Banner Sizes: The Complete Guide
Banners come in a huge range of sizes depending on where they're used — from tiny web ads to giant print banners at events. This guide covers every major banner size category you'll need.
📊 Quick Facts:
• Most common web banner: 728×90 (Leaderboard)
• Most common print banner: 3×6 ft (0.9×1.8 m)
• YouTube banner: 2560×1440 px
• Facebook cover: 820×312 px
• Web banner DPI: 72-96 (screen only)
• Print banner DPI: 100-150
• Most common web banner: 728×90 (Leaderboard)
• Most common print banner: 3×6 ft (0.9×1.8 m)
• YouTube banner: 2560×1440 px
• Facebook cover: 820×312 px
• Web banner DPI: 72-96 (screen only)
• Print banner DPI: 100-150
💻 Web Banner Sizes (IAB Standards)
Web banners follow standards set by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) — these are the sizes ad networks and websites expect.
| Size (px) | Name | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 728 × 90 | Leaderboard | Top of page — most popular |
| 300 × 250 | Medium Rectangle | Most versatile inline banner |
| 336 × 280 | Large Rectangle | Higher CTR than 300×250 |
| 970 × 250 | Billboard | Premium top-of-page |
| 160 × 600 | Wide Skyscraper | Sidebar (vertical) |
| 120 × 600 | Skyscraper | Narrow sidebar |
| 300 × 600 | Half Page | Large sidebar banner |
| 320 × 100 | Mobile Banner | Mobile top |
| 320 × 50 | Mobile Leaderboard | Mobile bottom |
| 468 × 60 | Full Banner | Legacy banner size |
| 234 × 60 | Half Banner | Small inline |
| 125 × 125 | Square Button | Small square ad |
| 180 × 150 | Small Rectangle | Inline content |
| 200 × 200 | Small Square | Compact square |
| 250 × 250 | Square Pop-up | Pop-up / modal ad |
| 120 × 240 | Vertical Banner | Narrow vertical |
| 240 × 400 | Vertical Rectangle | Tall inline banner |
| 336 × 850 | Portrait | Full-height sidebar |
| 970 × 90 | Super Leaderboard | Wide top banner |
📱 Social Media Banner Sizes
Every social media platform has its own specific banner dimensions:
| Platform | Banner | Size (px) |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube | Channel Art | 2560 × 1440 (safe area 1546 × 423) |
| Cover Photo | 820 × 312 (mobile 640 × 360) | |
| Twitter/X | Header | 1500 × 500 |
| Company Cover | 1128 × 191 | |
| Personal Cover | 1584 × 396 | |
| Profile Banner (Stories) | 1080 × 1920 | |
| Facebook Group | Cover | 1640 × 856 |
| Board Cover | 217 × 146 | |
| TikTok | Profile Banner | 200 × 200 |
| Twitch | Channel Banner | 1200 × 480 |
| Discord | Server Banner | 960 × 540 |
🖨️ Print Banner Sizes
Print banners are measured in feet or metres depending on region. UK/Europe uses metres, US uses feet.
| Size (Metric) | Size (Imperial) | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 0.6 × 1.6 m | 2 × 5 ft | Small pull-up banners |
| 0.8 × 2 m | 2.5 × 6.5 ft | Retail displays |
| 0.9 × 1.8 m | 3 × 6 ft | Standard trade show ⭐ |
| 1 × 2.5 m | 3.3 × 8 ft | Medium displays |
| 1.2 × 2.4 m | 4 × 8 ft | Large trade show banners |
| 1.5 × 3 m | 5 × 10 ft | Large format exhibitions |
| 2 × 4 m | 6.5 × 13 ft | Outdoor events |
| 3 × 6 m | 10 × 20 ft | Building fascias |
🎯 Choosing the Right Banner Size
For Websites
- 728×90 leaderboard — Safe default for top-of-page
- 300×250 medium rectangle — Best overall CTR
- 160×600 skyscraper — For sidebar navigation
- 300×600 half page — Premium engagement
For Social Media
- YouTube: 2560×1440 (design centrally, text within 1546×423)
- Facebook: 820×312 (mobile crops bottom)
- Twitter/X: 1500×500 (design for centre display)
- LinkedIn: 1584×396 personal / 1128×191 company
For Print
- Trade shows: 3×6 ft (0.9×1.8 m) pull-up
- Outdoor events: 4×8 ft (1.2×2.4 m)
- Building fascia: 10×20 ft (3×6 m)
- Small flyers: A3 or A2 folded
🖨️ Print Banner Specifications
| Specification | Recommended |
|---|---|
| File format | PDF, TIFF, EPS, or AI |
| Colour mode | CMYK (never RGB) |
| Resolution | 100-150 DPI at final size |
| Bleed | 5mm minimum (10mm ideal) |
| Safe zone | 50-100mm from edges for text |
| Fonts | Embedded or converted to outlines |
| Material | PVC, mesh, or fabric |
📏 Web Banner DPI & Pixels
Web banners are saved at 72-96 DPI because they're displayed on screens, not printed. Pixel dimensions matter more than DPI for web.
| Banner Size | File Size (avg) | Max File Size |
|---|---|---|
| 728×90 Leaderboard | 30-50 KB | 150 KB |
| 300×250 Medium Rectangle | 40-80 KB | 150 KB |
| 970×250 Billboard | 80-150 KB | 300 KB |
| 160×600 Skyscraper | 40-70 KB | 150 KB |
| 320×100 Mobile Banner | 20-40 KB | 100 KB |
💡 Design Tips for Banners
- Text legibility — Large, bold text; a minimum of 20pt for web
- Call to action — Include a clear CTA (button or text)
- Contrast — Ensure good contrast for readability
- Load time — Compress files (GIF, JPEG, PNG) before upload
- Mobile-first — Design for smaller sizes if targeting mobile
- Safe area — Keep critical content away from edges (cropping)
- Animation — HTML5 banners convert better than GIFs