Smartlife

Whether you’re a freelancer, business owner, 9-to-5-er, or even just a student with a part-time job, business cards are a must have. They’re an essential marketing and branding tool in the offline world. (You remember what that is, right?) If done well, business cards brand you and stick you in people’s minds. Not only do you need to have them, you’ve got to make them memorable, too.

So how do you go about making business cards impressionable? Well, it’s easy. Just assimilate what these reliable expert sources have to say:

• Dan Schawbel
• Seth Godin
• Freelance Switch
• Photojojo

Then go to one of the 12 sites listed below to place an order for your custom or personalized business cards. Each site offers a relatively cost-effective, high-quality, and hassle-free service along with delivery options that bring your business cards right to your doorstep. If you don’t like the business card design options that any of these sites currently offer, then head on over to 99designs to crowdsource your business card design. If you’re unsure about how to come up with or spec out a business card design that brands yourself effectively, experts like Dan Schawbel can help you through the whole process.

1. MOO

MOO “loves to print” — and it shows. It has a great set of options for designing business cards along with ready-made products you can buy online. While MOO is U.K.-based, it ships its products all over the world. What’s more, it’ll be opening a U.S. office later this year. If you’re thinking of using MOO for the first time, you can try a sample pack of 10 business cards for free.

Starting Price: $21.99 for 50 card pack.
Starting Time: 1-2 business days within U.K. and 5-10 days for international shipping.
Other Products: Mini cards, postcards, stickers, greeting cards, notecards, and Christmas and Holiday cards.

2. Overnight Prints

Overnight Prints is exactly that. It prints business cards overnight, cuts and processes them the next day, and ships them the day after that. You can choose its designs through its Express Designer, design your own through Advanced Designer, or upload your own designs. Overnight Prints has a great section where it outlines common mistakes when ordering/designing business cards, showing you the right and wrong way to do it through examples.

Starting Price: $9.95 for 100 cards.
Starting Time: Depending on which UPS option you chose, 1-3 business days.
Other Products: Postcards, marketing materials, T-shirts, stationary, magnets, invitations and announcements, and more.

3. PremiumCards.net

PremiumCards.net specializes in business cards, offering 14 different types. If Internet shopping isn’t your thing, you can also phone-in your orders. The site also sends sample cards to its customers every time it introduces a new product. However, in order to get those samples, you have to create an account. Don’t worry, the site doesn’t ask for credit card details. To help you make a decision on whether to use its services or not, PremiumCards.net has a testimonials page and also maintains a list of its clients.

Starting Price: $49 for 1,000 cards.
Starting Time: Depending on where you’re situated in the U.S., shipping can take anywhere from 1 to 6 days.
Other Products: Rolodex cards, postcards, short run printing, graphic designs, greeting cards.

4. Pinball Publishing

Pinball Publishing is one of the more expensive business card services found online, but it justifies that high price with the excellent quality and customer service. It offers custom quotes as well as packaged ones. It does have a “pennywise” option for customers who’re on a budget. But if you want this option to work for you, the trick is to order in bulk.

While its starting price of $170 might seem steep, you’ll get 1,000 business cards printed for $185. That is indeed pennywise if you consider its normal business cards rates start at $190 for 250 cards.

Starting Price: $170 for 250 cards.
Starting Time: 7-10 business days after approval of PDF proofs.
Other Products: Promotional material, stationary, music and media packaging.

5. Hotcards

Hotcards claims to have the “lowest cost full color printing in the nation.” To order your cards, you simply select the service you want, submit your shipment and payment information, upload your design, and then get on with your day. Unlike most print companies, Hotcards provides flexible shipping options. The company allows you to pick up your order from any of its offices and is open to multiple modes of shipping.

Starting Price: $60 for 1,000 cards.
Starting Time: 1-2 business days.
Other Products: Tri-fold brochures, flyers/club cards, posters, post card, door hangers, and more.

6. VistaPrint

VistaPrint is a U.K.-based service that ships overseas as well. It believes that being on a budget should not limit the number of colors you want to use in your business card. Its business card design process is simple. It offers three options: (1) select from one of its designs and add your own logo or photo to personalize it; (2) use its in-built card designer; or (3) upload your own design for printing.

Starting Price: £12.99 for 250 cards.
Starting Time: 3 business days (minimum).
Other Products: Marketing & signage, office stationary, promotion & events, and lots more.

7. 123Print.com

123Print.com has a large collection of business cards, which are categorized by industry & professions and style & themes. You can order a sample kit, but only if you’re a U.S. resident, as shipping is limited to the States. There’s an option to choose between business cards assortments, which lets you print five themed business cards assortments, full color business cards, and magnetic business cards.

Starting Price: $3.95 for 100 cards.
Starting Time: 3-7 days with UPS options for faster delivery.
Other Products: Post-it notes, address labels, banners, postcards, stamps, invitations, and more.

8. We Are Printing

We Are Printing provides custom quotes upon request, offers hundreds of free templates, and gives you the option to upload your own design as well. Its payment plan varies with the period of delivery. And standard delivery time takes 3-4 days. For faster delivery, it naturally charges more, but if you’re on a budget, it offers the option of “Wait and Save” whereby your order is shipped in 5-7 days.

Starting Price: $38 for 250 cards.
Starting Time: 3-4 days standard.
Other Products: Bookmarks, letterheads, postcards, flyers.

9. Bluegrass Print

Bluegrass Print claims to offer the highest quality prints at unbeatable prices. While a lot of online printing services offer the option to print business cards on green paper for an additional charge, Bluegrass Print gives you that option for free.

Starting Price: $25 for 250 cards.
Starting Time: 2-5 days (depending on the type of stock you choose).
Other Products: Brochures, calendars, catalogues, greeting cards, letterheads, and more.

10. Shinebox Print

Shinebox Print is another expensive service, by comparison. Its products are unique and offer more printing options than the rest, however. Instead of the standard business cards, it makes booklets of cards that come in closable covers. While it might be expensive for individuals, for small companies or businesses with ten or more employees, you can order business cards for $75 for 200 cards per employee.

Starting Price: $149.60 for 200 cards.
Starting Time: 1-2 days for local shipping and 6-10 for international.
Other Products: Brochures, portfolios, coupons, and more.

11. Mind2Print

Mind2Print offers business card templates according to industry & profession along with the option of uploading your own design or designing your card online. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have any templates for media/journalism/freelancing industry. If you’re using its service and uploading your own file, be sure to read the site’s FAQs about file preparation.

Starting Price: $29 for 100 cards.
Starting Time: 1-6 days depending on your location in the U.S.
Other Products: Custom designs, envelopes, letterheads, logo design, postcards, and more.

12. BizCard

BizCard offers four types of business cards: standard, slim, square, and calling cards. It has a huge collection of templates and designs for all four types. Ordering cards on the site is a simple four-step process. The company also offers the option to choose one of its free designs and get up to 250 business cards for free.

Starting Price: $19.95 for 250 cards on uploaded design.
Starting Time: 3-5 days for production plus standard UPS or FedEx delivery days.
Other Products: Magnets, postcards, letterheads, invitations, notecards, greeting cards, and more.

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Additional sites: NexCards

Tags: Business Card Design, Business Card Print Service, Business Card Templates, Business Cards, Career Management, Custom Business Cards, Free Business Cards, Personalized Business Cards