Updated August 30, 2026 — by César, editor at AestheticPoster
The framed paper poster (297×420 to 594×841 mm, 250 g/m²) remains the best value for money for most walls. Stretched canvas costs 2 to 4 times more for a matte finish without glare and a thicker artistic effect. Plexiglas offers a glossy finish and better impact resistance, but scratches more easily than glass and increases the price.
Key takeaways
- The 250 g/m² paper poster under glass is the most economical option and easiest to evolve (change format, finish, or frame) without repurchasing the artwork.
- Stretched canvas on stretcher bars requires no frame or glass, but costs significantly more at the same size and cannot change finish once printed.
- Plexiglas (often used as frame glass rather than a standalone support) is lighter and more shatterproof than mineral glass, but more prone to scratching.
- AestheticPoster only sells paper posters — a deliberate choice rather than a limitation: it's the most versatile support for changing your décor without starting from scratch.
- The right support depends mainly on your budget and how often you plan to change your décor, not on any absolute quality hierarchy among the three.
What's the real difference between poster, canvas and plexiglas?
These are three different ways to present the same image, with distinct compromises on price, weight and maintenance. The paper poster (250 g/m², matte or glossy finish) is a simple printed sheet that needs a frame for protection and display. Stretched canvas is an image printed directly onto textured fabric, stretched over a wooden stretcher — it hangs as is, without glass. Plexiglas is almost never a standalone print support for mainstream retailers: it's most often the frame glass as a replacement for mineral glass, sometimes wrongly called « plexiglas print » when the image is actually glued underneath.
These three options serve different needs: poster for flexibility and price, canvas for a matte finish without glare and a « painting » effect, plexiglas for the lightness and impact resistance of frame glass.
Poster, canvas, plexiglas: the numbers comparison
On an A2 format (420×594 mm), the price and weight differences are significant — here's the honest comparison, including what AestheticPoster doesn't offer.
| Criteria | 250 g/m² paper poster | Stretched canvas | Plexiglas (frame glass) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indicative A2 price (frame excluded) | Most economical | 2 to 4x the price of a poster | Frame surcharge, +30 to 60% vs mineral glass |
| Weight | Very light (a few grams) | Medium (wooden stretcher included) | About 2x lighter than glass at the same size |
| Impact resistance | Requires a frame for protection | Good (no glass to break) | Very good, doesn't shatter like glass |
| Scratch resistance | N/A (under glass) or fragile (unframed) | Good, textured surface | Low — scratches more easily than mineral glass |
| Changing finish or format | Easy — just buy a new poster | Impossible without reprinting the entire canvas | N/A (it's the glass, not the image) |
| Glare | Depends on matte/glossy finish | No glare (matte textured surface) | Glare similar to glossy glass |
Why does AestheticPoster only sell paper posters?
It's a deliberate range choice, not a technical limitation. The 250 g/m² paper poster offers the best flexibility: you can change format (A3 297×420 mm, A2 420×594 mm, A1 594×841 mm), finish between matte or glossy, or even swap frames without repurchasing the entire piece. It's also the cheapest support to buy and ship — a direct advantage for you in shipping costs and flexibility if you change your mind about your décor in six months. Canvas, once stretched and printed, never changes: a wrong size or color choice means a complete repurchase.
This choice aligns with a trend observed by Maison&Objet in recent seasons: wall décor is increasingly thought of as modular rather than fixed, with more frequent rotations than a decade ago — a use case for which the framed poster is structurally better suited than canvas.
Should you choose glass or plexiglas to frame a poster?
That's the real practical question for anyone buying a poster: most frames offer a choice between mineral glass and plexiglas (sometimes called PMMA or acrylic glass). Plexiglas is recommended for large formats like A1 (594×841 mm), where glass weight becomes a wall mounting problem — an A1 frame in glass can weigh significantly more than its plexiglas equivalent, which matters for the wall anchor and hanging system. In return, plexiglas requires more care when cleaning: microfiber cloth only, never paper towels, as detailed in our guide to cleaning and maintaining a framed poster. For A3 and A2 formats, mineral glass remains a simple and economical choice, more resistant to everyday micro-scratches.
Is a paper poster a « less beautiful » choice than canvas?
No, it's a matter of rendering, not quality hierarchy. Canvas gives a matte textured effect that evokes painting — a real advantage for reproducing artwork like an impressionist painting. The poster, especially in glossy finish, delivers more vivid colors and sharper contrast, which better serves graphic posters, minimalist or vintage-style illustrations. The ISO 216 standard that governs A1/A2/A3 formats applies equally to both supports — the choice comes down to image style and desired atmosphere, not any objective quality superiority of one over the other.
FAQ — poster, canvas or plexiglas
Is plexiglas more expensive than glass for a frame?
Yes, typically 30 to 60% more expensive than standard mineral glass at the same size, but also about twice as light and won't break — a worthwhile compromise for large formats like A1.
Can you convert a paper poster to canvas yourself?
No, not with an already-printed poster on paper: stretched canvas requires direct printing onto fabric with a specific process and ink, different from paper printing. You need to order the canvas format from a printer that offers it.
Why choose a poster over canvas if budget is not an issue?
For flexibility: a framed poster can change frames, format or finish without repurchasing everything, unlike stretched canvas which stays fixed once printed. It's a real advantage if your décor evolves over time.
Does plexiglas really scratch more than glass?
Yes, significantly — it's a plastic, softer than mineral glass. Cleaning with a dedicated microfiber cloth and never using paper towels greatly reduces this risk, as detailed in our maintenance guide.
To go further
To choose your format before comparing supports, our pillar page which poster format to choose: A3, A2 or A1 remains the best entry point. To decide between the two paper finishes, check our comparison matte or glossy poster. And if you frame it yourself with a retail frame, our guide IKEA-compatible frames A1/A2/A3 details the exact sizes to choose. Discover all our formats and finishes in our wall décor collection.
César, editor at AestheticPoster — the reflex that saves the most bad purchases: choose your support based on how often you change your décor, not according to some supposed quality standard.
