Side-by-Side Comparison
Binders & Hole Punching
Filofax 6-Hole vs. ISO 838 (4-Hole)
Comparing 2 standards across 11 specifications. 11 key differences identified.
Comparing:
Filofax 6-Hole
ISO 838 (4-Hole)
The Filofax 6-Hole Standard (invented by Norman & Hill in London in 1921) is the global benchmark for personal ring planners, organizing 6 holes into two distinct 3-hole groups spaced 19.05 mm (0.75 in) apart. Available in standardized Personal (51 mm gap), A5 (70 mm gap), and Pocket (19 mm continuous) formats.
The ISO 838 4-Hole extension (commonly known in Europe as the '888' format) specifies four holes spaced at three consecutive 80.0 mm intervals (80–80–80 mm, spanning 240.0 mm total) with standard 6.0 mm hole diameters. It is standard for heavy A4 4-ring presentation binders and archival document protectors to prevent page sagging.
Specification Comparison Table
11 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Primary Applications
|
Filofax, FranklinCovey, Gillio, Moterm, Kikki.K ring planners | 4-ring A4 presentation binders, clear plastic sheet protectors, heavy catalog binders |
|
Hole Grouping Structure
|
Two groups of 3 holes (19.05 mm / 3/4 in spacing within each 3-hole cluster) | — |
|
Personal Size Center Gap
|
51 mm (2.0 in) gap between clusters — 19-19-51-19-19 mm (95 × 171 mm paper) | — |
|
A5 Size Center Gap
|
70 mm (2.75 in) gap between clusters — 19-19-70-19-19 mm (148 × 210 mm paper) | — |
|
Pocket Size Spacing
|
Uniform 19.05 mm continuous spacing — 19-19-19-19-19 mm (81 × 120 mm paper) | — |
|
A5 Interchangeability
|
The middle holes of the two clusters (at 70+19+19 = 108 mm) align with US 3-hole spacing on some desk punches | — |
|
Hole Interval Geometry
|
— | Three 80 mm gaps: 80 mm – 80 mm – 80 mm (total outer span: 240.0 mm) |
|
Outer Hole Margin on A4
|
— | 28.5 mm from top and bottom edges of an A4 sheet (297 mm length) |
|
Hole Diameter
|
— | 6.0 ± 0.5 mm |
|
Edge Distance to Hole Center
|
— | 12.0 ± 1.0 mm |
|
Backwards Compatibility
|
— | Middle two holes match standard ISO 838 2-hole binders exactly |