Paper
Rhodia vs Clairefontaine
Two brands, one group, one paper tradition. The differences are real but they are not where most people look for them.
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These two brands belong to the same group and share a paper tradition, which makes the comparison less dramatic than the question implies. Nobody is going to be disappointed by either. The useful question is which format suits what you are doing.
| Rhodia | Clairefontaine | |
|---|---|---|
| Published weight | 90 gsm on the Goalbook listing | 90 g/m2 on the 1951 and Age Bag listings |
| Typical format | Pads, dot grids, working notebooks | Bound books, lined pages |
| Signature product | No. 16 orange dot pad | 1951 staplebound notebook |
| Structure | Goalbook has numbered pages and an index | No numbered pages in the ranges we recommend |
| Ruling choice | Dot grid throughout | Mostly lined |
| Cover style | Orange or black, functional | Plain, colored softcovers and clothbound |
Quick picks
Ranked for the beginner buying their first setup. Every pick names who it is wrong for.
| # | Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No image Rhodia Goalbook A5, dotted 90 gsm paper, numbered pages and an index, built specifically for the bullet-journal method. | Bullet journaling with a fountain pen | Check price on Amazon #ad No live price right now. How this is funded |
| 2 | No image Clairefontaine 1951 A5, lined 90 g/m2 vellum in a stapled softcover, which is the cheapest place to find paper this good. | The best paper per dollar | Check price on Amazon #ad No live price right now. How this is funded |
1. Bullet journaling with a fountain pen
Rhodia Goalbook A5, dotted
90 gsm paper, numbered pages and an index, built specifically for the bullet-journal method.
#ad No live price right now. How this is funded
The Goalbook is the one Rhodia book that publishes its paper weight, which is why it anchors our GSM guide. 90 gsm coated is comfortably enough for a wet fountain pen.
Numbered pages and a blank index are the structural half of the bullet-journal method, and having them printed saves an hour of setup.
It is a large, heavy book. That is fine on a desk and less fine in a jacket pocket.
| Paper weight | 90 gsmSource: Rhodia Goalbook A5 (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
|---|---|
| Maker's claim | Fountain pen friendly, with no bleed-through and minimal ghostingThe maker's own wording on its listing. We have not tested it.Source: Rhodia Goalbook A5 (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
| Size and ruling | A5, dottedSource: Rhodia Goalbook A5 (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
| Designed for | Bullet-style journalingSource: Rhodia Goalbook A5 (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
What it does well
- Weight is published, and it is enough for a wet nib
- Numbered pages and index printed in
- Coated Clairefontaine-group paper
What it does not
- Heavy
- Slow drying
- Costs more than an unbranded dotted notebook
Skip this if you do not use a page-numbered system — you are paying for structure you will not use.
2. The best paper per dollar
Clairefontaine 1951 A5, lined
90 g/m2 vellum in a stapled softcover, which is the cheapest place to find paper this good.
#ad No live price right now. How this is funded
This is the paper that makes the case on its own. 90 g/m2 coated vellum is the benchmark the rest of the market is measured against, and here it comes in a stapled book that costs less than a takeout lunch.
The softcover is the compromise. It will not survive being thrown in a bag for a year the way a hardcover will.
If you want to know whether your bleed-through problem is the ink or the paper, buy one of these and write the same page again. The answer is usually immediate.
| Paper weight | 90 g/m2 white velvet vellumSource: Clairefontaine 1951 A5 (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
|---|---|
| Maker's claim | Remarkable opacity and strengthThe maker's own wording on its listing.Source: Clairefontaine 1951 A5 (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
| Size and extent | 5 3/4" x 8 1/4", 96 pages, linedSource: Clairefontaine 1951 A5 (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
| Binding | Staplebound softcoverSource: Clairefontaine 1951 A5 (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
What it does well
- Published 90 g/m2 weight at a very low price
- The reference paper for fountain pen use
- Cheap enough to keep several
What it does not
- Softcover, so it wears in a bag
- 96 pages goes quickly
- Slow drying, like all coated paper
Skip this if you need a book that survives daily carry — buy the clothbound version instead.
The genuine differences
Ruling
This is the one that decides it for most people. Rhodia's range is built around dot grid; the Clairefontaine books we recommend are lined. Dot grid is more flexible — it guides writing, disappears behind a diagram, and does not show in a photograph.
Structure
The Rhodia Goalbook has numbered pages and a printed index, which no Clairefontaine book in our picks offers. If you want a bullet-journal system out of the box, that settles it.
Price per page
Clairefontaine's 1951 is the cheapest route into this paper by a wide margin, because it is a stapled softcover rather than a hardcover. If the paper is what you are buying and the binding is not, buy the 1951.
What is identical
Both publish 90 gsm on the listings we cite. Both are coated, both keep lines extremely sharp, and both dry slowly for exactly that reason. If you are left-handed and smudging, neither of these is your answer — see inks for left-handers and the uncoated 90 gsm alternative in the notebook roundup.
Verdict
| If you want | Buy |
|---|---|
| Dot grid | Rhodia |
| Numbered pages and an index | Rhodia Goalbook |
| The cheapest good paper | Clairefontaine 1951 |
| A durable clothbound book | Clairefontaine Age Bag |
| Something to tear pages out of | Rhodia No. 16 pad |
Questions people actually ask
Is Rhodia or Clairefontaine better for fountain pens?
Neither, meaningfully — they share a group and a paper tradition, and both publish 90 gsm on the listings we cite. Choose on format: Rhodia for dot grid and structure, Clairefontaine for the cheapest route to the paper.
Are Rhodia and Clairefontaine the same paper?
They are from the same group and the same tradition, and both publish 90 gsm on the products we recommend. We have not compared sheets side by side and do not claim they are identical.
Which is cheaper, Rhodia or Clairefontaine?
The Clairefontaine 1951, by a wide margin, because it is a stapled softcover rather than a hardcover. Rhodia's No. 16 pad is the cheapest Rhodia.
Do either come in dot grid?
Rhodia's range is built around dot grid. The Clairefontaine books we recommend are lined, so if dot grid matters, Rhodia is the answer within this group.