Why Design Business Cards in Figma?

Business cards are your first physical impression. In 2025, professionals are ditching expensive design software like Adobe Illustrator for Figma's collaborative, cloud-based approach. But there's a catch: Figma wasn't built for print.

This guide shows you exactly how to design professional business cards in Figma and export print-ready files that any printer will accept.

Standard Business Card Dimensions

Before you start designing, understand the three most common sizes worldwide:

North America (USA/Canada)

Standard: 3.5 × 2 inches (88.9 × 50.8mm)
With bleed: 3.75 × 2.25 inches
Safe zone: Text 0.125" from edge

Europe

Standard: 85 × 55mm (3.35 × 2.17 inches)
With bleed: 91 × 61mm
Safe zone: Text 3mm from edge

Japan

Standard: 91 × 55mm (3.58 × 2.17 inches)
Known as "Meishi" cards
Slightly wider than European cards

Pro Tip: Always ask your printer for their preferred dimensions. Most accept both US and EU sizes, but bleed requirements vary.

Setting Up Your Figma File

Step 1: Create Your Frame

Open Figma and create a new file
Press F to create a frame
Set dimensions:
- US Standard: 3.5 × 2 inches (or 1050 × 600 pixels at 300 DPI)
- Add name: "Business Card - Front"

Step 2: Add Safety Zones

Create visual guides to prevent content from being cut off:

1. Duplicate your frame (Cmd/Ctrl + D)
2. Resize to 3.25 × 1.75 inches
3. Center it perfectly on the original
4. Change fill to transparent
5. Add 1px red stroke
6. Lock the layer (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + L)

This red box shows your safe zone. Keep all text and logos inside.

Step 3: Add Bleed Area

Printers need extra space beyond the cut line:

1. Create another frame: 3.75 × 2.25 inches
2. Place behind your main frame
3. Fill with light gray
4. This shows where your background must extend

Design Principles for Business Cards

Typography Rules

Font sizes that work in print:

Name: 14-18pt
Job title: 10-12pt
Contact info: 8-10pt
Website: 8-9pt

Never go below 8pt - it becomes unreadable in print.

Safe fonts for print:

Serif: Georgia, Merriweather, Playfair Display
Sans-serif: Inter, Roboto, Montserrat
Modern: Poppins, DM Sans

Avoid thin font weights (below 400) for small text. They disappear on uncoated paper.

Color Strategy

For CMYK Printing

Rich Black for backgrounds:

C: 60%
M: 40%
Y: 40%
K: 100%

Avoid pure RGB black (0, 0, 0) - it converts to K: 100% only, which looks washed out.

Test your brand colors:

Open Print for Figma
Enable CMYK preview
Check if your blues/greens shift
Adjust in Figma before finalizing

Safe Color Combinations

✅ Works well in CMYK:

Navy + gold
Black + white
Dark green + cream
Burgundy + gray

❌ Problem colors in CMYK:

Bright RGB blue → becomes purple-ish
Neon green → loses vibrancy
Pure cyan → hard to reproduce consistently

Layout Strategies

Front of card:

Logo (top left or centered)
Name (prominent, 14-18pt)
Job title (below name)
Clean, uncluttered design

Back of card:

Contact information
Social media handles
QR code (min 20mm × 20mm)
Company tagline or value prop

Vertical cards:

Stand out from the stack
Great for creative industries
Harder to store in wallets

Paper Stock Guide

Your design should match your paper choice:

Coated Paper (Glossy)

Vibrant colors
Sharp photography
Modern, sleek look
Use CMYK conversion with glossy profile

Uncoated Paper (Matte)

Softer colors
Easier to write on
Elegant, professional feel
Colors appear 10-15% darker

Textured Paper

Linen, felt, cotton
Premium feel
Avoid fine details (texture obscures them)
Use bold typography

Specialty Options

Plastic/PVC: Waterproof, durable
Metal: Ultra-premium, expensive
Wood veneer: Eco-friendly, unique
Letterpress: Embossed, tactile

Budget Guide:

Economy: $20-50 per 500 cards (14pt uncoated)
Standard: $50-100 per 500 cards (16pt coated)
Premium: $100-300 per 500 cards (specialty stock)
Luxury: $300+ per 500 cards (metal, letterpress)

Advanced Techniques

Adding a QR Code

1. Generate QR code at qr-code-generator.com
2. Download as SVG (vector)
3. Import to Figma
4. Resize to minimum 20 × 20mm
5. Ensure high contrast (black on white)
6. Test scan from printed proof

Pro Tip: Link to a mobile-friendly page, not a PDF.

Variable Data Printing

Need cards for multiple team members?

1. Design master template
2. Create text variables for name, title, phone
3. Use Figma Variables or plugins
4. Export batch with Print for Figma
5. Send CSV + template to printer

This saves hours vs. designing each card individually.

Spot UV & Special Effects

Spot UV (shiny coating on specific areas):

Create a separate layer for UV areas
Export as spot color channel
Send both CMYK + spot layer to printer

Foil stamping (gold, silver, holographic):

Design foil areas in pure black
Export as separate file
Printer creates foil die

Embossing/Debossing:

Keep embossed areas simple (logos, text)
Provide vector artwork
Expect 3-4 week lead time

Exporting with Print for Figma

Quick Export (5 minutes)

1. Select your business card frame
2. Open Print for Figma plugin
3. Choose preset: "Business Card - US"
4. Enable:
   ☑ Convert to CMYK
   ☑ Add 0.125" bleed
   ☑ Show crop marks
   ☑ Verify 300 DPI
5. Export as PDF/X-1a