Matte vs. Glossy Business Cards: Which One Should You Choose?

Nearly all professionals need a business card in order to readily provide new contacts with their pertinent information. When you are in the process of designing your business card, you will be faced with a decision: Should you go with a matte or a glossy finish? The answer to that question is not always an easy one. Here are some factors to consider when deciding between matte and glossy business cards.

Factor: Pictures

Are you going to be using pictures on your business cards? Some professionals include a picture of themselves in order to further personalize their cards. Making sure that people can connect a face with a name can be an important marketing strategy. Alternately, if you are known for a specific product or service, you may want to include a picture of your specialty. Either way, when including a picture on your business card, you may want to choose a glossy finish so that there is a higher contrast of color in your picture. A glossy coat will make colors appear sharper, while a matte finish will provide a more muted tone.

Factor: Writing

Are you going to need to write on your business cards? If your business cards are going to be serving the dual purpose of providing your information and giving you a space to write down important supplementary details, a matte finish is usually the better choice. For example, if you want to use the front side of your card for your contact information and the backside as a space for your client to record their next appointment with you, you need a surface that is able to effectively absorb ink. With a glossy finish, you run the risk of the ink becoming smudged and illegible. A matte finish provides a surface that is better suited for such transactions.

Factor: Durability

How durable do your cards need to be? A glossy finish on a business card will be more durable than a matte finish because the glossy coating will protect the surface from outside elements like weather, spills and other unexpected substances. If you think your business card will be introduced in places that may lead to possible outside elements affecting the quality of your card, then you should go for a glossy finish.

Factor: Cost

How much do you want to spend? Generally, a matte finish will be a slightly more economical choice when it comes to printing business cards. However, an increasing number of printing companies are including a glossy coat for at least one side of the card as a standard option that is included in the basic cost. Do your research before choosing your finish so that you can avoid any hidden costs.