What are some design tips for creating embossed business cards?

Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re creating an embossed, 3D business card: - The gloss is shiny and reflective, so to help with readability, make sure that any glossy text is 10pt or larger. - Choose what design elements (text, logos, patterns) to apply gloss to carefully – by limiting how much gloss you use, you can really make certain things stand out. - The gloss color will match the original color of your design as closely as possible, so we typically recommend bright colors and high-contrast designs for the most impact.

Embossed Gloss Business Cards

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Want the front of your card to jump out at people? Add raised, 3D shine to your text, design – or even both. See details

Browse our templates

Turn raised printing into raised interest with embossed business cards.

2 paper thicknesses: standard (14pt) & premium (16pt)
Rounded corners available
Spots of raised, glossy printing on a matte front
Easy-to-write-on matte on the back
Great for highlighting logos, names & more

A cut above

With our embossed business cards (also known as 3D business cards or spot UV business cards), you can add layers of thick, raised gloss to specific parts of your design. The special finish gives text and visuals a can’t-miss shine and 3D texture that stands out against the smooth, matte background. It’s a great option for almost any design, since you can use embossed gloss on up to 75% of the front of your card.

Stylish & smart

Embossed business cards give you a creative, professional look, and point customers towards the most important information and images. You choose where to use the special finish. For the best look – and to avoid any peeling – avoid placing embossed gloss right along the edges. Give your company name and contact info a little extra oomph. Emphasize your logo and branding. Or make sure a special offer gets extra attention.

Fast, easy design

You can upload your own design or browse a variety of templates created specifically for embossed cards. Then, you decide where to add the raised, glossy printing. You can go with our default suggestions, but you’ll typically be able to choose almost any piece of your design. You’ll always see a chat option if you need a hand.

Better by Design

This item is part of our Better by Design collection, which connects you to responsibly sourced products. Learn more.

What Makes it Better

Responsibly Sourced Materials: Products made from responsibly sourced materials are designed to help reduce environmental impact. They're selected not only for the materials themselves, but also with consideration for the workers who farm and manufacture them, indigenous communities affected by production and the biodiversity in and around production areas.

VistaPrint offers Embossed Gloss Business Cards design templates in assorted styles.

FAQs

Reviewed by 5996 customers

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High quality finished product

May 10, 2026 | Uphold S. |

Verified Buyer

Received my first set up of business cards from VistaPrint. They are exactly what I was expecting based on the proof and description of the embossing. The cards were received 5 business days earlier than anticipated. Very nice quality paper, printing clarity, and great cut with the rounded edges (worth the extra cost for a modern look and feel).

Design on Cards

May 9, 2026 | Alberto P. |

Verified Buyer

Love your design on your cards and quality however in the past I had ordered magnetic doors advertisement but the did not work very well. After a while they fell off over time as I was driving.

Response from Vistaprint Customer Care Team:

We are glad to hear that you are happy with the design and quality of your cards, and we truly appreciate your continued support. At the same time, we are sorry to hear about the experience you had with the magnetic car door advertisements ordered in April 2025. To make amends, we have processed a free replacement order for the car magnets at no additional cost. Your order number will remain the same, and once the replacement parcel has been shipped, you will receive an email with the tracking details. For the best possible performance and long-term adhesion, we also recommend following the application and maintenance steps outlined in our FAQ section: Clean the vehicle surface and magnetic back using a damp cloth and mild detergent. Ensure both surfaces are completely dry before application. Apply the magnet only to a flat, metallic surface free from bumps, curves, or rust. Remove and reapply the magnet every 2–3 days, and clean both the vehicle surface and magnet weekly. A properly installed magnet should sit completely flat against the vehicle surface with no air bubbles or lifted corners. We appreciate your feedback and the opportunity to improve your experience with the replacement order. Should you have any questions or need further assistance, please don't hesitate to call us at 1-866-207-4955.

Excellent work, I was completely

May 9, 2026 | Luis S. |

Verified Buyer

Excellent work, I was completely satisfied.

One of the easiest things to do in my life!

May 9, 2026 | Zoë H. |

Verified Buyer

I love everything about my vistaprint buying experience! Easy to use UI, lots of intuitive functions and options, affordable extra features, great colour and cardstock selection. Every order is exactly the same quality, re-ordering is seamless and just a couple of clicks away. I don't think they could have possibly made it any easier for me, someone who isn't a graphic designer and can't draw, to have slick contact cards that meet all my needs!

Amazing finish

May 9, 2026 | Nita T. |

Verified Buyer

The cards I created for a client. I wanted to make sure that her cards had high quality to help promote her business when shes out in the world. The finished product was amazing. The quality of the card was top notch and the embossed gloss was the perfect touch! She was very happy with her cards

Displaying Reviews 1-5

No more guesswork. We take care of the entire design process, from brainstorming ideas to delivering the files to your account.

Frequently asked questions

Embossed printing is a process that puts raised lettering and images on paper to create an eye-catching, three-dimensional effect. With our embossed business cards, you can decide which design elements you want to pop out.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re creating an embossed, 3D business card:

The gloss is shiny and reflective, so to help with readability, make sure that any glossy text is 10pt or larger.
Choose what design elements (text, logos, patterns) to apply gloss to carefully – by limiting how much gloss you use, you can really make certain things stand out.
The gloss color will match the original color of your design as closely as possible, so we typically recommend bright colors and high-contrast designs for the most impact.

You can apply embossed gloss to up to 75% of the front of your card, though you should avoid adding the special finish to the edges as doing so can cause it to peel. With that in mind, we highly recommend keeping your design within the printing safety margin (shown as a dotted line in our design studio).

Yes, the type of printing we use is also known as spot UV. This process actually has a lot of names, so you might see this type of product listed elsewhere as spot UV business cards, 3D business cards, spot gloss business cards or raised print business cards.

Our embossed business cards are made using either a 14pt standard or 16pt premium. Each point (pt) is equal to .001 of an inch, to give you a frame of reference. All of the options have a smooth, matte finish.

For complete information about card dimensions, check out our business card size guide.

For now, you can only have embossed gloss on the front of your 3D printed card. But we are working towards offering that option at some point in the future. In the meantime, you can get customized printing on the back of your card for an additional fee.

You can order our spot UV business cards with rounded corners, but not in a square shape.

On our templates, the embossed areas can’t be changed. However, if you upload your own design, you have more freedom to decide which parts are raised. You can do this through our design studio, or you can leave specific directions for our team.