Backing Cards

What Are Backing Cards?

A backing card is a printed piece of cardstock that a retail product mounts to for display and packaging. At 4OVER4.COM backing cards print 4 color on the front in 3 folded sizes, from a 3.5" x 4" card that scores to 3.5" x 2", up to a 6" x 4" that scores to 6" x 2", on 14pt gloss or 14pt uncoated cover.

Think of a backing card as the packaging that also does the selling. A small product, a pair of earrings, a keychain, a hair clip, or a piece of hardware, attaches to the printed front, and the card gives it a surface for your logo, product name, and details. The card is scored across the middle so it folds to half its height, which is how it wraps over the top of a bagged item or stands as a folded header on a peg. The back stays blank, leaving room for a barcode, price sticker, or care instructions.

How Much Do Backing Cards Cost?

Backing cards start at $218.30 for 1,000 at 4OVER4.COM, which is about $0.22 per card. The price scales across 4 quantity tiers up to 10,000, so a larger run drops the per-card cost, landing near $0.10 each at the top tier. The configurator shows the exact total before you order.

Your first 1,000 backing cards run $218.30. Order more and the math gets friendlier fast: 2,500 cards are $341.88, 5,000 are $520.36, and 10,000 are $1,028.35. At that top tier each card lands near $0.10, less than half the per-card price of the smallest run, which is why a full wholesale line is far cheaper per card than a short test batch. The minimum order is 1,000, and you see every change in real time before you check out.

So how many do you actually need? Set your count on the slider below and watch both the run total and the true per-card cost update live, then find the point where one more step up barely moves the budget.

What Sizes Do Backing Cards Come In?

4OVER4.COM backing cards come in 3 sizes, each scored to fold to half its height: 3.5" x 4" that scores to 3.5" x 2", 4" x 4" that scores to 4" x 2", and 6" x 4" that scores to 6" x 2". You can also set a custom size up to 6" x 4".

Match the size to your product. The 3.5" x 4" card, which folds to 3.5" x 2", suits small items like jewelry and hair accessories. The 4" x 4" gives a bit more room for branding, and the 6" x 4", folding to 6" x 2", reads almost like a small header for a larger product or a bundle. Every size carries a printed score line down the middle so the card folds clean and square over your packaging. If none of the three is exactly right, set a custom size up to 6" x 4" in the configurator.

What Paper Stock and Ink Can You Choose?

Backing cards print on 2 cover stocks at 4OVER4.COM: 14pt Gloss Cover for a smooth coated surface, or 14pt Uncoated Cover for a natural, writable finish. Every card prints 4 color on the front with a blank back, in a Standard finish.

Both stocks are a sturdy 14pt cover weight that holds a product without sagging. The Gloss Cover gives colors and photos a bright, coated pop, ideal for a product shot or a bold logo. The Uncoated Cover reads more natural and takes pen or a stamp if you want to add a batch number or price by hand. Printing is 4 color on the front and a blank back, so your artwork carries the front while the back stays open for a barcode or sticker.

Already have your design? Skip the editor and download a press-ready blank backing card template built at the real trim size with the fold and bleed drawn in, so your art never crowds the score or the cut. Grab the size that matches your order, drop your art in, and upload.

How Fast Can You Get Backing Cards?

4OVER4.COM prints backing cards on a standard 6 business day turnaround. You can upload print-ready PDF, JPG, or PNG files, and choose a free online proof to approve the layout before it prints, or send straight to production to save a step.

Standard production for backing cards is 6 business days. Send your artwork as a PDF, JPG, or PNG, and pick how you want it checked: a free online proof shows you a digital preview to approve before anything goes to press, or straight to production skips the step when your file is already dialed in. Either way, 99.8% of 4OVER4.COM orders arrive on time, so you can plan a product launch or a wholesale ship date around the run.

What Do People Use Backing Cards For?

Backing cards work as retail packaging for small products: jewelry, hair accessories, keychains, hardware, and handmade goods mount to the card for peg or shelf display. The folded score lets the card wrap the top of a bagged product or stand as a header, and the blank back holds a barcode, price, or care details.

A backing card is what makes a loose product look like it belongs on a store shelf. Makers use them to package earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. Boutiques and craft sellers card their hair ties, pins, and keychains. Hardware and small parts get bagged with a folded header on top. Because the minimum run is 1,000, backing cards fit a real product line or a wholesale order rather than a one-off, and the blank back leaves room for the barcode and pricing a retailer needs.

Backing cards are the value pick when you want small products carded and shelf-ready, but they are not your only packaging move. It helps to see the trade-off in plain numbers, so the chart below lines backing cards up against close siblings like CD covers, packaging tape, and golf ball boxes, with the starting price on each.

Backing cards are one line in a full catalog of print and packaging products. If a box, a sleeve, or a roll of tape would round out your packaging, the rest of the range is a tap away, each with its own starting price. Set your size, upload your art, and print your backing cards today.