HN Explorer

Ask HN: Where to get business cards made?

6 points by Ellipsis753 ↗ HN
I'm starting as a freelancer and am going to get some business cards printed (maybe a couple of hundred to start). I was wondering if someone could recommend a printing company? Like everyone else I tried Vistaprint at one point and the cards I got looked terrible so I didn't feel I could use them. I've heard good things about http://uk.moo.com and I think they're who I'm leaning toward at the moment but at 30p ($0.47) each (including postage to the UK) they're quite expensive.

Who would you recommend or have used in the past? Are they're any novel modification I should consider? Moo offers rounded corners for 36p ($0.56) but I can't find any photos of them. Spot UV looks good but I can't find anyone that offers it and I'm not sure how much it would add to the cost.

Any input would be appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to read. :)

10 comments

[ 3.3 ms ] story [ 30.4 ms ] thread
apineda
What kind of cards did you order from Vistaprint? Matte, gloss etc. I'm just wondering what you didn't like about them because I am considering them as a supplier.
MWil
I can't in good conscience not mention how bad of an experience I've had the three times I've tried VistaPrint. The good news is they will always reprint when you point out the problem but I have sent things back 2-3 times. One time they printed out 1000 brochures with the middle pages completely blank and then said it was a problem with the layers in the image I provided. Another time they printed business cards crooked.
Metatron
I use Moo myself, and whenever the time comes for a gathering I'm at to pop their cards into a bowl (for a competition or the like, not swinging) I find myself recognising a whole bunch of them as Moo cards too. They certainly seem to dominate the market, and rightly so.

Great thing about Moo is there's always a chance to try before you buy. Here's one of their free cards deals from a partner, just pay for postage and put up with the watermark, but you at least get to see the quality of their regular cards: http://uk.moo.com/partner/crunch/

I've also tried their NFC cards cos I'm a nerd, gimmick, but fun!

sharemywin
I would argue top of the line business cards aren't going to matter a whole lot for your type of business. I would think it's better to collect potential clients business cards and follow up with them on a regular basis. The companies I've seen take client managers out to lunch ever couple of months and build relationships, scope out any work on the horizen network for other people to contact at the orginization, etc.
ceeK
If you can wait a couple of months, Moo show up at Silicon Milkroundabout, a startup jobs fair in London. You can order your business cards and get them sent there. In fact, I think the last few times you get 100 free or something. The event is free plus it might be a good networking event for you.

Here's the link in case you're interested: http://www.siliconmilkroundabout.com/

jamesjguthrie
I used 123print for mine. I barely need them but 123print let me make a custom card and was the cheapest that I found.
stevejalim
I'm half wincing because this seems like a shameless plug, but it does fit the context. (I would have sent it directly, but there are no contact details for you in your HN profile.)

Anyway: the latest release of http://leanpub.com/freelancedeveloperbook/ has a 'Developer Deals' section, including a coupon code for 50 free Moo cards (with Moo logo on the back, or you can upgrade to get no logo). You just pay shipping - that should bring down your average card cost while starting out. You might find the other deals/promos (accountacy software, code hosting, PM tools) useful, too.

jlees
I'm a big fan of Moo, but they are everywhere now. I ordered some letterpress personal business cards from Blush and constantly get compliments on the quality of my card, I'd definitely recommend those but they are even more expensive due to the letterpress.
jgeorge
Vistaprint cards are terrible, in my experience. I've had excellent results with Moo, even if they're slightly more expensive I've always been happy with their results.
vbv
I used Moo before and the rounded corners was a great addition. The touch and feel of the cards is really professional as well. I'll continue using Moo for my future business cards.