Fix the page count before anything else
A saddle-stitched booklet is a stack of sheets folded in half with staples through the fold. Settle the total page count before files go out: if it is not a multiple of four, the printer inserts blanks wherever it suits them and your page order shifts. You also decide here whether the cover rides in the same stitch.
How it is calculated
One folded sheet yields four printable sides, so the total must be a multiple of four. This tool rounds your entry up to the next multiple of four, reports the shortfall as blank pages, and divides the total by four for the sheet count. Choosing a stitched-in cover adds its four pages first, then rounds. Current as of October 2026.
Limits and disclaimer
It does not decide where the blanks belong, only how many you need. Creep allowance on thick booklets, staple count and overall spine bulk are not covered. Confirm the final signature plan with your printer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Folding one sheet in half creates four printable sides. A sheet cannot produce three or six sides, so any shortfall has to be filled with blank pages.
They usually sit at the very end of the text or in the endpaper position inside the cover. This tool reports how many blanks you need and does not decide where they belong.
Inner sheets wrap around the ones outside them, so their edges push outward. That is creep, and it is corrected at the trimmer, which is why inner margins should be generous.