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When you give someone your business card, you have one main goal: get them to contact you. It doesn’t matter if the recipient is a potential client, a prospective employer, or someone cute you met in the chip shop — you give them your business card so they will call.

Therefore, it’s essential that they can read what’s on the card.

How can you guarantee a legible business card? By choosing a font size between 8 and 11 pt. Most professionals agree that 10 pt is the ideal font size for business cards — although there are some exceptions to this rule. 

Here’s everything you need to know about business card font sizes.

The Benefits of 10 Pt Size in Business Cards

We all know that 12 pt is the standard font size for the regular printed documents. Your memos, resumes, reports, and more are all expected in 12 pt. 

So, why do business cards require a smaller setting? The answer is simple: business cards are smaller! A size 10 font allows you to communicate with readers while fitting all your info into a small space.

It’s Easy to Read

Legibility is paramount when you’re designing business cards, so it’s important to get a business card font size that is clear and easy to read. If you go too small, you’ll end up with something people can’t read without a magnifying glass! Ten pt is ideal because it’s a smaller font size that doesn’t sacrifice readability.

It Maximizes Your Card Space

You need to put a lot of information on your business card: your name, title, company name, contact information, and much more. Remember, business cards in the UK are 85 mm x 55 mm, and that means you don’t have much room to convey all this info. 

This is another reason why 10 pt. is the ideal font; the smaller-than-average font size will help you communicate everything you need to while using minimal space. This prevents your card recipients from being overwhelmed by a wall of text.

When to Use Other Sizes

While 10 pt font is ideal for most elements of your business cards, there are always a few exceptions to this rule. For example, you might want to use a variety of sizes to create a more dynamic and visually interesting card.

But if you do, which font sizes should you use for the different parts of your business card? 

For Names

The most important part of your business card is your name and the name of your company. Therefore, it would stand to reason that these elements should be larger than the others on your business card.

Make sure your name, company name, and job title are at least one point larger than the rest of your card information. However, make sure they do not exceed 11 pt., as anything larger will make the card too crowded and hard to read.

If you decide to put something on the back of your business card (for example, your company name and logo), you have a little more freedom on the font size. However, even in this case it is wise not to exceed 13 pt font, so that the words don’t exceed the width of the card.

For Contact Information 

Contact information like your business address, phone number, and email address is often the smallest element on your business card. This is because the people who view your card don’t always need to contact you immediately (though they will need to see your name and title right away). Therefore, it’s best to keep the font size as small as possible.

Since the standard business card font size is 10 pt, it’s best to print contact information in a size 9 or 8 pt. However, keep in mind that you should never print any aspect of your business cards smaller than 8 pt. A smaller font will be too difficult for most people to read — and if the content is illegible, card recipients simply won’t contact you! Keep these elements to 8 or 9 pt to save space while keeping your content visible.

For Specialty Fonts

If you decide to use a special font for your business card (for example, a script-style font), 10 pt size may still be too small to be legible. In these cases, you might be able to use a slightly larger font — but make sure you still have room for everything else! If you have to use a font that’s size 13 or above before you can read it clearly, consider changing the design for your card.

Other Business Card Font Tips

• Make sure your business card font sizes are grouped up by information. Keep all contact information the same size. Put the most important copy elements (like your name and company name) in the same, larger font. Too many font changes on one card will make things look messy.
• Always make sure your name and company name are printed in the largest font size (no greater than 11 pt). 
• Never print anything in a font size below 8 pt.
• Keep all design elements (logos or graphics) proportionate to your fonts. This will help ensure that the copy on your card draws as much attention as the images.

Get Beautiful Business Cards Today

These days, business cards are a way to creatively advertise yourself and your business. So, make sure you have the best cards possible! Be careful with your design, choose the right business card font, and get them professionally printed online.

At Banana Print, we specialize in creating high-quality printed business cards for people just like you. You can upload your own design or use one of our templates to create your own custom card. Take a look today to see how we can help you create beautiful business cards for you and your colleagues.