Notsu vs Moleskine: Which Dot Grid Notebook Should You Buy?
The Moleskine Classic is the most recognizable notebook on earth — the black rectangle with the elastic band that half the cafés in the world seem to have on their tables. It's earned that status. But recognition isn't the same as being the right notebook for your pens, and on the spec that matters most, the underdog wins outright.
Here's the honest comparison between the Notsu Dot Grid Lay Flat Notebook ($17.99) and the Moleskine Classic Large dotted (~$24–26) — including everything Moleskine does better.
The Short Version
| Notsu Dot Grid Lay Flat | Moleskine Classic Large (dotted) | |
|---|---|---|
| Paper | 120gsm | 70gsm |
| Pages | 160 | 240 |
| Size | 6" × 8.5" | 5" × 8.25" (13 × 21 cm) |
| Binding | Smyth-sewn, opens flat | Thread bound, opens 180° |
| Cover | Cloth spine (black/white) | Hardcover, wide color range |
| Extras | Elastic band | Elastic band, ribbon bookmark, expandable pocket |
| Price | $17.99 | ~$24–26 |
Buy Notsu if: you write with anything wetter than a ballpoint — the 120gsm paper is the deciding factor. Buy Moleskine if: you want the iconic design, maximum pages, and a notebook you can find in any airport bookstore on earth.
Paper: 120gsm vs 70gsm
This is the comparison. Everything else is details.
Moleskine's Classic paper is 70gsm — thinner than standard printer paper. It's smooth and pleasant for ballpoints and pencils, which is what most Moleskine users write with. But it's also the source of the most common Moleskine complaint in existence: ghosting and bleed-through. Highlighters show through. Markers soak through. Fountain pens are essentially off the table.
Notsu's paper is 120gsm — over 70% thicker. Highlighters, fineliners, and most fountain pens behave. You can use both sides of every page without thinking about it.
To put it plainly: Moleskine's paper is the weakest part of a beloved product. Notsu's paper is the entire point of the product. If your pens have ever bled through a Moleskine, you already know which side of this comparison you live on.
Page Count and Value
Moleskine wins on pages: 240 vs Notsu's 160 — exactly 50% more writing space per notebook. If you fill notebooks fast and want each one to last, that's meaningful.
On per-page value the math is closer than it looks: ~$25 ÷ 240 pages ≈ 10¢ a page for Moleskine; $17.99 ÷ 160 ≈ 11¢ a page for Notsu. You're paying roughly the same per page either way — the real question is whether you want more pages of thinner paper or fewer pages of paper your pens can't destroy.
What Moleskine Genuinely Does Better
Credit where it's due — and there's a lot of it:
- Availability. You can buy a Moleskine in airports, bookstores, and supermarkets on six continents. That ubiquity is a genuine feature: run out mid-trip and you're covered.
- The design language. The rounded corners, the elastic band, the ribbon bookmark, the expandable back pocket, the "in case of loss" page — it's a considered object, and the unboxing still feels good after all these years.
- Color and size range. Dozens of colors, multiple sizes from pocket to A4, limited editions. Notsu offers black and white cloth spines. If self-expression-through-cover matters to you, it's not close.
- The pocket. That expandable inner pocket genuinely gets used — receipts, tickets, the business cards of people more interesting than you.
None of this is trivial. A notebook is a daily companion, and liking the object matters.
Binding and Build
Both are sewn bindings that open flat — Moleskine's thread binding opens a full 180°, and Notsu's Smyth sewing is built specifically to lay flat. In practice, both survive daily bag life without drama. The practical difference is nil; call it a draw and move on to paper, which is where the money is.
The Honest Verdict
- Choose Moleskine if you want the icon: 240 pages, the pocket, the ribbon, the colors, and a notebook you can replace anywhere in the world — and you write with ballpoints, pencils, or fine gel pens that won't punish 70gsm paper.
- Choose Notsu if paper quality is the job: 120gsm that takes highlighters, markers, and fountain pens without ghosting, in a lay-flat sewn binding, for $17.99 instead of ~$25.
One question settles it: have you ever been annoyed by ink showing through your notebook pages? If yes — even once — get the thicker paper. Everything else about a notebook is negotiable. The paper isn't.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Moleskine paper good? For ballpoints and pencils, yes — it's smooth and pleasant. For markers, highlighters, and fountain pens, no: at 70gsm it's one of the thinnest premium notebook papers, and ghosting is the most common complaint.
What GSM is Moleskine paper? 70gsm for the Classic line — thinner than standard 80gsm copy paper.
What is a good Moleskine alternative? If your priority is paper quality, look for 100gsm+ dot grid notebooks — Notsu's 120gsm lay-flat ($17.99) is built specifically for pens that bleed through 70gsm paper. If you want the Moleskine feature set (pocket, ribbon, colors) with similar paper, there isn't a direct match — that's what you're paying for.
How many pages does a Moleskine Large have? 240 pages (120 sheets) in the Classic Large hardcover.
Try the thicker paper: the Notsu Dot Grid Lay Flat Notebook ($17.99, 120gsm, 160 pages, opens flat) — also in a white cloth spine. Also on Amazon. Get 10% off your first order when you join our list.