I put off buying business cards for years, thinking I’d wait until I could hire a graphic designer to do both a card & a logo. Fed up with writing my info on napkins, however, this year I decided to buy 100 temporary cards (of course, three months later I hired a fantastic graphic design team to create my logo, but that’s how it goes).
I’d saved up numerous potential card vendors and design ideas (see some on my Pinterest Business Ideas board), and narrowed my vendor list down to four candidates:
- MooCards (nice blend of quality printing and affordable prices)
- UPrinting (interesting die-cut options)
- Mandate Press (250 letterpress cards for $95; simple but classic designs)
- Minted.com (trendy designs & good reviews)
- More options: I’d also considered getting a self-inking stamp business card, but realized people could find that off-putting rather than clever. How About Orange also has a short list of places to get things printed cheaply.
I finally went with Minted.com, because they had the most suitable template (the Classical Composition design, but they’ve added many designs since).
Order Timeline
- Ordered the cards on January 1st (it was one of my New Year’s Resolutions).
- On January 3rd at 2 pm, received the proof, with two possible options for the spacing of my name. I approved the proof immediately.
- On January 4th at 10:08 pm, received a notice that my order was on its way (package was shipped FedEx).
- Received my cards on January 10th at 3:06 pm.
Price & Paper
I purchased 100 cards in the Signature paper (matte, 17 pt thickness). Total cost was $57.00 + $10.95 shipping, or $67.95. Below, a gallery of the results.
Pros
- Great quality (paper and print). Everyone goes “Oooh!” when I give them my card.
- Tons of beautiful, trendy out-of-the-box designs. Above-average customization options included as well (many high-quality font & color choices, and ability to move certain elements).
- Fast proofs, printing, & delivery, even during holiday season.
- Premium touches: the proof came with two options (reviewed by a graphic designer) and the order came with a sturdy Minted.com carrying case that I’m still using.
Cons
$57 for 100 cards (again, 17 pt paper) is pricey. Not insanely so, but definitely on the high end. For comparison:
- MooCards is $40 for 100 cards (16.3 pt paper)
- UPrinting.com does 250 cards (minimum order) for $25 (14 pt paper)
- VistaPrint also does 250 cards for $24.50 (15.1 pt, with color back option)
Minted.com is also very geared toward out-of-the-box designs; any extensive customization comes with fees. For that reason, I wouldn’t use Minted.com if I could supply my own design or logo. Also, the site’s design aesthetic may be too trendy and feminine for some (i.e., I failed to find a suitable template for my father’s new business cards).
Verdict
Minted.com is a good option for those who can’t afford a graphic designer and/or don’t have a custom logo, but want a well-designed, quality business or calling card. The prices are reasonable but on the high end, although the additional cost comes with premium touches and trendy designs. Recommended.