How much should I budget for professionally printed business cards?

Professionally printed cards start at just a few cents each, with the final number driven by quantity, paper stock, and finish. For most professionals, 250 to 500 cards hits the sweet spot: enough to last several months without a large upfront cost.

• Quantity: more cards means a lower price per card, and bulk runs of 1,000 or more bring the per-card cost down sharply.
• Stock: 14pt and 16pt are the budget baseline. 32Pt ultra-thick reads as premium and costs more.
• Finish: matte and gloss are inexpensive, while soft-touch, spot UV, or foil add a small premium.
• Sides: double-sided printing adds a little over single-sided.

Compare full order totals, not just per-card prices, when weighing quantity tiers. Investing in a thicker stock or a specialty finish adds only a small amount but dramatically raises the odds your card gets kept instead of tossed, which is where the real return lives.