Paper Quality - Look for business cards printed on a heavy card stock. 12pt (0.012 inch thick) card stock is the acceptable standard, but 14pt card stock will give your card an even more substantial feel. Sometimes card stock is measured in weight - 80-100lb stock is standard for business cards.

Standard Finishes - Business cards come in three standard finishes: Matte (no gloss), aqueous (slight gloss) or uv (high gloss). If you choose a glossy finish, make sure the back of your cards are uncoated so that people can write on the back. You will also sometimes come across the terms CS1 (glossy-coated on one side only) and CS2 (glossy-coated on both sides).

Raised of Flat Ink - Raised ink (also called thermography) adds a third dimension to your business card. When you run your fingers over the text and images, you can feel the print raised off of the paper. Thermography gives your card an elegant, upscale feel. Standard flat ink has no texture and is also a popular option.

Where to Buy - Click here to shop for business cards online.