Your business card is often the first impression someone has of your brand—so make it count. In this guide on how to design a business card, we’ll walk you through every step, from choosing the right size to nailing the perfect finish, so you can create a card that stands out and works hard for your business.
A simple yet whimsical business card design by Mad pepper via 99designs by Vista.
- Start with brand basics like logo and color palette. These will guide every decision on layout, fonts and finishes.
- Stick to standard dimensions so your card fits neatly into wallets and holders, and always set bleed, trim and safety lines.
- Limit your card to one primary contact method and the essentials (name, company, job title, website or QR code).
- Use fonts at least 8 pt, maintain strong color contrast and give elements enough white space to breathe.
- Special touches like embossing, foil stamping or textured paper add a tactile element that makes your card memorable.
Before you start…
A clean and structured business card design by vanessarnaynard via 99designs by Vista.
Before you dive into layouts and fonts, lock in the two essentials that will shape your card: a finished logo and a brand color scheme. These aren’t just design choices; they’re the foundation that keeps your card consistent with the rest of your brand identity.
Next, get clear on what you want your card to communicate. Are you aiming for polished and corporate, creative and bold, or approachable and personal? Having that intention upfront will make every design decision (size, typography, finishes) much smoother.
Use ready-made templates, design software like Canva or Adobe Illustrator or upload a finished PDF. If you’re short on time, start with a template and customise the fonts, colors and your logo so it feels on-brand.
How to design a business card in 8 steps
Once you have your logo, brand color scheme and a good idea of what you want your card to say about you, you’re ready to start. Just follow the eight steps below to determine which business card design would work best for you.
1. Choose your shape
Before you get creative, start with the basics: picking your standard business card size. In the U.S., the standard is 3.5 x 2 inches, while other countries have slightly different norms. Knowing your dimensions helps you design with confidence and ensures your card fits neatly into wallets and holders.
As printing techniques grow more advanced and affordable, professionals have more room to explore alternative shapes. The printing technique of die-cutting allows you to cut out any shape you want and still print in bulk.
Business card by Rose for The Poke Story via 99designs by Vista
On the conservative end of the spectrum, you could simply round the corners for a friendlier business card.
But if you really want your business card to stand out or to be playful, you can use virtually any shape: animal mascots, outlines of products you sell or a shape that’s wholly original.
Business card by Stanojevic for Cireson via 99designs by Vista
You can even build your entire business card theme around clever cutting. Cireson’s business card design uses shape to really highlight the employee picture, giving them a more personable and therefore approachable feel.
Whether or not to use creative shapes depends on the image you want to convey. Special shapes make you seem more fun and help you make an impression, but can have an adverse effect on more formal industries. You’ll also want to keep in mind logistics, such as how the card fits in a wallet.
Business card by sashadesigns for STIR via 99 designs by Vista
You may want to revisit the option of die-cutting after finalizing your design in step 6. For example, some companies, such as STIR above, like to die-cut areas of their logo.
2. Choose your size
When thinking about how to design business cards, your next decision is the size of the card. This mostly depends on the standard of the country, so that’s a good place to start. Even if you plan to stand out, you have to know what everyone else is doing to go against it.
- North American standard: 3.5 × 2 in. (88.9 × 50.8 mm)
- European standard: 3.346 × 2.165 in. (85 × 55 mm)
- Oceania standard: 3.54 × 2.165 in. (90 × 55 mm)
No matter the size, you always want to consider three factors when designing:
- Bleed area: The outermost part of the card, likely to be removed.
- Trim line: The target line for cutting cards.
- Safety line: Anything outside this line is subject to cutting mistakes. Don’t let essential elements like text or logos fall outside this line.
Take a look at the following guide to find the correct size of the business card when taking into account bleed, trim and safety lines. Creative industries can often pull off unusual shapes, but in more traditional fields, sticking to standard sizing ensures your card fits in wallets and cardholders.
Stand-out shapes are fun, but make sure your card still fits wallets and cardholders.
Bleed area, trim line, and safety line on a standard U.S./Canadian business card, 3.5 × 2 in. (88.9 × 50.8 mm). Design by kendhie via 99designs by Vista.
While these areas vary depending on the size and printer, a safe bet is to set the trim line at 0.125 in. (3 mm) from the edge. From there, set the safety line at 0.125 in. (3 mm) from the trim line. That’s 0.250 in (6 mm) total from the edge of the bleed area to the inside of the safety area.
Next, decide on orientation. Landscape (horizontal) is classic and easy to scan; portrait (vertical) feels modern and attention-grabbing. Pick the one that fits your brand personality and keeps key info legible at a glance.
3. Add your logo and other graphics
Now we begin plotting the visual elements of your business card design, first and foremost, the logo. Your logo should take center stage on your business card, although other flourishes and secondary graphics can sometimes be useful as well.
Business card by pecas™ for Omni vis 99designs by Vista
Don’t forget that you have two sides at your disposal. One strategy is to dedicate one side of the business card exclusively to the logo, while the other side showcases the contact information of the person. However, it’s also good to have the logo on both sides, so often you’ll see a smaller, out-of-the-way logo on the side with contact information, as with Omni above.
This is just one strategy of many, though, so feel free to experiment with logo placement until you find one for your tastes.
Business card by Rose for Londees Childrenswear via 99designs by Vista
While minimalism is a popular choice for business cards, if that empty space doesn’t suit you, you can fill it with additional graphics. In an industry like children’s clothing, Londees wants to take its cute theme as far as it will go: the brand expands on its sheep mascot by placing sheep doodles all over, and uses a faded background to avoid clutter (also notice the use of soft blue, a playful and kid-friendly color). Even if your logo is simple or text only, any related imagery serves the same ends.
Additional graphics work well for showing off your brand identity. Without explicitly saying it, you can communicate your or your brand’s personality through visuals, including colors. For example, if you want to seem casual or approachable, a cute cartoon and some bright colors would do the trick.
What works for each industry:
- Creatives (designers, photographers): Bold colour, striking logo mark, short URL or QR code to portfolio.
- Tech and startups: Clean sans-serif fonts, plenty of white space, QR code to product/demo.
- Legal and finance: Classic serif fonts, conservative colour palette, premium stock (matte or textured) for gravitas.
- Health and wellness: Soft tones, approachable typography, simple iconography; consider recycled stock to signal sustainability.
- Global brands: Keep designs language-neutral or use universal icons so they work across borders—for example, minimalist brand MUJI uses minimal text and a clean logo to appeal to customers in Japan, Europe and beyond.
Business card by pecas™ for Wheel Dance via 99designs by Vista
Another increasingly popular trend is to instill interest and curiosity by leaving a little mystery. Typically, brands place a wordless visual with a URL on one side, and then all the necessary explanations (including business name and employee’s name) on the other.
Need some inspiration? Check out the latest business card trends.
4. Add necessary text
What your business card actually says depends on you. Work-from-home freelancers may have no need for a postal address, while professions that consult face-to-face require it. Or maybe it’s a strategic choice, such as drawing attention to your impressive social media following. The point is, different people benefit from different text on their business cards.
Business card design by chandrayaan.creative via 99designs by Vista.
The next step is for you to decide what to put on your business card. Below is a list of some common choices, so you can decide which to include and exclude.
- Name: A given. Every card needs a name.
- Company name: Another given, except for personal brands, in which case your personal name is your company name.
- Job title: For traditional cards include your job title. This also helps remind the holder of who you are, what you do, and even how you met.
- Phone number: Even if phone is not your preferred method of communication, it is to some people.
- Emai: A business card staple; email is the new norm for non-urgent business communications, partially because it allows sending documents as attachments.
- Website URL: Including your site URL is a friendly invitation for visits.
- Social media: If social media is relevant to your field, or you just want to show a bit of your personality, include social media links.
- Address: Necessary for drawing customers into your office or store location.
- QR code: While not as popular as years past, a QR code is a type of digital business card that is still a viable shortcut to transferring whatever data you desire.
- Slogan: Completely optional, a slogan helps with brand identity and adds a little personality.
Leave out secondary phone numbers, long taglines, dense paragraphs and any details you don’t want widely shared. Less is more on a small canvas.
Remember that business cards aren’t just about giving information but also retaining it. People may already know your number, address or URL, but keep your card handy in case they forget it. For more ideas on what to include, check out our guide to business card design ideas.
Design principles that make cards work
- Hierarchy: Make your name and primary contact method the most prominent.
- White space: Give elements breathing room so info is easy to scan.
- Alignment: Stick to a simple grid: left-align text and keep margins consistent.
- Branding: Use your brand colours, logo and tone consistently across card fronts/backs.
5. Choose your typography
A geometric business card design by HYPdesign via 99designs by Vista.
Once you know what you want to say, you can choose how it looks. While typography is always important, it’s especially pertinent to business cards since you have to make text completely legible and have only a small space to work with.
Let’s break up typography into three main categories:
Size. To maintain readability, you want all your text to be at least 8 pts. However, you want your most important elements (like your name) to stand out, so feel free to vary the text sizes. Also consider empty space—you don’t want to clutter your card, so leave your text small enough that there’s plenty of breathing room around each element.
Font. Just remember to choose a font that represents the personality you’re going for. A clean and modern sans-serif, an individualistic and elegant script or a classic and timeless serif font? Here is a list of tips to guide you in finding the best fonts for your business card. Below are some examples of what different font styles bring to the table.
Business card design by pecas™ for Pucked via 99designs by Vista
Go Mint Consulting business card design by Arthean via 99 designs by Vista
Business card design by Jecakp for Conejo Construction via 99designs by Vista
Color. Here’s where a pre-existing brand color scheme comes in handy. To stay on-brand, choose text colors that go well with the background color of your card, which should also be a brand color. Similar colors may look nice together, but can be hard to read, so experiment with contrasts for legibility.
The golden rule for typography is to prioritize legibility over all else. It doesn’t matter how artistic your font is if no one can read what it says.
6. Consider special finishes
Now that you’re reaching the final stretch, it’s time to start considering printers—especially in terms of what they can offer. Certain printers offer special finishes that can go a long way in making a lasting impression. See if any of these “special effects” can benefit your business card design strategy.
Embossing. This technique creates three-dimensional reliefs, making certain areas “pop out.” Like spot UV coating, you can use it to draw attention to specific aspects of your card, even words.
Business card by sashadesigns for Whissel Realty via 99designs by Vista
Letterpressing. Rather than raising the paper, letterpress printing pushes the paper down while inking it. The result is something like an engraving, typically with special ink to draw further attention. Especially useful for letters, giving your words a heightened gravitas.
Foil stamping. If you want something shiny and reflective, like tin foil, you can apply foil stamping to images or even just parts of images. This also works for accenting text if you’ve chosen a bold enough typeface.
Spot UV coating. A lot of cards have a sleek varnish to create a sheen and smooth texture. Spot UV coating is the same thing, except it is only applied to certain areas. That means you can apply a gloss on only your logo, specific graphics, or even a word or phrase. Use it when you want to accent certain areas over others, but be mindful of how it affects the overall composition when only a portion is shiny.
Paper and finish. Choose from matte (modern, glare-free), gloss (colour pop), linen/textured (tactile) or recycled (eco signal). Die-cuts help unique shapes stand out; just keep wallets in mind. Home printing is okay for quick tests, but professional printing gives you true-to-screen colour, cleaner edges and access to premium stocks/finishes.
7. Pick a designer
This business card for Gary’s tutoring looks like an index card. Business card design by green in blue via 99designs by Vista.
If you really want a stellar business card, it’s a good idea to find a professional designer who can create the perfect card for you. You can look for a freelance designer through VistaPrint’s design service, 99designs by Vista, to find a designer with the right style and experience. Make sure to check out their portfolio to see if they’re a good fit for your brand.
Once you’ve found the right person, try to communicate clearly what your business is all about and what style and vibe you are looking for, so your designer can turn your vision into reality.
8. Finalize your design
When thinking about how to design a business card, make sure to consider all types of business card design ideas before making your final choices. With all the elements in place and an accurate prediction of your final business card color choices and special finishes, you can reevaluate your design to make sure everything works.
First, examine the visual flow: How does your eye move when looking at the card? What do you notice first? Last? A good visual flow should start with the logo, then the name, and then the secondary information, finishing on any secondary images if they’re there. You can always change and optimize the visual flow by changing an element’s size and location.
You also want to clear out as much clutter as you can. Is all the information necessary? The fewer the remaining elements, the more impact each makes.
Double-check to make sure you didn’t fall into any common pitfalls. Is the text legible? Do your business card colors clash? Are any elements too close to the edge?
Once you’ve finalized your business card design, you’re ready to send it to print and start making memorable connections.
Murray’s Beverage business card design
Don’t forget to have your designer send you the finished product as a vector file and a vector-based PDF. You want to use vector images in case you need to change the size, and PDFs are readable by practically every printer.
Quick checklist before you print
- Name/title/company/logo are clear and scannable
- One primary contact method is easy to spot
- Fonts ≥ 8pt; contrast passes the “arm’s-length” test
- Bleed/safe margins set correctly; nothing hugs the edge
- One printed, sample checked in daylight and indoor light
Advanced techniques
These eight steps are all you need to create a fully functional business card, but if you want to go the extra mile, consider these more advanced tips:
Stand out with a clever idea. If your industry allows some whimsy, you can employ more experimental strategies to set yourself apart from the competition.
Saleular business card by ivdsgn via 99designs by Vista.
A clever business card idea could be something thematic, like Saleular’s iPhone cards, or something more complex. For example:
- Scented inks
- Duplexing and triplexing (doubling or tripling the card’s width to make it thicker)
- Using alternate materials (metal, plastic, rubber, etc.)
- Folded cards
- Transparent cards
Business card by design_C via 99designs by Vista.
That last trend we’re seeing a lot of lately, and for good reason. There’s a lot you can do with a see-through card, like Remote Pilot’s mock pilot scope.
Avoid borders. Borders may seem like a smart aesthetic choice to frame the content of your card—and they are, in theory—but the prevalence of cutting mistakes means borders do more harm than good. Cutting every single card perfectly in a bulk order is pretty much a fantasy, and that’s why it’s best to design with bleed and safety areas. With borders, tiny mistakes in cutting are exaggerated and bring down the whole design.
Save money on colors. If you’re working on a budget, don’t skimp on materials or quantity. You can cut out a chunk of your business card cost just by using only one or two colors. The more colors you add, the more the price goes up, and a smart designer will know how to make one or two colors look just as good.
Takeaway: A modern coat of arms
Your card is more than just your contact information—it’s a representation of you and your brand. Some people are handed cards every day, so you need yours to stand out and paint you in a favorable light. Don’t cut corners with designing your business card. Spend ample time coming up with the perfect design, and if you need help, find a skilled designer to turn your vision into a reality.
Was this guide helpful? We’d love to know—and if you’re ready to put these tips into practice, you can start designing your card with VistaPrint today.
