How to Choose Business Card Paper
14pt or 16pt. Matte or gloss. Pick what matches how you hand the card out.
You’re ordering standard 3.5" × 2" business cards. Two choices often stall the cart: how thick, and matte vs gloss.
Wrong pick isn’t a disaster. The card should still match the job. A plumber’s stack in a glove box is not the same as a card on a realtor’s open-house table.
Use this page to pick thickness and finish, then order on the standard business cards page.
Thickness: 14pt vs 16pt
Same card size either way (3.5" × 2"). Thickness is how stiff the card feels, not how much text fits.
Start here: most people are fine on 14pt. Move up to 16pt only when a thicker card clearly helps the job.
When 14pt is enough
- You hand out a lot of cards every week and carry a thick stack in a pocket or wallet.
- Cards live on a desk, in a badge holder, or get passed once at a mixer. They are not bounced around all day.
- You want the lightest everyday stack and do not need extra stiffness.
Example: You work events and leave cards in a shirt pocket. 14pt is enough and easier to carry.
When thicker (16pt) helps
- Cards ride in a truck console, tool bag, or glove box for days and get pulled out with dirty or wet hands.
- You want the card to stay flatter and feel stiffer when someone bends it once.
- The card sits in a holder or open-house stack where a flimsy edge looks cheap.
Example: You’re a plumber or contractor. Cards live in the glove box. Start at 16pt so the stack does not flop or curl as fast.
What about 18pt?
18pt is the thickest option on the standard business cards page. Only pick it if you already know you want extra weight. It is not the default for most orders.
Still unsure? Start with 14pt for everyday handouts, or 16pt when the card has to survive a bag or truck. Then finish the order on the business cards page (matte vs gloss is the next choice on this guide).
Finish: matte vs gloss
- Matte — low shine. Easy to write a cell number or appointment on the back. Less glare under shop lights or sun.
- Gloss — shinier color and photos. Use when the card is mostly a logo or photo and nobody needs to scribble on it.
If you jot notes on cards (next visit, quote total), pick matte.
If the card sits in a desk holder and is mostly “look at this logo,” gloss is fine.
Example: You write the next appointment on the back before you leave a house. Choose matte.
Example: Your card is a clean logo with almost no write-on use. Gloss can work.
Quick pick
| If you… | Start with |
|---|---|
| Hand out a lot of cards every week | 14pt + matte |
| Want a stiffer card that doesn’t flop | 16pt + matte or gloss |
| Need people to write on the back | Any thickness + matte |
| Care most about a shiny photo or logo | 14pt or 16pt + gloss |
| Already want the thickest option | 18pt (pick it on the order page) |
What this page is not
- Not plastic, magnetic, or square cards — those are different products.
- Not free cards. This guide is for the paid standard card.
- Not a guide to banners, yard signs, or other print materials.
Ready to order
Order standard business cards. Upload your finished art, or start from a template.
Want to look at other card options first? Browse business cards
Also helpful: What to put on a business card · How many to order · Square business card size guide.