Plum Paper Planners vs. PurpleTrail Planners

Highly customizable planners are pretty much on every planner-lover’s list of must-haves. PurpleTrail and Plum Paper are two of the very few planner companies that offer extensive customization options. These two brands are very similar, but they offer different customizable features and layouts. Unless you have one of each in your hands, it’s hard to gauge just which one has the features you need the most. Luckily for you, confused consumer, I’ve used both.

The Similarities

These two have quite a few things in common—both are very, very colorful. Covers aside, the inside pages are bright and cheery. Each one has colorful tabs, fonts, and monthly color schemes that give personality to the planners. It’s a tie on this front. Each company offers a list of potential add-ons for the planners, a page for monthly planning, and both planners come wire-bound.

Your Starting Point

First, you need to know the foundation of these planners. The Plum Paper comes in a daily format and boasts over 25 layout options; PurpleTrail planners are weekly with horizontal, vertical, and vertical hourly layouts. Plum Paper can start any month and last anywhere from 12-18 months. The PurpleTrail planners can also start at any month, but they can be printed in only 12-month or 18-month lengths.

PurpleTrail Planner

Plum Paper’s weekly planners come in three sizes: The A5 (5.8″x8.3″), the regular (7.5×9) and large (8.5×11). PurpleTrail also has two sizes, but they’re either 6×8 or 8.5×11. If you’re looking for a planner on the smaller side, then you’ll want to go with Plum Paper. However, if a small planner isn’t your number one concern, there’s more to consider.

Cover Options

Another big part of any planner is the cover, and luckily, both companies have several cover designs for you to choose from. The covers for PurpleTrail planners are actually completely customizable. While most companies only allow you to include a name, date, or something small added to personalize a cover, PurpleTrail actually lets you edit the colors, layout, and personalization placement on their covers. On top of that, there are more than 200 cover designs in both soft or hard covers for you to choose from.

Plum Paper Planner

Plum Paper doesn’t have that level of customization, but they do have 97 cover designs for you to choose from, and you can add personalization in the form of your name, monogram, or a photo.

Add-Ons Upon Add-Ons

The add-ons offered by both Plum Paper and PurpleTrail are phenomenal. They allow you to make your planner perfect for your life — their add-ons aren’t identical, though. If you go with PurpleTrail, you can choose a maximum of four add-ons. There are 17 section add-ons total, and a sticker add-on that are all put in the back of the planners. Each add-on is signaled by a divider and tab, too.

PurpleTrail’s add-on options are:

• Notes Paper
• To-Do List
• Passwords List
• Bill Tracker
• Checklist
• Graph Paper
• Important Dates
• Address Book
• Puzzle and Games
• Dotted Grid
• Appointment Tracker
• Student Checklist
• Fitness Tracker
• Nutrition Tracker
• Account Tracker
• Travel Itinerary
• Baby Tracker and Keepsake

PurpleTrail Planner add-ons

Plum Paper has different limitations on add-ons, but they depend on the length of your planner. If you choose a 12-month planner, you can add up to 75 pages of add-ons—but the longer the planner, the fewer pages you can add. You can choose between section, dispersed or page add-ons within a tab, and stickers.

Plum Paper has the following add-ons:

• My Home Planning Section
• Fitness Tracking Section
• Direct Sales Planning Section
• Blog Planning Section
• Wedding Planning Section
• My Class Planning Section
• Baby Tracking Section
• Meal Planning Section
• Budget Planning Section
• Notes Pages
• To-Do List Pages
• Bill Tracker Pages
• Monthly Cleaning Pages
• Checklist Pages
• Contact Pages
• Party Planning Pages

Plum Paper Planner add-ons

Price points

Add-ons will up the price of both planners. If you choose Plum Paper, the A5 starts at $31.95, regular starts at $35.95, and the large planner starts at $49.95. Each additional month adds about $2 and add-ons are $5.95 each. PurpleTrail’s prices vary depending on the cover style and type you choose, but on average you can expect to pay anywhere from $30-$60. Add-ons are $3.95 each, stickers are $7, and adding a folder is $5.

The Verdict

The two planner companies are pretty even, but when choosing the right one for you, consider just how many add-ons you want and how long you want your planner to work for you. Plum Paper doesn’t offer hard covers, so if you want a durable planner, you should go with PurpleTrail. If you want add-ons dispersed through your planner, then Plum Paper is right for you. Excessive planners, business women, and moms should go with Plum Paper because it offers the most note pages and entire sections for both family and business. Students should go with PurpleTrail because it comes in a smaller size and hard cover, which makes it easier to carry around in a backpack.

Since add-ons are such a big part of these planners, definitely consider what kind you want and compare the options from each company. If you’re really interested in fitness, you should compare the fitness add-ons from each company and determine which one best fits your needs. Planners are a very personal purchase, and the only person who can choose the right planner for you is you.

Unfortunately, PurpleTrail is no longer available!

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Updated December 18, 2023.