Every business card conversation eventually arrives at the same question: how thick should it be? Card stock is measured in points — one point is one thousandth of an inch — so a 14PT card is 0.014" thick, a 16PT is 0.016", and an 18PT is 0.018". Those differences sound tiny. In the hand, they are not. Thickness is the first thing a person feels before they read a single word.
14PT: the everyday standard
14PT is the workhorse of the industry, and for good reason. It is firm enough to hand over with confidence, thin enough to stack five hundred in a drawer, and it keeps the price down when you print in volume. Our standard business cards, glossy and matte cards all run on 14PT. If your cards get handed out constantly — trades, real estate, restaurants — 14PT gives you the most impressions per dollar.
16PT: the premium tier
Adding two thousandths of an inch changes how a card behaves. A 16PT card resists bending, sits flatter in the hand, and reads as noticeably more substantial. It is also the base stock for most premium treatments: soft touch lamination, spot UV, and real metallic foil all start from 16PT. Choose it when the card is part of the pitch — consultants, designers, boutique services.
18PT: the statement
18PT is the heaviest card we print. Our 18PT premium writable cards and kraft cards use it. At this weight the card itself becomes the impression — it does not flex, it does not disappear into a wallet unnoticed, and it survives being carried around. It costs more per card, which is exactly the point: it signals that you did not choose the cheapest option.
Coated or uncoated matters as much as thickness
Two cards of identical thickness can feel completely different. An uncoated 14PT card feels natural and takes ballpoint pen — which is why appointment cards are uncoated. A gloss-coated 14PT feels slicker and pushes color harder. Lamination adds a film that increases both thickness and durability, which is why a 16PT silk-laminated card feels thicker than a bare 16PT.
How to decide in thirty seconds
- Handing out hundreds a month? 14PT, coated for color or uncoated for writability.
- Want premium feel or a special finish? 16PT — then choose the finish that fits your brand.
- Want the card itself to be memorable? 18PT, or a specialty material like plastic.
Whichever you choose, every FlashyPrint order includes a free hand-checked artwork review before printing — bleed, resolution, color mode and fonts, checked by a person.