Published 09 Sep 2026
What Size Is a Business Card? Global Size Guide 2026
Compare business card sizes worldwide in 2026 and find the right dimensions, pixels, bleed, safe area, QR code, font size, and print-ready setup.
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There is no single business card size used worldwide. The correct dimensions depend mainly on the country where the card will be printed and distributed, along with the specifications supplied by the printer.
In 2026, common finished sizes include 88.9 × 50.8 mm in the United States and Canada, 85 × 55 mm in the United Kingdom and much of Western Europe, 90 × 55 mm in Australia and New Zealand, 91 × 55 mm in Japan, and 90 × 54 mm in several Asian markets.
The finished size is only the starting point. A print-ready business card also needs the correct bleed, safe area, image resolution, and enough usable space for typography, logos, contact details, and QR codes.
Business cards are also part of a wider brand identity, so the dimensions need to accommodate the same logo, typography, colours, and visual style used across other branded materials. If the card itself needs to be designed around these print requirements, business card and stationery design services cover custom layouts and print-ready files, while logo design is relevant when the core brand mark still needs to be created or updated.
What Is the Standard Business Card Size in 2026?
A standard business card size is the commonly used finished format within a particular country or print market. There is no universal worldwide measurement.
For example, North America commonly uses 3.5 × 2 inches, while 85 × 55 mm is widespread across the UK and much of Western Europe. Other markets use formats such as 90 × 50 mm, 90 × 54 mm, 90 × 55 mm or 91 × 55 mm.
Terms such as average business card size, normal business card size, typical business card size and regular business card size usually refer to these established regional formats rather than separate standards.
Using the common dimensions for the target market keeps the card compatible with local printing workflows, wallets, and card holders. If a printer provides a template that differs slightly from a general size guide, use the printer’s specification.
Business Card Size by Country in 2026
Business card dimensions vary by country, so artwork prepared for one market should not automatically be sent to every international printer.
The chart below compares commonly used finished dimensions in millimetres, centimetres, inches and pixels. Pixel dimensions are approximate at 300 PPI and represent the finished trim size before bleed.
| Country or market | Common finished size | Centimetres | Approx. inches | Approx. pixels at 300 PPI |
| United States | 88.9 × 50.8 mm | 8.89 × 5.08 cm | 3.50 × 2.00 in | 1050 × 600 px |
| Canada | 88.9 × 50.8 mm | 8.89 × 5.08 cm | 3.50 × 2.00 in | 1050 × 600 px |
| United Kingdom | 85 × 55 mm | 8.5 × 5.5 cm | 3.35 × 2.17 in | 1004 × 650 px |
| France | 85 × 55 mm | 8.5 × 5.5 cm | 3.35 × 2.17 in | 1004 × 650 px |
| Germany | 85 × 55 mm | 8.5 × 5.5 cm | 3.35 × 2.17 in | 1004 × 650 px |
| Italy | 85 × 55 mm | 8.5 × 5.5 cm | 3.35 × 2.17 in | 1004 × 650 px |
| Spain | 85 × 55 mm | 8.5 × 5.5 cm | 3.35 × 2.17 in | 1004 × 650 px |
| Portugal | 85 × 55 mm | 8.5 × 5.5 cm | 3.35 × 2.17 in | 1004 × 650 px |
| Belgium | 85 × 55 mm | 8.5 × 5.5 cm | 3.35 × 2.17 in | 1004 × 650 px |
| Switzerland | 85 × 55 mm | 8.5 × 5.5 cm | 3.35 × 2.17 in | 1004 × 650 px |
| Ireland | 85 × 55 mm | 8.5 × 5.5 cm | 3.35 × 2.17 in | 1004 × 650 px |
| Austria | 85 × 55 mm | 8.5 × 5.5 cm | 3.35 × 2.17 in | 1004 × 650 px |
| Netherlands | 85 × 55 mm | 8.5 × 5.5 cm | 3.35 × 2.17 in | 1004 × 650 px |
| Poland | 90 × 50 mm | 9 × 5 cm | 3.54 × 1.97 in | 1063 × 591 px |
| Australia | 90 × 55 mm | 9 × 5.5 cm | 3.54 × 2.17 in | 1063 × 650 px |
| New Zealand | 90 × 55 mm | 9 × 5.5 cm | 3.54 × 2.17 in | 1063 × 650 px |
| Japan | 91 × 55 mm | 9.1 × 5.5 cm | 3.58 × 2.17 in | 1075 × 650 px |
| Taiwan | 90 × 54 mm | 9 × 5.4 cm | 3.54 × 2.13 in | 1063 × 638 px |
| China | 90 × 54 mm | 9 × 5.4 cm | 3.54 × 2.13 in | 1063 × 638 px |
| Hong Kong | 90 × 54 mm | 9 × 5.4 cm | 3.54 × 2.13 in | 1063 × 638 px |
| Singapore | 90 × 54 mm | 9 × 5.4 cm | 3.54 × 2.13 in | 1063 × 638 px |
| Malaysia | 90 × 54 mm | 9 × 5.4 cm | 3.54 × 2.13 in | 1063 × 638 px |
| South Korea | 90 × 50 mm | 9 × 5 cm | 3.54 × 1.97 in | 1063 × 591 px |
| Chile | 90 × 50 mm | 9 × 5 cm | 3.54 × 1.97 in | 1063 × 591 px |
| Iran | 85 × 48 mm | 8.5 × 4.8 cm | 3.35 × 1.89 in | 1004 × 567 px |
| India | 89 × 51 mm commonly | 8.9 × 5.1 cm | 3.50 × 2.01 in | 1051 × 602 px |
These dimensions are common printing conventions rather than legal standards. Individual printers sometimes differ by 1 or 2 mm or use proprietary templates.
India is one market where printer practices vary. Around 89 × 51 mm is common, while some suppliers use formats closer to 90 × 54 mm or 90 × 55 mm.
Europe should not be treated as completely uniform either. The 85 × 55 mm format is widespread across the UK and Western Europe, while 90 × 50 mm appears in several other European markets.
For international printing, decide where the card will actually be produced and distributed, then prepare the artwork around the printer’s final trim dimensions.
What Size Is a Business Card in Pixels?
Business card size in pixels depends on the physical dimensions and the resolution used for the artwork. The country chart above already includes the approximate business card dimensions in pixels at 300 PPI, so there is no need to use a second set of pixel measurements.
For any custom size, use this calculation:
Pixels = physical size in inches × PPI.
For dimensions supplied in millimetres:
Pixels = millimetres ÷ 25.4 × PPI
For example, an 85 mm width at 300 PPI works out at approximately 1004 pixels, while 55 mm works out at approximately 650 pixels. This is why a common 85 × 55 mm business card is approximately 1004 × 650 pixels at 300 PPI before bleed.
A 72 or 96 PPI file contains significantly less raster image information at the same physical print size. For professional print artwork, 300 PPI is a common working target unless the printer specifies another resolution.
Vector logos, icons, and typography are not tied to fixed pixel dimensions in the same way as raster photographs. Vector artwork remains scalable, which makes formats such as SVG, EPS and native Illustrator files useful for logos and line graphics.
Bleed, Trim and Safe Area Explained
A print-ready business card has three important boundaries: trim, bleed and safe area.
- Trim size is the finished physical size after cutting.
- Bleed is artwork that extends beyond the trim line so a background colour, photograph or pattern still reaches the edge if the cutting position shifts slightly.
- Safe area sits inside the trim line and keeps important content such as names, contact details, logos and QR codes away from the cutting edge.
A common business card bleed is 3 mm on each side. Printers working in imperial measurements often use 0.125 inches.
If 3 mm of bleed is added on every side:
| Finished trim size | File size including 3 mm bleed |
| 85 × 55 mm | 91 × 61 mm |
| 90 × 50 mm | 96 × 56 mm |
| 90 × 54 mm | 96 × 60 mm |
| 90 × 55 mm | 96 × 61 mm |
| 91 × 55 mm | 97 × 61 mm |
A 3.5 × 2-inch finished card becomes 3.75 × 2.25 inches when 0.125 inches of bleed is added on all four sides. Keep important content comfortably inside the trim line. Around 3 mm is a useful starting safety margin for many standard print jobs, although the printer’s own safe-area requirement takes priority.
Anything intended to reach the physical edge of the card should extend fully into the bleed.
The same production principles also apply to many other physical assets created through print and publishing design, where correct dimensions, bleed, and print-ready files are essential.
What Business Card Size Should You Choose?
For most businesses, the best choice is the standard business card size used in the target market. Standard dimensions are easier to print, carry, store, and fit into wallets or card holders.
Alternative formats make more sense when the different shape or proportion improves the layout or supports a specific purpose.
- Standard business cards: Use the common regional dimensions for the country where the cards will be printed and distributed. This is usually the most practical format for companies, consultants and professionals.
- Vertical business cards: A vertical business card size normally uses the same dimensions as the horizontal version, with the width and height reversed. A 90 × 55 mm card therefore becomes 55 × 90 mm. Vertical layouts work well for portrait-led designs and short contact details, but long email addresses and URLs need careful spacing.
- Square business cards: There is no single standard square business card size, although common formats sit around 63.5 × 63.5 mm or 65 × 65 mm. Square cards suit strong logos, photography, illustrations, and minimal layouts, but they do not fit every standard holder.
- Mini or slim business cards: Mini business card sizes vary by printer and provide less usable space than a regular format. They work well for a name, short contact details, a social handle, a promotional code, or a QR code. The content should be simplified instead of shrinking a normal layout.
- Rounded-corner business cards: These usually keep the same overall dimensions as a standard card but use a defined corner radius. Follow the printer’s template when positioning content near the corners.
- Die-cut business cards: Custom die-cut cards use dimensions defined by the shape and printer rather than a normal business card standard. They offer more creative freedom but involve more complex production and often do not fit conventional holders.
- Folded business cards: Folded formats provide extra space for appointment details, services, directions, or other information. Their dimensions and fold positions are printer-specific.
The strongest format is the one that balances available space, readability, portability and printing requirements. A non-standard shape should solve a design problem rather than simply make the card different.
What Size Should Text, Logos and QR Codes Be?
The outer dimensions define the available canvas, but typography, logos and QR codes also need enough physical space to remain readable and printable.
Font Size
For normal business card printing, 8pt or larger is a sensible target for standard contact information. Around 7pt should be treated as a practical lower limit rather than a preferred size. Typeface, weight, spacing, contrast, paper stock and printing method all influence readability.
Names, business names and important information should normally appear larger than secondary contact details. Special finishes such as foil or spot gloss often require thicker lines and larger text than ordinary printing.
If fonts, colours and logo-use rules are not yet consistent across your business materials, a brand style guide provides a clearer system for applying them across the card and other assets.
Logo Size
There is no universal business card logo size. A wide wordmark, compact icon, and circular symbol occupy the card differently. The correct size depends on the card dimensions, visual hierarchy, surrounding information, and amount of white space. Use vector artwork where possible and keep the main logo inside the safe area.
If the logo still needs to be created or redesigned, freelance logo design services provide the source and vector files needed for print use. The logo design cost guide for 2026 also explains how pricing changes between simple logo work and wider identity projects.
QR Code Size
A QR code needs enough physical space for a phone camera to distinguish its individual modules after printing. For a typical business card, around 20 mm square is a useful starting point. Around 15 mm is a more aggressive lower practical range for a simple code under good printing conditions, while denser codes benefit from additional space.
The QR code also needs a clear quiet zone around all four sides.
For reliable scanning:
- keep strong contrast between the code and background;
- use a short destination URL where possible;
- preserve the full quiet zone;
- keep the code away from the trim edge;
- avoid detailed artwork directly behind the code;
- avoid reflective finishes over the code;
- test the code at its actual printed size;
- test the destination before producing a large print run.
A QR code that works when enlarged on a monitor still needs to be tested on the physical card.
How Thick Should a Business Card Be?
Business card thickness is separate from its width and height. Printers describe stock using measurements such as points, mils, or GSM depending on the country, material, and production system.
Paper cards in North American print markets commonly use stocks around 14pt and 16pt. In markets where GSM is more common, professional cards frequently sit around the 300 to 400 GSM range, with lighter and heavier options available. GSM and points do not measure the same thing:
- GSM measures paper mass per square metre.
- Point measurements relate more closely to physical thickness.
- Coatings and paper construction affect how two stocks with similar specifications actually feel.
Thicker stock generally feels more rigid and durable, while lighter stock is more flexible and usually costs less. Matte, gloss, uncoated paper, soft-touch lamination, foil, embossing, and spot finishes also affect the finished feel and production requirements.
Business Card Setup in Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Canva and Word
The physical business card size does not change because of the software used to create it. Choose the correct regional or printer dimensions first, then configure the document around that specification.
- Adobe Photoshop: When setting the business card size in Photoshop, enter the required physical width and height and prepare raster artwork at around 300 PPI for professional printing. Add the printer’s required bleed and keep important text and logos inside the safe area. Photoshop business card dimensions should follow the actual printer specification rather than an automatic 3.5 × 2-inch preset.
- Adobe Illustrator: The business card size in Illustrator should be set by creating an artboard at the finished trim dimensions and defining the required bleed around it. Illustrator works well for logos, typography, icons, and other vector graphics because they remain sharp during printing.
- Adobe InDesign: For business card size in InDesign, set the page width and height to the finished trim size and enter bleed separately in the document setup. This keeps the page, bleed, and safe area clearly separated and works well for precise typography and front-and-back layouts.
- Canva: The correct Canva business card size depends on the target market and printer rather than the template alone. Use a template only when its dimensions match the required finished size, or create a custom-size document. Enable print bleed where required and check the exported PDF before submitting it.
- Microsoft Word: Business card size in Word is most relevant for home printing on pre-cut or perforated card sheets. Use the exact template supplied for the sheet manufacturer and product number so the cards align correctly with the perforations.
Whatever software you use, the printer’s dimensions, bleed, colour requirements and export specification should control the final file.
How Many Business Cards Fit on a Page?
The number of business cards that fit on one sheet depends on the card dimensions, paper size, printer margins, gutters, bleed and cutting method.
- A US Letter sheet measuring 8.5 × 11 inches theoretically fits 10 standard 3.5 × 2-inch cards in a two-column by five-row arrangement when the production layout allows it.
- A4 paper also fits multiple metric business cards. For example, ten 85 × 55 mm cards fit geometrically within an A4 sheet before margins, bleed and cutting space are considered.
The actual number varies because:
- desktop printers have non-printable margins;
- perforated sheets use fixed spacing;
- bleed requires additional artwork area;
- some layouts use gutters between cards;
- commercial printers impose several cards according to their own production equipment.
If you are printing at home, use the exact template supplied for the card sheet. For commercial printing, normally submit one correctly prepared card design and let the printer handle sheet imposition.
How Business Card Size Affects the Wider Brand Design
Business card dimensions affect how much room is available for the logo, typography, contact details, imagery, and white space. A layout that works comfortably at 90 × 55 mm does not automatically work at a smaller or differently proportioned size.
The card should still feel like part of the same visual system used across other brand assets. A defined brand identity helps keep logo use, colours, and typography consistent even when the available dimensions change.
The same principle applies when the identity moves between physical and digital formats. Social media design uses very different dimensions from a business card, while packaging and label design works with printer templates, bleed, safe zones and physical surfaces.
If several of these assets are being developed together, broader graphic design services help keep the visual system consistent while each individual asset is built to the dimensions required for its own format.
The important point is not to make every asset the same size. It is to make the identity recognisable while adapting the layout correctly to each size.
How to Prepare a Business Card File for Printing in 2026
Before sending the artwork to print, complete a technical check instead of relying only on how the card looks on screen.
- Confirm the final trim size with the printer.
- Check that the target country and printer use the expected dimensions.
- Add the exact bleed requested by the printer.
- Keep important information inside the safe area.
- Extend edge-to-edge backgrounds fully into the bleed.
- Use sufficient raster image resolution at final output size.
- Keep logos and line graphics in vector format where possible.
- Check the requested colour mode and colour profile.
- Review typography at actual physical size.
- Check that very small or reversed text remains readable.
- Give the QR code enough physical size and clear space.
- Scan the QR code from a printed proof.
- Check front and back orientation.
- Verify names, job titles, phone numbers, email addresses, and URLs.
- Confirm whether fonts need to be embedded or outlined.
- Check source-file requirements.
- Export using the printer’s requested PDF specification.
- Verify bleed and crop-mark settings during export.
- Review foil, spot colour or speciality-finish layers separately where relevant.
- Print a physical proof before a large run whenever practical.
A technically correct file reduces the risk of clipped text, white edges, blurry images, incorrect trimming and unnecessary reprints. If you already know the required size but need the layout, typography, QR code and print-ready files prepared professionally, compare freelance business card and stationery designers who work specifically on this type of design.
If you are deciding what to check before selecting a designer, the guide on how to hire a graphic designer covers portfolios, briefs, revisions, timelines, and final files. For budget planning, the graphic design pricing guide for 2026explains typical freelance rates and project pricing.
For a custom requirement involving several regional sizes, unusual dimensions, or a wider stationery set, post a project brief with the target countries, required dimensions, printer specifications, deliverables, and deadline.
FAQ
Is a business card the same size as a credit card?
No. An ISO ID-1 credit card measures 85.60 × 53.98 mm. Some business card formats are close to those dimensions, but they are not identical. An 85 × 55 mm business card, for example, is slightly taller, while other regional formats are wider.
Are business cards A7 size?
No. A7 paper measures 74 × 105 mm, which is considerably larger and has different proportions from common business card formats.
What paper size should I use to print business cards at home?
Use the paper or card-sheet format supported by your printer, normally A4 or US Letter, together with a template made for the exact perforated sheet. The individual card dimensions still need to match the sheet layout.
Should I use the dimensions in this guide or my printer’s template?
Use your printer’s template for the final artwork. General business card dimensions help with planning, but the printer controls the actual trim size, bleed, safe area, and export requirements for the production job.
Local vs international business card sizes: which should you use?
Use the standard business card size for the market where most cards will be printed and distributed. There is no single international business card size. If you operate across several countries with different common dimensions, prepare separate print files for each printer or market rather than forcing one format everywhere.
