Tab Cut Calculator — How Many Tabs Fit, and Which Cut to Order
The question every tab order starts with: “I need this many sections — what cut do I want?” Enter your number and see every layout, with exact tab sizes, from the shop that's die-cut tabs since 1993.
1 full bank of 6 + a final bank of 6 — tabs about 1.67" tall.
All the ways to lay out 12 tabs
| Cut | Banks | Layout | Tab height |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/6 | 2 | 1 × 6 + 6 | 1.67" |
| 1/7 | 2 | 1 × 7 + 5 | 1.43" |
| 1/8 | 2 | 1 × 8 + 4 | 1.25" |
| 1/9 | 2 | 1 × 9 + 3 | 1.11" |
| 1/10 | 2 | 1 × 10 + 2 | 1.00" |
| 1/4 | 3 | 2 × 4 + 4 | 2.50" |
| 1/5 | 3 | 2 × 5 + 2 | 2.00" |
| 1/3 | 4 | 3 × 3 + 3 | 3.33" |
Rule of thumb: fewer banks read cleaner in a binder; taller tabs fit more text. Below 1" per tab, keep titles short or step up a cut.
Sizing the binder itself? The binder size calculator turns your page and tab counts into the right ring size.
Common picks: chart binders use 1/8 or 1/10 cut (medical chart tabs), court binders use 1/8 (legal exhibit tabs), and everyday office binders use 1/5 (3-ring binder dividers).
Tab-cut basics
What does tab 'cut' mean?
The cut is the fraction of the binding edge each tab occupies. A 1/5 cut means each tab takes one-fifth of the edge — five tabs cascade down the page before the pattern repeats. A set of tab positions is called a bank.
What if I need more tabs than one bank holds?
The tabs continue in a second bank, starting back at the top. For example, 12 tabs in a 1/5 cut is two full banks of five plus a bank of two. Fewer banks generally read cleaner in a binder.
How do I choose the right number of tabs for my dividers?
Count the sections your binder actually needs — one tab per section — then let the calculator above turn that number into the right cut and bank layout. Fewer sections with long titles suit a lower cut (wider tabs, 1/3–1/5); many short-labeled sections suit a higher cut (1/8–1/10). If you're between counts, order the sections you use today; sets reorder easily when the binder grows.
Which cut is most common?
1/5 cut is the everyday standard for office and reference binders. Legal exhibit and medical chart sets often use 1/8 or 1/10 cuts for more positions per bank.