Employee ID badge Pricing
per-card pricing for businesses of all sizes
Card Price
Batch Orders
100+
Non-Profit
Pricing
Small Business
1 – 250 employees
$7.80*
$5.80*
$6.70*
Corporate
251 – 1500 employees
$6.70*
$4.70*
$5.80*
Enterprise
> 1500 employees
$5.80*
$3.80*
CALL
Employee ID badge Pricing
per-card pricing for businesses of all sizes
Small Business
1 – 250 employees
card price: $7.80*
Batch Orders (100+): $5.80*
Non-Profit Pricing: $6.70*
Corporate
251 – 1500 employees
card price: $6.70*
Batch Orders (100+): $4.70*
Non-Profit Pricing: $5.80*
Enterprise
> 1500 employees
card price: $5.80*
Batch Orders (100+): $3.80*
Non-Profit Pricing: CALL
No hidden fees.
No signup fees, no small batch fees.
Card orders are automatically deducted from your prepaid account*. And, 100% of your initial deposit is used for your orders: cards, postage and accessories. We designed our system to facilitate small batch sizes, so small companies may easily order one or two cards at a time. For larger companies, we offer bulk discounts.
Postage
Postage is added for each batch of cards ordered.
Batches of 1-4 cards ship by USPS for $1.75, without tracking.
Shipping / Prepaid Account
USPS
| No. of Cards | Charge | Tracking |
|---|---|---|
| 1-4 | $1.75 | No Tracking |
| 5-9 | $6.75 | With Tracking |
| 10-19 | $7.75 | With Tracking |
| 20-29 | $8.75 | With Tracking |
| 30-49 | $10.75 | With Tracking |
| 50+ | $18.00 | Automatic upgrade to FedEx 2-Day |
FedEx
| Next Day | $36.50 | Tracking |
| 2-Day | $18.00 | Tracking |
InstantCard uses a prepaid account system to avoid numerous small-value transactions. This also allows us to offer free custom template design for prepaid accounts. After the required minimum initial deposit, any amount may be added as required to maintain a positive balance.
We require a minimum opening deposit of $200 to begin designing your template(s).
ALL orders placed by 4 PM ET are guaranteed to be printed and mailed that same business day. Any order received after 4 PM ET will be printed and shipped the following buisness day.
Prepaid Account
InstantCard uses a prepaid account system to avoid numerous small-value transactions. This also allows us to offer free custom template design for prepaid accounts.
After the required minimum initial deposit, any amount may be added as required to maintain a positive balance.
We require a minimum opening deposit of $200 to begin designing your template(s).
Free template design for prepaid accounts
Tailored to your exact needs, our skilled design team designs custom templates for your organization’s ID cards. Eschewing one-size-fits-all solutions, we ensure your specifications are met with precision. We allow for a variety of identification features to be placed on your badge precisely according to your requirements.
When it comes to the technology and aesthetics of your employee ID badges, our offerings are designed to be as limitless as your needs demand.
Same-Day Printing & Mailing
All ID badges ordered before 4PM ET are printed and mailed same-day, regardless of batch size. Get the cards you need, when you need them at no additional cost.
Postage is added for each batch of cards ordered. Batches of 1-4 cards ship by USPS for $1.75, without tracking.
No minimum order
Numerous providers in the ID badge industry impose minimum order quantities. This model doesn’t align with the immediate needs of large businesses that require prompt issuance for new employees, nor does it accommodate smaller organizations that may not meet those minimums.
Understanding that businesses come in various sizes and have diverse demands, our service model has been intentionally developed to support orders as small as a single card. This flexible approach ensures that every business, regardless of size, can get the right badges at the right price.
Free Template Design for Prepaid Accounts
Same-Day Shipping
Single-Card Orders
Drop shipping option
Have ID badges sent directly to individual addresses—may include a customized letter.
Multiple template support
Team-designed templates are included up to 3 on Small Business, up to 10 on Growth and unlimited on Enterprise. Each extra team-designed template is $50.
100% Satisfaction Guarantee
We replace defective cards at no charge, and in certain cases we issue refunds if you’re not satisfied. We’re not happy until you are.
Free Template Design for Prepaid Accounts
Template design or review by a person is free for prepaid accounts. Every account, including pay as you go, gets the AI template designer at no extra charge.
Same-Day Shipping
All cards ordered before 4PM ET are printed and mailed same-day.
Single Card Orders
We have no small batch fees and no minimum batch size. Get the cards you need when you need them.
Drop shipping option
Have ID badges sent directly to individual addresses—may include a customized letter.
Multiple template support
Team-designed templates are included up to 3 on Small Business, up to 10 on Growth and unlimited on Enterprise. Each extra team-designed template is $50.
100% Satisfaction Guarantee
We replace defective cards at no charge, and in certain cases we issue refunds if you’re not satisfied. We’re not happy until you are.
You do not have to: pay as you go needs no deposit, and prepaid is the better fit when you order regularly.
Advantages of a Prepaid Account
• perfectly adapted to regular ID card ordering
• a lower price for every card, and template design by our team
• control your budget and simplify the accounting: one balance instead of a card charge for every order
• Allows YOU to stay in control of your ID card budget
• Cards are produced as long as you have a positive balance
• You just fund the account for the number of cards you plan to produce
• No auto-debits – you are warned whenever there are insufficient funds
Your prefund is a balance, not a card quota. Any unused amount stays in your account and applies to future orders. Funds never expire for printing; a balance is refunded on written request less the $75 fee, except for accounts inactive for 6 months.
Yes. If your deposits within one calendar year reach a higher plan’s funding amount, then email [email protected] to request the upgrade. Your account then moves to that plan’s per-card price.
All funds go to card production. Funds never expire for printing; a balance is refunded on written request less the $75 fee, except for accounts inactive for 6 months.
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There are NO monthly charges and NO annual charges, and template design is free for prepaid accounts. Setting up an order-form integration has a one-time set-up fee on plans below Enterprise.
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Just one low charge per card, no matter how many you order in a batch — even one single card!
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Your per-card charge is applied no matter what the batch size is, no matter how many batches you submit.
Try our In-House Vs. Outsource Cost Calculator
Edit all variable data according to your company’s needs and specifications. We’ve taken into account all possible costs and overhead associated with ID card printing so you can easily find out if outsourcing makes sense for your organization.
ID card options pricing
Magstripe
Cost: FREE
Barcode
Cost: FREE
QR Code
Cost: FREE
Slot Punch
Cost: $0.60
Holographic Overlay
Cost: $1.60
Exposed Chip
Cost: $2.50*
Contactless / RFID
Cost: $2.50*
Clamshell Prox
Cost: CONTACT US*
Full-Color Back-of-Card Printing
Cost: $0.95
Exposed Chip
Why is the default price $2.50, what are the options?
There are a number of options to include an exposed smartcard chip.
The basic option is the ISO7816 Atmel Cryptomemory chip with 1 KB of user memory.
Contactless / RFID
Why is the default prince $2.50, what are the options?
There are multiple contactless chip options, including low-frequency, high-frequency, and ultra-high frequency (UHF).
The starting option is a Mifare 1K (ISO14443A) transponder operating at 13.56 MHz (high-frequency), which is also NFC compatible.
Clamshell / Prox
Why is there no default price?
Clamshell cards are hard plastic cards which are thicker than a standard credit card.
This option provides an adhesive card, printed on one-side only, to be applied to your clamshell cards.
ID badge pricing FAQ
Very.
The cards are made of PVC plastic, which – as most people trying to destroy old credit cards have noticed – is very hard to damage. These cards are much less susceptible to tears or rips that are common occurrences with laminated or standard paper ID cards. They are entirely waterproof so there is no need to worry about rain or coffee damage. They will last a very long time, much longer than laminated cards in a plastic pouch.
The print technology we use, thermal re transfer, applies the color to the underside of a clear sheet of plastic, which is heat-sealed to the bottom of the card. AS a result, cards last much longer than the more common, cheaper “dye sublimation” printing technology.
For clients requiring extended wear, we offer two options: (a) composite cards which withstand more wear-and-tear and temperature ranges, and (b) overlaminates with a holographic inlay to enhance security and durability.
Yes.
Absolutely, we do this for hundreds of clients. You just send us your blank white card stock, which we store securely, ready to use whenever you place an order. Or, if you prefer, we can procure the prox cards for you. If you’re not sure about which card technology to choose, among the dozens available, just call us, as this is our specialty!
We can generally provide compatible Prox cards for existing security systems. The InstantCard system can also print onto your existing corporate Prox cards. Doing so eliminates the need for employees to carry around multiple cards (visual ID, access control, time & attendance, etc.). Our printing process does not damage the chip or antenna inside of the prox cards.
Not Long.
Our service guarantees our customers with the fastest turnaround time in the industry. As long as you submit your card orders by 4 p.m. ET, we will print and ship out your ID cards on the very same day. This is true even if you require just one single card! Each time you order, you specify how we ship the cards to you. FedEx Next Day gets your cards to you overnight and FedEx 2-Day within two business days, while USPS will take standard postage time (usually 1-4 business days to the East Coast, up to 7, and 3-6 business days to the West Coast, Florida and Texas, up to 10). Standard mail is included on pay as you go.
No
Absolutely not. Sometimes someone loses an ID card, and often there’s just one single new employee. We designed our service to meet exactly that requirement. Clients can print individual cards if necessary at the same per-card price as any order of up to 99 cards. There is never a “small-batch” fee. On prepaid, a single print job of 100 or more cards gets $1.50 off every card; pay as you go has one flat price per card, with no minimum. We do everything we can to respect your budget.
Yes.
We offer a wide range of standard accessories on our website, which you can also order with same-day shipping. Accessories are generally ordered in batches separate from the cards. On a pay as you go account, contact us and we will place your accessory order for you. We are also able to send out individual accessories with each badge, for a slight additional fee. And if our standard accessories don’t quite fit your needs, contact us.
Thermal Retransfer Printing.
There are several types of printing processes available for the printing of photo ID cards. The process used at InstantCard is the highest quality available on the market today, called thermal re-transfer. The high-definition (300 dpi) printing is transferred to a clear plastic film, which is then permanently bonded, using a high-temperature heat-sealing process, to the surface of the card. While more expensive, this method ensures the highest level of print quality. The bright, vibrant colors are particularly notable when compared to cards made with small, cheaper printers which use “DTC” (Direct-To-Card) technology.
For bulk orders on a prepaid account, a single print job of 100 cards or more gets a reduction of $1.50 per card. This discount is ideal for large organizations seeking cost-effective solutions for their ID badge needs. It is for prepaid accounts only; pay as you go has one flat price per card.
Template design or review by a person is free for prepaid accounts. Every account, including pay as you go, gets the AI template designer at no extra charge, with an included allowance (prepaid includes more). This service ensures that each ID badge meets your exact specifications, enhancing your brand identity.
Yes, we provide discounts for non-profits on prepaid accounts. Verified 501(c)(3) organizations receive $1.00 off every card, and it stacks with our large-order discount. The discount is for prepaid accounts only; pay as you go has one flat price per card. This initiative is part of our commitment to supporting non-profit entities.
The base price includes a standard full-color front and a black and white back. On prepaid, full-color printing on the back adds $0.95 per card. On pay as you go, the full-color back is already included in the $12.00 price. This option is perfect for those who want to make a more vibrant impact with their ID badges.
Our pricing is structured to be budget-friendly for teams of all sizes, with no monthly fees. If you only need a few cards now and then, pay as you go is $12.00 per card, all in, with no deposit and no minimum. If you order regularly, prepaid is $8.95 per card on Small Business, $7.35 on Growth and $5.95 on Enterprise, plus postage and any options you choose, with free template design for prepaid accounts.
There are no signup, monthly or subscription fees with InstantCard, on either plan. On prepaid, beyond the per-card price, you pay only for the options you choose (such as a full-color back, a holographic overlay or extra templates) and postage. On pay as you go, the color back, slot punch and standard mail are already in the price, so you pay extra only for things like a chip or faster shipping. Either way, you always know what you are paying for.
We offer two ways to pay. With a prepaid account, you fund your account by credit card or check and your orders come out of that balance at lower per-card prices. With pay as you go, there is no deposit: each order is charged to your card when you place it.
You choose on the funding page in your account, and you can switch from pay as you go to prepaid at any time.
For smart ID badges, we offer the ISO7816 Atmel Cryptomemory chip with 1 KB of user memory, adding an additional $4.50 per card. This option is perfect for enhanced security and functionality needs. On pay as you go, a chip card adds the same upgrade to the all-in price, and chip cards start at $14.50.
Pay as you go is a way to order InstantCard ID cards with no deposit. You pay $12.00 per card, all in, and each order is charged to your card when you place it.
You choose between pay as you go and prepaid on the funding page in your account, right after you sign up. Nothing is charged when you choose, and you can switch to prepaid later.
The $12.00 price per card includes:
- A full-color back
- A slot punch, whether you use it or not
- Same-day standard USPS mail
Cards with a chip add their usual upgrade (chip cards start at $14.50). Faster shipping is extra and is added to your order total at checkout.
You pay by card at checkout, one order at a time. Choose a saved card or add a new one, and the total for that order (the cards, any chip upgrade and any faster shipping) is charged when you place it.
There is no balance to keep topped up and no invoice to pay. If you would rather pay by check, that goes with a prepaid account.
No to all three. There is no deposit, no minimum order and no commitment. Order one card or a hundred, whenever you need them, and you pay only for the orders you place.
Yes. Every card is $12.00, with standard mail included, whether you order one or a hundred. There is no small-batch fee. Chip cards add their usual upgrade.
Pay as you go suits a few cards now and then. You put nothing down and pay $12.00 per card, all in.
Prepaid suits a steady flow of cards. You fund your account first, starting at $200, and the deposit becomes credit for your cards. A base card then runs from $8.95 to $5.95 depending on your deposit, plus postage and any options you choose, such as a color back. Prepaid adds our design team, the discounts below and access to integrations.
Both are sound choices. If you are not sure, start with pay as you go and switch when it makes sense, or talk to us.
Yes, whenever you like. On the funding page in your account, make a deposit of $200 or more. Your deposit becomes credit, your account moves to prepaid at the level your deposit reaches, the base card price is lower, our design team is included and integrations become available. Your designs stay as they are.
Moving the other way, from prepaid back to pay as you go, goes through our team. Contact us and we can make the change for you.
On pay as you go you design your own cards, and you get:
- The card studio, with no limit on how many designs you make
- Every ready-made design in the gallery
- An AI design assistant, with an included allowance (the studio tells you when it is used up, and prepaid includes more)
Prepaid adds our design team: we can make your card for you, set up artwork you already have, or review a design you made. Integrations (order forms, WooCommerce, Zapier and the API) are also available on prepaid accounts.
Standard USPS mail is included in the price of every card, and orders placed by 4 p.m. ET on a business day print and ship the same day. Other shipping options, such as FedEx Next Day or 2-Day, cost their usual price and are added to your order total at checkout.
Chip and access-control cards add their usual upgrade to the all-in price, so they start at $14.50 a card. The color back, slot punch and standard mail are still included.
No. The large-order discount ($1.50 off every card for a single job of 100 cards or more) and the nonprofit discount ($1.00 off every card for verified nonprofits) are for prepaid accounts. Pay as you go has one flat price per card.
If you order in large quantities or are a verified nonprofit, prepaid is usually the better fit.