What is the right size business card? Business cards are one of the most popular print products, they are a quick way to give a customer all the essential contact details and remain one of the most widely used tools for networking.
What is the size of a business card?
Standard business card size
Take a look around at the next business event you attend. Chances are that the vast majority of business cards being exchanged will be the same size.
The standard size of a business card in the UK and most of Europe is 85 x 55 millimetres. Allow for extra space as a “bleed area” around the design to account for any cutting errors.
The standard size of a regular business card in the United States is 3.5 x 2 inches, which makes it similar to most credit cards.
In reality, there is no single “standard business card size” worldwide. Each region of the world has a preferred business card size that is often referred to as “standard”, but that does not mean that companies in that region do not also use other sizes.
Here is a table of business card sizes in use in different countries around the world.
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| País | Sizes in mm | Sizes in cms | Sizes in inches |
| Spain, France, Ireland, Portugal, England and other European countries | 85×55 mm | 8,5×5,5 cm | 3.346×2.165 |
| United States, Canada | 89×51 mm | 8,9×5,1 cm | 3.5×2 |
| Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and India | 90×55 mm | 9,0×5,5 cm | 3.54×2.16 |
| Russia, Croatia, Estonia, Lithuania, Serbia, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Finland | 90×50 mm | 9×5 cm | 3.543×1.96 |
Folded or double-folded business card size
Folded business cards, or double business cards, are cards that are slightly wider than the size of a standard business card and are folded in half, resulting in a sort of folded mini-brochure, in business card size.
Although they are not as commonly used as traditional business cards, they offer the advantage of being able to add a greater amount of information, even though they take up a little more space and cost a little more than the classic business card.
You can print business cards and double cards in custom sizes, but most commonly you will find double cards with a size of 181×50 mm without indentation
Frequently asked questions about business card sizes
What is the best resolution for business card size printing?
For any print job you are going to do, a resolution of 300 pixels per inch is always recommended for the highest possible print quality.
Which colour mode is used for printing in business card size?
When printing a business card or any other product, make sure that the design is in CMYK, as this is the most common colour mode used in the printing world, as it gives much better results.
What is the right bleed size for business cards?
Graphic designers add 3 mm of bleed on each side when designing their products in business card size. Why? Because the cut that is made at the printer’s is not perfect, and by adding extra space we prevent the card from being cut somewhere where it affects the design of our card.
What other aspects to consider when printing in business card size?
When designing your business card, make sure that the text or important elements, such as the logo, are not too close to any of the edges. As far as possible we should try to keep our design as centred and away from the edges as much as possible.
The reason is very simple, when cutting business cards, the cut is not always made in the same place or with the same precision. If there is an element such as a logo or text near the edge, it risks being cut off, so the business card loses its usefulness.
Why is it important to know the printing details for the business card format?
A professional business card can mean the difference between winning a customer and losing one. If your business card is poorly printed or with a misplaced design, it will look sloppy and unprofessional.
That is why it is important to consider aspects such as resolution, indentation and safety distance when designing your business card.
If you want to know the size and measurements of the main formats used in the world of printing, take a look at our articles on sizes of A4 and measurements where we detail everything you need to know about each format.