which notebook is the BEST for bullet journaling? 🤎 bullet journal notebook comparison

[@Karen_Tries]

NBT had me at free shipping 😂 cause ya girl doesn’t have $150 to spend on a journal haul just for free shipping! (Plus I can add on some washi or stamps I like to my order!)

[@mingostudio]

EXACTLYY i 🤎 free shipping

[@tara5047]

yeah i would choose notebook therapy too! i wouldn't be surprised if part of archer and olive's greater popularity is down to the fairly north america-centric nature of the bujo/studytube community in general, as, speaking from an international perspective, notebook therapy's lack of shipping cost is definitely a major incentive - for me, paying for the shipping for archer and olive would be as expensive (if not more expensive) as the product itself! but as you said, both companies make great products :)

[@mingostudio]

that’s such a good point too if you’re out of the US

[@mooncraftbujo]

I have an A&O journal from a friend that I LOVE but I live in the UK. I put two journals in my shopping cart the other day out of curiosity (about $60 worth) but shipping and tax pushed the total cost to about $110! For two journals 😅 gotta be NT for me

[@MaiMaiMai22222]

Same here! I prefer notebook therapy for basically the same reasons. I tried both, but i gotta say that notebook therapy is just better imo. Definitly buying notebook therapy again for next year ♡

[@mingostudio]

ditto girly haha

[@FrostKitty]

The shipping is great and it would take an A&O order 7-10days to reach me, in Atlanta, GA.

[@FrostKitty]

I just replied to an A&O survey and my final comment was about how I’d switched to Notebook Therapy because their offerings match my aesthetic. I’ve been an A&O exclusive customer until this year but their recent releases have been awful. This year I’ve skipped both boxes, a first since the A&O subscription boxes were offered. My first purchase with Notebook Therapy the wrong journal was shipped. I wrote their customer service, received a response and TWO days later my replacement journal arrived FedEx. I also like the matching stamps and washi option… the Notebook Therapy stamps are lovely. I have to admit that I want to support A&O’s commitment to creativity and mental health but I’m going to wait to see what the Halloween releases are, if it’s another disappointment like last year (they still have them in stock) then I’m just going’s to switch completely over to Notebook Therapy. *I have an obscene number of blank A&O journals… I hoarded the covers I liked 😮 so I’ll be using them forever but for my reset this time it’s all Notebook Therapy.

[@mingostudio]

oh wow! i kinda agree with you, the recent A&O designs haven’t been my absolute fav compared to notebook therapy’s. at least you have some of their old classic designs saved up tho! haha :)

[@FrostKitty]

@@mingostudio I have to seriously BuJo and journal for 10 years to clear the stash… maybe longer actually because I’m clearing out my craft room and office and found another box of journals. 🤨

[@mingostudio]

lmao not a bad problem to have tho

[@Lynn7689]

I used to love the older A&O designs, but now I would rather go to Notebook Therapy. I also love that notebook therapy has collections. For the last 3yrs I have bought the seasons notebooks. One comes out for each new season.

[@ravenoctober9936]

It's so funny because it's only been this year that I've found designs I really liked from archer and olive. Last years was so unlikable for me tbh. To many overly saturated colors with designs I never liked. But recently I feel like they've been putting out much better designs. Alot more revolving around nature. I just bought the beautiful raven journal and the b5 sun outside of a window with vines going up the window arch. But notebook therapy has so many adorable designs. I feel like a&o is so hit or miss.

[@tirarosaurioreads]

Great video. I love both brands, to be honest... even though lately I have been ordering more from Notebook Therapy based on 1) their choice of darker colors and designs that align more with my personal taste. 2) difference in shipping times (and cost) to send their notebooks to Spain are a no brainer - it somehow always takes longer with A&O, plus their shipping costs are steep AND somehow they always get stopped at customs, which doesnt happen with Notebook Therapy 3) their choices of washi etc that they sell on their shop appeal more to me so I make orders for more things other than the notebooks themselves.

[@mingostudio]

i completely agree!

[@BG-ig6fd]

Easy delivery is an important part of the decision process. When you must deal with customs fees, extra paperwork, delays or high shipping costs, it really puts a damper on the experience.

[@margaretr.4427]

Very helpful video comparison! I’ve been on Archer and Olive a few times and most everything is always sold out. There will be a few fairly plain journals in like 1 size option. They just had a new release and it was mostly sold out in one day. I find that annoying and I am much more likely to order from Notebook Therapy now!

[@mingostudio]

such a good point yeah they’re really popular

[@cynthiamessing]

thank you for finally answering this question ! i’ve always wondered which one is better haha 👀

[@mingostudio]

absolutely! do you have either?

[@kraemerashley88]

The grid spacing cheat sheet only came in one journal for A&O. They have a plastic one but that's a separate purchase. Now if notebook therapy started sub box A&O would have some major competition. Especially since lately getting charged for shipping on A&O, it still takes 2 weeks to deliver, because thought some ship from Texas, they also ship from Florida and California, I live in Louisiana, so yeah don't know why it takes so long for domestic shipping.

[@mingostudio]

oh that’s really unfortunate! yeah my journals took quite a while to ship too

[@bettyboopsynoop]

I got an A&O and a NBT journal for the first time for next year. I live in Northern Ireland and it cost me almost $50 including shipping and with a 20% discount. NBT was around £31 including shipping of £5.99 and a 10% discount. I can say i do prefer the NBT more in how it looks and also the fact that it is much cheaper, not only for the journal itself, but the shipping too. The $21 shipping + tax, (unless they have a spectacular journal in the future that i MUST get, lol) put me off ever ordering from A&O again. Not to mention it was 2 weeks for the A&O to get here and about a week for the NBT one.

[@mingostudio]

thank you for sharing! we seem to have very similar opinions haha

[@hollywatson6693]

I too am from NI and came to the comments hoping to find this exact information!

[@bettyboopsynoop]

@@hollywatson6693 Although i still think NBT is better for notebooks, i must warn you that i recently ordered washi tape from them and from *ordered to delivered* it took almost 3 weeks. Maybe just a one off, but thought I’d mention it. Plus i ordered a stamp set also and one of the stamps was a calendar stamp that was missing 3 days on it, the 8th, 9th and 10th. I looked up photos of the set and they ALL were missing those 3 days. It’s a pretty big oversight. The stamp is useless now. Oh well.

[@Yukime92]

I like my notebook therapy journal, but it took 20 days after I ordered for it to even ship out, and then it was a month after that until I got it. And it shipped from China, not Japan. In the time it took waiting for the journal, I got into bookbinding and ended up handmaking my own hardcover (hand stitched, bookcloth, etc) journal, complete with the foil stamped artwork on the cover and ribbon bookmarks, etc. lol. I decided I'd avoid Notebook Therapy in the future

[@mingostudio]

LMAO you said dw i'll just do it myself 😭😭that's too bad the shipping took so long tho

[@ravenoctober9936]

That's amazing that you made your own though!

[@mariamartoral793]

What an absolutely delightful comparison! You answered many of my questions as I shop for one. Could you share your main use of your journals?

[@mingostudio]

thanks! i use them for bullet journaling ◡̈

[@rassvet90]

NBT not only has cooler designs in journals, but also lots of amazing washi tapes. I've never used either brands, but I saw their websites and NBT looks much more alluring tbh. I actually ordered my first NBT with some cool washi tapes just this week and I'm very excited!

[@mingostudio]

i agree! :))

[@haleyr3028]

I just wish Notebook Therapy had B5 because that’s what I use.

[@mingostudio]

yeah so true. my mom uses a&o bc of their wider size ranges haha

[@Paleopauline]

Notebook therapy does have B5 just not in every journal. They offer the original size, A5, B5 and lately they have a few travelers size notebooks

[@haleyr3028]

@@Paleopauline Thank you, I will have to check that out.

[@allisarcadia]

If Notebook Therapy released square journals like A&O does, I would buy from them more often. However, Archer and Olive is the *only* reliable quality brand I know of that makes square journals with a dot grid. So until I learn how to bind my own notebooks [eventually] I'll be sticking with A&O.

[@mingostudio]

thats such a good point! hopefully other brands will follow suit in creating other sizes for journals :)

[@izzyb7139]

i have 20 of the old A & O journals thank goodness because I am not very fond of the new ones. There are a few that I would buy but overall I find them too dark and not enough diversity. They seem to market to the same aesthetic. I like Notebook therapy better and they offer more sizes and more stickers and washi. I was wondering if they sold Archer and Olive because it seems so different. Also I miss the notebooks with the 3 types of paper in them that A & O use to sell. The problem I have with Notebook Therapynis they get sold out a lot and take forever to restock. Still I pick them too. 7

[@mingostudio]

@@izzyb7139 i agrée with you on both points

[@anagonzalez5628]

I agree with you I personally like archer and olives quality but recently notebook therapy matches my aesthetic more than A&O, they just keep coming out with blue and green journals and I’m more of a brown pink girl

[@mingostudio]

lmao MOOD i agree tho i love the warmer tones

[@AmberUnfinished]

I love Archer & Olive, I have several of their notebooks and monthly kits. I think being a company in the USA is a positive. I really do hate paying for shipping though and waiting for delivery! (Instant gratification is a real problem.) My current journal is a Yop & Tom which was cheaper than both and prime shipping (thanks Amazon, lol). I do love the sweet design on your notebook therapy journal. I enjoyed your comparison video. I'll check out notebook therapy next!

[@mingostudio]

ohh i haven’t heard of Yop and Tom! do they have most of the features as these? another cheaper option i’ve found is paperage on amazon :)

[@AmberUnfinished]

@@mingostudio pages are numbered to 153 which doesn't count the Title page, key, or index. Back pocket, elastic closure, 2 ribbons (mine are 2 different colors), 160 gsm. Came with grid ruler guide. Mine is navy blue with a dandelion in gold on the cover.

[@mingostudio]

@@AmberUnfinished that literally sounds perfect omg let me add it to my stationery to-buy-list ahaha

[@JoanneBlossy]

I agree. Having tried both notebooks I prefer Notebook Therapy.

[@mingostudio]

ditto haha

[@andreinabarrera4105]

Hello..great content..thank you❤. Quick question..I am trying to buy a bullet journal A5 in Archer & Olive website ..there are all out of stock 😮😢😅..we are in January when they will restock?? Do you know?

[@mingostudio]

i have no clue unfortunately 😭

[@andreinabarrera4105]

@@mingostudio sorry, I am checking on Scribble and dot notebook. I am thinking in purchase it since looks cute and the pages numbered. Do you think its a good journal? And so sorry to bother you.

[@mingostudio]

no worries! i’ve heard good things but personally i’ve never tried one of their notebooks. :)

[@porschasimmons3614]

Thanks for the great video! Your nails are super cute.

[@mingostudio]

aw thanks! 🤎

[@amythinks]

archer and olive never has any stock.

[@mingostudio]

yes that’s been an issue recently

[@amodyasuraweera8609]

So I also think notebook therapy is much better than archer and olive books cause the quality of the paper is better than A&O book in the notebook therapy

[@mingostudio]

yess i agree

[@kimberlyh8201]

your nails are so cute!!! did you do them yourself?

[@mingostudio]

thanks! they're actually color street nail polish stickers! super easy to create cute designs :)

[@theusefuljournal]

I’m curious why you think Notebook Therapy ships from Japan? My delivery slip said China?

[@mingostudio]

oh really? i looked it up online, i didn’t keep the delivery slip. if it is china not japan then my mistake :/

[@khakilaccy]

They dropship directly from their mfr in China

[@Eve92]

NBT has a minimum for free shipping as well now ($40) unfotunately. Or is it just for europe? lol

[@mingostudio]

honestly idk but my orders are still free shipping :’((

[@Eve92]

Really??? Idk what is happening then, mines have a $5.95 shipping fee under $40 😭it’s not a lot tbh so it doesn’t bother me it’s just really odd 🤔

[@mingostudio]

@@Eve92 yeah thats unfortunate

[@Eve92]

It is what it is. It’s not gonna stop me from buying one after your review so all is well 🥰

[@dancestar722]

girl if you have the ear of someone at Notebook Therapy tell them to make a square size 😭

[@mingostudio]

no honestly 😭😭 i don’t usually use square notebooks but that’s one thing archer and olive has that notebook therapy doesn’t - a wider range of sizes

[@tracy.m.alexander]

A&O all the way! It’s a premium product so I pay the price. Love the gilded edges, square and B5, travel journal sizes. Love all their fun sub boxes, creativity cases, calliograph and acrylograph lineup. Artist collabs, unique products, pretty enamel pins. So I can always find a way to get that free shipping

[@mingostudio]

lmaoo the stationery shopping binge is real 💀💀

[@tungstensmum1491]

Notebook Therapy books not having pen loops are honestly a big downfall for me - I need to have a pen in the loop at all times, otherwise that pen is going missing forever. Which sucks - I live in Canada and the A&O shipping to Canada is massively expensive.

[@mingostudio]

ohh i see. that makes sense, and sorry that shipping is so expensive 🥲🥲

[@noora1391]

you can always diy a pen loop by sticking a loop of ribbon to a binder clip! that way you can even choose your own colour and move it up and down depending on how long your pen is.

[@khakilaccy]

You can buy sticky pen loops pretty cheaply or bands with a pen holder that go over your front cover. Also, you can hook your pen to the journal elastic on top of your notebook

[@karrithompson1]

Where are they manufactured?

[@mingostudio]

i tried looking it up and i couldn’t find anything specific in time to put it in the video. all i know is where they ship from- notebook therapy from japan and archer and olive from texas, usa. :))

[@nowkohnaoko]

My notebook therapy order took over 4 months to get to me. After that I was really weary to order from them again 😭

[@mingostudio]

wow are you serious? that’s so long! i haven’t heard of them having many issues like that but im sorry your order was so delayed :/

[@itsdaksha]

Hey, I would really appreciate if you could answer my question! I will be doing bujo for the first time in 2024 and prefer to keep my layouts really simple. Do you think one notebook therapy bujo will do? ❤ thanks!

[@mingostudio]

how exciting! if you’re only doing very simple layouts then i would def start with just one journal, and then if you run out of pages you can always buy a second later down the line :)

[@itsdaksha]

@@mingostudioappreciate your response, thank you x

[@wotcherful]

Notebook therapy

[@mingostudio]

♡ ♡

[@The_Wyrd__Teller]

R$150,00... Can we find a good journal around $8? That's more then it usually costs around here... Those are great journals, so sad for not buying it

[@mingostudio]

there are definitely cheaper alternatives i just enjoy these because the quality fits the price :)

[@The_Wyrd__Teller]

@@mingostudio Honestly, for that quality, you're right. It's just a sad time to be brazillian, there aren't many good options on a reasonable price in reais. Thank you for taking time of your day to answer me

[@cscreative5460]

Cute designs but Archer and olive never has anything worth buying in stock. Busy people cannot keep up with launches and “drops”. It’s very off putting 😕

[@mingostudio]

yeah i totally get that

[@ravenoctober9936]

I agree it's very frustrating they don't keep good stock of their a5's I'll probably use both companies but a&o for sized (like b5) that I can't get from nbt after this year.

[@isilife4331]

Is Notebook Therapy really a Japanese company? The free shipping raises alarm bells for me. Not to be a party pooper, but in nowadays ecenomy no company can afford free shipping unless the production is incredibly cheap (aka probaby from China) I am honestly not trying to spoil anyone's fun, I am just curious myself because I am not sure where to buy my journal from, and it's an important point for me what type of company I support.

[@mingostudio]

yeah i get what you’re saying. i researched and looked on their website for the info in the video and it said it was a japanese company, however feel free to research yourself if only to clarify. i agree that it’s always super important to keep in mind labor practices of companies we’re buying from. :)

[@khakilaccy]

I read this comment the other day and came across this video. It answers your question. NT dropships from China, but A&O's manufacturer is also in China. If you don't want to follow the link, the channel is the useful journal. The video is a comparison between STM, A&O, and NT kzbin.info/www/bejne/fqTceKpvi9VlqK8si=UzXEVkc8qXLtT8N9

[@Risici_Bloom]

Neither has acid-free paper.

[@mingostudio]

honestly i didnt even think about that 🤔