What is a business card proof?
A proof is the version of your card that you check before printing. It may be a screen preview, a PDF or a printout. On Voqado the proof is yours to make and yours to check: you can download a PDF or PNG proof from the Studio, and the order builder asks you to confirm the design before it goes in the cart. Nobody sends a second proof for sign off after you pay. Under the published Voqado shipping and returns policy, a typo or low resolution image in the artwork you supplied is not treated as a printing fault, while an order that arrives materially different from what you ordered qualifies for a reprint or refund within 30 days.
That makes your own review the most important quality step you control. The checks below are grouped so that no single pass has to catch everything.
What should you check on a business card proof?
Content, geometry and production are separate questions. Passing one does not prove the others are right. The table lists the 12 checks and how to carry out each one.
| Check | What to confirm | How to test it |
|---|---|---|
| Name and title | Spelling, capitals, accents | Ask the person named to confirm |
| Phone | Every digit and extension | Call it |
| Spelling and domain | Send a test message | |
| Website | Exact address and page | Type it into a browser |
| Trim size | 3.5 x 2 inches for a US card | Print at 100 percent and measure |
| Bleed | Background extends past trim | Check the template guides |
| Safe area | Text clear of the edges | Compare with the template |
| Text size | Smallest line readable | Read it in room light |
| Fonts | Embedded or outlined | Check the PDF font list |
| Images | Enough resolution at size | Zoom to 100 percent and inspect |
| Both sides | Front, back and orientation | Flip a printed mockup |
| QR code | Correct destination at size | Scan the printed proof |
How do you check contact details on a proof?
Compare every detail against a trusted source, such as the company directory or the person's own confirmation. Then use each one: dial the number, send an email, open the website on a phone. Reading familiar text tends to skim over errors, so read the card in a different order, for example from the bottom line up. Check dates, offers and prices printed on the card are still correct.
How do you check size, bleed and safe area?
Print the proof at 100 percent scale, cut it to 3.5 x 2 inches and look at the edges. The background should extend beyond the trim into the bleed so no white slivers appear after cutting. Text and logos should sit inside the safe area. One widely published US template, cited in the sources below, uses a 3.66 x 2.16 inch bleed area and a 3.34 x 1.84 inch safe area around the 3.5 x 2 inch trim. For Voqado standard business cards the published profile is a 3.61 x 2.11 inch full bleed document and a 3.36 x 1.86 inch safe area. The template for the printer you are ordering from is the one to follow, and the bleed calculator works out the numbers for any size.
Rounded corners remove part of each corner, so check that nothing important sits close to them.
How do you check fonts and images?
Fonts should be embedded in the PDF or converted to outlines, so the printer cannot substitute another typeface. Open the file properties in your PDF reader and check the font list. The guide to business card font embedding explains the export settings.
Photos and logos need enough resolution at the printed size. A common target is 300 pixels per inch at final size. Zoom the proof to 100 percent and look for soft edges or blocky pixels, and use vector artwork for logos wherever possible. Minimum text is often around 8pt, and one published set of card guidelines, cited below, asks for 8pt or higher and lines of at least 0.5pt.
How do you check a QR code on a proof?
Scan the code from the printed proof, not from the screen, using more than one phone if you can. Confirm it opens the exact page you intend and that the page works on mobile. DENSO WAVE, which developed the QR code, specifies a clear margin four modules wide on every side of the symbol, so check that nothing crowds the code. Print the web address as well, so people without a scanner can still reach the page.
What is the full proof checklist before you order?
- Confirm each name, title and credential with the person named.
- Call, email and visit every contact route on the card.
- Print at 100 percent and cut to 3.5 x 2 inches.
- Confirm the background extends through the bleed.
- Keep all text and logos inside the safe area.
- Read the smallest text in normal room light.
- Check that fonts are embedded or outlined.
- Inspect images at 100 percent zoom.
- Flip a printed mockup to check the back and orientation.
- Scan the QR code from paper, not a screen.
- Order from one named file version and archive it.
Who should make the final check?
Use two passes by two people where you can. One person checks every contact detail against the approved information. A second person checks size, orientation, spacing and the QR destination. Record both checks against the same file name, and order only from that version. If anything changes after the review, repeat the relevant checks and replace the record. A second reader reduces the risk of error, but it does not guarantee a perfect card.
For cards printed on both sides, the double sided card orientation guide explains how to confirm the back is upright. When the proof passes every check, standard business cards can move to production.
Frequently asked questions
What should I look for on a business card proof?
Check spelling and every contact detail first, then size and layout, then production details. Confirm the name, title, phone, email and website, then print at 100 percent to check trim, bleed and safe area. Finally confirm fonts are embedded, images are sharp, both sides are correct and upright, and any QR code opens the right page.
Can I change my business card after ordering?
Contact us straight away. Once a job enters production, changes may not be possible, and a typo in the artwork you supplied is not reprinted free. Any new file needs the same checks as the first one, so check carefully before you order.
Should I order a printed proof of my business card?
A home printout at 100 percent scale is enough to check content, size and layout. It cannot show how the real paper, color or finish will look. When color, texture or a special finish matters, a physical sample of the same stock is the better reference. Compare the sample with your home printout to judge layout and surface together.
What resolution should business card images be?
A common target is 300 pixels per inch at the final printed size. On the Voqado standard card profile the full bleed document is 3.61 x 2.11 inches, which is about 1,083 x 633 pixels. Logos should be vector artwork where possible, so edges stay sharp at any size. Zoom the proof to 100 percent and look for soft or blocky edges before you order.
Sources & specification notes
The references below support the relevant technical or product details in this guide. Examples and checklists are not claims of practical testing or universal production requirements. Confirm the current specifications for your chosen product before production.
- Voqado: shipping and returns policy
Reprint or full refund within 30 days for orders that arrive damaged, misprinted or materially different from what you ordered; typos in approved artwork do not qualify.
- MOO: business card design guidelines
Product example: 3.5 x 2 inch trim, 3.66 x 2.16 inch bleed area, 3.34 x 1.84 inch safe area, text at 8pt or higher.
- DENSO WAVE: QR code size and margin
States that a QR code requires a margin four modules wide on all sides.
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