What Business Card Sizes Are Available?
The most commonly available business card size in the United States and Canada is 3.5” x 2”. Other readily available sizes for business cards in the U.S. include 3.5” x 2.5”, 3.5” x 1.75”. Square business cards come in 2” x 2”, 2.5” x 2.5”, 3” x 3” and 3.5” x 3.5”. Circle cards tend to be available in 2.5” x 2.5”.
Standard business card sizes
There are no officially regulated standard business card sizes in the United States. However, there is a de facto standard size due to custom and popularity. In North America, the de facto standard size is 3.5” x 2”, approximately 51 mm x 89 mm, or a 1.75 ratio. This is the most common size for rectangular business cards as well as leaf, oval, single-rounded corner, and half-circle side cards. Many other countries have different standard sizes as well.
Popular business card sizes
Regular business cards - 2.5"x3", 2.5"x3.5", 1.75"x3.5"
Circle business cards - 2.5" diameter
Square business cards - 2”x2", 3”x3”
Rounded corner business cards - 2"x3.5"
Die-cut leaf / half circle cards - 2"x3.5"
Folded business cards - 3.5"x 4 Even fold
Custom business card sizes
Custom business cards can also be made and trimmed to any size you need. However, there are some practical limitations to business card sizes. While a larger, oversized business card may receive more attention, they tend to be harder to transport. Because of this, business card sizes tend to be smaller than an average hand.
Regardless of the finished size of your cards, there will typically be a bleed area that extends much further than the final size that is trimmed off. This allows business card makers some space to accurately trim cards to their final size.
1.) Create a rough 1:1 mockup on paper
This isn’t absolutely necessary, but it can help you better visualize how big your cards will be and how much space you have to work with. The size difference between what you see on your design program and the printed cards themselves can be very deceptive, and you might not realize how small or large the final prints are until they get to you. A popular size for circle business cards for instance, is a 2.5” diameter, which may not seem that much smaller than the 3.5” x 2” standard when you just read the dimensions, but in reality it actually is substantially smaller. A quick mockup with a ruler on some scrap paper can prevent many regrettable business card sizing errors.
2.) Download a template
Use a template compatible with your preferred design application. 48HourPrint.com templates are available for a range of common business card sizes from 2” x 2” to 3.5” x 3.5”. There are also templates for folded business cards including 3.5” x 3.75”(uneven fold) and 3.5” x 4”(even fold). These templates will help you precisely place design elements, which is especially tricky when creating folded and shaped business cards. Business card templates will also help you account for the bleeds and safe zones.
3.) Avoid including important details near the edges
Even if you do use a template, you will generally want to avoid including important details too close to the edges. This will help prevent the possibility that those important details will be trimmed off. If you’re adding a border, you should likewise consider leaving a bit more room before the edge and keeping it well within the safe zone.
4.) Get custom printing for unusual or foreign business card sizes
Most countries outside the United States use the metric system, which means their business cards sizes are usually nice round numbers in metric, but rather awkward when using customary American measurements. In Britain, France, Germany, and many other European countries for instance, most business cards are a rather awkward 3.346” × 2.165” in American measurements (85mm × 55mm or a 1.545 ratio). However, not all countries that use the metric system have the same customary business card sizes either.
For any unusual business card size that you cannot find on the product calculator, you can use our custom printing service to create business cards in the exact sizes you need.
Order business cards in the sizes you want today.