Best Notebooks 2026: Leuchtturm vs Moleskine vs Rhodia

Choosing between Leuchtturm1917, Moleskine, and Rhodia is the notebook equivalent of choosing a daily driver car — each is competent, each has a distinct personality, and the right choice depends on what you actually do with it. Paper quality, binding, ink compatibility, and organizational features vary significantly across these three brands, and the wrong choice for your writing style creates daily frustration.

This guide compares the three head-to-head on the metrics that matter, based on hands-on testing and cross-referenced with community feedback from pen and stationery forums [1][2].

Paper Quality

Paper is the single most important factor in a notebook. Everything else — cover material, binding, aesthetics — is secondary to how the paper handles your preferred writing instrument.

Leuchtturm1917

Weight: 80 gsm. Texture: Smooth with slight tooth. Ink behavior: Handles fountain pens reasonably well in fine and medium nibs. Broader nibs and wetter inks will produce some ghosting (visible shadow on the reverse side) and occasional bleed-through on darker inks. Pencil, ballpoint, and gel pens perform without issues.

Moleskine Classic

Weight: 70 gsm. Texture: Slightly rough. Ink behavior: This is Moleskine’s weakness. The thinner, rougher paper feathers with fountain pen ink, bleeds through with wet inks, and does not display ink properties (shading, sheen) well. Ballpoint pens and pencils work fine. Gel pens are acceptable. Fountain pens are a poor match unless you use extra-fine nibs with dry inks [1].

Rhodia Webnotebook

Weight: 90 gsm (Clairefontaine paper). Texture: Very smooth. Ink behavior: The best paper of the three for fountain pens, markers, and any wet writing instrument. Minimal feathering, excellent bleed resistance, and strong ink color display with visible shading. The smoothness also makes it pleasant for gel pens and rollerballs.

Paper Verdict

Criterion	Leuchtturm1917	Moleskine Classic	Rhodia Webnotebook
Paper weight	80 gsm	70 gsm	90 gsm
Fountain pen friendly	Good	Poor	Excellent
Bleed resistance	Good	Fair	Excellent
Ink shading display	Good	Fair	Excellent
Pencil/ballpoint	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent

If you use fountain pens: Rhodia wins decisively. The 90 gsm Clairefontaine paper handles any nib and any ink without compromise. See our dedicated Rhodia notebooks review and Tomoe River paper guide for even more fountain-pen-optimized options.

If you use ballpoints, gel pens, or pencils: All three work well, and paper quality becomes less of a differentiator.

Organization Features

Leuchtturm1917

Leuchtturm leads in organizational features: numbered pages, a table of contents with blank lines for indexing, two built-in bookmark ribbons, a rear expandable pocket, and an adhesive pen loop included in the box. Available in dot grid, lined, plain, and squared rulings.

These features make Leuchtturm the default choice for bullet journaling — the numbered pages and index pages support the Bullet Journal method directly.

Moleskine Classic

One bookmark ribbon, a rear expandable pocket, and an elastic closure band. No numbered pages, no table of contents. Available in dot grid, lined, plain, and squared. Moleskine sells “professional” variants with additional organizational features, but the Classic line is minimal.

Rhodia Webnotebook

One bookmark ribbon, an elastic closure band, and a rear pocket. No numbered pages, no table of contents. Available primarily in dot grid, lined, and blank. Rhodia’s focus is paper quality rather than organizational extras.

Organization Verdict

Leuchtturm1917 wins for anyone who needs structure — bullet journalists, students, and project planners. Rhodia and Moleskine assume you will create your own organization.

Size, Binding, and Construction

All three brands offer A5 (approximately 5.5 x 8.3 inches) as their primary size, which is the most popular format for daily notebooks.

Feature	Leuchtturm1917	Moleskine Classic	Rhodia Webnotebook
A5 page count	251 numbered pages	240 pages	192 pages
Lay-flat binding	Yes (thread-bound)	Mostly (thread-bound)	Yes (thread-bound)
Cover options	Hardcover, softcover	Hardcover, softcover	Hardcover only
Color range	20+ cover colors	5-8 cover colors	Black, limited colors
Weight (A5 hardcover)	~330g	~310g	~340g

Leuchtturm offers the widest cover color range and the most pages. Moleskine is the lightest. Rhodia is the heaviest due to its thicker paper.

Price Comparison

Notebook (A5 Hardcover)	Typical Retail Price
Leuchtturm1917	~$20-$22
Moleskine Classic	~$20-$24
Rhodia Webnotebook	~$17-$19

Rhodia offers the best paper quality at the lowest price. Moleskine charges a premium primarily for brand recognition rather than material superiority. Leuchtturm justifies its price through organizational features.

For budget alternatives, see our best notebooks under $15 roundup.

Who Should Buy Which

Buy Leuchtturm1917 If…

You use the Bullet Journal method and need numbered pages, an index, and two bookmark ribbons.
You want the widest range of cover colors to match your aesthetic.
You use fine-nib fountain pens, gel pens, or fineliners. The 80 gsm paper handles these well.
You value organizational features built into the notebook rather than creating them yourself.

For a deeper review, see our Leuchtturm1917 vs Moleskine comparison.

Buy Moleskine Classic If…

You primarily use ballpoint pens or pencils and do not need fountain-pen-friendly paper.
You value the brand aesthetics and the iconic rounded-corner design.
You want the lightest notebook in this comparison for daily carry.
You prefer a simple notebook without extra organizational features.

Buy Rhodia Webnotebook If…

You use fountain pens — any nib size, any ink. This is the clear winner for fountain pen users.
Paper quality is your top priority and you are willing to sacrifice color options and organizational features.
You want the most cost-effective option with premium paper.
You do not need numbered pages or a built-in index.

Beyond the Big Three

If none of these fully match your needs, consider:

Hobonichi Techo — Japanese notebook with Tomoe River paper (now Sanzen). The thinnest, smoothest paper available in a bound notebook. See our Hobonichi Techo review.
Midori MD — Cream-colored Japanese paper with a distinctive texture. Excellent for journaling for self-discovery and reflective writing.
Traveler’s Notebook — A modular leather cover system that holds multiple thin notebook inserts. See the Traveler’s Notebook setup guide.

Key Takeaways

Rhodia Webnotebook has the best paper (90 gsm Clairefontaine) and is the clear choice for fountain pen users at any nib size or ink wetness.
Leuchtturm1917 has the best organizational features (numbered pages, index, dual bookmarks) and is the default for bullet journaling.
Moleskine Classic has the weakest paper (70 gsm, prone to feathering and bleed) but remains popular for ballpoint users who value the brand aesthetic.
All three are priced within a few dollars of each other. Rhodia is the best value on paper quality; Leuchtturm is the best value on features.

Next Steps

Find the right paper for your pen with the best paper for fountain pens guide
Compare grid options with the grid vs dot vs lined guide
Set up your journal system with the bullet journaling beginners guide

Sources

JetPens. “The Ultimate Black Notebook Comparison: Moleskine, Leuchtturm1917, Rhodia, and More.” https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Ultimate-Black-Notebook-Comparison-Moleskine-Leuchtturm1917-Rhodia-and-More/pt/346
Laura Lis Scott. “Six Notebooks Compared: Leuchtturm1917, Rhodia, Midori, MUJI, Northbooks and Moleskine.” https://lauralisscott.com/blog/bullet-journal-comparison-leuchtturm-rhodia-midori-muji-northbooks-noleskine/
Pretty Prints & Paper. “Notebook Review: Leuchtturm vs Rhodia.” https://prettyprintsandpaper.com/notebook-review-leuchtturm-vs-rhodia/