Use pagination to:
- Display large collections of search results, products, or data
- Break content into digestible chunks that improve page performance
- Allow users to navigate through sequential content
- Provide control over how many items are displayed per page
Do not use pagination:
- For small collections (fewer than 20-30 items) — display all items on one page instead
- When infinite scroll would be more appropriate
- For content that should be viewed as a continuous whole
- When filtering or searching, it would be better to help users find what they need
Pagination vs infinite scroll
|
Use pagination for |
Use infinite scroll for |
|---|---|
|
Goal-oriented browsing (users looking for specific items) |
Exploratory browsing (casual content discovery) |
|
Data tables, search results, product catalogues |
Social feeds, image galleries, news streams |
|
When users need to return to specific items |
When engagement and continuous browsing are priorities |
|
When footer content needs to be accessible |
When no footer exists |
Placement
Pagination should be placed in proximity to the collection it is controlling. This is usually located below the content.