Sticker it logo

What's the difference between die cut and regular stickers?

The main difference between die cut and regular stickers is that die cut stickers are cut in the exact shape of your design, whereas regular stickers usually have traditional shapes.

Let's take a closer look at what die cut stickers are, how they differ from other sticker options and when to choose which sticker below.

Remember, in the world of custom stickers, there is no such thing as a regular sticker.

Regular stickers are the stickers you order from marketplaces like Amazon. When you order a custom sticker, you are in full control over every aspect, from a custom design to the material and shape of your stickers.

At Sticker it, you can even customise your traditional shapes like circle, square, rectangle or rounded corners - just see below.

Circle eco-friendly glitter sticker with skate design applied to a blue iPhone
Circle holographic sticker applied to an amber jar with beard oil
Square biodegradable paper sticker applied to a white candle jar
Square white vinyl stickers with hand made design used as a packaging seal
Rectangle mirror silver sticker applied to a bag of coffee next to a jar of coffee beans and an espresso maker
Rectangle glitter labels in different colours used as honey jar labels
Rounded corner eco-friendly glitter sticker applied to a candle
Rounded corner holographic sticker with victoria west logo applied to cardboard soap boxes

But die-cut stickers are special. The term die cut refers to how your stickers are cut and their shape. You could also call them custom-cut or custom-shaped stickers becuase they can be cut into any shape you can think of, just take a look at some examples below.

Die cut white vinyl sticker with corgi design applied to an iPhone on a table
Die cut clear sticker with vikings logo applied to a silver laptop
Die cut biodegradable paper stickers applied to a cardboard box filled with lavender soap
Die cut holographic sticker with pizza astronaut design hand held
Die cut holographic stickers with cat art design on a black table
Three die cut glitter stickers applied to different honey jars on a wooden board
Die cut holographic label with gin logo to applied to a bottle next to a tilted glass

If you want to learn more about die cut stickers, our article what is a die cut sticker is a great starting point.

Are die cut stickers more expensive?

You might think that die cut stickers are more expensive than regular stickers because of their intricate cut line. That is not the case.

Our prices depend on the type and amount of material used for your stickers, not the time it takes to cut or print them.

The prices of your die cut stickers can vary based on the materials you select. You can find a breakdown of each material option by using the live pricing calculator on the die cut stickers page.

When to get a die cut sticker

Die cut stickers are incredibly versatile and there are thousands of ways you can make them work for your business.

With their unique shape, they can add interest to your product's packaging, function as custom packaging seals or custom-shaped logo stickers for your brand.

Find out more by reading our post on the top 3 ways to use die cut stickers for your business.

What other custom-cut options are available?

Like we said, there is no such thing as a regular sticker. And aside from die cut stickers, you can get even more custom-shaped stickers!

Kiss cut stickers

Just like die cut stickers, kiss cut stickers are cut in the shape of the design.

However, where die cut stickers are cut through the vinyl and paper backing, a kiss cut sticker is only cut through the material layer, leaving the backing material intact.

This might sound a little complicated, but below you can find a few examples that will illustrate the difference. We also have an entire blog post dedicated to the question of what is the difference between die cut and kiss cut stickers right here.

When to get a kiss cut sticker

Since the backing paper stays intact when you order a kiss cut sticker, they are easier to peel than die cut stickers. This makes them perfect for branded giveaways. Why not include a custom kiss cut sticker with every order?

The beauty of kiss cut stickers is that you can benefit from all the advantages of a die cut sticker plus a bit of extra material. You can use the excess backing paper to include your business information or even a QR code that directs consumers to your website.

Die cut labels?

To complete the die cut universe, we have a look at custom die cut labels as well.

When they are applied, die cut stickers and die cut labels look exactly the same - nobody would notice a difference. But when you are ordering your die cuts online, it is a difference worth knowing about.

Die cut stickers are individually cut in the shape of your design. Die cut labels also have a custom shape, but they arrive on a sticker sheet. This is usually an A4 sheet you can peel your individual labels off.

When to get die cut labels

We always recommend getting labels when you are applying hundreds of them on your own or for any time when you do not want to sell or hand out individually cut stickers.

Why? Because sheet labels are an absolute time saver. We find that when you order labels, you can easily peel them and are around 65% faster - ideal when you have to brand hundreds of products at once.

Which one is it going to be? Die cut stickers? Labels? Or a kiss cut? If you need more help deciding you can: