What file formats and specifications should I use for business cards?

Standard business cards print at 3.5" x 2" and can be finished with sharp (square) or rounded corners. Setting the file up correctly keeps important content away from the trim.

Key specs to follow:

• Include bleed and safety margins exactly as shown in the design template
• Keep text and logos inside the safety margin so nothing is cut off
• Full-color printing is available on both sides
• Build artwork in CMYK at 300 dpi and supply a print-ready PDF, with TIFF as a solid alternative
• Put front and back in a single PDF and export at print quality, not a screen or web preset
• Flatten all layers and embed fonts or convert text to outlines before export, so nothing shifts or substitutes in production. Avoid submitting unflattened working files such as PSD, since fonts and effects can render differently.

If you are unsure about the setup, download your printer's template for your size and design directly on it, which removes the guesswork on bleed and margins.