Need printed business cards or postcards? Moo is for you.

I’m often asked to recommend a printer for clients. For large items (reports, manuals, packaging) I recommend a local printer with experience doing high-end stuff for local museums and arts organizations.

But when it comes to small items like business cards, postcards or thank you cards, I do not hesitate to recommend the online service, MOO. I have been using them for about 7 years now. They are a favorite of graphic designers in North America and Europe. They focus on printing just cards, and they do a high volume of them, so they can offer low (really low) prices and top quality printing on good thick card stock, matte or gloss. And did I mention that includes full color printing on both sides? And you can have 50 different designs in the same batch at no extra charge?

The average printer will charge $150 – $250 for 200 business cards of this quality: MOO. charges $22 for 50 cards (and you should always do the smallest amount first as a test run), $70 for 200 cards. They deliver within 2 weeks, and send you shipping updates, just like Amazon.

They offer some groovy ready-made designs, but the real value lies in being able to upload custom art (photos or illustrations) and design, including full bleeds (where the art/color goes right to the edge of the card), and being able to preview it.