Business card sizes in mm and inches
The standard business card in the UK and most of Europe measures 85 × 55 mm. The US and Canada use 3.5 × 2 inches (88.9 × 50.8 mm), and a credit card is 85.6 × 54 mm. With 3 mm bleed, an 85 × 55 mm card is set up at 91 × 61 mm.
Contents of this page
Business card (Europe), landscape
85 × 55mm
- Centimetres
- 8.5 × 5.5 cm
- Inches
- 3.35 × 2.17 in
- Pixels at 300 dpi
- 1004 × 650 px
- Points (pt)
- 241 × 156 pt
- Area
- 0.0047 m²
- Weight at 80 gsm
- 0.37 g
Business card sizes compared
| Size | Trim size | With 3 mm bleed | Pixels at 300 dpi (with bleed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK and Europe | 85 × 55 mm | 91 × 61 mm | 1075 × 720 px |
| Credit card (ID-1) | 85.6 × 53.98 mm | 91.6 × 59.98 mm | 1082 × 708 px |
| USA, Canada | 88.9 × 50.8 mm | 94.9 × 56.8 mm | 1121 × 671 px |
| Japan | 91 × 55 mm | 97 × 61 mm | 1146 × 720 px |
| Square | 55 × 55 mm | 61 × 61 mm | 720 × 720 px |
| Folded card, open | 85 × 110 mm | 91 × 116 mm | 1075 × 1370 px |
The credit card size is standardised in ISO/IEC 7810 as ID-1 and has rounded corners with a radius of about 3 mm. Business cards have no standard of their own. 85 × 55 mm is simply the size European printers settled on, and it fits almost every card holder. US printers usually ask for 0.125 inches of bleed, so a US card is set up at 3.75 × 2.25 inches.
Paper and finishes
Business cards are usually printed on 300 to 400 g/m² card (in US terms roughly 110 to 150 lb cover). Below 300 g/m² they soon feel flimsy. Popular choices are:
- Matt coated 350 g/m²: the standard, and easy to write on unless it is varnished as well.
- Uncoated board: pleasant to the touch and ideal for handwritten notes.
- Matt or soft-touch lamination: protects against scuffing and feels velvety, but you can hardly write on it.
- Spot UV, hot foil stamping, blind embossing: for logos that should stand out.
Design rules that save trouble
- Keep text at least 3 mm, better 4 mm, from the edge.
- Use type no smaller than 7 pt, and 8 pt for phone numbers and email addresses.
- Avoid borders close to the trim line. A cutting shift of just 0.5 mm becomes visible.
- Print QR codes at about 15 × 15 mm or larger, with a white margin around them.
- Extend the background colour into the bleed.
How many business cards fit on a sheet?
An SRA3 sheet holds 23 cards with 3 mm bleed each and a 5 mm margin. On an A4 sheet printed in the office and cut by hand, ten cards fit without bleed (two columns, five rows). Pre-perforated sheets are available for laser and inkjet printers. For other sheet sizes, use the imposition calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a business card in the UK?
85 × 55 mm, the same as in most of Europe.
What size is a US business card?
3.5 × 2 inches, which is 88.9 × 50.8 mm.
What document size does a business card need?
With 3 mm bleed on every side, 91 × 61 mm, which at 300 dpi is 1075 × 720 pixels.
Is a business card the same size as a credit card?
Nearly. A credit card (ID-1) measures 85.6 × 53.98 mm, a standard European business card 85 × 55 mm.
What paper weight is best for business cards?
Usually 300 to 400 g/m², for example 350 g/m² matt coated.