Getting a new Moleskine notebook is considered an expensive investment, but what does it really cost? The initial sticker shock might be off-putting, especially if you are a struggling writer or artist. However, some things have worth more than the price point.
Let’s explain why it’s worth considering Moleskine, and how to justify dipping into your spending to own this notebook.
Note: This article contains affiliate links, which means Clippings.me may receive a small payment if you purchase any of these products after clicking.
The Popularity of Moleskine
Moleskine notebooks are a thing now, but why are they so popular? Are they really worth your hard-earned money or is it just a passing trend?
Now, a nice-looking notebook can make you feel good if you are into how others perceive you or if you are trying to trend on Instagram. But is it an expensive bunch of paper, or is it a quality item that is well-priced for what you can get out of it?
Yes, we admit Moleskine notebooks are more expensive than your regular notebook, and some reviews online state that it is an unnecessary and expensive trend. However, a quality notebook is key for some professionals; companies know this and will increase the price because they know people will pay – whether for the look or the name.
Whether you’re considering them for yourself as you love to write, take notes or you’re looking for a unique gift for someone special, you’ll find that these notebooks appeal to the high-end customer, both in aesthetics and quality.
Moleskine Notebooks Will Last
Moleskine notebooks are embodied with several types of vinyl covers, often supported by an elastic closure. They can be soft or hard, depending on the dynamics of your daily routine. Sizes vary and you can choose from a variety of models.
The paper is of a very high-quality standard and you’ll notice when you feel the pen slide along its pages. Overall, they are made of great materials that stand the test of time and in the multiple places and scenarios where you’ll use them, whether you keep it at home or take it on your travels.
Besides, they are beautiful, classy, and outshine any other item of the kind that you’ve owned before in that field.
How Much Do They Really Cost?
The large Moleskine Classic
As you can see, international prices don’t vary that far from each other, and you can often find great offers and sales for this and other products from Moleskine.
The Amazon prices are a long way from the Moleskine RRP, mind you. Mosey over to their site, and you’ll find the same Classic Notebook (Ruled, Hardcover) available in Black for $19.95 (medium will set you back $17.95, whereas a “pocket” size retails at $14.95).
You’d most likely expect a mere notebook would cost you only a couple of dollars or pounds, especially at discount stores, but this is not just any notebook. Moleskine is about quality and style.
Color and Size Variations
In general, retailers shouldn’t vary the price of Moleskine products based on color – whether you choose classic Black, Red, Sapphire Blue, Earth Brown, Daisy Pink, Dandelion Yellow, Reef Blue, Scarlet Red or Myrtle Green (and that’s just for the Classic Notebook!) the price should be the same.
For size variants, expect a jump of $2 to $3 as you move up in size. That means that for a few high-selling variations (like Black) which are available in all sizes (Pocket size up to A4/XXL) there’s a differential of $13 between the smallest size and the largest one – so be careful which one you choose, if you’re not ordering from the Moleskine site itself!
Hardcover vs Softcover?
You might think that great way to reduce the price of your Moleskine purchase is to opt for a soft cover instead of hardcover. Sure, it’ll be less well-protected, but perhaps you can live without that hardcover, right?
Sadly, Moleskine does not reduce their RRP for softcover/paperback in the same way that a bookseller might. But, we’ve definitely seen this happening in some retailers, who have more discretion over pricing, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for softcover discounts in retail stores.
A final word on Leather covers, which aren’t widely available but can be ordered on the Moleskine site. These are expensive, and only available in a large, black variant. They cost $44.95, which elevates the price of your notebook into collectible territory – but they make a great gift!
How Many Pages are in a Moleskine Notebook?
Given the price, how many pages are included might be a question you’d reasonably expect to understand before you purchase. Unfortunately, it’s really not that easy!
This is highly dependent on the size and style, and Moleskine isn’t exactly forthcoming about pages either. The following table is sourced using information buried deep within the Moleskine website:
| Notebook Type | Size | Pages |
| Moleskine Classic | 192 | |
| Moleskine Classic | Medium | 208 |
| Moleskine Classic | Large | 240 |
| Moleskine Classic | Extra Large | 192 |
| Moleskine Classic | XXL/A4 | 192 |
| Moleskine Classic Expanded | Large | 400 |
| Moleskine Reporter | 192 | |
| Moleskine Reporter | Large | 240 |
Moleskine Notebooks Ooze Style
There’s not much that is stylish about a regular notebook. They tend to be dull, boring pieces of work that are supposed to be handy but, very often and with time, end up not standing up to the test of time.
We told you already that Moleskine notebooks are durable because of their high quality, so they will continue to look in pristine condition for a long, long time. Also, on the main Moleskine website, customers can personalize their Moleskine, adding to the style of the item.
In addition to their traditional styles, Moleskine has limited-edition varieties with unique designs, and we fell in love with this David Bowie notebook.
Moleskine notebooks are stylish and they can express your personality better than any other regular notebook can. Little things these days can express a sense of style and individuality that well. These items catch the eye once they sit on a table or you pull them out of your pocket, and are desirable pieces to own.
Variety of Choice
We focused on a plain-lined notebook before, but rest assured that Moleskine Notebooks come in all sizes, shapes, and colors.
You can purchase them in dotted, plain, ruled, and square styles while also picking from almost a dozen colors, such as this cool-looking Moleskine Cahier Journal.
As we mentioned before, Moleskine offers limited-edition varieties that also include Bob Dylan, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Dragon Ball, and more. Moleskine also offers a Pro collection and an Art collection, as well as passion journals, city notebooks, and planners (that come in daily, weekly, and monthly).
Also, Moleskine has embraced technology and introduced the Moleskine+ Smart Writing System, which includes Paper Tablet smart notebooks, the Smart Planner, the Pen+ smart pen and the Moleskine Notes App.
One simple, overpriced notebook? We think not!
What The Reviews Say
When you look up information about these notebooks, you’ll find some community argument online trying to make a case that these are not worthy of your money and time.
We’d point out that much of this feedback comes from online forums and people that actually do not own the product and often don’t have a career that requires quality notebooks, or notebooks of any kind. From that perspective, it’s easy to find all types of arguments against Moleskine notebooks on Reddit and Quora from users that actually know very little about the product itself.
More importantly, when you look at reviews from major retailers such as Amazon, you’ll find out that people who do buy them, whether for themselves or for their loved ones, are quite happy that they found them, regardless of how much the Moleskine cost.
If a majority of real buyers recommends a product, it means it lives up to and beyond its price tag. BestBuy customers rate the product 4.9 out of 5 from hundreds of purchases, and on Amazon, the Classic rates 4.5 out of 5 from more than 2,500 reviews. If that’s not a solid case in favor of the Moleskine, we’re not sure what would be!
Is Moleskine Worth It?
Our strong belief is that Moleskine notebooks worth your investment.
These notebooks come in a variety of sizes, styles, and types of paper. They are durable and extremely high quality, and that is always worth paying for. Compared to other popular alternatives in the space such as Field Notes and Leuchttürm1917, Moleskine notebooks are ahead of the pack.
We realize that you may raise an eyebrow when you look at these notebooks’ price tags — we ‘ve been there and done that — but there’s a whole community of happy customers are fairly vocal about why they are in favor of buying a Moleskine notebook, more than we ever could.
We love the fact that they are a lasting, fashionable, and unique quality item that expresses our individuality and are, in the end, a great item to own and use daily.
Consider it a fancy gift for yourself or for someone special – and in the end, you’ll notice that it didn’t cost that much after all!
If you agree with us or even strongly disagree, tell us why in the comments, as we’d love to hear your perspectives.
This article contains affiliate links, which means Clippings.me may receive a small payment if you purchase any of these products after clicking. Photo by Dan Dimmock on Unsplash
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