How Much Do Plastic Cards Cost?
Full colour plastic cards cost from £75 +vat for 25. The price per card then falls quickly as the quantity goes up, because much of the work in making an order is the same whether it’s 25 cards or 1,000.
This guide sets out a few example prices, what’s included and what costs extra, so you can budget before you ask for a quote.
The short versionFrom £75 +vat for 25 full colour cards. The price includes printing on both sides, a High Gloss finish, a free proof and delivery within Great Britain. VAT, Premium Matt (£20 +vat per order), design (£29 +vat) and optional extras are added on top.
The price per card
These are our standard prices for full colour plastic cards: 760 micron PVC, 86 x 54mm, printed in full colour on both sides with a High Gloss finish. They’re the same for plastic business cards, loyalty cards, membership cards, gift cards and discount cards.
| Quantity | Price | Per card |
|---|---|---|
| 25 cards | £75.00 +vat | £3.00 |
| 50 cards | £79.00 +vat | £1.58 |
| 100 cards | £85.00 +vat | 85p |
| 200 cards | £99.00 +vat | 49.5p |
| 250 cards | £109.00 +vat | 43.6p |
| 500 cards | £175.00 +vat | 35p |
| 1,000 cards | £245.00 +vat | 24.5p |
Prices include free delivery within Great Britain and one design printed from your print-ready artwork, with a free photorealistic proof. Prices exclude VAT and optional extras.
Need a quantity that isn’t listed?Ask us. We print from 25 cards upwards, and larger runs are priced on request. Request a quote and we’ll email it back within about 10 minutes, 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Why 25 cards cost more each than 1,000
A plastic card isn’t printed on its own. Every order is printed in sheets of 21 cards, bonded between clear PVC with heat and pressure, then cut out, and much of that work is the same whether the order is 25 cards or 1,000. Our guide to how plastic cards are made shows each stage.
So the first cards in an order carry most of its cost, and every card after them adds very little. Going up a quantity costs pennies a card, not pounds:
- From 25 to 50 cards adds £4.00, which is 16p for each extra card.
- From 50 to 100 cards adds £6.00, which is 12p for each extra card.
- From 100 to 200 cards adds £14.00, which is 14p for each extra card.
- From 200 to 250 cards adds £10.00, which is 20p for each extra card.
- From 250 to 500 cards adds £66.00, which is 26.4p for each extra card.
- From 500 to 1,000 cards adds £70.00, which is 14p for each extra card.
It’s worth checking before you settle on a number. If you’ll use the cards within a year or so, the next quantity up often costs little more than the one you were going to order. Our guide to how many loyalty cards to order helps you work out a sensible number.
What’s included in the price
- Full colour printing on both sides. Printing the back costs nothing extra. See double-sided printing.
- 760 micron solid PVC, the thickness of a bank card, with the print sealed under clear PVC so it can’t wear off.
- A High Gloss finish. Premium Matt is the one finish that costs extra.
- A free photorealistic email proof, usually within the hour. Nothing is printed until you approve it in writing.
- A free technical check of your artwork by a person before anything goes to print: bleed, resolution and colour. The wording is yours to check on the proof.
- Delivery within Great Britain, by courier, in plain packaging.
What costs extra
| Extra | Cost |
|---|---|
| VAT | Added to every price. As we deal predominantly with businesses, our prices exclude it. |
| Premium Matt finish | £20 +vat per order, whether you order 100 cards or 5,000. Gloss or matt? |
| Design service | £29 +vat, with no limit on reasonable amends. Design service |
| Fixing your artwork | £10 +vat, if your file needs its size, bleed or colours correcting. Artwork checking |
| Postal proof | £65 +vat for a few real printed cards before the full run, £35 +vat for a revised one. Postal proofs |
| Express production | 3 to 4 working days instead of 7: ask us for cost and availability. |
| Optional extras | Numbering, barcodes, magnetic strips, signature strips, scratch-off panels, embossing and the rest are priced on your quote. Optional extras |
One thing that doesn’t cost extra: a QR code. If every card carries the same QR code, build it into your artwork and it’s printed with everything else at no additional cost. A different code on every card is an optional extra.
Other card types
Eco materials, key tags, event passes and RFID cards each have a price table of their own. These are their prices for 25 and 1,000 cards; each product page has the full table.
| Card type | 25 cards | 1,000 cards |
|---|---|---|
| EcoTough plastic cards PVC-free, 360 microns | £75.00 +vat | £206.00 +vat |
| Biodegradable plastic cards 800 micron PVC | £88.00 +vat | £280.00 +vat |
| Recycled PVC plastic cards 98% recycled PVC, 760 microns | £88.00 +vat | £280.00 +vat |
| Plastic-Free Board cards No PVC, 620 micron board | £89.00 +vat | £318.00 +vat |
| Key fob cards 54 x 29mm key tags | £98.00 +vat | £258.00 +vat |
| Event passes 70 x 100mm or 80 x 120mm | £119.00 +vat | £435.00 +vat |
| Combo cards a card with a snap-off key tag | £224.00 +vat | £425.00 +vat |
| RFID smart cards with a chip, 820 microns | £182.00 +vat | £1,007.00 +vat |
Our hot foil cards, clear frosted, satin black, metallic and white, don’t have a price table: each one is priced from its design. Send it to us and we’ll quote it.
Six ways to keep the cost down
- Check the next quantity up. The extra cards often cost pennies each, and a second order of 25 later costs more than ordering 50 now.
- Send print-ready artwork. A file at 92 x 60mm with 3mm bleed, in CMYK, needs no fixing. The artwork setup guide shows you how.
- Use the back of the card. It’s printed at no extra cost, so put your opening hours, terms or a map there rather than paying for a second item.
- Put a shared QR code in the artwork. The same code on every card is part of the design and costs nothing.
- Order in good time. Standard production is 7 working days from proof approval and payment. Leaving enough time means you never need express.
- Look at our special offers. There are offers on plastic business cards, loyalty cards, membership cards, gift cards and discount cards.
Getting an exact price
There’s no online price calculator: a person prices every order, so your quote includes the extras you actually need. Tell us the card type, the quantity and any extras, and attach your artwork if you have it.
We aim to email your quote within 10 minutes, 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, and quotes are valid for 30 days. Everything is in writing, so you can check exactly what’s included before you decide.
Before you buy from anyone, our 12-point checklist shows what to compare besides the price.
Questions & Answers
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How much do plastic cards cost?
Our full colour plastic cards start at £75 +vat for 25 cards, and the price per card falls as the quantity goes up. The table on this page shows example prices from 25 to 1,000 cards.
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Do your prices include VAT?
No. As we deal predominantly with businesses, our prices exclude VAT, which is added to the total.
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What’s included in the price?
Full colour printing on both sides, a High Gloss finish, a free photorealistic proof, a free technical check of your artwork and delivery within Great Britain. VAT and any extras you choose are added on top.
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Why are small orders more expensive per card?
Because every order is printed in sheets, bonded and cut, and much of that work is the same for 25 cards as for 1,000. The more cards there are, the more cards share it.
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How much does a Premium Matt finish cost?
£20 +vat per order, whether you order 100 cards or 5,000. High Gloss is included in the price.
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Does printing on both sides cost more?
No. Full colour printing on both sides is included in the price.
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How long is a quote valid?
Quotes are valid for 30 days. We aim to email them within 10 minutes, 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
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How much do hot foil cards cost?
Our clear frosted, satin black, metallic and white cards are quoted individually, from your design. Send it to us and we’ll email you a price.
Get your exact price
Tell us the card type, the quantity and any extras, and we’ll email your quote within about 10 minutes, 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Every full colour order includes a free photorealistic proof, and nothing is printed until you’ve approved it.