What size should a business card be?
There's no single 'business card size' — it depends where you and your printer are. Here are the regional standards, plus the part most templates skip: the bleed and safe margins that stop your design getting trimmed wrong.
Standard sizes by region
Pick the standard for where the cards will be printed and used. The differences are small, but a US card in a European cardholder looks subtly off, and vice versa.
| Region | Millimetres | Inches |
|---|---|---|
| US / Canada | 89 × 51 mm | 3.5 × 2 in |
| Europe (most) | 85 × 55 mm | 3.35 × 2.17 in |
| UK (common) | 85 × 55 mm | 3.35 × 2.17 in |
| ISO / credit-card | 85.6 × 54 mm | 3.37 × 2.13 in |
| Japan | 91 × 55 mm | 3.58 × 2.17 in |
Add bleed and a safe margin
Whichever size you pick, that's the trim size — the finished card. Add 3 mm of bleed on every edge so background colour reaches the cut, and keep text and logos 3–4 mm inside the trim so a slightly off cut never clips them. This single step prevents the most common business-card reprint. If bleed is new to you, the bleed guide covers it, and the Bleed & Dieline Generator builds a correctly-marked card template at any of these sizes.
Weight and finish — the part people feel
Size is only half the impression; the stock is the other half. Most cards are 300–400 gsm so they feel rigid rather than flimsy — 350 gsm is a safe sweet spot. Coated stock makes colour pop; uncoated feels warm and takes a pen. The trade-offs are in choosing paper stock, and if your printer quotes pounds instead of gsm, the paper weight converter sorts it out.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common business card size?
In the US and Canada it's 3.5 × 2 in (89 × 51 mm). In most of Europe and the UK it's 85 × 55 mm. They're close but not identical, so match the standard to where the cards will be used.
How much bleed does a business card need?
3 mm on every edge is standard. Extend your background to the bleed line and keep text 3–4 mm inside the trim, so a slightly off cut doesn't leave a white edge or clip your details.
What paper weight is best for business cards?
300–400 gsm gives a card that feels solid; 350 gsm is a reliable middle ground. Below about 250 gsm a card feels flimsy. Heavier premium cards can run 400 gsm or use multi-ply stocks.
Are US and European business cards the same size?
No. US cards are 3.5 × 2 in (89 × 51 mm); European cards are usually 85 × 55 mm — slightly shorter and taller. A design built for one won't fit the other's cases and templates exactly.
From a stack of reprints
If there's one job we've seen reprinted more than any other, it's the business card that lost a phone number or a logo edge to a 1 mm trim. The fix is free — bleed plus a safe margin. Set them every time. Reviewed June 14, 2026.