Rack card size: 4 × 9 in, DL, bleed and pixels
The standard rack card is 4 × 9 in (101.6 × 228.6 mm), printed on both sides and made to stand upright in a brochure rack. Some printers also offer a slimmer 3.5 × 8.5 in card for narrower pockets. In A-size countries the equivalent is DL, 99 × 210 mm, a third of an A4 sheet. With 0.125 in of bleed on every side, a 4 × 9 in card is set up at 4.25 × 9.25 in, 1275 × 2775 pixels at 300 ppi, with text kept 0.125 in inside the trim.
Rack card sizes: dimensions, bleed and pixels
Bleed is 0.125 in on every side for inch sizes and 3 mm for metric ones. Pixels are rounded to the nearest whole pixel.
| Size | Inches | Millimeters | With bleed | Pixels at 300 ppi (with bleed) | Notes and template |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 4 × 9 in | 101.6 × 228.6 mm | 4.25 × 9.25 in | 1,200 × 2,700 px 1,275 × 2,775 px | Free template |
| Slim | 3.5 × 8.5 in | 88.9 × 215.9 mm | 3.75 × 8.75 in | 1,050 × 2,550 px 1,125 × 2,625 px | Offered by some printers |
| DL | 3.9 × 8.27 in | 99 × 210 mm | 105 × 216 mm | 1,169 × 2,480 px 1,240 × 2,551 px | A third of A4 Template |
Design for the top of the card
In a rack, the front of the pocket hides the lower part of the card, so people browsing see only the top few inches. Put the name, the headline and the reason to pick it up there, and keep the details, prices, map and contact information for the rest of the front and the back. Pocket depths differ between racks, so look at the one your card will sit in if you can.
A 4 × 9 in card also fits a #10 envelope (4.125 × 9.5 in), and a DL card fits a DL envelope, so the same card can go out by mail: see envelope sizes. A letter tri-fold folds to about 3.69 × 8.5 in and sits in the same racks with six panels of room instead of two: see brochure sizes.
Setting up the file
Make the document 4 × 9 in with 0.125 in (3 mm) of bleed on every side, 4.25 × 9.25 in in all, and keep text and logos inside a 3.75 × 8.75 in safe area. The print template maker draws the bleed, trim and safe area at this size. A photo that fills the card needs about 1200 × 2700 pixels to print at 300 ppi.
Rack cards are usually printed on heavy cover stock so they stand up in the pocket without curling. A QR code to a booking page or map should be at least about 2 cm (0.8 in) square: see QR code too small.
Questions
- What size is a rack card in pixels?
- 1200 × 2700 pixels at 300 ppi, or 1275 × 2775 pixels with 0.125 in of bleed on every side. A DL card (99 × 210 mm) is 1169 × 2480 pixels, or 1240 × 2551 with 3 mm bleed.
- Is a rack card the same size as DL?
- Close, but no. DL is 99 × 210 mm (3.9 × 8.27 in), a little narrower and shorter than a 4 × 9 in rack card (101.6 × 228.6 mm). Both are made for brochure racks; set the file to the exact size your printer cuts.
- Will a rack card fit in an envelope?
- Yes. A 4 × 9 in card fits a #10 envelope (4.125 × 9.5 in), and a DL card (99 × 210 mm) fits a DL envelope (110 × 220 mm).
- What is the safe area on a rack card?
- Usually 0.125 in (3 mm) inside the trim, which leaves 3.75 × 8.75 in for text on a 4 × 9 in card. Backgrounds and photos still run out to the bleed, 0.125 in past the trim.
If the printer sends the file back
Guides
Terms on this page: Bleed, Safe area (safe zone), Coated vs uncoated paper, GSM (paper weight).
More print sizes, or all of them on one page:
Cards, paper and stationery: Business card · Postcard · Paper · Envelope · Letterhead · Greeting card · Presentation folder
Flyers, brochures and handouts: Flyer · Brochure · Door hanger · Menu · Table tent · Bookmark
Stickers, labels and tags: Sticker · Label · Hang tag
Bottle, can and jar labels: Wine label · Beer label · Water bottle label · Candle label · Jar label
Boxes and packaging: Mailer box · Shipping box · Tuck box · Stand-up pouch · Pizza box
Posters, books and calendars: Poster · Book · Calendar
Signs, billboards and vehicles: Banner · Yard sign · Car magnet · Billboard
T-shirts and apparel: T-shirt
Rather have it designed at the right size? See flyers, menus & brochures: a fixed price first, print-ready files back.
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