Business Card Printing in Dubai: What Each Finish Costs

What each finish really costs at 100, 500 and 1000 cards, who it suits, and the five mistakes that waste money on business cards in Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman.

Two people ask us for a quote on the same day. One wants 500 plain matt cards and pays about AED 120. The other wants 500 cards with raised gold foil on soft touch board and pays nearer AED 650. Both bought business card printing in Dubai; the difference was entirely in the finish. Because finishes are where the money goes, this guide prices each one at three quantities, says who it suits, and flags the mistakes that waste the budget. The figures are what we charge from our Ajman facility for delivery across Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman, and they are indicative rather than a fixed price list.

Business card printing in Dubai: where the cost actually sits

A business card has four cost layers: the board, the printing, the finish, and any setup such as a foil die or UV screen. For a standard 90 x 55 mm card on 350 gsm board, the board and print together are small and barely move between 100 and 1000 cards. In business card printing in Dubai the finish and its setup are what you are really paying for, and setup is a fixed cost, which is why 100 foil cards cost almost as much as 300.

The practical rule: if you want a premium finish, order at least 300 to 500 so the setup spreads thin. If you only need 100 cards, spend the money on heavier board and a good design instead.

Indicative prices by finish and quantity

Finish	100 cards (AED)	500 cards (AED)	1000 cards (AED)	Setup included
Plain print, matt or gloss board	60 to 90	110 to 150	170 to 240	None
Laminated business cards, matt or gloss	80 to 110	140 to 190	220 to 300	None
Spot UV business cards	180 to 240	260 to 340	380 to 480	UV screen
Gold foil business cards	260 to 340	380 to 480	560 to 720	Foil die
Raised foil business cards	320 to 420	480 to 620	720 to 950	Die and raised layer
Letterpress or embossed	350 to 450	520 to 680	800 to 1,050	Plate

Prices assume double sided full colour on 350 gsm board, the standard for business card printing in Dubai, with delivery within Dubai, Sharjah or Ajman. Thicker duplex and triplex boards, edge colouring, die cut shapes and NFC chips are extras, covered further down.

Laminated business cards: the sensible default

Laminated business cards take the plain print and seal it under a thin film, matt or gloss. Matt lamination gives the soft, fingerprint free surface most professionals want; gloss makes photographs and bright colours pop. The film also stops the card scuffing in a wallet, which plain board does within a week.

At AED 140 to 190 for 500 they are the best value in the table and the most ordered business card printing in Dubai by a wide margin. Choose matt for consultants, lawyers, accountants and anyone whose card is mostly type. Choose gloss for property agents, photographers and food businesses where the card carries an image. The only mistake we see with laminated business cards is picking gloss and then writing on them; gloss film does not take a pen.

Spot UV business cards for a quiet premium

Spot UV business cards keep a matt base and add a clear, glossy varnish only where you choose: the logo, a pattern, a name. The contrast between matt and gloss is what people notice when the card catches the light. It is the finish that adds the most perceived value for the least money, because the setup is a screen rather than a metal die.

The design rule is restraint. One element in UV, not three. Keep lines at 0.5 mm or thicker and avoid varnish over small text, which smudges visually. Our spot UV cards page shows what reads well. The business card design guide covers the file setup. Spot UV business cards suit architects, designers, boutique agencies and anyone in a visual field who still wants a card that looks disciplined.

Gold foil business cards and when to choose them

Gold foil business cards press a metallic film into the board with a heated die. The result is a genuine metallic shine that print cannot imitate, and it photographs beautifully, which is why luxury brands lean on it. Gold is the classic, but silver, rose gold, copper and holographic foils cost the same.

The die is the setup cost, roughly AED 150 to 250, and it can be kept for reorders so the second run of gold foil business cards costs noticeably less. Foil needs solid shapes: a logo, a border, a name in a heavier weight. Thin script type breaks up under the die. Browse foil business cards for the colours and the board combinations that work.

For business card printing in Dubai aimed at luxury clients, foil is the usual answer. It suits real estate, jewellery, wedding and event businesses, private clinics and senior executives. On dark board, white foil is an underrated option that looks sharper than any white ink.

Raised foil business cards: sight and touch together

Raised foil business cards build the foil on a raised layer so the logo stands above the surface, catching both light and fingertips. It is the most expensive of the common finishes, and in a stack of cards collected at an exhibition it is the one that gets picked up again.

Use it for one element only, on a matt or soft touch base, on board of at least 400 gsm so the card does not curl. Raised foil business cards pair well with edge foiling, where the cut edges of a thick card carry a metallic line. A coloured core in duplex and triplex cards is the other natural partner. Budget AED 480 to 620 for 500 and treat them as a card for closing meetings rather than for handing out in bulk.

Extras that change the price of business card printing in Dubai

• Thicker board. Moving from 350 to 600 gsm duplex adds roughly 30 to 50 percent. It changes how the card feels more than any finish does.
• Edge colouring. A painted edge in a brand colour, AED 80 to 150 per 500. See edge coloring cards.
• Die cut shapes. Rounded corners cost little; a custom shape needs a die at AED 150 to 300. Die cut business cards suit creative fields.
• Letterpress. A pressed impression with ink and no foil. Our letterpress business cards are the tactile alternative on thick cotton board.
• Embossing. A raised impression with no ink at all, often combined with a plain print. Embossed business cards read as understated and expensive.
• NFC. A chip that opens your profile when tapped on a phone, AED 25 to 45 per card on top. NFC cards are usually ordered in tens, not hundreds, for a sales team.
• PVC. Plastic cards that survive wallets and water, close to AED 3 to 5 per card at 500. PVC cards work for gyms, membership and loyalty programmes.

Mistakes that waste money on business card printing in Dubai

1. Ordering 100 of a foil card. The die costs the same whether it stamps 100 or 1000. Order 300 or more, or choose spot UV instead.
2. Combining three finishes. Foil plus spot UV plus emboss on one card adds three setups and usually looks busy. Pick one hero finish.
3. Light type in foil. Anything thinner than about 0.4 mm breaks up. Use foil for the logo and print the contact details.
4. Wrong board for the finish. Raised foil and heavy embossing on 300 gsm board curl. Go to 400 gsm or a duplex.
5. Reordering from scratch. Ask the printer to keep the die and the artwork. A reprint of foil cards should cost less than the first run, not the same.

Send us your artwork and the finish you have in mind by WhatsApp, and we will return a quote at 100, 500 and 1000 with a photo of a similar card so you can see the finish before you commit. Business card printing in Dubai takes two to four working days for plain and laminated cards and four to six for foil and raised finishes, with delivery across Sharjah, Ajman and the other emirates on the same schedule. Our business cards page lists every option in this guide.

Related resources: See our business cards and marketing materials pages for specifications, quantity pricing and design options across the UAE.