Can I Make Business Cards in One Day?
Yes — you can absolutely have professional business cards made in one day. Whether you've got a networking event tomorrow morning, a client meeting this afternoon, or you've simply opened your wallet and found the last card gone, same-day printing means you can go from finished artwork to cards in your hand within a few hours.
In this guide we'll explain exactly how one-day business card printing works, what you need to have ready, what it costs, and the small things that make the difference between collecting your cards this afternoon and waiting until tomorrow.
Why most business cards take days, not hours
If you've ordered business cards online before, you'll probably have seen turnaround times of three to five working days, plus delivery. That isn't because printing business cards is slow — it's because large online printers gang-run jobs. They wait until they have enough orders to fill a large press sheet, print them all together, then trim, sort, pack and hand them to a courier.
That process keeps costs down for the printer, but it builds in waiting time at every stage. Your cards might only spend a few minutes actually on the press.
A local digital print studio works differently. Your job goes straight into the queue, is printed on a digital press, trimmed on a guillotine and is ready to collect. There's no batching and no courier — which is why same-day is possible.
How same-day business card printing works
Here's how the process works at our studio in Finchley, North London:
- Choose your stock and quantity. Pick from our 400gsm uncoated business cards or our 400gsm Mayfair Ivory cards, single or double sided, in quantities from 50 to 500.
- Upload your artwork. A print-ready PDF is ideal (more on that below).
- Order before 2 PM, Monday to Friday. This is the cut-off for same-day printing.
- We check, print and trim. Your cards are printed in full colour on our Xerox Versant 2100 press and cut to size.
- Collect the same day. You'll get a notification when they're ready to collect from 14 Hendon Lane, Finchley, N3 1TR.
Missed the 2 PM cut-off? Give us a call on 020 8343 0099 — depending on how busy the studio is, we'll see what we can do.
What you need to have ready
The single biggest cause of delays with same-day printing isn't the printing — it's the artwork. If your file needs fixing, the clock keeps ticking. Before you order, make sure your file follows these basics:
- Size: 85 × 55mm (the standard UK business card size)
- Bleed: 3mm on every side, so the file measures 91 × 61mm in total
- Safe area: keep text and logos at least 3–4mm inside the trim line
- Colour mode: CMYK rather than RGB
- Resolution: 300dpi for any images or logos
- File type: PDF, ideally with fonts embedded or outlined
You can download our free business card template from any of our business card product pages, and our artwork guidelines explain each step in more detail.
Designing your card in Canva
If you don't have a designer, Canva is a great option and works perfectly for same-day printing. Start with a business card template, make sure the design is set to 85 × 55mm, then download it as PDF Print with crop marks and bleed ticked. That gives us a file we can print straight away.
What if I need you to design it?
We do offer a design service, but it can take up to 24 hours depending on what you need, and it's quoted individually. If your deadline is today, the fastest route is usually to use a Canva template or your existing artwork and send it to us before 2 PM.
What do same-day business cards cost?
Same-day doesn't mean premium pricing. Both of our business card stocks are the same price, and both are available same day:
| Quantity | Single-sided | Double-sided |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | £37 + VAT (£44.40) | £38 + VAT (£45.60) |
| 100 | £40 + VAT (£48.00) | £42 + VAT (£50.40) |
| 200 | £47 + VAT (£56.40) | £50 + VAT (£60.00) |
| 300 | £54 + VAT (£64.80) | £59 + VAT (£70.80) |
| 400 | £60 + VAT (£72.00) | £66 + VAT (£79.20) |
| 500 | £62 + VAT (£74.40) | £69 + VAT (£82.80) |
Prices correct at the time of writing — check the product pages for the latest prices.
Notice how little the price rises as the quantity goes up. 500 single-sided cards cost just £22 + VAT more than 100. If you're not sure how many to order, our guide to how much 100 business cards cost breaks the numbers down.
Choosing the right stock for one-day printing
Being in a hurry shouldn't mean ending up with thin, flimsy cards. Both of our stocks are a heavyweight 400gsm, which is noticeably thicker than many standard business cards.
400gsm Uncoated Board — a thick, rigid card with a natural matt finish. It's easy to write on, which is handy if you add notes, appointment times or a mobile number by hand. A great all-rounder for most businesses.
400gsm Mayfair Ivory — an uncoated card with a warm off-white tone and a soft, lightly textured surface. It suits consultants, creatives, law and finance professionals, and anyone going for a classic, understated look.
Tips for getting your cards the same day
- Order in the morning. The earlier your order arrives, the more breathing room there is if the artwork needs a tweak.
- Proofread twice. Check phone numbers, email addresses and website URLs — a typo means reprinting.
- Stick to standard size. 85 × 55mm is fastest. Custom sizes are possible, but chat to us first to confirm same-day availability.
- Send a PDF, not a Word document or screenshot. Print-ready PDFs go straight to press.
- Keep your phone on. If we spot an issue, we'll contact you so it can be fixed quickly.
Is it better to just print them at home?
It's tempting when you're in a rush, but most home printers can't handle heavyweight card, and hand-cutting rarely looks professional. We've compared the real costs in is it cheaper to print your own business cards? — the answer surprises most people.
If speed is your main concern, you might also find the quickest way to get business cards useful, which compares same-day printing with express online services.
Frequently asked questions
Can I really get business cards printed in one day?
Yes. Order before 2 PM Monday to Friday and collect the same day from our studio in Finchley, North London.
What time can I collect my cards?
You'll receive a notification once your order is ready. We're open Monday to Friday, 09:30 to 18:00.
Do you print business cards at weekends?
Our studio is open Monday to Friday. Orders placed after 2 PM on Friday or over the weekend will be printed on the next working day.
Can I get double-sided business cards in one day?
Yes. Both single and double-sided cards are available same day, on both stocks.
What's the minimum order?
You can order as few as 50 business cards.
Can I order a custom size?
Yes — chat to us before ordering and we'll confirm whether we can print your custom size on the same day.
Get your business cards today
If you need cards today, you're in the right place. Browse our business cards, upload your artwork before 2 PM, and collect your cards from Finchley this afternoon.
