To help you find the best day planner for productivity, we have tested out a multitude of top products, looking for plenty of options, including multiple tabs, two-sided pages and a monthly spread, complete with overview. We also liked models with flexible covers and items that were extremely durable, made from premium paper and related materials, with some functionalities on offer that reduce fading and wear.The bottomline is that you need this tool in your office to get work done.
The best life planner we tried was easily the BooQool Academic Weekly Day Planner, which features sturdy twin wire binding, two hefty inner-side pockets and availability in six attractive color options. We also liked that the included calendar covers 15 months, starting in July 2020, and that it features ultra-thick and durable paper. Keep reading to learn more about the BooQool Academic Weekly Day Planner and the other models on this list.
Top 6 Best Day Planner
#1 BooQool Academic Weekly Day Planner
Award: Top Pick
WHY WE LIKE IT: Features sheaths of ultra-thick acid free paper that is fade resistant, in addition to being resistant to damage caused by light and air, with sturdy twin wire binding and availability in 6 attractive color options.
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- Best fade resistant paper
- 6 color options
- Study twin wire binding
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- Does not contain a pen loop or storage area
- Only comes with one blank label
- No option for the addition of new pages
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The BooQool Academic Weekly Day Planner is a high quality organizer that is filled with extremely thick paper, 100gsm, with sturdy twin wire binding, two large inner-side pockets and a calendar that spans 15 months. We also liked that it is available in six unique color options and that the included paper is acid free, so it easily resists fading and damage that can come from being exposed to light and air.
Though the twin wire binding is extremely well made, it does not open, meaning that you cannot add more pages to the weekly monthly planner when the 15 months are up. Additionally, it does not include a pen loop or any other kind of storage area for writing utensils. A gamer themed planner makes great gifts for gamers. You may also want to get the best briefcase, if you like carrying around work documents.
#2 Lemome Thick Paper Day Planner
Award: Honorable Mention
WHY WE LIKE IT: Made from acid free paper, which is in line with our top pick, and features an attractive faux leather design, available in 2 sizes, and a large inner pocket for business cards and assorted knick knacks.
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- Very durable faux leather cover
- Included pen loop
- Large pocket for business cards or knick knacks
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- Goes until April 2021, whereas top pick lasts until July
- Heavier than top pick, at nearly a lb
- No option for adding pages
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This Lemome Thick Paper Day Planner comes with a supremely attractive faux leather cover, which we also found to be quite durable, and an included pen loop, for the storage of writing instruments. We also liked the large inner pocket, which we found perfect for storing business cards and related objects, and the inclusion of fade resistant acid free paper, a feature in line with our top pick. It’s a high capacity planner with 112 sheets/224 pages,12 monthly views, 54 weekly views, and 88 pages for notes and/or inspirational quotes.
This is a fantastic organizer, but the monthly planner section only lasts until April of 2021, whereas our top pick will cover you until July of 2021. To that end, there is no way to add pages down the line. Get some with a Star wars theme and you have some star wars gifts.
#3 Panda Planner Organizer and Day Planner
Award: Best Undated Design
WHY WE LIKE IT: Extremely useful for productivity, with twice daily check-ins and access to a related app, in addition to featuring thick 100gsm paper and a durable bound cover.
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- Best productivity planner
- Thick paper and bound cover
- 30 day guarantee
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- Only covers 3 months
- Pretty heavy, at nearly a lb
- Cannot add pages
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This Panda Planner Organizer and Day Planner is the best productivity planner on this list, thanks to the inclusion of twice daily check-ins, including a number of priority tabs, and access to a related app and instructional video. We also liked the thick 100gsm paper on offer, which is in line with our top pick, and the durable bound cover. It also comes with a 30 day money back guarantee, which is nice.
Though we loved the ultra-thick paper, this is a rather heavy planner, at nearly a pound. Additionally, it only covers three months of use, whereas our top pick can cover up to 15 months of use, though the detail allowed during the included three months is much higher. They make excellent gifts for geeks.
#4 Smart Planner Time Management Day Planner
Award: Thickest Paper
WHY WE LIKE IT: High quality planner with plenty of bells and whistles, including extremely thick paper, 120gsm, elastic straps for closure, a pen holder and a gorgeous faux leather cover.
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- Elastic strap closures & pen holder
- Beautiful vegan faux leather cover
- Flat lay binding
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- Slightly heavy
- Covers a year, whereas top pick covers 15 months
- Weeks start on Monday, which could be an issue for some
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The Smart Planner Time Management Day Planner boasts the thickest paper on this list, at 120gsm, so it resists ink bleed entirely, and comes with a gorgeous vegan faux leather cover. We also liked the flat lay binding, making it easy to write, and the number of additional high end features, including satin strap closures, a pen holder and a trio of satin bookmarks. It is also undated, so you can use it whenever you want in the future.
This item Planner 2020-2021 has been tested and proven to achieve goals with the habit tracking section that allows one to draft a to-do list and keep track of your habits. This Daily Weekly Monthly Planner has a daily gratitude affirmations space.
The thick paper does come with a slight drawback, however, as this is an extremely heavy item, at just over a pound. Also, it does cover a full year, which is decent, but our top picks handle 15 months. If you need a gift for your geek friends, consider star trek gifts.
#5 Inamio Appointment Book Day Planner
Award: Best Budget
WHY WE LIKE IT: Budget-friendly product that is still of an extremely high quality, with thick paper that resists ink bleeding, a calendar that partitions into 30 day time slots and a light form factor, at 11 oz.
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- Breaks days into 30 min time slots
- Paper resists ink bleed
- Light and easy to carry
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- No pen holder
- Cannot add additional pages
- Only 13 months of time
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This Inamio Appointment Book Day Planner comes in an attractive budget-friendly price point while still retaining many of the high end features found with competitors, including fairly thick paper, 100gsm, that is resistant to ink bleeding, and a light form factor, 11 ounces, that makes it easy to carry. We also liked that the calendar breaks down into 30 minute segments, which makes for effortless planning and organizing. It comes with spare notes pages at the back where inspiration quotes can be written and a 24-hour layout making it precisely the best daily planner.
Though this is a great product, it does not include a pen holder, though a smaller pen could slide in the twin wire binding. Additionally, there is only 13 months of time available and no additional pages can be added later on. And don’t forget the best paper shredders for your office while you are at it.
#6 Katie Daisy On-the-go Day Planner
Award: Most Unique Design
WHY WE LIKE IT: Extremely unique design, by celebrated illustrator Katie Daisy, with a calendar that lasts 17 months, a lay flat binding for easy writing and paper that has been responsibly sourced.
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- Calendar lasts 17 months
- Lay flat binding
- Printed using eco-friendly paper
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- No pen loop or holder
- Smaller than many items on list
- Cannot add pages
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This Katie Daisy On-the-go Day Planner features an incredibly unique and cute design, which has been fully illustrated by celebrated artist Katie Daisy, and a lengthy calendar that will last you a full 17 months. This weekly planner spreads with ample writing space. We also liked how light it is, at just eight ounces, and the lay flat binding design, which makes for easy and efficient writing. It also has a handy elastic band closure, for the purposes of storage.
This is a pretty small planner, at 5.5 x 7 inches, which could be an issue for consumers who are used to having plenty of page real estate. Also, it does not include a pen loop or holder, and the twin wire binding is too small to hold many, though not all, pens. Open our best diary planner guide, to get more day planning tool options.
How We Decided
To help narrow down to the above list, we looked at how much time and page real estate were available, preferring large day planners that featured multiple pages for each day, week and month. We also liked products that were either undated, allowing you to set the temporal parameters, or those that covered long into the future, as much as 17 months in some cases. To that end, many of these items receive yearly updates.
As far as durability goes, we were looking for the best planners with thick and fade-resistant paper, as thick as 120gsm, with luxurious bound covers, typically made from faux leather, and twin wire binding that easily laid flat, for the purposes of writing. We also liked items with strap enclosures of some kind and those that came with bookmarks, large pockets and other useful odds and ends.
We were also attracted to organizers that made it easy to partition your days and weeks into bite size chunks, as little as 30 minutes, and those that included space for daily reminders, priority lists and, in some cases, gratitude lists. Finally, we liked products that were light enough that they could sit in a backpack without being noticed as you go about your day.
Best Day Planner Buyer’s Guide
The Most Important Features to Consider
- Paper and Cover
If you are looking for one of these day planners, you are likely looking for one with high quality paper. Look for items with thick paper, as much as 120gsm, that is made without the use of acid. This will ensure a fade resistant design that will not be damaged by light or air, among other environmental hazards. Some planners got exciting designs, colors, and accents to help you have a fabulous time organizing your life like the Erin Condren planners, but try to look for covers that are not only aesthetically appealing, but those that are made from durable materials, including heavy duty faux leather. - Calendar Type
These planners come in two variatiations. There are pre-dated planners, which have definitive start and end dates, such as July 2020 to December 2021, for instance. There are also undated organizers, which allow you to input whatever start and end dates you like. The latter can be purchased or given as a gift at any point, without fear of being out of date, though they do lack certain features, such as holidays etc. - Additional Features
Most of the above planners include all manner of additional features, including hoops for the storage of writing utensils and heavy duty strap enclosures. Some products also come with a number of bookmarks, blank stickers, colored tabs and inner pockets, for storing business cards and the like. On the interior, look for plenty of empty pages, for notes, and areas to write to-do lists and priority lists, among other things.
