Choose gloss if you want the brightest color and the strongest contrast. Choose matte if glare would get in the way: anything read under bright lights or at an angle, anything photographed or scanned, or any roll label you'll write on. Neither finish meaningfully outlasts the other, so choose by how the sticker should look and be used.
Side by side
| Gloss | Matte | |
|---|---|---|
| Look | Shiny, with lifted color and contrast | Soft and flat, with no shine |
| Glare | Reflects light | Cuts glare |
| Writing on stickers | Sharpie, and pen to a degree | Ballpoint as well as permanent marker |
| Writing on vinyl sheet labels | Same as stickers | Same as stickers |
| Writing on roll labels | Scratches off with a fingernail | Pen or Sharpie |
| Water and dirt | Handles them the same | Handles them the same |
| Durability | The same | The same |
Try it
Switch between Gloss and Matte below and move your pointer over the sticker: Gloss gives a sharp shine, and Matte a soft sheen. How to see what's inside a sticker explains every control.
Choose gloss when
- Color is the point: illustrations, bright logos, and merch.
- The sticker is holographic or chrome and you want the full shine.
Choose matte when
- The sticker or label is read under lights or at an angle, like equipment labels, signs, or product labels on a shelf.
- It'll be photographed, or it carries a QR code or barcode. Less glare makes both easier; see QR code stickers that actually scan.
- You'll write on it.
- You want a quieter look.
Stickers and roll labels have different laminates, so writing works differently on each:
- On stickers, matte takes ballpoint as well as permanent marker. Gloss takes a Sharpie, and pen only to a degree.
- On vinyl sheet labels, writing works the same as on stickers.
- On roll labels, write on matte only. Writing on a gloss roll label scratches off with a fingernail.
Can I write on my stickers or labels? has more.
On holographic and chrome
Gloss gives holographic and chrome their full shine. Matte gives holographic a lower-key shimmer that still reads as holographic, and softens chrome's reflection while keeping it metallic. Both finishes are offered on glitter too.
Roll labels have a third option
Stickers and sheet labels come in Gloss or Matte. Roll labels and trade templates can also be Unlaminated, with no laminate at all, which matters most if you want to write on paper with a pen. See laminated or unlaminated labels?
Still deciding?
The 15 Custom Sticker Sample lets you hold your own design before a full run: it prints 15 of it on white vinyl, in gloss or matte.