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The Best Pocket Folders

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🕚 Updated August 2022

Keeping your documents organized is essential for school, at work, and even in your home. Whether cleaning or organizing your desk accessories, pocket folders are a great organizational must-have. Here are some of the best pocket folders we recommend.

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  Best Value Best with Inner Prongs Best with Binder Holes Best Filing Folder Premium Leather Design
 
  Amazon Basics
Twin-Pocket File Folders
JAM PAPER
Plastic Color POP Folders
Five Star
4-Pocket Folders
SKYDUE
File Folder Accordion
Stylio
Padfolio
 
Our SummaryA pack of 25 standard-sized pocket folders with fasteners.Choose this 6-pack of folders with interior prongs from a variety of color options.If you have a lot of documents to organize, these folders with hole punches are a great choice.If you need an expandable and lightweight accordion folder, look no further.Style meets function in this organized and professional modern portfolio.
Pros25-pack, has twin-pockets with interior fasteners, is standard size, has capacity of 135 sheets.6-pack, is standard size, has twin-pockets, comes in a variety of colors, has interior fasteners, made of durable plastic.6-pack, is standard size, has laminated cover, 3-hole punched, contains useful information on inside.Accordion-style folder, has five expandable pockets, has label tabs, made of high-quality material, holds 200 pages maximum.Faux-leather padfolio, has interior pockets, pen loop, comes with notepad, is water-resistant, has reinforced accent stitching.
ConsOnly comes in multicolored choice.Can become bulky.Colors selected randomly.Color may vary slightly.Inner pocket may be too tight.
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The Best Pocket Folders

Group of three multiethnic teenage students with backpack and folders on a blue wall.
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Buying Guide for Pocket Folders

A set of multicolored pocket folders against white background.
Mtsaride/Shutterstock.com

Why buy a pocket folder?

Pocket folders are essentially for storage and keeping papers organized. There are many reasons to use them, and they are often a typical item on your kid’s school supply list. Clear up the paper clutter on your desk by keeping everything neatly organized in folders.

What should you consider in a pocket folder?

  • Material/Durability: Folders can come in plastic or paper; typically, plastic folders will be more durable. Paper ones may wear and tear over time and will most likely have to get thrown away if they get wet.
  • Size: Consider if the folder’s size is suitable for the project you plan to use it with. Most are a standard size, which is 9 x 12 inches—large enough to hold standard paper (8.5 x 11 inches) without peeking out. Folders can hold, on average, around 100 sheets of paper. Another important feature is reinforced corners, which help keep your papers in place and keep them from escaping.
  • Pattern: Choose from a wide variety of eye-catching or subtle patterns. Some folders are solid colors, while others have fun and unique designs.

What are the benefits of using a pocket folder vs. a binder?

Keeping your documents organized in either a pocket folder or a binder is one of the most common hacks to keep things tidy. Folders are best for papers you may need to access more quickly, whereas a binder is a better option if you need to flip through a bunch of pages at once. Additionally, many folders have three-hole punches so that you can put them in a binder.

Our Picks for the Best Pocket Folders

Best Value

Amazon Basics Twin-Pocket File Folders

This pack of 25 standard-sized pocket folders with fasteners will keep your essential documents close and organized.

Pros: This 25-pack of twin-pocket folders is standard in size. The interior contains built-in 2-prong fasteners meant to hold 3-hole punched sheets. Each folder can hold up to 135 sheets of letter-sized paper, and the interior has a business card holder. The folders have textured covers in blue, green, yellow, orange, or red.

Cons: You can only buy multicolored packs, not a pack with just one color.

Bottom Line: Simple and high-quality is what you’ll get when you purchase this folder pack that can hold over 3,000 pieces of paper. Give this great value pack a try if you need the extra space to organize your documents.

 

Best with Inner Prongs

JAM PAPER Plastic Color POP Folders

Choose this 6-pack of folders with interior prongs from a variety of color options.

Pros: These folder packs contain six standard-sized folders, which are made from durable, smooth, and sturdy plastic. The interior has prongs to hold 3-hole punch documents and a business card slot on the right. You can choose from a variety of solid color options.

Cons: The folders get bulky when there are a lot of documents inside.

Bottom Line: What makes these folders great is that they are also friendly to the environment. Plus, if you need to give someone some documents, slip your business card in the folder and hand the whole thing over.

 

Best with Binder Holes

Five Star 4-Pocket Folders

If you have a lot of documents to organize, these folders with hole punches are a great choice.

Pros: This 6-pack of colorful folders is standard sized, contains two pockets, and is 3-hole punched to fit in your binders. Each folder contains valuable information, including the periodic table, rulers, and quick reference conversion charts. The laminated surface is water-resistant and protects your documents from accidental spills.

Cons: The color choice is selected for you.

Bottom Line: These Five Star folders are well-known and reliable from a trusted brand—and for a good reason. With their durable build, these can withstand your child’s homework, assignments, and a bit of roughhousing when they get tucked away in between classes.

 

Best Filing Folder

SKYDUE File Folder Accordion

If you need an expandable and lightweight accordion folder, look no further.

Pros: This accordion folder has five expandable pockets and tab positions for labels to keep you organized and on top of everything. This high-quality, sturdy file folder can fit 150 to 200 standard pages. It’s great for day-to-day use and is available in super cute color choices that combine pastels or bold ones.

Cons: Color may vary slightly from what is depicted.

Bottom Line: This portable and colorful folder is attractive and highly functional to keep all your documents in one place with tabs that make it easy for you. Keeping it out on your desk will give your office a neat and aesthetically pleasing appearance.

 

Premium Leather Design

Stylio Padfolio

Style meets function in this organized and professional modern portfolio.

Pros: Style meets function in this elegantly designed padfolio. It has safe pockets for documents, business cards, tickets, proposals, and resumes. Plus, it comes with a pen holder and a refillable writing pad. This padfolio fits in most briefcases and bags and is water-resistant with reinforced accent stitching. Choose from black or brown premium leather to fit your style.

Cons: The inner pocket may be too tight.

Bottom Line: Put your best foot forward with this gorgeous, professional-looking portfolio folder with plenty of style and functionality. You’ll make a great first impression while staying organized.

Final Thoughts

Folders are one of the most helpful school supplies out there, whether you’re in school or at work. Some of the most valuable features of folders include business card sleeves, as well as ones with interior fasteners to keep your documents safe and secure. You’ll never wonder where you placed your documents again if you keep them organized in a folder.

Rachel Shubin Rachel Shubin
Rachel Shubin is a freelance journalist who is passionate about telling stories. Along with writing reviews for LifeSavvy, she writes a book column for Cape May Magazine and is a reporter for the Cape May Star & Wave Newspaper. When Rachel is not writing, she can be found advocating for mental health awareness and animal rescue, reading novels, exploring Cape May, or working on her polymer clay jewelry business, Piper + Pearl Co. Read Full Bio »
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