Standard Business Card Size & Print Dimensions Guide
The US standard business card is 3.5 x 2 inches. Postcards, flyers, posters, and brochures each carry their own dependable set of sizes. Here is the full reference, with the bleed and safe zone every print file needs.
The standard US business card size is 3.5 x 2 inches (89 x 51 mm). Common postcards run 4 x 6, 5 x 7, and 6 x 9 inches, flyers print at 8.5 x 11 inches, and posters step up to 18 x 24 and 24 x 36 inches. Add a 1/8 inch bleed on every side, keep text inside the safe zone, and build the file at 300 DPI in CMYK.
Quick reference
The standard sizes at a glance
Business cards are 3.5 x 2 inches, postcards run 4 x 6 to 6 x 9 inches, flyers print at 8.5 x 11 inches, and posters climb to 18 x 24 and 24 x 36 inches. Whatever the size, add a 1/8 inch bleed on all four sides, hold your text inside the 1/8 inch safe zone, and build the file at 300 DPI in CMYK. 4OVER4.COM customers who set the size right on the first pass skip the reprint and get their job on time.
The standard business card size (3.5 x 2 inches)
In the United States the standard business card size is 3.5 x 2 inches, or 89 x 51 millimeters. That footprint fits every wallet, cardholder, and desk tray on the market, which is exactly why it became the default. When someone hands you a card, your hand already knows how big it will be.
Most of the world outside the US leans on a slightly slimmer 3.35 x 2.17 inch card (85 x 55 mm), the same footprint as a credit card. If your audience is international, that size travels better through their wallets. For a fuller split between the classic size and the trimmed or oversized options, read how big business cards are across standard and custom sizes.
Whichever size you pick, hold a real proof before a full run. Our custom business cards ship at the exact 3.5 x 2 inch trim with the bleed and safe zone already built into the template.
Bleed, trim, and safe zone on every file
Every standard size actually carries three measurements, not one. The trim size is the final cut dimension, the number you quote when someone asks how big the piece is. A 3.5 x 2 inch card has a 3.5 x 2 inch trim.
The bleed is extra artwork that runs 1/8 inch past the trim on all sides, so that card is built at 3.75 x 2.25 inches. Bleed exists because cutting blades drift a hair during production, and the overrun keeps a thin white edge from showing along the cut. The safe zone sits 1/8 inch inside the trim, and anything you cannot afford to lose, like text or a logo, stays inside it.
Get these three lines right and the file prints clean the first time. Get them wrong and you reprint. Our online designer draws the bleed and safe zone for you, so you never have to guess where the blade lands.
Standard postcard sizes for mail and handouts
Postcards run larger than cards and come in a short, dependable set of sizes. The three you will use most are 4 x 6 inches, 5 x 7 inches, and 6 x 9 inches. A 4 x 6 is the classic mailer, a 5 x 7 reads like an invitation, and a 6 x 9 gives you room for an offer plus a map or coupon.
If you plan to mail at postcard postage rates, the US Postal Service caps that class at 6 x 4.25 inches, so a 4 x 6 stays in the cheaper tier while a 6 x 9 mails at letter rates. Size the piece to the postage before you design it. Browse the full range on our postcard printing page, or start from a standard postcard.
Standard flyer and sales sheet sizes
Flyers share sizes with everyday office paper, which keeps them cheap to print and easy to stack. The workhorse is 8.5 x 11 inches, the same as a letter sheet. Step down to 5.5 x 8.5 inches for a half-page handout, or up to 11 x 17 inches when you want a poster-sized flyer for a wall.
A 4 x 6 or 5.5 x 8.5 works for a stack by the register, while 8.5 x 11 suits a one-page sell sheet or event program. For layout tips and clean setups, walk through our guide on how to make flyers, then print them on our flyer printing stock or start from a standard flyer.
Standard poster and large format sizes
Posters jump into large format, where the common sizes are 11 x 17 inches, 18 x 24 inches, and 24 x 36 inches. An 18 x 24 is the standard event and retail poster, while 24 x 36 is the movie-poster size people picture when they hear the word.
Because a poster is read from across a room, you can drop the file resolution to 150 DPI at full size without anyone noticing, which keeps the file manageable. Up close, at card range, you still want 300 DPI. Order a standard poster when you need something that reads from a distance.
Standard brochure sizes and folds
A brochure is really a flyer with a fold, so the flat sizes match. The classic is an 8.5 x 11 inch sheet folded into a tri-fold, which lands at roughly 3.67 x 8.5 inches per panel. Go up to an 11 x 17 inch sheet for a half-fold, or a larger tri-fold when you need more room.
The fold you choose changes how the panels read, so plan the panel order before you design. Our guide on how to fold a brochure maps out the common folds, and you can print the result as a standard brochure.
Envelope sizes that match your printed cards
If a piece has to travel, the envelope size matters as much as the card. A number 10 envelope (4.125 x 9.5 inches) holds a standard letter folded in thirds and is the default for invoices and letters. For a flat 5 x 7 invitation, an A7 envelope (5.25 x 7.25 inches) gives the card a little breathing room.
The rule of thumb is to add about a quarter inch to each dimension of the insert, so the card slides in without a fight. When you are laying out a mailer, our guide on how to make envelopes covers the standard sizes and how to size the flap.
Specialty cards keep the standard footprint
A finish does not change the size. Even eye-catching specialty pieces stay on the same 3.5 x 2 inch grid, so they still fit a wallet and a cardholder. 3D lenticular business cards that flip between two images print at the standard card size, and 3D lenticular bookmarks follow the usual 2 x 6 or 2 x 7 inch bookmark footprint.
The same holds for die-cut and magnetic pieces. If you want a fridge-friendly version of your card, our guide on how to make custom magnets keeps the artwork on the same footprint, so one design covers both. Grab a print-ready starting point from the lenticular business card template or the lenticular bookmark template.
Setting up files at the right size
Once you know the size, three settings turn a design into a print-ready file. Build the document at the trim size plus bleed, set the color mode to CMYK rather than RGB so the printed color matches your screen intent, and keep the resolution at 300 DPI for anything held in the hand.
Save time by starting from a template that already has the guides in place. Our online designer builds the canvas at the correct size, and you can add a scannable link with the free QR code generator before you export.
Proof the size before the full run
Numbers on a screen are easy to misjudge, so hold the size in your hand before you commit to thousands. A physical proof shows you how a 3.5 x 2 inch card actually feels and whether your safe zone gives the text enough air.
Order free samples to compare stocks and sizes side by side, and browse the full printing guide hub when you are ready to plan the next piece. Getting the size right on paper, before the press runs, is the cheapest insurance in printing.
Specs and pricing
Standard business card specs and pricing
Here is what a standard 3.5 x 2 inch business card gives you at 4OVER4.COM, with live specs and price-per-unit straight from the configurator.
| Quantity | Price Per Unit | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 17.6¢ | $17.57 |
| 200 | 11.5¢ | $23.07 |
| 300 | 9.15¢ | $27.46 |
| 400 | 7.96¢ | $31.86 |
| 500 | 7.25¢ | $36.26 |
| 600 | 6.77¢ | $40.64 |
| 700 | 6.43¢ | $45.04 |
| 800 | 6.18¢ | $49.43 |
Print it
Print at a standard size with 4OVER4
Wally sizes it up
Right size, right bleed, printed once
Wally treats every job as a measuring exercise first: pick the standard size for the piece, add a 1/8 inch bleed on all four sides, and keep the text inside the safe zone. Nail those three and the file prints clean the first time, no reprints and no white edges. When you are ready, order a card built to the exact 3.5 x 2 inch standard with the guides already in place.
Order business cards →See it in use
Real business card work, printed in-house
Explore more
Where to go next
By the numbers
Printing you can count on at 4OVER4
Common Questions
Common questions about standard print sizes
What is the standard business card size?
In the United States the standard business card size is 3.5 x 2 inches, or 89 x 51 millimeters. Most of the world outside the US uses a slightly slimmer 3.35 x 2.17 inch card (85 x 55 mm), the same footprint as a credit card. Both fit standard wallets and cardholders.
How much bleed do I need on a print file?
Add 1/8 inch (0.125 inches) of bleed on every side. That means a 3.5 x 2 inch card is built at 3.75 x 2.25 inches with the bleed included. The extra artwork keeps a white edge from appearing if the cutting blade shifts slightly during production.
What is the safe zone?
The safe zone is the area 1/8 inch inside the trim line. Keep anything you cannot afford to lose, like text, logos, and phone numbers, inside that zone. Backgrounds and colors can run all the way to the bleed, but critical content stays in the safe area.
What are the standard postcard sizes?
The three most common postcard sizes are 4 x 6, 5 x 7, and 6 x 9 inches. A 4 x 6 is the classic mailer and stays in the cheaper USPS postcard postage tier, while a 6 x 9 mails at letter rates but gives you more room for an offer.
What is the standard flyer size?
The standard flyer is 8.5 x 11 inches, the same as a letter sheet. A 5.5 x 8.5 inch half-page works for handouts and stacks, and an 11 x 17 inch flyer works when you need a poster-sized piece for a wall.
What poster sizes are standard?
Common poster sizes are 11 x 17, 18 x 24, and 24 x 36 inches. An 18 x 24 is the standard event and retail poster, and 24 x 36 is the movie-poster size. Because posters are read from a distance, you can drop to 150 DPI at full size.
Get Started
Ready to print at the right size?
Pick your size, drop in your design, and we print it at the exact trim with the bleed and safe zone handled for you.
Legal Disclaimer
Gold Standard guarantees apply to all standard orders placed through 4over4.com. Price match requires verifiable proof of a competitor's published price for an equivalent product with matching specifications and turnaround time. Satisfaction guarantee covers manufacturing defects and print quality issues. Contact support with order number and documentation. On-time delivery rate based on tracked orders 1999 to 2026. Individual results may vary based on shipping carrier performance.
