So you’re interested in printing a card game and not sure how much it costs? Well, there are many variables that are factored into the final cost of printing a card game.
This guide will walk you through what to expect in terms of costs as you start to develop your deck of cards, including the costs for the three most common types of decks:
What determines the costs of printing a deck of cards?
The cost of a deck of cards is determined by the order volume (the number of decks you want printed during the print run), the materials and finishes used (card stock and paper weight, linen- or smooth-finish, foil finish, holographic finish), the type of container that will hold the cards (tuck box, plastic container, etc.), printing requirements (custom faces and uniform backs or both custom faces and backs). There are also other add-ons you can get with your cards like having a custom instruction pamphlet or having the card box shrink-wrapped. All of these things will impact the cost.
Getting instant quotes
The tricky thing about getting pricing on your card game is that for many printers you’ve got to submit all of your specifications in order to receive a quote because most card printers don’t publish their printing rates online because they are highly tailored based on what you need.
This can lead to a lot of back and forth conversation with a printer; in the early stages, this can be a bit cumbersome when maybe what you want is just number to get a sense of what sort of financial obligation are you committing to to get your card game printed.
However, there are a handful of companies that do have instant quote engines where you can plug in your specifications and get a quote on what your game will cost to print. They include:
In addition there are a variety of promotional printers that provide instant quotes that print French-suited playing cards with custom backs (but not custom faces), if you’re just looking to print playing cards with your original artwork on the back. These include companies like Printify and Zazzle.
Card Deck Printing Costs
Let’s look at how much is costs to print a deck of cards in 2023 across the three most popular types of decks: card games, tarot cards, and playing cards. At the moment, I’m only going to show costs from MakePlayingCards.com since they have some of the best price transparency online, but will be reaching out to some other manufacturers to see if we can do some side-by-side comparisons.
For the estimates below, we’re going to get these prices based on some basic features of standard card decks rather than all the extra add-ons that can get pricey. If you’re envisioning a lot of special features and finishes then you should expect the prices will definitely vary from what’s shown below.
When pricing out decks, it’s also important to understand what the quantity thresholds are for your printing. As you increase your order quantity, the price will go down. These thresholds will often vary from printer-to-printer, so when you’re asking for estimates, ask them directly what those price reduction thresholds are for your print job.
Card game printing costs
For this estimate, let’s assume the requirements are poker size cards, standard card stock, smooth finish, up to 55 cards in the deck, full color print, game card finish, no booklet, a custom tuck box with full color print, matte finish, and shrink-wrap.
| Quantity | MakePlayingCards.com |
| 1-5 | $26.70 |
| 6-29 | $19.50 |
| 30-49 | $15.05 |
| 50-99 | $11.45 |
| 100-249 | $8.25 |
| 250-499 | $6.50 |
| 500-900 | $4.80 |
| 1,000-2,499 | $3.50 |
| 2,500-4,999 | $2.30 |
| 5,000-7,499 | $1.80 |
| 7,500-9,999 | $1.60 |
| 10,000-12,499 | $1.45 |
| 12,500-14,999 | $1.30 |
| 15,000+ | $1.19 |
Tarot card printing costs
For this estimate, let’s assume the requirements are tarot size cards, standard card stock, smooth finish, up to 78 cards in the deck, full color print, game card finish, no booklet, a custom tuck box with full color print, matte finish, and shrink-wrap.
While this estimate excludes a booklet, having a booklet in a tarot deck is generally considered important as part of your overall product design as this is quite common across a number of tarot decks (and will drive up the printing costs).
| Quantity | MakePlayingCards.com |
| 1-5 | $37.25 |
| 6-29 | $29.03 |
| 30-49 | $23.63 |
| 50-99 | $19.20 |
| 100-249 | $16.13 |
| 250-499 | $13.55 |
| 500-999 | $10.70 |
| 1,000-2,499 | $7.95 |
| 2,500-4,999 | $5.90 |
| 5,000-7,499 | $4.60 |
| 7,500-9,999 | $4.10 |
| 10,000-12,499 | $3.70 |
| 12,500-14,999 | $3.35 |
| 15,000+ | $3.10 |
Playing card printing costs
For this estimate, let’s assume the requirements are poker size cards, standard card stock, smooth finish, 54 cards in the deck (including two jokers), full color print, playing card finish, standard faces and custom backs, no booklet, a custom tuck box with full color print, matte finish, and shrink-wrap.
| Quantity | MakePlayingCards.com |
| 1-5 | $27.40 |
| 6-29 | $20.00 |
| 30-49 | $15.45 |
| 50-99 | $11.75 |
| 100-249 | $8.45 |
| 250-499 | $6.60 |
| 500-999 | $4.80 |
| 1,000-2,499 | $3.50 |
| 2,500-4,999 | $2.30 |
| 5,000-7,499 | $1.80 |
| 7,500-9,999 | $1.60 |
| 10,000-12,499 | $1.45 |
| 12,500-14,999 | $1.30 |
| 15,000+ | $1.19 |
As you start to get estimates from printers on what it will cost to make your card deck, it is equally important for you to assess the quality of that printer too. Just because a printer is cheaper doesn’t mean the quality is low, and conversely, just because a printer is more expensive doesn’t mean their quality is high. You have to get samples of their previous work, and most printers are more then willing to mail you samples of previous print jobs.
If you’re ready to start getting quotes, you can check out the list of playing card printers. If you’re designing a deck for the first time and need a little training, check out our course on How to Make Card Games You Can Sell.