How do I make stickers at home without a machine?

Print the design on printable sticker paper and cut it out with scissors, leaving a thin border around each design.

Are homemade stickers waterproof?

Most printable paper stickers are not. Use sheets sold as waterproof, add a clear laminate sheet, or have them printed on laminated vinyl.

What file should I use for custom stickers?

A vector file (AI, EPS, SVG or vector PDF) or a high-resolution PNG at the final size. A transparent background lets the cut follow your design.

Can I turn a photo into a sticker?

Yes. Use the largest, sharpest version of the photo you have, and decide whether the cut follows the subject or a simple shape around it - the proof shows both before printing.

How many stickers do I need to order?

Custom Stickers start at a small pack per design, and the price per sticker drops as the quantity grows; the calculator shows each price before you order.

How long does it take to get printed stickers?

White vinyl stickers ship the next business day after you approve the proof; free US shipping takes 3-5 business days in transit.

How to make stickers

For a few stickers at home, print your design on printable sticker paper and cut it out with scissors or a cutting machine; it is quick, but most paper stickers are not waterproof. For stickers that survive water, sun and daily handling, start the same way - with a design file - and have it printed on laminated vinyl and cut to its outline. Either way, design at the final size, use a high-resolution image, and leave a little space around the artwork for the cut.

	At home on printable paper	Printed on laminated vinyl
What you need	A printer, sticker paper, scissors or a cutting machine	A design file
Waterproof	Usually not, unless you buy waterproof sheets or add a laminate	Yes - vinyl with a laminate on top
Cut	By hand, or by a cutting machine you set up	Cut to your outline by the printer
Best for	A handful for a party, a planner, a test	Bottles, laptops, packaging, cars, anything handled or washed
Effort	Your time on every sheet	Upload, approve the proof, done

Swipe the table sideways to see every column.

Start with the design

Make the artwork at the size the sticker will be - a 3 inch sticker designed at 3 inches - with an image resolution around 300 pixels per inch at that size, which is the usual guidance for sharp print. Logos and type stay sharpest as vector files (AI, EPS, SVG or a vector PDF).

Keep text large and bold enough to read at the finished size, and leave a small margin between the artwork and the edge. A PNG with a transparent background makes a cut that follows the design; a JPG has a background that becomes part of the sticker.

Making them at home

Printable sticker paper runs through an ordinary home printer. Print a test page on plain paper first to check the size, then print on the sticker sheet and cut each design out, leaving a thin white border so the cut does not have to be perfect.

Expect paper stickers to scuff and smudge with water unless the sheet is sold as waterproof or you cover it with a clear laminate sheet. They are perfect for a few stickers today; for a hundred stickers that should look the same, printing pays off quickly.

Getting them printed

On our Custom Stickers page you choose the size, shape and quantity, upload the file, and see a proof with the cut line on screen in seconds, before you pay; if a file needs a designer's eye, we email the proof instead and changes are free. White vinyl stickers ship the next business day after you approve, and US shipping is free.

If you want each sticker to stay on its own square of backing for handing out or selling, choose kiss cut; if you want each one cut to its own shape, backing and all, choose die cut.

Pages for this job

Sticker size guide — what size each use needs
Die cut vs kiss cut stickers — how each one arrives
Custom photo stickers — a picture turned into a sticker
Custom vinyl stickers — printed from your file, cut to shape, ships the next business day

Ready to order

Die-cut vinyl stickers The default choice From $22.00 Custom Kiss Cut Stickers From $22.00 Clear vinyl stickers When the surface should show through From $24.20

Compare every material side by side

Questions people ask

How do I make stickers at home without a machine?: Print the design on printable sticker paper and cut it out with scissors, leaving a thin border around each design.
Are homemade stickers waterproof?: Most printable paper stickers are not. Use sheets sold as waterproof, add a clear laminate sheet, or have them printed on laminated vinyl.
What file should I use for custom stickers?: A vector file (AI, EPS, SVG or vector PDF) or a high-resolution PNG at the final size. A transparent background lets the cut follow your design.
Can I turn a photo into a sticker?: Yes. Use the largest, sharpest version of the photo you have, and decide whether the cut follows the subject or a simple shape around it - the proof shows both before printing.
How many stickers do I need to order?: Custom Stickers start at a small pack per design, and the price per sticker drops as the quantity grows; the calculator shows each price before you order.
How long does it take to get printed stickers?: White vinyl stickers ship the next business day after you approve the proof; free US shipping takes 3-5 business days in transit.