Are business cards still relevant?

You’ve probably seen the headline floating around marketing blogs claiming that 88% of paper business cards end up in the trash within a week. 

It makes the classic rectangle of paper look like a nostalgic relic from a time when people used fax machines.

So, are Business Cards still relevant? It’s a fair question, and we should be upfront: MOO prints Business Cards. That’s exactly why we’d rather show you the evidence than give you a sales pitch. We’ve tried to trace that 88% stat back to its source, looked at our own numbers, and been honest about where digital simply does the job better.

Spoiler alert: this isn’t print vs digital, they’re good at different things.

Table of contents

• The short answer
• Do people still use Business Cards?
• Where the “88% thrown away” stat comes from
• Who still uses Business Cards, and who doesn’t
• Print vs digital: what each does best
• QR code Business Cards: when you want both
• What makes a Business Card worth keeping
• Start creating your Business Cards
• Frequently asked questions

Key takeaways

• Business Cards are still relevant, but their job has changed. They’re now for the introduction, not the admin.
• Digital is better at staying current, saving to contacts and tracking scans.
• Print is better at being remembered, and it works without a battery, a signal or an app.
• The “88% get thrown away” stat traces back to a blog post with no source behind it.
• Nearly a third of MOO’s Business Card orders come from people coming back for more
• If you meet people face-to-face, a small run of good cards still pulls its weight.

The short answer

Yes, but they do a different job than they used to. Digital tools handle the admin of staying in touch: saving to contacts, staying up to date, tracking scans. A printed card handles the introduction, the part you want someone to remember after the conversation ends. Most people who meet clients in person end up using both.

Do people still use business cards?

They do, and plenty of them keep coming back. Here’s a number we can stand behind, because it’s ours: in 20 years, MOO has sold 2.6 billion Business Cards. That’s a lot of handshakes.

And it isn’t just history. Nearly a third* of the Business Card orders we get today come from people coming back for more, and that number has barely budged in years. Nobody reorders something that’s sitting untouched in a drawer. 

And the “why” is the useful part. Cards get kept when they follow a good conversation, feel worth holding onto, and give someone a clear reason to get back in touch.

*Source: MOO order data, 2021–2025. Reorders made up 32% of Business Card orders in 2025, and 34.75% of customers who ordered Business Cards in 2024 placed another Business Card order within 12 months. Updated October 2026.

Where the “88% thrown away” stat comes from

Now, back to that stat. It is quoted often, but it is difficult to trace back to a clear, independently verifiable primary source. It’s just blogs quoting other blogs. 

That does not mean every Business Card gets kept. Some will be forgotten, misplaced, or no longer useful. But statistics cannot tell you much about the cards people do keep, or why they do.

A card is more likely to earn a second look when it follows a great conversation and offers real value, whether that’s a clear pitch, a striking design, a special offer, or a QR code.

Who still uses Business Cards, and who doesn’t

How much you need a card comes down to one question: does your work happen in a room, or on a screen?

Where cards still pull their weight

• Real estate: It’s local, trust-based and face-to-face. A card handed over at an open house is still around long after the open house is over.
• Events and conferences: When you meet 50 people in an afternoon, a card takes two seconds to hand over and lets you keep your eyes on the person, not your phone.
• Hospitality: Restaurants, salons, studios and B&Bs use cards as a pocket-sized “come back soon”, often with a booking QR code or an offer on the back.
• Professional services: Accountants, lawyers and consultants meet clients in person at key moments. A well-made card backs up the impression that they’re the steady pair of hands you’re looking for.
• Creative freelancers: For designers, photographers and illustrators, the card is a mini portfolio: your eye for layout, color and paper, before anyone’s opened your website.
• Trades and field services: Electricians, contractors and landscapers still win work by word of mouth, and a card left on a kitchen counter or tucked behind a fridge magnet is how that word travels.

Where cards have genuinely dropped off

• Remote-first teams: If everything happens on video calls, a link in your email signature does the job.
• Online-only businesses: If customers find you through search or social and never meet you, print might not be the obvious choice.

Print vs digital: what each does best

Digital contact sharing can be a better choice when you need to share information quickly, keep details up to date, or connect with people you may never meet in person. A digital contact card or sharing link can be sent after a video call, added to an email signature, or updated without replacing a printed stack.

Print wins in the room. Handing over a physical card creates a natural pause in the conversation, and it does a few things a phone can’t:

• No tech required: A printed card never relies on a phone battery, a cellular signal, or asking someone to open their camera app.
• It sticks around: A card left on a desk or a kitchen counter acts as a persistent reminder long after a digital notification gets buried.
• It shows your brand’s standards: The weight, texture, and finish of the paper give people a direct feel for your business standards in seconds.

QR code Business Cards: when you want both

You don’t have to pick a side. A QR code Business Card gives someone something to hold and a fast digital next step. One scan takes them straight to your portfolio, booking page, menu or contact details. Point it at a link you control and you can change where it goes without reprinting.

We’ve tried hiding tech inside paper before. Our Business Card+ had an NFC chip tucked inside, so a tap could add you as a contact or play a video, and it still looked and felt like a regular card. We retired it in 2020. The paper aged better than the chip.

For most people who meet clients in person, this is where the debate ends. You get the introduction that sticks, and the digital next step is one scan away.

What makes a Business Card worth keeping

None of this matters if the card doesn’t survive the trip home. A few things make the difference.

• It feels like it’s worth keeping: Thicker stock, a soft-touch finish or an unexpected texture makes people pause. A flimsy card feels disposable, so it gets treated that way.
• It gives a reason to come back: That could be a first-visit offer, a QR code to something genuinely useful (not just your homepage), or a free consultation.
• It’s easy to read: Clear name, clear role, one or two ways to reach you. If you’re not sure what makes the cut, here’s what to put on a Business Card.
• It’s writable: An uncoated back means you can jot down a note, a date or a “call me about the kitchen”, which turns the card into a reminder.
• It travels: The importance of business cards in referral businesses is easy to underestimate: one card gets handed on to a friend, then a neighbor, and so on.

Got a box of old ones after a rebrand? Here’s what to do with old Business Cards. For inspiration, see some creative uses for Business Cards, or the time we asked AI to design Business Cards.

Start creating your Business Cards

So, are business cards still relevant? For anyone who meets people face-to-face, yes, as long as they’re doing the job print does best. Let digital handle the admin. Let your card make the introduction.

The best way to judge paper is with your fingertips, not a screen. Order a free sample pack to feel our papers and finishes before you design, or browse Business Cards to get started.

Kitting out a whole team? Fill in the form below and we’ll be in touch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Business Cards outdated?

Business Cards are not outdated. They work best for anyone meeting clients, partners, or customers face-to-face. For fully remote work or fast-changing information, digital contact-sharing tools may be more practical.

When are Business Cards worth it?

Business Cards are worth it when they support the way you actually build relationships. If you attend events, visit clients, host appointments, work locally or rely on referrals, a small run of thoughtfully designed cards can be useful. If all of your interactions happen online, a digital option may make more sense.