Standard Business Card Size

Standard Business Card Size

What Is The Standard Business Card Size?
Every biz card represents who you are and what you do. It will not only function as a contact card, but as an advertising medium as well. However, what’s the standard size for a business card?

Business Card Dimensions

There are two important factors to consider when dealing with the size of the business card, and these are the trim-size and the bleed. The trim-size refers to the final size of the card after the edges have been cut. The bleed refers to the additional portion of the card that extends beyond the edges to provide a safe zone for cutting.

In a standard-sized business card, the bleed usually extends 1/8th of an inch beyond the edges. Hence, the standard dimensions are:
Without Bleeds:
In inches: 3.5 x 2.0
In millimeters: 89 x 51

With Bleeds:
In inches: 3.75 x 2.25
In millimeters: 92.25 x 57.15
business card size

Bleed area | Safe zone | Card area

These dimensions are usually followed by freelance professional graphic designers, design companies, and publishing establishments. However, the standard size does not necessarily have to be followed all the time. Remember that a business card should represent you or your company really well.

To give an illustration, suppose Mr. X works for a company that manufactures square erasers. He then consults a designer to come up with a creative idea for a business card. The designer imagines a square card made of rubber instead of paper, and suggests it to Mr. X, who willingly accepts because the idea is brilliant.

In the above example, the card does not follow the conventional dimension and shape. Square perfectly represents the product that Mr. X is selling. In addition, the suggestion to make the card out of rubber instead of paper is quite creative. Cards do not always have to be made out of paper. They can be made of other materials like glass, metal, and wood.

Other Fun Ideas for Business Cards

Coupons Cards
Special promotional offers can be advertised through traditional advertising media, blogging, email marketing, or coupon cards. If you are aiming at attracting thousands of customers, then it may be a good idea to print coupons that act as business cards at the same time. Make the design as look as if it is a ticket to a movie theater or think of other creative ways to make it look appealing.

Dog Tags
These require a bit more investment, but they really are worth the money. These days, people receive all sorts of cards from a variety of people. Paper cards usually get buried under tons of other cards inside desk drawers, but if you give out a metal dog tag with your business information on it, you are more likely to attract a potential client’s attention. Again, this is a pretty unconventional design and does not conform to the standard size given above.

Maps
City maps are great giveaways. If your business location is especially hard to find, you might want to invest in giving out maps to potential clients or business partners. Many start-up businesses usually have a hard time describing to people where they are located. The best way to lessen the confusion is to ensure your potential customers know how to find you.

Air Fresheners
Make sure the scent lasts long. A lot of people drive cars because it is more convenient than commuting (at least in most areas). Take advantage of this by giving out business cards that people can hang inside their cars to freshen up the atmosphere. As soon as your potential client enters his or her car and smells the good air, he or she will definitely think of you and your business consciously or subconsciously.

Scratch Cards
It is an amazing fact that people can easily get addicted to lottery scratch cards. It may have something to do with the powerful allure of the element of surprise. Guess what? You can also make your business cards interesting by turning them into surprise cards as well. You can give out special prizes like a 50% discount, free service, and the like.

Something Useful
Here’s a good idea to ensure your card holders will not forget you so easily. Make your cards useful. Your business card can be anything like a ruler, a can opener, a clip, an eraser, or a fan. There are an uncountable number of ideas to choose from. You can even incorporate your business products as part of the design.


Your cards do not have to follow the standard business card size provided above. Make your cards stand out by thinking out of the box. Always ensure that your potential clients, customers or business partners remember you easily by making an excellent impression through your cards.