to cost more than the print itself on smaller runs and to converge as volumes rise.
How to bring the cost down without cheapening the leaflet
Order in one larger run rather than three small ones, keep to a standard trimmed size, supply a correctly set up print-ready PDF, and give us the full lead time. Those four decisions save more than downgrading the paper, and they do not make the leaflet feel disposable in the hand.
Frequently asked
Is 250 leaflets worth printing?
Yes for a counter-top or event stack, but the per-unit price is at its worst. If you know you will reprint within a few months, a single 1,000 run usually costs less than two 500 runs.
Does double-sided cost twice as much?
No. The sheet is already loaded and set up, so the second side is an incremental cost rather than a second job. It is usually the cheapest extra space you can buy on a leaflet.
Do you quote including VAT?
Printed leaflets and flyers are generally zero-rated for VAT in the UK, but items with a response coupon or admission function can be standard-rated. We confirm the treatment on your written quote before you order.
Want an exact A5 price for your run?
Send us quantity, stock and sides and we will come back with a fixed written price, not a range.