--- title: "Business card design: size, content, finish · Ingenious Hub" description: "What goes on a business card, the common size, how to choose paper and finish, and what to leave off. A short guide for owners who hand cards out." canonical: https://www.ingenioushub.com/notes/business-card-design-guide-india updated: 2026-11-05 publisher: Ingenious Hub (https://www.ingenioushub.com) --- Design # Business card design: size, content, finish A business card should carry your name, role, business, phone, email and website, and nothing that makes it hard to read. Ask the printer for the size they use, leave room around the text, and choose paper that feels right in the hand. By [Daitiva Sharma](https://www.ingenioushub.com/studio) 5 Nov 20263 min readReads at about Class 6 or below **In this article3 min read** 1. What goes on the card 2. Size and layout 3. Make it match your brand 4. A QR code that works 5. Check before the run 6. Use it well In many trades a business card is still the way people keep your number. It is handed over, looked at, and put in a pocket or a wallet. It should do one job well: make it easy for someone to remember who you are and to reach you. This guide covers what to put on it, how to lay it out, and how to choose paper and finish. ## What goes on the card - Your name and what you do, in a few words. - The business name and the logo. - One phone number that you answer, and say if it is on WhatsApp. - One email address on your own domain, not a free address, if you have one. - Your website, or a short link or a QR code to the page you want people to open. - A short address only if people visit you. A shop needs it. A consultant may not. Leave off anything that is not used. A card with five phone numbers and six services reads as a noticeboard. If you have several services, name the main one and send people to the website for the rest. ## Size and layout The common card size in India is about 3.5 by 2 inches, or roughly 90 by 50 millimetres. Printers vary a little, so ask for their template before you start. Keep text away from the edges, leave generous space around it, and set the contact details no smaller than a size you can read comfortably. If you need both Hindi and English, plan the layout for both; our [guide to Hindi and Devanagari logo design](https://www.ingenioushub.com/notes/devanagari-and-hindi-logo-design-guide) explains how to pair them. Choices for a card | Choice | Options | Good to know | | --- | --- | --- | | Paper weight | Light to thick card stock | Thicker paper feels more serious, and costs more. | | Finish | Matte, gloss, soft touch | Matte reads well. Gloss shows fingerprints. Soft touch feels premium and can mark. | | Extras | Spot varnish, foil, embossing | They look good on a logo or a line, and need special artwork and extra time. | | Corners | Square or rounded | Rounded looks softer and needs a special cut. | | Sides | One side or two | The back can hold a short line, a QR code or a second language. | ## Make it match your brand The card is one of the few things people hold. Use the same logo, colours and typefaces as your board and your website, taken from your [brand guidelines](https://www.ingenioushub.com/glossary/brand-guidelines). If your logo only exists as a screenshot, ask the person who made it for the proper files; our note on [the logo files every business should own](https://www.ingenioushub.com/notes/logo-files-every-business-should-own) lists what to ask for. [Brand guidelines](https://www.ingenioushub.com/glossary/brand-guidelines): Brand guidelines are a written set of rules for using a brand's identity: logo versions, colours, typography, imagery, layout and tone of voice. ## A QR code that works A [QR code](https://www.ingenioushub.com/glossary/qr-code) is useful when it opens one clear page, such as your website, your WhatsApp chat or your Google review form. Test it on two phones before you print. Print it large enough to scan, with a clear margin around it, and put a short line beside it saying what it opens. Our [QR code generator](https://www.ingenioushub.com/tools/qr-code-generator) makes one for free. ## Check before the run - Read the phone number and email aloud, one digit and letter at a time. - Check the spelling of every name, in both languages. - Ask the printer for a proof, and look at the colours in daylight. - Print one on plain paper at the real size and hold it. Can you read it without effort? - Follow our [print preparation checklist](https://www.ingenioushub.com/notes/how-to-prepare-artwork-for-print-in-india) for bleed and safe margins. ## Use it well Carry a few, give them with a sentence, and write something on the back if it helps, such as the date you met or the thing you promised. Follow up within a few days. A card is a start of a conversation. If you want help designing one that fits your whole identity, see our [branding work](https://www.ingenioushub.com/services/branding). About the author [Daitiva Sharma](https://www.ingenioushub.com/studio) is the founder of Ingenious Hub, a brand and design studio in Jaipur. A designer, brand strategist and photographer, he has worked in design since 2007, leading design teams before founding the studio. [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/daitiva) Disagree, or want to argue the point? hello@ingenioushub.com Share this note - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ingenioushub.com%2Fnotes%2Fbusiness-card-design-guide-india) - [X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ingenioushub.com%2Fnotes%2Fbusiness-card-design-guide-india&text=Business%20card%20design%3A%20size%2C%20content%2C%20finish) - [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/?text=Business%20card%20design%3A%20size%2C%20content%2C%20finish%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ingenioushub.com%2Fnotes%2Fbusiness-card-design-guide-india) - 3 min read Share this note - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ingenioushub.com%2Fnotes%2Fbusiness-card-design-guide-india) - [X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ingenioushub.com%2Fnotes%2Fbusiness-card-design-guide-india&text=Business%20card%20design%3A%20size%2C%20content%2C%20finish) - [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/?text=Business%20card%20design%3A%20size%2C%20content%2C%20finish%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ingenioushub.com%2Fnotes%2Fbusiness-card-design-guide-india) - ## Tools and terms for this note Try it yourself, free - [QR code generatorA QR for WhatsApp, a review link or a website, ready to print.](https://www.ingenioushub.com/tools/qr-code-generator) - [Brand health checkNine questions, about two minutes, and the three fixes worth making first.](https://www.ingenioushub.com/tools/brand-health-check) - [Logo in contextSee your logo on a signboard, a carry bag and a chat avatar. It stays in your browser.](https://www.ingenioushub.com/tools/logo-in-context) Words used in this note - [QR codeMarketing](https://www.ingenioushub.com/glossary/qr-code) - [Brand guidelinesBrand and identity](https://www.ingenioushub.com/glossary/brand-guidelines) [The full glossary](https://www.ingenioushub.com/glossary) ## Keep reading More on [Branding](https://www.ingenioushub.com/notes/topic/branding) - [Local SEO checklist for a Jaipur businessMarketing · 3 min read](https://www.ingenioushub.com/notes/local-seo-checklist-for-jaipur-businesses) - [How to prepare artwork for printingDesign · 3 min read](https://www.ingenioushub.com/notes/how-to-prepare-artwork-for-print-in-india) - [Hindi and Devanagari logo design: a guideDesign · 3 min read](https://www.ingenioushub.com/notes/devanagari-and-hindi-logo-design-guide) - [How to brief a pitch deck designerDesign · 3 min read](https://www.ingenioushub.com/notes/how-to-brief-a-pitch-deck-designer) - [WordPress, Wix, Shopify or custom: how to choose a website platformDesign · 3 min read](https://www.ingenioushub.com/notes/wordpress-wix-shopify-or-custom-website) - [Logo files every business should ownDesign · 4 min read](https://www.ingenioushub.com/notes/logo-files-every-business-should-own) [All notes](https://www.ingenioushub.com/notes) The argument, applied ## Volimy: A debossed mark for a category-creator. A custom wordmark and a signage program, with a packaging system for a launch SKU. [Read the case study](https://www.ingenioushub.com/work/volimy) [All work](https://www.ingenioushub.com/work) [ *(image: Volimy: A debossed mark for a category-creator.)* ](https://www.ingenioushub.com/work/volimy) ## Where this thinking goes to work - [Branding & IdentityBrands people remember.](https://www.ingenioushub.com/services/branding) - [Creative & ContentA steady rhythm of content.](https://www.ingenioushub.com/services/creative) ## More on this topic. Something we haven’t covered? [Ask us](https://www.ingenioushub.com/contact?from=notes-business-card-design-guide-india). **What size is a standard business card in India?** The common size is about 3.5 by 2 inches, roughly 90 by 50 millimetres. Printers vary a little, so ask yours for their template before you design. **What should I put on a business card?** Your name, role, business name and logo, one phone number, one email and your website. Add an address only if people visit you. Leave off anything that crowds the card. **Is a QR code a good idea on a card?** Yes, if it opens one useful page and is big enough to scan. Test it on two phones before printing and add a short line saying what it opens. **Which finish is best?** Matte is easy to read and calm. Gloss gives bright colour. Soft touch feels premium. Choose by how the card will be used, and ask the printer for sample stock. **Do I still need a business card?** In many trades, meetings and events, yes. A card is quick to give and does not need a phone to be open. If you rarely meet people in person, a good WhatsApp profile may matter more. ## Want this applied to your brand? [Start a project](https://www.ingenioushub.com/contact?service=branding&from=notes-business-card-design-guide-india) [See what Branding & Identity starts at](https://www.ingenioushub.com/pricing#price-branding) [Free brand audit](https://www.ingenioushub.com/brand-audit) Based in Rajasthan? [Branding Agency in Jaipur](https://www.ingenioushub.com/branding-agency-jaipur) Source: https://www.ingenioushub.com/notes/business-card-design-guide-india