The 4 Best Planners of 2026: Roterunner, Hobonichi, Erin Condren, and Cloth & Paper

A WIRED journalist tested dozens of planners to find the best options for different needs: weekly, daily, academic, and fully customizable. The article was updated in August 2026.

Best Weekly Planner

The Roterunner Purpose Planner is an undated planner designed to cover six months. It includes monthly and weekly spreads, two full open pages for each week, and premade checklist sections for meals, water intake, and gratitude. It comes in B5 and a smaller A5 size; the A5 costs $28. The journalist praised the large B5 size and the soft faux leather cover.

Best Daily Planner

Hobonichi Techo and Techo Cousin use Tomoe River S paper, which is thin but bleed-resistant and smooth. The Techo is A6, while the tested Cousin is A5 and adds weekly spreads. The journalist liked the freedom to structure daily pages, such as separating to-do lists from an hourly schedule. The 2026 Cousin is sold out at most retailers but is available on Hobonichi's website. A protective cover is recommended because the soft cover gets damaged easily. The 2027 planners will be released on September 1.

Best Academic Planner

The Erin Condren Academic Planner, available at Target, suits students and people with deadline- or client-based work. Each month has two pages for top tasks and dates, plus a page for monthly deadlines and their connection to a class or client. Weekly spreads feature long columns for each day and seven four-line blocks that can be labeled as needed. There is a class tracker in the front, and the back includes project and exam pages, note pages, and stickers. A similar planner on Erin Condren's website costs more because of customization options.

Best Customizable Planner

The Cloth & Paper Travel Notebook collection offers 13 different notebooks that can be connected with bands to build a personalized planner. The journalist tested A5 Slim and Pocket Plus sizes; A5 Slim is better for everyday planning, while Pocket Plus could be handy for trips. The clear vinyl cover costs $23 to $25, and the Travel Notebook Set with three notebooks and a cover costs $63.

Other Mentioned Models

The WIRED team also tested Plum Paper A5 Vertical Priorities, Kokuyo Jibun Techo First Kit, Big A## Planner, and Day Designer. Plum Paper is a favorite classic planner with customization, Kokuyo Jibun Techo is a travel-notebook-style set with three notebooks, Big A## Planner is a large monthly planner, and Day Designer is a popular daily planner with room for a schedule and a long to-do list. Other tried models include Agendio (from $48), Ban.do 17-Month Planner ($35), Happy Planner ($24), and Laurel Denise Academic Planner ($59).