Pick the Right Fridge Magnet Size: 55×90 mm, A6 and Souvenirs

Belconnen Owl fridge magnet beside ruler

Most people choose a business card magnet (around 55 × 90 mm) for promotional handouts or a postcard sized A6 magnet (around 105 × 148 mm) for calendars and photo displays. The right choice comes down to the job: small for handouts, medium for everyday use, large for souvenirs and statement pieces. A thickness of 0.8 mm suits most fridge use, and getting the bleed, safe zone and file format right matters just as much as picking the size.

TL;DR:

  • Custom sizes beyond standard formats can be made, but die-cut shapes typically incur higher setup costs and longer lead times.
  • Thicker magnetic sheets, such as 1.0 mm or 1.5 mm, are necessary for larger or display magnets that require more rigidity and stronger hold.
  • Digital printing generally delivers better results for complex, photo-rich designs, while screen printing suits simple, high-volume flat color images.
  • Most promotional magnets are produced at 0.8 mm thickness, balancing strength and cost, but thinner or thicker options are available depending on the purpose.
  • The most popular magnet size for promotional use remains around 55 by 90 mm, with custom formats available for special branding or gifting needs.
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Table of Contents

Common fridge magnet sizes at a glance

Fridge magnet sizes aren’t governed by any formal standard. Suppliers have settled on a handful of popular formats that balance cost, visibility and print efficiency, and custom sizes remain widely available for anyone who needs something different.

The 55 × 90 mm business card format is the highest volume magnet size ordered for promotions, since it holds a logo, phone number and a QR code while staying compact enough that people actually keep it on the fridge.

Custom sizes beyond these common formats are possible. However, die-cut shapes and unusual dimensions often carry a setup cost. Converting between units is simple once you know the anchors:

  • 1 inch equals 25.4 mm, so a 2-inch magnet is roughly 51 mm.
  • Round sizes are usually quoted by diameter, not radius.
  • A6 paper size (105 × 148 mm) is a handy mental reference for postcard magnets.

Shapes and use cases: rectangle, square, round, die-cut

Shape affects cost, storage and how a magnet gets noticed on a crowded fridge door.

  • Rectangles are the cheapest to produce and print efficiently, making them the default for business card handouts and photo magnets.
  • Squares suit logo-centric designs and stack neatly for calendar sets or recipe card magnets.
  • Rounds stand out visually and work well for bottle cap style novelty pieces or badge-style branding.
  • Die-cut shapes (a building outline, an animal silhouette) deliver the strongest souvenir appeal but increase printing waste and usually carry a surcharge.

A handout magnet almost always works better as a plain rectangle: cheap, fast, and easy to read at a glance. A souvenir piece earns its keep by being memorable, so a die-cut shape built around a local landmark often justifies the extra cost.

Thickness, magnetic hold and materials: how to pick the right stock

Thickness decides whether a magnet holds a shopping list or just slides off the door.

  • 0.4 mm is too thin to hold anything beyond its own weight.
  • 0.6 mm holds a light flyer or single sheet.
  • 0.8 mm is the sweet spot for everyday use, strong enough for a shopping list and substantial enough to feel like a quality product.
  • 1.0 mm is common for calendar and photo-frame magnets that need extra rigidity.
  • 1.5 mm is usually overkill for a simple promotional piece.

A standard 55 × 90 mm promotional magnet is typically produced at 0.8 mm, the band most suppliers describe as the practical balance between hold and cost.

Finish matters too. A flat vinyl face is the standard, affordable option, while an epoxy dome adds a glossy, raised surface that lifts perceived value and price. One common quoting trap is confirming the total stack thickness (vinyl plus magnetic sheet plus any dome) rather than the magnetic-sheet thickness alone, so always ask suppliers to specify the magnetic layer itself.

Artwork and print-ready specs: bleed, safe zone and file formats

Getting artwork right the first time avoids reprints and delays. The core rules are consistent across most custom magnet artwork guidance: build in 2 to 3 mm of bleed for die-cut shapes, keep important text and logos at least 5 mm inside the cut line, and export in CMYK rather than RGB.

File type depends on content:

  1. Use vector formats (AI or PDF with embedded vectors) for logos and text.
  2. Use 300 DPI PNG or JPG files for photographs and photo magnets.
  3. Convert all colour to CMYK before sending final files.
  4. Flatten layers and embed fonts to avoid last-minute substitutions.
  5. Check that bleed and safe zone guides are visible on the final proof.

Missing bleed and ignored safe zones are among the most common causes of poor print results, since text or faces positioned too close to the edge risk being cropped during trimming.

Pro Tip: Build die-cut artwork as a vector file from the start, it scales cleanly to any size without blurring or recutting.

Ordering, pricing bands and lead times

Pricing on a standard 55 × 90 mm, 0.8 mm vinyl magnet drops sharply as quantity rises: roughly $1.20 to $1.60 per piece at 500 units, $0.85 to $1.10 at 1,000, $0.55 to $0.75 at 2,500, and $0.40 to $0.55 at 5,000, with further savings at larger project scale.

Fridge magnet prices by order quantity

Per-piece cost at 5,000 units can run under half the price of a 500 unit order, which is why larger promotional campaigns favour bulk runs.

Common surcharges to budget for:

  • Die-cut shapes typically add a setup fee over a standard rectangle.
  • Thickness upgrades (moving from 0.8 mm to 1.0 mm or 1.5 mm) add a per-piece premium.
  • Jumping to a larger format increases material cost per unit.
  • Rush production and epoxy dome finishes both carry additional charges.

Standard production usually takes longer than a rush order, which compresses the timeline for a fee; most suppliers also set a minimum order quantity for custom runs.

Filament Family examples: Canberra themed magnet sizes and use cases

Three of our own pieces show how size maps to purpose. The Canberra Bus Shelter Fridge Magnet sits at 3 cm, a compact keepsake size suited to everyday fridge display. The (In)Famous Belconnen Owl Fridge Magnet stands 9.5 cm high, a larger souvenir format that reads clearly from across a kitchen. The Telstra Tower Fridge Magnet in light grey occupies a mid to large footprint built for decorative display rather than handout use.

  • Our designs are crafted rather than mass-produced.
  • Personalisation may be available for buyers wanting a custom size or logo placement.
  • Guidance on thickness and finish can be sought before committing to a production run.

How to measure and verify magnet dimensions before designing

Before sending artwork anywhere, measure the physical space the magnet needs to fit, whether that’s a specific fridge panel or a display shelf in a shop. Use a ruler or tape measure against the longest and shortest edges, and always record both dimensions in millimetres, since most print specifications and templates are built in metric even when inches are quoted for reference.

For round magnets, measure the diameter straight across the centre, not the radius, since quoting a radius by mistake halves the real size. For die-cut shapes, measure the widest point in each direction to estimate the bounding box, which is what determines material cost even though the final shape is irregular.

If you’re designing from a supplier’s template, check the file’s stated dimensions against a physical printout before finalising artwork. A PDF viewed on screen can display at the wrong scale depending on your software’s default zoom, so a quick ruler check against a printed proof catches sizing errors before they reach production. Sizing matters even more for larger formats meant to cover most of a fridge door. If you’re planning a magnet close to covering a full door panel, it’s worth checking typical door dimensions on Australian fridges first, since usable flat space varies a lot between models.

Finally, confirm whether a quoted size includes bleed or refers to the final trimmed dimension, since the two can differ by several millimetres on die-cut pieces.

How to measure and verify magnet dimensions before designing — overview diagram

Digital versus screen printing: how technique affects magnet quality

Digital printing is the standard choice for most fridge magnets today, since it handles full colour photographs, gradients and fine detail without the setup cost of traditional screen printing. It suits short to medium runs well, which covers most promotional and souvenir orders, and allows each design to be reproduced accurately from a standard CMYK file.

Screen printing, by contrast, applies ink in flat layers through a mesh stencil, one colour at a time. It can produce strong, saturated colour on simple designs but struggles with photographic detail or fine gradients, and it only becomes cost effective at very high volumes where the setup cost is spread across thousands of units.

For most buyers ordering fridge magnets today, digital printing is the practical default: it handles complex Canberra themed artwork, photo magnets and fine text without the volume commitment that screen printing demands. The main design constraint with digital printing is colour accuracy between screen and print, which is why converting files to CMYK before sending them off matters more than it might seem. Screen printing remains relevant mainly for simple, high-volume, flat colour designs where cost per unit at scale outweighs the loss of fine detail.

An easy rule for choosing a magnet size

Job first: small for contact handouts, medium for calendars and photo magnets, large for premium souvenirs. Packaging and shipping cost rise with size, so weigh that against how much perceived value a bigger piece actually buys you.

— Sikh

Order Canberra themed fridge magnets

We handcraft Canberra themed fridge magnets in the sizes covered above, from compact keepsakes through to larger display pieces, and we can talk you through thickness and finish before you order.

Canberra Bus Shelter Fridge Magnet - 3cm

If you’re unsure which size or thickness suits your fridge or gift list, reach out for a quote or sample and we’ll confirm the specifics before you commit.

FAQ

What is a good size for a fridge magnet?

A business card size of around 55 × 90 mm suits handouts and contact details, while a postcard size around 105 × 148 mm suits calendars or photo displays. The right size depends on whether the magnet needs to be read quickly or admired as a keepsake.

What are the standard fridge magnet sizes in inches?

Common sizes include roughly 2.2 × 3.5 inches (business card), 3.5 × 5.8 inches (postcard or A6), and round formats around 3 to 3.5 inches in diameter. These aren’t official standards, just the formats suppliers produce most often because they balance cost and visibility.

What are the standard sizes of magnets?

There’s no single enforced standard for magnet sizing. Suppliers converge on a set of popular formats based on cost, print efficiency and what customers typically order, and custom sizes remain available outside that range.

What thickness should I choose for a fridge magnet?

A 0.8 mm magnetic sheet is the practical middle ground, strong enough to hold a shopping list and substantial enough to feel like a quality product. Thinner stock around 0.4 to 0.6 mm suits light flyers, while 1.0 mm and above suits calendars or photo frames needing extra rigidity.

Can I get a fridge magnet in a custom size or shape?

Yes, custom sizes and die-cut shapes are widely available beyond the standard formats, though die-cut pieces typically carry a setup surcharge. We offer personalisation on our own Canberra themed pieces for buyers wanting a specific size or logo placement.

Sources

Written with help from BabyLoveGrowth