Die-Cut vs. Kiss-Cut Stickers: Which is Right for You?

See the difference between die-cut and kiss-cut stickers

Stickers are a great way to show off your creativity, promote your business, or add a personal touch to your products and packaging. But when choosing between die-cut and kiss-cut stickers, what’s the difference?

The biggest difference is how they’re cut. With die-cut stickers, the cut goes through both the sticker material and backing to create an individual custom shape. With kiss-cut stickers, the cut goes through only the sticker material, leaving the backing intact for easy peeling and application. Both offer plenty of ways to customize your designs, so the right choice depends on how you plan to use your stickers.

What are die-cut stickers?

Die-cutting creates stickers in specific shapes, much like a cookie cutter. This process, known as contour cutting, follows the exact outline of your image or design.

This makes die-cut stickers a great choice for custom logo stickers, water bottle stickers, laptop decals, and other creative projects where you want the shape to stand out.

Benefits of die-cut stickers

Custom shapes: Create stickers that follow the shape of your logo, artwork, or other custom designs. With both the sticker and backing following the shape of your design, your stickers stand out even before you apply them.

Ready to share: The individually cut shapes make die-cut stickers easy to hand out at trade shows (trust us, people come to our trade show booth just for stickers) or include as a gift with a purchase.

Multiple uses: Use die-cut stickers as product labels, promotional giveaways, or personalized gifts. Their custom shapes help showcase your brand and make your designs stand out.

What are kiss-cut stickers?

Kiss-cut stickers are made by cutting only through the sticker’s top layer, leaving the backing sheet and a border intact. This creates a frame around your sticker, making it easy to peel and apply.

This makes kiss-cut stickers a convenient choice for product packaging, promotional materials, and projects where you need to apply multiple stickers.

Benefits of kiss-cut stickers

Easy to peel & apply: The backing around kiss-cut stickers makes them easy to peel and apply. They’re available in different formats, including sheets and rolls, for convenient application.

Flexible design options: Kiss-cut stickers can feature simple or intricate shapes, giving you plenty of ways to customize your designs while keeping the surrounding backing intact.

Convenient for larger quantities: Kiss-cut stickers are a practical option for projects that require multiple stickers, such as product packaging, promotional materials, and event giveaways.

Choosing the right sticker for you

When choosing between die-cut and kiss-cut stickers, think about how you plan to use them. Die-cut stickers are a great choice when you want individual stickers cut to the shape of your design, especially for giveaways, merchandise, or branding. Kiss-cut stickers leave the surrounding backing intact, making them easy to peel and apply to products, packaging, and more.

Both options can feature custom shapes and detailed designs, so consider how you’ll distribute, display, or apply your stickers. The right choice depends on what works best for your project.

Find the right stickers for your project

In the die-cut vs. kiss-cut sticker decision, there’s no one right choice—it all depends on your needs and preferences. Whether you prefer the individually cut shape of die-cut stickers or the easy-to-peel backing of kiss-cut stickers, both options give you plenty of ways to bring your designs to life.

Avery offers both die-cut and kiss-cut stickers, so you can find exactly what you need for your next sticker project.

Have questions or need assistance? Our friendly, U.S.-based customer care team is here to help. Contact them at (800) 462-8379.