The economical classic, matte finish business cards are the most common option. The protective coating used doesn't change the way the printed card looks. The surface is smooth and non-reflective, and it lets light spread evenly without creating shiny spots as you look on them.

Matte finish is perfect for a minimalist, no-nonsense classical design. It works best with a reserved colour palette, pastel tones, blacks and greys, and classic fonts. It conveys a sense of subtlety and a sense of reserved professionalism. While slightly less expensive than AQ coating, the cost difference is negligible, and the choice usually comes down to personal preference.

AQ stands for Aqueous, a type of vegetable cellulose that produces a glossy look. It is an industry standard, as it creates an eye catching, vibrant look on the cardstock. The glossy coating creates uneven reflections in the product, which bring it to life whenever the viewer or the object moves, even slightly.

This effect is further optimized when the design uses bright colours, a saturated palette, bold fonts and a complex background. As a mainstain in the creative "vogue" industries, the glossy look is associated with creativity, passion and novelty, and it's particularly favoured in advertisement to be used with eye-catching designs.

UV coating is a high gloss finish that is cured with ultra violet light. It's a more expensive option than AQ, but it does everything AQ does better, and it adds a protective layer to the card, making sure it will not fade and will stay with your client longer.

There are cases when you need a business card just so that you can give a client your contact information. Perhaps your reputation speaks for you, and you don't need anything fancy, so theres not much point in paying extra for a business card. The High Gloss UV coating is for when it is critical for you to make a dazzling first impression. When you need every aspect of your business to tell your clients that they are dealing with a professional - this is when the UV coat is the right choice.

This option is the best of both worlds of matte and glossy finishes. The matte lamination used is thicker than in the usual matte coating, making the card more durable. The matte lamination itself creates a silky texture.

The real meat of this option is the spot UV, where a part of the card is printed over with UV, to create a textured effect and make the vital elements pop out. This option needs a strong design and usually begins with an idea regarding the spot UV.

The 38pt thick business card is one of the more expensive options available. It's not common, and therefore, the card itself is quite memorable. It's very thick, meaning it won't be bent, and the coating itself makes it very durable.

When going "all out" for a business card, it makes sense to go all out. There are many extra options to modify the card, to have coloured edges, UV spot, embossing, and a myriad of other options that will get people talking about just the card itself. Most often such cards are purchased by those in the artistic fields, where the card becomes another part of the person's work.