Which is better – composition notebook vs spiral notebook? The biggest difference between these two notebooks is the way you bind the pages together. Spiral notebooks are those that use a soft spiral spring to hold them together.
Both spring and composition notebooks have their own sets of advantages and disadvantages, and we will be learning about them later. Keep in mind that there isn’t a “better” choice between the two notebooks. It will be purely subjective as many people prefer one over the other.
By the end of this article, you will have a better idea which of the two types of notebooks will suit your needs.
A Comparison Between Composition and Spiral Notebook
If you are always having a hard time choosing between composition and spiral notebooks, here is a short comparison between the two based on a few important factors. Hopefully, you will be able to make up your mind afterward.
Ease of Use
Because of how it is constructed, spiral notebooks are easier to use, especially if they are still new. You can open spiral notebooks completely flat on the table, which makes them easier to write on.
Compared to spiral notebooks, composition notebooks are almost impossible to lay out flat on a table. This makes it hard to write in the middle parts of composition notebooks, especially when you reach the middle part. The reason is that their spines do not want to flex that much, causing the pages to bow upward.
Durability
The problem with spiral notebooks is that the spiral spring bindings are usually flimsy. After a couple of months of consistent use, the spring binding can get squished. What this does is that it makes it harder to turn the pages. If the spring has been flattened considerably, even opening the spring notebook can be challenging.
In addition, because of the way they are bound, it is easy to accidentally tear off pages or even the covers of spiral notebooks. Meanwhile, the construction of composition notebooks makes them very durable.
The stiff spines can last for many years, up until the glue would start to disintegrate. This means that composition notebooks can last for many years. You can still read the contents properly.
Convenience and Storage
The more expensive brands did not do it but regular spiral notebooks have a bad habit of getting tangled in people’s hair, clothes, and even other spiral notebooks. If you are fishing inside your bag for your spiral notebook, odds are that it will be taking something else along with it.
This is not a problem at all with composition notebooks. In addition to not snagging on everything, you can stack composition notebooks on top of each other for easy storage. Meanwhile, you need to stack spiral notebooks in an alternating pattern, so the springs do get entangled.
Paper Quality and Cost
Both composition and spiral notebooks are relatively affordable. Even those made by known brands are not that expensive at all.
Speaking of costs, you will get better quality if you spend a little bit more on spiral and composition notebooks. Since most paper product manufacturers make both of these notebook types, both will have the same kind of paper on their pages.
It is a pretty even race between spiral and composition notebooks and it will all boil down to whichever notebook you feel more comfortable using. If you like writing with the notebook flat, then the spirals might be the right choice. However, if you will be storing and/or carrying a lot, then you are better off with composition notebooks.
A Comparison Table
| Composition Notebook | Spiral Notebook | |
| Ease of Use | Does not want to lay flat | Lays flat on your desk easily |
| Durability | Can last a very long time | Covers and pages easily tear off the binding |
| Convenience and Storage | Easy to stow in school bags | Gets tangled in almost everything |
| Paper Quality and Cost | Equal | Equal |
Based on this table, the composition notebook wins by a small margin. However, as mentioned earlier, this can be subjective.
Conclusion
Which is better, a composition notebook vs spiral notebook? There are many advantages and disadvantages in using both types of notebooks, but composition notebooks are slightly better for common uses. However, the choice is highly subjective, and you might find that spiral notebooks are more beneficial for your style.
Now that you know the important characteristics of each type of notebook, it will now be up to you to try them a bit before you commit to using just one.