What is LIMIT/OFFSET pagination?

LIMIT/OFFSET is the most common database pagination technique. LIMIT controls how many rows are returned per page, and OFFSET skips a number of rows to reach the desired page. For page N with page size P, the query is: SELECT ... LIMIT P OFFSET (N-1)*P.

Why does the last page sometimes have fewer rows?

If the total row count is not evenly divisible by the page size, the final page contains only the remainder rows. For example, 105 rows with a page size of 10 gives 10 full pages plus a final page with 5 rows.

What is the performance impact of large OFFSET values?

Large OFFSET values can be slow because the database must scan and discard all preceding rows before returning the desired page. For very large tables, consider keyset (cursor) pagination using an indexed column instead.

How do I choose the right page size?

Common page sizes are 10, 20, 25, 50, and 100. Smaller page sizes reduce query time and memory use per request but increase the total number of requests for full scans. For APIs, 20-50 is typical; for admin dashboards, 25-100 works well.

Does this tool work for any SQL database?

Yes. LIMIT/OFFSET syntax is supported by PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, and most other relational databases. Oracle uses FETCH NEXT ... ROWS ONLY or ROWNUM, but the math is identical.

What does "page 1" offset equal?

Page 1 always has an OFFSET of 0, meaning no rows are skipped. The formula is OFFSET = (page_number - 1) * page_size.

Rows Per Page Calc

Name: Rows Per Page Calc
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Enter total rows and either a desired page size or page count to instantly calculate your pagination breakdown.

Pagination Inputs

Total Rows

Calculation Mode

Rows Per Page

Enter your values and press Calculate

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Summary

Enter total rows and either a desired page size or page count to instantly calculate your pagination breakdown.

How it works

Enter the total number of rows in your dataset.
Choose a calculation mode: fix the page size and calculate page count, or fix the page count and calculate page size.
Enter your page size or desired page count.
The tool calculates total pages, rows on the last page, and generates SQL snippets.
Use the page explorer to get the exact LIMIT/OFFSET for any specific page.
Copy any SQL snippet to your clipboard with one click.

Use cases

Plan pagination for a large database table before writing queries.
Calculate the correct LIMIT and OFFSET values for a specific page.
Estimate how many pages a result set will span for UI design.
Determine page size for REST API cursor or offset pagination.
Quickly convert between page count and page size for reporting tools.
Validate that your pagination logic handles the last (partial) page correctly.
Generate ready-to-copy SQL snippets for PostgreSQL, MySQL, or SQLite.
Teach junior developers how LIMIT/OFFSET pagination works.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-07-22 · Reviewed by Nham Vu