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Cheap business cards can still look professional if you spend in the right places. Keep a clean design, a sensible quantity and a firm 350gsm card, and drop extras such as lamination or a printed back if the budget is tight. The price per card falls as quantity rises, so 500 rather than 100 often saves the most.
What makes a low price business card look cheap
People rarely notice the price of a card. They notice the faults. A thin card that bends when it is pulled from a wallet, text crammed to the very edge, a pixelated logo copied from a website, or a phone number in pale grey on white all say “corner cut” far more loudly than the absence of a fancy finish.
The good news is that none of those faults costs anything to fix. They are design and file problems, not printing costs. A budget card printed on decent board with tidy artwork will hold its own against a card that cost three times as much but was set up badly.
Where to save money
Each option on a business card order adds to the price. Some of them earn their keep and some are easy to give up.
Print one side
A front-only card is the simplest saving. If your name, trade, phone number, email and web address fit comfortably on one face, you do not need a back. Leave the reverse plain white and people can jot notes on it, which some customers like.
Skip lamination
Matt, gloss and soft touch laminates add protection and a nicer feel, but an unlaminated silk card is perfectly respectable. It is also easier to write on with a biro, which matters if you note appointment times on the back.
Stay with the standard size
The UK standard of 85 × 55 mm is the most efficient size to print and fits every wallet and card holder. Square, folded and special shapes cost more to cut and finish.
Order a sensible quantity
Setting up a print run has a fixed cost whether you order 100 cards or 1,000. That is why the cost per card drops as the run gets bigger. If your details are settled, 500 or 1,000 cards often cost only a little more in total than 250, and they last far longer.
Where not to save
Two things are worth protecting even on the tightest budget.
- Card weight. A 350gsm silk card is firm enough to feel substantial. Going much thinner is where cards start to feel flimsy.
- Artwork quality. A sharp vector logo and correctly set-up file cost nothing extra but make the biggest visible difference. If you do not have one, a short design fee is often better value than reprinting a run that came out blurry.
Budget options compared
| Choice | Lower cost option | When to pay more |
|---|---|---|
| Sides printed | Front only | You need a service list, map or QR code on the back |
| Lamination | None | Cards live in van door pockets or get handled a lot |
| Card | 350gsm silk | You hand cards over one at a time to clients who notice weight |
| Quantity | 500 or more for a lower price per card | Details may change soon, so a smaller run avoids waste |
| Stock | Standard silk or uncoated | The card itself is part of your brand, such as kraft for a bakery |
Affordable business cards for different situations
Starting out as a sole trader. Print 250 or 500 single-sided cards on 350gsm. You will learn quickly which details people actually use, and the next run can be better informed.
A team sharing one design. Several people each needing their own name usually means several small orders. Agree a common layout and order each name in the same run size so the cost stays predictable.
Trade shows and events. You will hand out far more cards than usual. A larger quantity of plain, unlaminated cards makes sense here, because many will end up in goody bags rather than wallets.
A business that values a natural look. Uncoated business cards or recycled business cards give a tactile, honest feel without paying for a special finish.
How to keep the whole order low cost
Delivery is charged per order rather than per item, so it pays to group things together. If you also need letterheads, compliment slips or a second design for a colleague, putting them in one basket means one delivery charge. UK mainland orders of £100 or more in goods are delivered free.
Check your proof carefully before you approve it. The most expensive business cards are the ones you have to reprint because a digit in the phone number was wrong. Read every number aloud, ring it, and type the web address into a browser.
Finally, use the live price on the product page. Change one option at a time on standard business cards and watch how the total moves. It takes a minute and shows exactly which choices make the biggest difference to your order. If you want a printed back after all, compare it against double-sided business cards at the same quantity.
Questions
What is the lowest cost way to get business cards printed?
Choose the standard 85 × 55 mm size, 350gsm silk card, front-only printing and no lamination, then order a quantity that brings the price per card down. Supplying your own print-ready file avoids a design fee.
Do cheap business cards look unprofessional?
Not if the design is clean and the file is set up well. Thin card, blurry logos and text too near the edge are what make a card look cheap, and none of those depends on price.
Is it cheaper per card to order more?
Yes. The set-up cost is spread over every card in the run, so 500 cards cost less each than 250, and 1,000 cost less each again.
Can I write on unlaminated business cards?
Yes. A bare silk or uncoated surface takes a pen well, which is useful for appointment cards or handwritten notes.
How can I save on delivery?
Delivery is per order, not per item, so combine your cards with other stationery in one basket. UK mainland orders with goods totalling £100 or more are delivered free.