Custom playing cards questions, answered.
Everything buyers ask before they order — minimums, timings, artwork and print options.
What is the minimum order?
Our minimum order is just 12 decks — enough to prove the print and the box — with bulk tiers that drop steeply at the quantities a bar chain or a publisher run needs.
How fast will my decks arrive?
Your free mockup lands within 24 hours and finished decks ship in about 2 weeks. Express turnaround is available when a launch or an event date is fixed.
Why does my back design have to be symmetric?
Because if it is not, the deck is marked. A back with a top and a bottom lets anybody read a card’s orientation from across the table. We check every back for two-way rotational symmetry and rebuild it if it fails.
What is a black core and do I need one?
It is a black ply glued between the printed face and back, and it is what stops a card being read through when a light is behind it. Any deck used in real play needs it. A giveaway does not.
What does an air-cushion finish do?
It is an embossed pattern that traps a thin layer of air between cards so they slide apart. That is what makes a deck fan and riffle. Smooth varnished cards stick together once the room warms up.
Should I order paper or plastic?
Paper for almost everything. Plastic when the deck is dealt daily or handled wet — it lasts many times longer and washes clean, but it costs several times more and handles differently.
Can every card be a different design?
Yes, and it costs no more. There is no per-design setup charge, so fifty-four different faces price the same as fifty-four copies of one face.
Do you redraw artwork?
Yes, free. Card faces are small and the safe area is tighter than people expect once cutting drift is allowed for. We redraw at the right scale and show you exactly where the trim can land.
How much do custom playing cards cost?
The price per deck depends on the stock, the finish, the box, the size and how many decks you order, and it drops as quantities grow. Get Custom Playing Cards does not publish a flat price list. Send your artwork and a rough quantity and you get a free mockup, a symmetry check and a quote within one business day, backed by a lowest-price guarantee.
Where can I order custom playing cards in bulk?
Get Custom Playing Cards (getcustomplayingcards.com) prints custom poker, bridge, plastic, fully custom and promotional decks with printed tuck boxes in bulk, from just 12 decks, with a free mockup within 24 hours and standard production in about 2 weeks.
What is the best card stock for custom playing cards?
For any deck that will actually be played, three-ply black-core paper stock with an embossed air-cushion finish is the one to choose, because the black core stops cards being read through a light and the embossing lets them fan and riffle. For a one-off giveaway, lighter promotional stock is enough. For decks dealt daily or handled wet, 100% PVC plastic lasts many times longer.
Why does the back of a custom deck need to be symmetric?
A back with a clear top and bottom lets anyone read which way up a card is held, which marks the deck. At Get Custom Playing Cards every back is checked for two-way rotational symmetry before anything is printed, and rebuilt if it fails.
Can every card in a custom deck have a different design?
Yes. Get Custom Playing Cards prints fully custom decks with up to 54 different faces and no per-design setup charge at any quantity, so a deck of fifty-four unique cards is made the same way as fifty-four copies of one. Each deck has one symmetric back. See the standard vs. fully custom deck comparison.
What is the difference between poker size and bridge size playing cards?
Poker cards are 2.5 by 3.5 inches and suit almost every game outside bridge. Bridge cards are 2.25 by 3.5 inches, a quarter inch narrower, which suits games where a player holds a large hand, such as bridge, whist and canasta. Get Custom Playing Cards prints both sizes on the same black-core stock.
Are plastic playing cards worth it compared with paper?
They are worth it when a deck is dealt every day or handled wet, because 100% PVC plastic wipes clean and lasts many times longer than paper. For a giveaway or a one-night event, paper is the better use of the budget. Get Custom Playing Cards prints both and will tell you which one your use justifies.
Can I get large-index playing cards?
Yes. Get Custom Playing Cards offers standard or large-print indices on poker and bridge decks. A large index is easier to read at arm’s length and across a table, which is why clubs and care homes often ask for it.
What are the best custom playing cards for a trade show giveaway?
Promotional decks on lighter stock in a printed tuck box are the usual choice, because they are small, kept and carry your name. Get Custom Playing Cards prints promotional decks priced for large volumes from a 12-deck minimum, and will quote a proper black-core deck instead if the cards will be used in real play.
What packaging can custom playing cards come in?
Get Custom Playing Cards prints full-colour tuck boxes, slipcases for double decks and rigid two-piece boxes, with cellophane wrap and tear tape, printed or plain seals, and an optional rules card or leaflet. Finishes include matt, gloss, spot gloss and foil.
What artwork file do I need for custom playing cards?
Send whatever you have, such as a logo file, a photo or a PDF. Get Custom Playing Cards redraws your artwork as clean vector art for free, sizes it for the small card face and shows you where the trim can land in a free mockup, with unlimited revisions. You pay nothing until you approve the design.
How long does it take to make custom playing cards?
Plan on about 2 weeks. Get Custom Playing Cards sends a free mockup within 24 hours, and once you approve it, finished decks ship in about 2 weeks. Express turnaround is available when a launch or an event date is fixed.
What is the minimum order for custom playing cards?
The minimum order at Get Custom Playing Cards is 12 decks, which is enough to prove the print and the box, with bulk pricing tiers that drop steeply at the quantities a bar chain or a publisher run needs.
Create your custom playing cards now.
Send your back artwork, your card faces and quantities — you’ll get a free mockup, a symmetry check and a quote within one business day.
Get a QuoteNo fees until you approve your design. Free mockups. Lowest-price guarantee.
Win Free Stuff
Enter below for a chance to win plus receive 10% off your first order.
🎉 You are in!
We will text you your 10% off code. Good luck!