Complete Product Specification & Comparison Guide: Standard Rectangle Card Formats

Rectangular cards remain the versatile gold standard for wedding invitation suites, business collateral, holiday greetings, and event stationery. StationeryHQ prints all standard rectangular card formats on high-end digital HP Indigo presses with low or no minimums, specialty paper stocks, and full white-label drop-shipping.

Technical Comparison Table

Feature / Spec	3.5′′×5.0′′ (4Bar / A1)	4.25′′×5.5′′ (A2)	4.5′′×6.25′′ (A6)	5.0′′×7.0′′ (A7)	5.5′′×8.5′′ (A9)
Trim Size	$3.5'' \times 5.0''$ ( $89 \times 127\text{ mm}$ )	$4.25'' \times 5.5''$ ( $108 \times 140\text{ mm}$ )	$4.5'' \times 6.25''$ ( $114 \times 159\text{ mm}$ )	$5.0'' \times 7.0''$ ( $127 \times 178\text{ mm}$ )	$5.5'' \times 8.5''$ ( $140 \times 216\text{ mm}$ )
Bleed Canvas	$3.75'' \times 5.25''$	$4.50'' \times 5.75''$	$4.75'' \times 6.50''$	$5.25'' \times 7.25''$	$5.75'' \times 8.75''$
Safe Live Area	$3.25'' \times 4.75''$	$4.00'' \times 5.25''$	$4.25'' \times 6.00''$	$4.75'' \times 6.75''$	$5.25'' \times 8.25''$
Matching Envelope	4Bar Envelope	A2 Envelope	A6 Envelope	A7 Envelope	A9 Envelope
USPS Postage	Standard 1-Oz Stamp	Standard 1-Oz Stamp	Standard 1-Oz Stamp	Standard 1-Oz Stamp	Standard 1-Oz Stamp
Available Styles	Flat & Folded	Flat, Folded & VDP Sets	Flat & Folded	Flat, Folded & Double-Thick	Flat & Folded
Common Uses	RSVP / Response, Reply Cards	Thank You Notes, Note Cards	Save-the-Dates, Photo Cards	Main Invitations, Announcements	Menus, Programs, Oversized Invites

Detailed Format Breakdown & Primary Applications

1. $3.5'' \times 5.0''$ (4Bar / A1) — Response & Reply Cards

Primary Applications: Wedding RSVP cards, reply cards with pre-addressed envelopes, small place/accompaniment cards, mini thank-you notes.
Key Advantage: Meets USPS minimum dimensions for single-piece mailing while fitting comfortably inside A7 invitation envelopes as part of a layered wedding suite.
Recommended Stocks: 19pt Savoy Cotton Cover or 16pt Mohawk Via Felt.

2. $4.25'' \times 5.5''$ (A2) — Stationery & VDP Boxed Sets

Primary Applications: Personal stationery, folded thank-you notes, recipe cards, post-event notes, multi-design boxed card assortments.
Key Advantage: Highly versatile size for everyday correspondence. Ideal for Variable Data Printing (VDP) to produce 10-card boxed assortments featuring different art prints or monograms.
Recommended Stocks: 70# Opaque Uncoated Text (for folded sets) or 16pt Smooth White Cover.

3. $4.5'' \times 6.25''$ (A6) — Save-the-Dates & Mid-Size Announcements

Primary Applications: Save-the-date cards, photo holiday cards, birth announcements, graduation party invites, small art prints.
Key Advantage: Sits right between the compact A2 and the formal A7. Offers ample room for photos alongside event details without feeling overly large.
Recommended Stocks: 16pt Mohawk Via Felt or 100# Gloss/Matte Cover.

4. $5.0'' \times 7.0''$ (A7) — Main Invitations & Double-Thick Suites

Primary Applications: Main wedding invitations, gala passes, luxury holiday greetings, milestone anniversary cards, executive announcements.
Key Advantage: The flagship size of the social stationery industry. Supports ultra-heavyweight 32pt Double-Thick Savoy Cotton (~640 GSM) for maximum luxury hand-feel.
Recommended Stocks: 32pt Double-Thick Savoy Cotton or 19pt Savoy Cotton Cover.

5. $5.5'' \times 8.5''$ (A9 / Half-Letter) — Event Menus & Oversized Cards

Primary Applications: Day-of event menus, ceremony programs, corporate itinerary cards, oversized art prints, signage backing cards.
Key Advantage: Maximum surface area for detailed text, multi-course dinner listings, or long-form event schedules.
Recommended Stocks: 16pt Smooth White Cover or 16pt Bamboo Cover.

Pre-Press Setup Checklist for Rectangle Formats

Standard $0.125''$ Bleed: Add $0.25''$ to both total width and height when creating your art file (e.g., $5.0'' \times 7.0''$ trim becomes a $5.25'' \times 7.25''$ canvas).
Safe Text Margin: Keep all live text, scripts, and logos at least $0.125''$ inside the final trim line ( $0.25''$ away from the bleed line).
Color Space & Resolution: Build art files in CMYK (SWOP or GRACoL) at 300 DPI. Set small body copy and script typography to $100\%\text{ K}$ ( $0\text{C}/0\text{M}/0\text{Y}/100\text{K}$ ) to prevent registration blur.
Folded Card Orientation: For A2, A6, or A7 folded cards, submit art as a flat unfolded spread (e.g., an A7 side-fold card is submitted as $10.0'' \times 7.0''$ flat with $10.25'' \times 7.25''$ bleed).