Reference · Updated September 2026
Standard Poster Sizes
Every common poster size in inches and centimeters, where each one is used, and the frame that fits it, from the 11 x 17 flyer to the 27 x 40 movie one-sheet.
By the Austin Gallery editors · September 24, 2026
The quick answer
The standard US poster sizes are 11 x 17 (small), 18 x 24 (medium) and 24 x 36 inches (large). A movie poster is 27 x 40 inches. Outside the US the A-series (A3, A2, A1) and 50 x 70 cm are the usual sizes.
Poster size chart
These six sizes cover almost every poster you will print, buy or frame in the US. Each one has ready-made frames at the same size.
| Size | Metric | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|
| 11 x 17 in | 27.9 x 43.2 cm | Small poster, gig and event flyers, tabloid printer size |
| 12 x 18 in | 30.5 x 45.7 cm | Art prints, small wall posters |
| 16 x 20 in | 40.6 x 50.8 cm | Art prints, photo posters |
| 18 x 24 in | 45.7 x 61.0 cm | Medium poster: events, concerts, home decor |
| 24 x 36 in | 61.0 x 91.4 cm | Large poster: the standard retail and dorm size |
| 27 x 40 in | 68.6 x 101.6 cm | Movie poster (one-sheet), the cinema standard |
24 x 36 is the size most shops and printers mean by a standard poster. 18 x 24 is the medium size for concert and event posters and a lot of home decor art. 11 x 17 matches tabloid paper, so any office or copy-shop printer that handles tabloid can print it.
Movie poster sizes
Theatrical posters have their own standards. The one you will meet today is the one-sheet at 27 x 40 inches. Studios moved to it from 27 x 41 during the 1980s, and older one-sheets were machine folded by the printer until about the late 1980s; modern ones ship rolled. The other formats below were issued alongside the one-sheet for decades, and most were phased out by the mid-1980s, which is why collectors still ask for them.
| Format | Inches | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| One-sheet (current) | 27 x 40 in | 68.6 x 101.6 cm |
| One-sheet (older) | 27 x 41 in | 68.6 x 104.1 cm |
| Insert | 14 x 36 in | 35.6 x 91.4 cm |
| Half sheet | 22 x 28 in | 55.9 x 71.1 cm |
| Window card | 14 x 22 in | 35.6 x 55.9 cm |
| Lobby card | 11 x 14 in | 27.9 x 35.6 cm |
| 30 x 40 | 30 x 40 in | 76.2 x 101.6 cm |
| Bus stop / subway | 40 x 60 in | 101.6 x 152.4 cm |
| Three sheet | 41 x 81 in | 104.1 x 205.7 cm |
Sizes cross-checked against Wikipedia's film poster reference and the size guides published by Posteritati and Frame Destination. Vintage sheets vary by up to an inch, so measure the actual poster before you buy a frame.
A-series poster sizes
Most of the world prints posters on ISO A sizes, and a lot of digital art downloads come in them. They are a different shape from US sizes (every A size is 1 : 1.414), so an A-size print never fills a US frame exactly.
| Size | Millimeters | Inches |
|---|---|---|
| A4 | 210 x 297 mm | 8.3 x 11.7 in |
| A3 | 297 x 420 mm | 11.7 x 16.5 in |
| A2 | 420 x 594 mm | 16.5 x 23.4 in |
| A1 | 594 x 841 mm | 23.4 x 33.1 in |
| A0 | 841 x 1189 mm | 33.1 x 46.8 in |
The full series, including the B sizes, is in our A-series paper sizes guide, which also covers how A sizes frame and print in the US.
European poster sizes
Scandinavian and European print shops sell posters in round centimeter sizes, and ready-made frames there follow them.
| Size | Inches | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 30 x 40 cm | 11.8 x 15.7 in | Small art prints |
| 40 x 50 cm | 15.7 x 19.7 in | Medium prints |
| 50 x 70 cm | 19.7 x 27.6 in | The most common European poster size |
| 70 x 100 cm | 27.6 x 39.4 in | Large statement posters |
In the US a 50 x 70 cm print is the awkward one: it is just under 20 x 28 inches, so it needs either a metric frame or a larger US frame with a custom mat.
What frame size fits each poster
You have two choices for any poster. Frame it at its own size, edge to edge, which is how most posters are hung. Or put it in a bigger frame with a mat, which reads as finished art rather than a poster. The mat borders below are the difference between frame and poster divided by two; a mat opening is cut about 1/4 inch smaller than the poster so it overlaps the edges.
| Poster | Frame, no mat | Frame with a mat |
|---|---|---|
| 11 x 17 | 11 x 17 frame | 18 x 24 frame, 3.5 in mat all round |
| 12 x 18 | 12 x 18 frame | 18 x 24 frame, 3 in mat all round |
| 16 x 20 | 16 x 20 frame | 20 x 24 frame, 2 in mat all round |
| 18 x 24 | 18 x 24 frame | 22 x 28 frame, 2 in mat all round |
| 24 x 36 | 24 x 36 frame | 30 x 40 frame, 3 in sides, 2 in top and bottom |
| 27 x 40 | 27 x 40 frame | Custom mat; few ready-made options |
| 27 x 41 | 27 x 41 frame | Measure first; it will not fit a 27 x 40 |
The full list of ready-made frame sizes is in our standard picture frame sizes chart, and our best poster frames guide picks the frames we would buy at each of these sizes. If you are putting it together yourself, start with how to frame a poster.
Frames at the standard sizes
A frame for each common size
One ready-made frame for each of the sizes people ask about most. Prices were checked on Amazon on September 24, 2026 and move often; links go to Amazon with our affiliate tag.
Americanflat
Americanflat 24 x 36 Poster Frame, Black
The frame for the most common large poster size, from a long-running ready-made frame brand.
$37.99 · Check price on Amazon
upsimples
upsimples 18 x 24 Poster Frame, 3 Pack
Slide-in loading for the medium size, and three frames for the price of one elsewhere.
$32.99 for 3 · Check price on Amazon
Americanflat
Americanflat 11 x 17 Frame, Black
A clean frame for the small poster and tabloid print size.
$17.99 · Check price on Amazon
MCS
MCS Studio Gallery Movie Poster Frame, 27 x 40
Sized for the current one-sheet, so a theatrical poster fits without trimming.
$47.99 · Check price on Amazon
Which poster size to print
For a wall on its own, 24 x 36 is the size that holds a wall in a bedroom or office; above a sofa it still reads small, so pair two or go bigger. For a gallery wall, 18 x 24 mixes well with 11 x 14 and 16 x 20 frames. For a desk, shelf or hallway, 11 x 17 or 12 x 18. Our guide to what size art for your wall works out the proportions against furniture.
Printing it yourself? Check the file first. A 24 x 36 print at 150 DPI needs 3600 x 5400 pixels, and at 300 DPI it needs 7200 x 10800. Our print resolution chart lists the minimums for every size, and the photo print sizes chart covers the smaller photo formats. Painting rather than printing? The standard canvas sizes chart shares most of these dimensions.
Frequently asked questions
What is the standard size of a poster?
In the US the three standard poster sizes are 11 x 17 inches (small), 18 x 24 inches (medium) and 24 x 36 inches (large). 24 x 36 is the size most people mean by a regular poster. Movie posters are a separate standard, the 27 x 40 inch one-sheet.
What size is a movie poster?
A current US theatrical movie poster, called a one-sheet, is 27 x 40 inches (68.6 x 101.6 cm). One-sheets printed before the transition in the 1980s usually measure 27 x 41 inches, so a vintage poster needs a 27 x 41 frame.
What size is a 24 x 36 poster in cm?
24 x 36 inches is 61 x 91.4 cm. It is close to, but not the same as, A1 (59.4 x 84.1 cm), so an A1 print sits loose in a 24 x 36 frame and needs a mat.
Is 11 x 17 a poster size?
Yes. 11 x 17 inches (27.9 x 43.2 cm) is the smallest standard US poster size, the same as tabloid or ledger paper, which is why so many event flyers and small prints use it.
What is the most common poster size in Europe?
Print shops in Europe mostly sell 30 x 40 cm, 50 x 70 cm and 70 x 100 cm posters, alongside the A-series (A3, A2, A1). 50 x 70 cm (19.7 x 27.6 in) is the most common, and ready-made frames for it are sold widely there but less so in the US.
What size frame do I need for an 18 x 24 poster?
An 18 x 24 frame if you want the poster edge to edge, or a 22 x 28 frame with a mat cut for 18 x 24 if you want a 2 inch border. The mat opening is cut about 1/4 inch smaller than the poster so it overlaps the edges.