The 5 best binders for school in 2021

The best binder for school overall

With a padded laptop carrying case, multiple pockets, and a shoulder strap, the Case-it Universal 2-Inch 3-Ring Zipper Binder with Laptop Holder meets virtually any need.  

Pros: Padded laptop sleeve, shoulder strap, big enough to hold many school supplies

Cons: Rings or zippers sometimes break

Zipper binders are a great tool to help students get organized and keep them from losing their school supplies. No matter what your needs are, the Case-it Universal 2-Inch 3-Ring Zipper Binder with Laptop Holder is bound to meet them. 

This binder features 2-inch rings, enough to hold materials for quite a few classes. It’s also designed with an angled zipper that makes it easy to write on paper inside the binder. It can be frustrating to write in binders where the zipper is always getting in the way. 

If students don’t carry a laptop or tablet around at school, the laptop-holder sleeve can also hold a book or notebook. In addition to two main pockets, there is also a smaller front pocket that is perfect for pencils, phones, erasers, and other small items. 

I love that this binder has a carrying handle and a shoulder strap as well. Many schools don’t allow students to carry backpacks around during the day, so the shoulder strap makes it much easier for students to carry their belongings. 

The best binder for elementary school

The Mead Zipper Binder with Expanding File is lightweight and simple — the perfect binder to help young kids learn how to organize their schoolwork. 

Pros: Lightweight, built-in expanding file, interior and exterior pockets

Cons: May wear with heavy use

Before you buy a binder for elementary school, check with your child’s teacher and/or consult their school supplies list. Some elementary school teachers have a strict list of materials for their students. If you have choice in the binder your child uses, we recommend the Mead Zipper Binder with Expanding File. 

First and foremost, this binder comes in different color options, which is pretty important to young kids. It’s also very functional for elementary school with durable fabric, interior pockets, exterior pockets, and an interior expanding file. While there are two pencil/pen pockets on the outside, I recommend purchasing an additional pencil box or pouch. Students in elementary school have a lot of pencils, crayons, markers, and other school supplies that should have their own designated space. 

This binder is 1.5 inches thick, which is the perfect size for all of the papers an elementary school student will need to carry. I like zipper binders for elementary school so students don’t lose their assignments — even if they don’t put them all away neatly, they at least won’t fall out as long as the binder is zipped. 

It’s a rather lightweight binder, which could translate to quick wear with heavy use. However, the light weight and simplicity of the binder are why it’s our pick for elementary-schoolers. It won’t weigh little backpacks down and doesn’t include unnecessary bells and whistles. 

The best binder for middle school

The Five Star Multi-Access Zipper Binder is durable enough to carry a middle-schooler through the entire school year, and it has enough pockets and folders to organize all of their class materials. 

Pros: Durable, built-in expanding file, mesh pockets, guaranteed to last all year

Cons: Some users report the fabric or zipper breaking (if this happens, you can take advantage of the “Lasts All Year” guarantee)

Most middle school students still need a lot of help organizing all of their school gear, and a three-ring zipper binder is the perfect school supply to keep them on track. The Five Star Multi-Access Zipper Binder comes in four different colors, and the water-resistant fabric, zipper, and rings are designed to withstand the wear and tear a middle-schooler will place on it during the school year. It also comes with Five Star’s “Lasts All Year” guarantee. 

This binder is big enough to organize papers for all of your middle school student’s classes in one place, especially with the included six-pocket expanding file that can be accessed from the inside or outside of the binder. Mesh pockets provide the perfect place to keep track of pens, pencils, erasers, and other small items that often get lost at the bottom of backpacks. It also features a sturdy carrying handle. 

The best binder for high school

The Staples Better Binder is small, simple, and comes in 13 different colors so high school students can color-coordinate a binder for each subject. 

Pros: Multiple color options, easy to label, extremely durable

Cons: Cost can add up if buying multiple binders

In my experience as a teacher, most high school students don’t use a zipper binder; the majority of my students used a smaller binder for each subject. It’s often easier for students to organize their courses this way, and many high school teachers request that students have a separate binder dedicated to each course. I recommend the Staples Better Binder, which is easy to label on both the spine and front cover.

My favorite thing about the Staples Better Binder is that it has a hard poly cover and a reinforced rubber binding that hold up well to being shoved into and yanked out of lockers and backpacks. Cheaper binders get destroyed in my classroom very quickly, but these can take a beating from a high-schooler and still live to see another day. 

It also has a heavy-duty storage pocket in the front, which is perfect for keeping important papers like the course syllabus or current project assignment sheets on hand. 

The best binder for college

The Forevermore Portfolio Padfolio has a professional look with plenty of storage that will last through college and beyond. 

Pros: Plenty of storage pockets, professional look, tablet pocket 

Cons: Not suitable for a course with an extensive amount of notes and handouts

Even though most class materials have gone digital, it’s still a good idea to have at least one binder for college. While my professors posted their class presentations online, I liked to print them out so I could write extra notes right on the slide, and a binder is a great way to organize these printouts. It’s also good to have at least one professional-looking binder to take on internship and job interviews. 

That’s why the Forevermore Portfolio Padfolio is our top pick for a binder for college. Students can use this faux leather binder to keep their papers organized for class and also have a professional binder ready to go for even the most last-minute interview. Plus, with this binder, it’s easy to remove the three-ring binder portion to create more of a portfolio.

When used for class, it has everything students need. A large front pocket is the perfect place to store a tablet. Inside, there’s a document pocket, zipper pouch, card slots, and an ID pocket.