The Best Bookmarks

Buying Guide for Bookmarks

Why buy bookmarks?

If you own and read physical books or textbooks, owning at least one bookmark is well worth your while. Bookmarks are meant to mark the page you left off reading without damaging the pages. You won’t have to struggle to remember what page or chapter you left off on, leave your book lying open and at risk of falling and losing your page, or harm your book by dog-earing the pages. Bookmarks allow you to close your book and put it back on the bookcase, then pick up where you left off when it’s time to continue reading. They’re designed to stick out of the top or bottom of the book, so you can instantly flip it open to the appropriate page. Some books have their own ribbon bookmarks attached to the spine, but most don’t. Thus buying your bookmarks can save you a lot of frustration, especially if you read more than one book at a time.

What should you look for in bookmarks?

• Material: Bookmarks are available in many different materials. Stiff or laminated paper is probably the most classic option but certainly not the only one. People often use ribbons, silicone, metal, wood, fabric, leather, lace, tassels, paper clips, magnets,  dried flowers, or some combination of two or more of these materials—the possibilities are more extensive than you might think. Wood and metal are especially nice for extensive readers who read while traveling or commuting, as these materials are more durable than paper.
• Design: The design, color, and shape of your bookmark(s) offer even more variety. There’s almost an unlimited amount of different design options out there. Classic rectangular cardstock or laminated bookmarks provide a good variety by themselves; they’re available with meaningful quotes, can be patterned, feature your favorite book characters, made custom with photos of friends or treasured memories, or have a dangling ribbon or tassel or beaded chain attached on the end. Bookmarks are available in almost any shape or color, from animals to flowers to swords to hearts and beyond.
• Quantity: Many more decorative bookmarks are sold individually, but there are also pairs and sets of bookmarks available for purchase. Packs of four to six are pretty standard, but you can find packs with as many as 50 or 60 bookmarks at once (usually intended for libraries or classrooms). If you’re an avid reader or looking for a nice set of bookmarks as a gift for the bookworm in your life, a set of several bookmarks may be the better choice for you.

Are there extra features you can look for in bookmarks?

Simple as bookmarks might be, there are a couple of handy features you can look for in bookmarks that, while not necessary for them to function, may enhance your reading experience nonetheless. Magnetic bookmarks are always good because they won’t fall or slip out from between the pages by accident. Other types are designed to clip onto the page, hook around the top of the page, or wrap fully around a page rather than be stuck between two, and these are nearly as secure as magnetic bookmarks. This last type is often size adjustable, so it can be expanded or contracted to fit different sized pages in various books. Some bookmarks also have a pointer or other marker that will indicate the exact sentence or word you stopped reading, so you can pick up at the precise spot where you left off.

Our Picks for the Best Bookmarks

Pros: These modern magnetic bookmarks are an excellent choice for those who read multiple books at once or tend to read on the go. They fold in half over the top, side, or bottom of the page, and the strong magnets on both inner sides stick together, ensuring that the bookmark won’t fall out and lose your page even if the book is jostled or dropped. The price is low, and since you get 12 solid magnetic bookmarks per pack, you also get excellent value. A 24-pack is also available, with 11 different colors and designs. No two bookmarks are the same regardless of set size or color choice.

Cons: These bookmarks are a bit heavier than normal ones and thus may weigh down your book’s pages a bit, even rip them. Since these bookmarks are double-sided, identical on both sides, and attach directly to the page, you might have forgotten which side of the page you left off reading on.

Bottom Line: A more modern version of classic bookmarks, these double-sided magnetic bookmarks are one of your best options if you want to ensure that your bookmarks won’t accidentally slip out from between your book’s pages.

 

Pros: If you’re after a bookmark that’s a little more unique or that you can adorn to your liking, you’ll love these large paper clip-style bookmarks. Cute and colorful, adding ribbons or gluing rhinestones to them for further decoration is a fun craft for your little ones if you have children. Their extra-large size is impossible to miss between the pages despite their slender width, allowing them to simultaneously hold quite a few pages. The size and strength make them an excellent choice for textbooks or books with extra-thick pages. Available in two color choices and a pack of 30 or 40 at a very low price, you get excellent bang for your buck with these paper clip bookmarks, especially since they can double as typical paper clips.

Cons: You may find that these giant paper clips are too large for smaller-sized or thinner books. They may also leave indentations on the pages.

Bottom Line: Bookmarks aren’t usually a multipurpose item. But since these bookmarks are large paper clips, they can be used to hold papers, documents, and letters together or mark your spot in the book you’re reading.

 

Pros: If you’re after a beautiful and elegant bookmark, you can’t go wrong with this handcrafted metal model. Made from copper with gold or silver plating, this unique metal feather-shaped bookmark is sturdy and won’t oxidize or rust. Since it’s made almost entirely of metal, save for the glass ball at the end of the chain, it’s nice and durable. It’s surprisingly lightweight at only 1.76 ounces, so it won’t hurt or weigh down your book’s pages. The rhinestones and preserved flowers in the glass globe at the end of the chain are also available in various colors and flower species. It comes with a handy gift box that can serve instead as storage if you buy this bookmark.

Cons: While not an expensive purchase per se, this bookmark is costly compared to many. Also, be careful when setting down books with this bookmark inside, as the glass orb at the end of the chain is fragile and may break easily.

Bottom Line: Bookmarks are simple items, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be beautiful. Decorative, handmade, intricate, and lovely from top to bottom, this bookmark makes the perfect present for your favorite bookworm or yourself.

 

Pros: Beautiful and handmade, this wooden bookmark is the real thing. No engineered or synthetic wood here. It’s made from real hardwoods, predominantly maple. This ensures that no two bookmarks are 100% alike, as the natural wood graining will differ from bookmark to bookmark. And you have the option to customize it with whatever name, message, or other text you want on the back. You can also choose between eight gorgeous tree designs decorating this bookmark’s front. The text printed on the back is anti-fade, so you won’t have to worry about it rubbing off over time, even with constant handling. A protective storage bag is included with your purchase, so you can stash this bookmark safely without risking it getting wet.

Cons: As is customary with quality, handmade items, this model costs a bit more than the average bookmark, even if it won’t necessarily break the bank. It’s sized on the thinner side, which is great for fitting between book pages but puts it at a higher risk of breaking or snapping.

Bottom Line: Wooden bookmarks are classic and timeless, and no two are exactly alike when made from real wood, as this model is. It’s sustainable, hand-crafted, unique, colorful, and beautiful— what’s not to love?

 

Pros: With these bright, colorful finger-pointer bookmarks, you’ll not only be able to find the page or sentence where you left off but the precise word. This bookmark wraps around the page where you left off, and the finger pointer can be moved up and down as needed. The bookmark may also be slid to the left or right as needed, so you can adjust the pointer to where you stopped reading. The silicone is soft, flexible, and stretchy, able to fit even larger and thicker books. Even though it wraps around the entire page, there’s a finger pointer on only one side, so you’ll always be able to tell which page you left off. You get five of these for one low price, and they can double as book straps when not in use as bookmarks, giving you a little extra bang for your buck.

Cons: Be careful when placing this bookmark onto your book or novel, as it may wrinkle or bend the pages if it’s too tight or not appropriately sized. The silicone body may be too thick for smaller and thinner books, so you may not be able to close it fully.

Bottom Line: Although bookmarks indicate which page you left off on, you’ll likely still have to scan the page to remember exactly where to pick up reading. These unusual pointer bookmarks solve that particular issue for you.

Final Thoughts

Bookmarks are a simple but valuable tool in any student or bookworm’s arsenal. After all, why settle for marking your pages through dog-earing, lying your book flat, or with random bits of paper around the household? Use a much more reliable and stylish method with a bookmark.