Even if your business operations and communications happen online, knowing how to network remains crucial for entrepreneurs and ecommerce store owners. Connecting in person with peers, customers, and partners creates co-marketing opportunities, builds community, and can take your business to the next level.
Physical business cards are a time-honored tradition of in-person networking. They’re a great way to share your contact info, project a professional impression, and create connection. If you only need business cards for a few in-person events a year or you’re looking to save on costs, here’s how to make business cards at home.
What are business cards?
A physical or digital business card is a small, purpose-built card with a person or company’s important information—including contact details, website address, and type of business. Business cards tell professional contacts or potential clients who you are and what you’re selling. You may also include social media links or additional brand details on your card.
While a professional printing service can create business cards in bulk, you can easily and cheaply make custom business cards at home with readily available resources such as a home printer, cardstock paper, and free business card makers or templates.
What you need to make business cards at home
If you want to make a great first impression with DIY business cards, you’ll need a few things to get started:
Design software
Popular graphic design tools, like Photoshop or InDesign, let you make a custom business card design with nearly infinite customization options. You can also save time using a ready-made template from online software like Canva or Vistaprint. With Shopify’s business card maker, a free automatic card designer, you can add a logo or QR code and print your final design in minutes.
Cardstock
Cardstock paper is the most common and effective way to print custom business cards at home. Cards may appear different on varying paper weights. For example, 100-pound (12-point) cardstock is economical for business cards, while thicker options like 14- and 16-point stock offer a more premium feel. (A pound measurement refers to the weight of 500 sheets of a given paper size, and point measurement refers to individual sheet thickness, with each point representing 1/1,000 of an inch.)
You can also make your business cards stand out or convey a specific impression with alternative paper stock, such as matte, glossy, textured, or recycled. Additional finishes, like embossing or foil stamping, add extra flair, but make sure they align with your brand identity to avoid mixed messaging.
Printer
An inkjet or laser printer can print business cards at home, but some have limitations. Most home printers can handle a maximum cardstock thickness of 100 pounds, though some may only be able to do 80 or 90. Before you start creating your business card design, check your printer settings to verify you have color and double-sided printing to ensure your design ideas work with your printer.
Paper cutter
Use a paper cutter to get sleek, professional edges after the printing process. If you own an electronic cutting machine, like Cricut, you can create a simple cutting pattern to guarantee easy and perfectly aligned cards. If you don’t have a paper cutter, use perforated business card paper from a business supply store, which you can fold and gently pull apart in just a few minutes.
How to make business cards at home
- Determine what information to include
- Lay it out in design software
- Test the printer and cardstock
- Print in batches
- Cut
Follow these steps to print business cards at home and make a lasting impression on new contacts:
1. Determine what information to include
Most business cards have important details like your brand name, logo, website, industry, and phone number. Your own business cards for personal use can include information like your name, title, contact details, and available services.
Create custom business cards for specific circumstances to ensure your information is relevant to the recipient. For example, if you’re attending a design conference, you could include creative graphics that demonstrate your abilities, and use Shopify’s QR code generator to create links to your portfolio.
2. Lay it out in design software
Save time and ensure you have a strong layout with a business card template. A blank template often has customization options that let you add your brand colors or upload a logo as a PNG file.
If you’re creating business cards with software like Photoshop, keep design fundamentals in mind. Choose the correct design elements—like a brand-relevant color scheme and fonts—and ensure you keep all details within the bleed area (the outer edge that extends past your final design). When designing, include some light crop marks so you know where to cut after printing.
An automatic card designer, like Shopify’s business card maker, lets you skip the design guesswork.
3. Test the printer and cardstock
Always check your printer settings and print a test page before printing large batches of cards. Calibrate your inkjet or laser printer by cleaning the printing heads and checking the ink levels.
Ensure the color on your test page looks clear and crisp on your chosen cardstock and materials by comparing against your original design. If you have a double-sided design, the printing process may require reorienting to ensure nothing ends up upside down, so be sure to test it first.
4. Print in batches
Rather than print all your business cards at once, separate them into batches in case of error. For example, if you plan to print 250 pages of business cards, start by doing the first 50 to see how they turn out.
With a laserjet printer, the ink should be dry right when you print, but if you print business cards on an inkjet printer, let them stand and dry for several minutes before you handle them.
5. Cut
With your business cards printed, you can now use a paper cutter to cut them out, following your crop marks as guides. If you’re using pre-cut paper with perforations, pull them apart carefully.
How To Make Business Cards At Home FAQ
What tools do I need to make my own business cards?
Making business cards at home requires cardstock paper, an inkjet or laser printer, and a paper cutter or perforated card sheets for clean edges. Design software or a free online template helps you lay out your logo, contact details, and branding before printing.
Can I use a regular printer to print business cards?
A regular inkjet or laser printer can produce business cards at home at a low cost, though some models have limits on paper weight and printing features. Most home printers max out around 100-pound cardstock, and not every model supports color or double-sided printing, so thicker or more elaborate cards may still require a professional print run.
What kind of paper do you use for business cards?
Standard 100-pound cardstock gives DIY business cards a sturdy feel and crisp print quality that regular paper can't match. Thicker 14- and 16-point stock adds a more premium finish, but test a sheet in your printer first to confirm it can handle the weight. Perforated cardstock is a good option if you don't own a paper cutter.
Can I make double-sided business cards at home?
Yes, many home printers support double-sided printing, but you'll need to check your printer settings before starting a batch. Some printers require reorienting the page for the second side, so print a single test card first to make sure both sides align and nothing prints upside down.
Is it cheaper to make business cards at home than order them?
Making business cards at home is generally cheaper than ordering from a professional printer when you only need a small quantity for a few events a year. Costs come down to cardstock, ink, and any design software, while bulk professional printing tends to make more sense once you need large quantities or premium finishes like foil stamping or embossing.
