Letterhead vs. Header — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 11, 2024
A letterhead is a printed heading on stationery, stating a person's or organization's name and address, used for formal correspondence. A header, however, is section at the top of a document or webpage displaying titles or information in various formats.
Difference Between Letterhead and Header
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Letterheads are specifically designed for official or formal letters, often including a company's logo, contact information, and legal details. They serve as an identification marker, ensuring the recipient knows the letter's origin and implying a certain level of professionalism and authenticity. On the other hand, headers are more versatile, found at the top of documents, websites, and presentations, providing context like titles, section names, or navigation links. They play a crucial role in organizing content and improving user experience by offering quick access to essential information or other parts of the document or website.
While letterheads are exclusively used in the context of physical or digital correspondence, headers have a broader application, including in books, reports, academic papers, and web pages. Whereas a letterhead is a part of a company's official stationary and branding, a header is a functional element designed to enhance readability and navigation.
Letterheads contain specific information related to the sender and are a part of branding strategies, reflecting the organization's identity through design elements like logos, fonts, and colors. In contrast, headers are adaptable and can change based on the document or webpage's content, purpose, or design, often including features like search bars, logos, and tabs in digital formats.
Understanding the difference between letterheads and headers is important for appropriate usage in professional settings. A letterhead adds a layer of formality and credibility to correspondence, while a header organizes and provides access to information, enhancing the reader's or user's experience across various media.
Comparison Chart
Purpose
Identifies the sender in formal correspondence.
Organizes content and provides context or navigation.
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Usage
Official or formal letters.
Documents, websites, reports, and presentations.
Content
Name, address, logo, contact information.
Titles, navigation links, logos, search bars.
Design
Part of an organization's stationary and branding.
Adaptable, varies with the document or webpage.
Application
Physical and digital correspondence.
Both printed and digital formats.
Compare with Definitions
Letterhead
A printed heading on stationery showing an organization's details.
The company's letterhead includes its logo and address.
Header
The top section of a document or webpage.
The header contained the document title and the page number.
Letterhead
Represents authenticity in correspondence.
The legal document was printed on the firm's letterhead.
Header
Can contain logos in digital formats.
Their logo is always visible in the website's header.
Letterhead
Reflects company identity.
Our letterhead's design mirrors our website's theme.
Header
Provides quick access to information.
The presentation's header had the company's name and the date.
Letterhead
Official stationary branding.
They updated their letterhead to include the new CEO's name.
Header
Enhances document readability.
The report's header makes it easy to find different sections.
Letterhead
Used for business correspondence.
Send the proposal on our official letterhead.
Header
Includes navigation links on websites.
The website's header has links to home, about us, and contact pages.
Letterhead
A letterhead is the heading at the top of a sheet of letter paper (stationery). That heading usually consists of a name and an address, and a logo or corporate design, and sometimes a background pattern.
Header
A shot or pass made with the head.
Letterhead
The heading at the top of a sheet of letter paper, usually consisting of a name and an address.
Header
A headlong fall or dive.
Letterhead
Stationery imprinted with such a heading.
Header
A brick or stone laid at right angles to the face of a wall.
Letterhead
A portion of text at the top of a letter, identifying the sender and often giving their address etc., used for formal correspondence.
We need to change our letterhead to use the new logo.
Header
A line or block of text appearing at the top of each page of a book or document.
Letterhead
Paper marked with a letterhead.
Internal memos do not need to be printed on letterhead.
Header
A raised tank of water maintaining pressure in a plumbing system.
Letterhead
A sheet of stationery with name and address of the organization printed at the top
Header
A person who ropes a steer by its head (as opposed to its heels), especially in a team-roping rodeo event
The steer ran straight and the header made a good catch
Header
A mad or foolish person.
Header
One that fits a head on an object.
Header
One that removes a head from an object, especially a machine that reaps the heads of grain and passes them into a wagon or receptacle.
Header
A pipe that serves as a central connection for two or more smaller pipes.
Header
A floor or roof beam placed between two long beams that supports the ends of the tailpieces.
Header
A brick or stone laid at a right angle to the face of a wall so that only its short end is showing. Also called bonder.
Header
(Informal) A headlong dive or fall.
Header
(Sports) A pass or shot made in soccer by heading the ball.
Header
Textual information, such as a title, date, or page number, positioned in the top margin of a page and usually repeated throughout a document.
Header
A raised tank or hopper that maintains a constant pressure or supply to a system, especially the small tank that supplies water to a central heating system.
Header
The upper portion of a page (or other) layout.
If you reduce the header of this document, the body will fit onto a single page.
Header
Text, or other visual information, used to mark off a quantity of text, often titling or summarizing it.
Your header is too long; "Local Cannibals" will suffice.
Header
Text, or other visual information, that goes at the top of a column of information in a table.
That column should have the header "payment status".
Header
(informal) A font, text style, or typesetting used for any of the above.
Parts of speech belong in a level-three header. Level-two headers are reserved for the name of the language.
Header
(computing) The first part of a file or record that describes its contents.
The header includes an index, an identifier, and a pointer to the next entry.
Header
(programming) header file
Header
(networking) the first part of a packet or stream, often containing its address and descriptors.
The encapsulation layer adds an eight-byte header and a two-byte trailer to each packet.
Header
(masonry) A brick that is laid sideways at the top of a wall or within the brickwork with the short side showing.
This wall has four header courses.
Header
A horizontal structural or finish piece over an opening.
Header
A machine that separates and gathers the heads of grain etc.
They fed the bale into the header.
Header
(soccer) The act of hitting the ball with the head.
His header for the goal followed a perfect corner kick.
Header
(soccer) Someone who heads the ball.
Diving header
Header
A headlong fall, jump or dive.
The clown tripped over the other clown and took a header.
Header
A raised tank that supplies water at constant pressure, especially to a central heating and hot water system.
Header
A pipe which connects several smaller pipes.
Common practice is to use plastic pipes with iron headers.
Header
The rodeo performer who drives the steer toward the heeler to be tied.
Header
One who puts a head on something.
Header
To strike (a ball) with one's head.
Header
One who, or that which, heads nails, rivets, etc., esp. a machine for heading.
Header
One who heads a movement, a party, or a mob; head; chief; leader.
Header
A brick or stone laid with its shorter face or head in the surface of the wall.
Header
A reaper for wheat, that cuts off the heads only.
Header
A fall or plunge head first, as while riding a bicycle, or a skateboard, or in bathing; - sometimes, implying the striking of the head on the ground; as, to take a header.
Header
A line of text serving to indicate what the passage below it is about;
The heading seemed to have little to do with the text
Header
Horizontal beam used as a finishing piece over a door or window
Header
Brick that is laid sideways at the top of a wall
Header
A framing member crossing and supporting the ends of joists, studs, or rafters so as to transfer their weight to parallel joists, studs, or rafters
Header
A machine that cuts the heads off grain and moves them into a wagon
Header
(soccer) the act of hitting the ball with your head
Header
A headlong jump (or fall);
He took a header into the shrubbery
Common Curiosities
How does a header improve a document?
A header improves a document by organizing content, enhancing readability, and providing quick access to different sections or information.
What is a letterhead?
A letterhead is a printed heading on stationery that includes the name, address, and logo of a person or organization, used for formal correspondence.
How does a header differ from a footer?
A header is located at the top of a page to introduce content or provide navigation, while a footer appears at the bottom, often containing contact information, copyrights, and links.
Can headers be customized in web design?
Yes, headers are highly customizable in web design, allowing for integration of navigation, branding elements, and interactive features.
What information is typically found on a letterhead?
Typical letterhead information includes the sender's name, address, logo, and contact details, such as phone numbers and email addresses.
Why is branding important for letterheads?
Branding is important for letterheads because it reflects the organization's identity and ensures consistency across all formal communications.
What does a header include?
A header can include titles, navigation links, logos, or search bars, found at the top of documents or webpages to organize content and provide context.
How often should a company update its letterhead?
A company should update its letterhead whenever there are significant changes to its branding, contact information, or legal status.
Is it important to include a logo in a letterhead?
Including a logo in a letterhead is important for branding and helps recipients quickly recognize the sender.
Can a letterhead be used in digital documents?
Yes, letterheads can be used in digital documents for emails or official PDFs, maintaining the formality and authenticity of correspondence.
Is a letterhead necessary for all business correspondence?
While not always necessary, a letterhead adds a level of professionalism and is often expected in formal business correspondence.
Can a letterhead be considered a legal document?
While a letterhead itself is not a legal document, it adds authenticity to the documents printed on it, which can be relevant in legal contexts.
How do headers help in academic writing?
In academic writing, headers help organize content, indicate sections or chapters, and guide readers through the document.
Can a header affect the user experience on a website?
Yes, a well-designed header significantly improves the user experience by making navigation easier and ensuring key information is readily accessible.
What makes a good header in web design?
A good header in web design is visually appealing, matches the site's overall theme, and provides easy access to the site's main sections.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
