Why Professional Printing Makes a Difference
Home printers top out at around 200–220 GSM - noticeably lighter than the 300–350 GSM standard used in professional greeting card production. Beyond weight, consumer equipment can't replicate foiling, embossing, Spot UV, or precise die-cutting, and colour accuracy without calibrated hardware is unreliable.
For businesses, a well-printed custom greeting card tucked into a customer's order is one of the cheapest brand touchpoints available. It takes seconds to notice and is often held onto long after the package is unpacked.
Standard Greeting Card Sizes
Getting the size right before you design avoids the most frustrating kind of rework. The formats below cover what most professional printers offer across the UK, Europe, and North America.
| Size | Dimensions | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| A7 / Mini | 74 × 105 mm | Gift tags, packaging inserts |
| A6 | 105 × 148 mm | Everyday cards, clean layouts |
| A5 | 148 × 210 mm | Statement designs, photo-heavy artwork |
| Square | 148 × 148 mm | Modern aesthetic, photography-led designs |
| DL | 99 × 210 mm | Elegant portrait format |
| 5 × 7 in. | 127 × 178 mm | Standard US and North American market format |
A6 is the dominant standard in the UK and Europe; 5 × 7 inches is its equivalent in the US. If you're printing cards to sell into both markets, confirm your printer supports both formats. Our standard card sizes guide covers less common formats and custom sizing in more detail.
Paper Stock and GSM - What the Numbers Mean
Coated vs. Uncoated
Coated paper (silk or gloss) enhances colour vibrancy and sharpens fine detail - the standard choice for cards with photography or illustration. Uncoated paper has a natural matte feel and accepts pen and pencil readily. If your cards are meant to be signed by multiple people, uncoated stock is the practical choice. A gloss-coated card that resists pen ink is a common frustration that's entirely avoidable.
Paper Weight (GSM)
| GSM Range | How It Feels | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| 250–280 GSM | Lightweight, slightly flexible | Budget or high-volume production |
| 300–350 GSM | Solid, professional weight | Standard range for most greeting cards |
| 350–400 GSM | Substantial, premium feel | Luxury or high-end stationery |
When ordering folded cards, confirm whether the quoted GSM applies to the flat sheet or the finished folded card - suppliers use both conventions. For textured, recycled, and specialty stock options, our guide to materials for greeting card printing covers the main choices and when each makes sense.
Digital vs. Offset Printing: How to Choose
| Digital Printing | Offset Printing | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Under ~500 units | 500+ units |
| Setup cost | Minimal | Higher (plate creation required) |
| Cost per unit at scale | Higher | Lower above 1,000 units |
| Colour consistency | Very good | Excellent; full Pantone support |
| Variable / personalised data | Yes - each card can differ | Not cost-effective |
| Turnaround | 2–5 working days | 5–10+ working days |
| Minimum order | As low as 25–50 units | Typically 500–1,000 units |
For most individuals and small businesses, digital printing is the practical default - lower entry cost, faster turnaround, and the flexibility to personalise each card. Offset printing earns its advantages at scale, particularly where Pantone colour accuracy is a requirement.
What Does Greeting Card Printing Cost?
Pricing is driven by quantity, paper weight, card size, and any finishing options you add. The ranges below are indicative figures based on typical market pricing for digital printing (UK and US markets, 2025) - always request a direct quote for your specific order.
| Quantity | A6, 350 GSM (approx.) | 5×7 in., 350 GSM (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 25–50 cards | £1.50–£3.00 per card | $1.80–$3.50 per card |
| 100–250 cards | £0.50–£1.20 per card | $0.70–$1.50 per card |
| 500–1,000 cards | £0.20–£0.60 per card | $0.30–$0.80 per card |
Costs that often catch buyers off-guard: envelopes are usually quoted separately; foiling and Spot UV add meaningfully to the base price; rush production carries a surcharge at most suppliers. Delivery costs on large or heavy bulk orders can also be significant. If your order has a firm deadline, confirm turnaround times before finalising the spec - during peak periods such as the run-up to Christmas, production queues at most print suppliers extend by several days.
Preparing Your Artwork for Print
Most print errors originate in the artwork file. Three issues cause the majority of reprints.
Resolution: Design at 300 DPI at your final output size. Screen resolution (72–96 DPI) prints soft and pixelated - scaling up a low-resolution file doesn't recover detail.
Colour mode: Design in CMYK, not RGB. Screens use RGB; printing uses CMYK. Vivid RGB blues and bright oranges often shift noticeably when converted. Setting your canvas to CMYK from the start, rather than converting at export, gives a more accurate preview of the finished result.
Bleed: Extend backgrounds and edge elements 3mm beyond the trim line. Keep text and key visuals at least 3mm inside the trim. Most printers provide free templates - using one from the beginning of your design process prevents the majority of artwork rejections. See our overview of greeting card formats, paper, and finishes for full file requirements.
Fold Types
- Long-edge fold (portrait): The standard upright card. The most widely ordered format - browse our folded greeting cards for available options.
- Short-edge fold (landscape): Opens like a book on its side. Same file setup logic as the long-edge fold.
- Tent fold: Designed to stand upright. The front cover must be set upside-down in your file so it reads correctly when folded - the most common artwork error on tent fold orders.
Finishing Options
- Foiling: Metallic foil in gold, silver, rose gold, or holographic applied to specific elements. The fastest way to communicate premium quality.
- Spot UV: A gloss varnish over a matte surface, creating tactile contrast. Effective for highlighting a logo or key visual detail.
- Embossing / Debossing: Raises or recesses elements from the surface, adding a physical dimension no print effect can replicate.
- Rounded corners: Softens the card's look and reduces corner damage in transit or postal delivery.
- Die-cutting: Any custom card shape - higher setup cost, but a genuine differentiator for card designers and brands.
For design-led products combining multiple finishes, our art card printing range covers foil, Spot UV, and textured stock combinations.
Personalised and Branded Greeting Cards
Digital printing makes personalised greeting cards straightforward at any quantity - each card in a run can carry a different name, message, or code without separate setups. Common applications include custom birthday cards with recipient names built into the design, branded Christmas cards for clients and partners, and cards with matching envelopes for a polished presentation.
For e-commerce businesses, a small A7 thank-you card included with an order creates a moment of personal connection at delivery - and at a cost per unit well below most digital marketing channels. With minimum order quantities as low as 25–50 cards at most digital printers, the entry cost is low enough to test the format before committing to a larger run. Including a discount code or QR link adds a trackable layer that makes the card useful as well as appreciated.
Eco-Friendly Printing Options
Sustainable printing has improved significantly - the quality trade-offs are now minimal. The most practical choices are:
- FSC-certified paper: FSC certification confirms paper is sourced from responsibly managed forests. It's the baseline environmental credential to ask for when evaluating suppliers.
- Recycled content stocks: Post-consumer waste paper prints well on modern equipment and is comparable to virgin-fibre stock for most card applications.
- Plastic-free finishes: Aqueous (water-based) coatings are biodegradable and more recyclable than standard plastic lamination. Uncoated and unlaminated stock is the simplest eco route and suits craft aesthetics particularly well.
When comparing suppliers, ask whether they hold ISO 14001 certification, which indicates formal environmental management at the production level. For how these choices apply across occasions and industries, see our piece on greeting card printing application scenarios.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does greeting card printing cost?
For A6 cards at 350 GSM via digital printing, indicative pricing runs from roughly £1.50–£3.00 per card at 25–50 units down to £0.20–£0.60 per card at 500–1,000 units. Envelopes are usually quoted separately, and finishing options like foiling add to the base price. Always request a direct quote for your specific requirements.
What is the standard size for a greeting card?
A6 (105 × 148 mm) is the standard in the UK and Europe. In the US, 5 × 7 inches (127 × 178 mm) is the dominant retail format. Square cards at around 148 × 148 mm are increasingly common for modern designs.
What paper weight should I use for greeting cards?
300–350 GSM is the professional standard for greeting card printing. Cards below 250 GSM tend to feel lightweight; above 400 GSM is considered luxury weight. When ordering folded cards, check whether the quoted GSM is for the flat sheet or the finished folded card.
What's the difference between digital and offset printing for greeting cards?
Digital printing suits small runs (under ~500 units) and allows variable personalised content on each card. Offset printing delivers lower cost per unit at volume and supports Pantone colours, but requires a higher minimum order and longer lead times. For most small businesses and individuals, digital printing is the practical choice for greeting card production.
What file format do I need for greeting card printing?
PDF is the industry standard - specifically PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4. Set your file to CMYK colour mode at 300 DPI, with 3mm bleed on all sides before exporting. Most professional design applications (Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, Affinity Publisher) export to these formats directly.
What is the minimum order quantity for greeting card printing?
Most digital printers accept greeting card orders from as few as 25–50 units. Offset printers typically require 500–1,000 units minimum. For businesses testing a new design or packaging insert format, a short digital run of 50–100 cards is a low-risk starting point.
Ready to Print?
The decisions that most affect the final result - size, paper weight, print method, artwork setup - are all made before the job reaches the press. Get those right, and everything else follows.
Explore our full range of greeting card printing options, browse samples in our greeting card showroom, review our quality management standards, or send us your specifications for a custom quote.
