An A2 card measures 4.25 by 5.5 inches folded, and takes an A2 envelope measuring 4.375 by 5.75 inches. It is the default size in North American card making, it cuts two-per-sheet from standard 8.5 by 11 cardstock with nothing wasted, and it mails at the ordinary letter rate.
That is the short answer. The rest of this covers the other standard sizes, which envelope each one needs, and how to get the most cards out of a sheet.
A quick warning about the letter A
The card-making sizes below are not the ISO A-series you know from paper sizes. An ISO A2 sheet is enormous, roughly 16.5 by 23.4 inches. A card-making A2 is a small folded note.
The two systems share letters and nothing else. If you are buying from a European supplier, or reading a tutorial written outside North America, check the actual measurements rather than trusting the letter.
Standard card sizes
All measurements are the finished folded card, in inches.
| Name | Card size | Envelope size | Common use |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | 3.5 x 4.875 | 3.625 x 5.125 | Thank you notes, gift enclosures |
| A2 | 4.25 x 5.5 | 4.375 x 5.75 | The everyday standard |
| A6 | 4.5 x 6.25 | 4.75 x 6.5 | Slightly roomier notes |
| A7 | 5 x 7 | 5.25 x 7.25 | Invitations, photo cards |
| A9 | 5.5 x 8.5 | 5.75 x 8.75 | Large statement cards |
| Square | 5.25 x 5.25 | 5.5 x 5.5 | Scrapbook-style layouts |
| Square | 6 x 6 | 6.25 x 6.25 | Heavier embellished designs |
| Slimline | 3.5 x 8.5 | #10 business, 4.125 x 9.5 | Modern, popular for die-cut scenes |
The pattern holds throughout: an envelope runs about 1/8 inch wider and 1/4 inch taller than its card. That gap is what lets a finished card slide in without catching. If you make your own envelopes, keep it.
How many cards you get per sheet
This is usually what decides the size, not aesthetics.
A2 from 8.5 by 11 cardstock: two cards, no waste. Cut the sheet in half to 8.5 by 5.5, then score each piece at 4.25 and fold. This efficiency is the real reason A2 became the standard.
A1 from 8.5 by 11: two cards. Cut two 7 by 4.875 pieces and score each at 3.5. Four will not fit, despite the small finished size, because the flat piece is 7 inches across.
A7 from 12 by 12 cardstock: one card. Cut a 10 by 7 piece and score at 5. From 8.5 by 11 you cannot make an A7 as a single folded card, which is why A7 designs are often flat single-panel cards with a separate backing.
Slimline from 8.5 by 11: one card. Cut an 8.5 by 7 piece and score at 3.5, leaving an 8.5 by 4 offcut. It is the least efficient of the common sizes per sheet, and worth it for a shape that stands out in a stack of A2s.
Square 6 by 6 from 12 by 12: two cards. Cut the sheet into two 12 by 6 strips and score each at 6.
Card base weight
Size is only half of it. A card base needs to stand on its own once it is decorated.
Use 80 lb cover stock or heavier for the base, which is roughly 216 gsm. Standard 65 lb cardstock works for a plain card but sags once you add layers, and text-weight paper will not hold a fold cleanly at all. Save the lighter weights for layered panels and die cuts on top.
Score rather than fold by eye. A scored fold on heavy stock is crisp and does not crack along the spine; an unscored one cracks almost every time.
Cutting card bases with a Cricut
You can cut and score a card base in one pass.
- Draw the flat card as a rectangle at twice the folded width. For an A2, that is 8.5 by 5.5.
- Add a score line down the centre, at 4.25 for an A2.
- Select both the rectangle and the score line and use Attach so the score lands where you drew it rather than being repositioned.
- Load the scoring stylus in clamp A and the fine-point blade in clamp B, then cut.
Set the material to a heavier cardstock preset than you think you need, and add a second pass if the first does not cut cleanly through. Our guide to cutting cardstock with a Cricut goes into the settings and the usual failure points, and if material is shifting mid-cut the cause is more often the mat than the blade, which the guide to cleaning a Cricut mat covers.
Cricut also sells insert card mats sized for specific cards. They are convenient and they lock you to their sizes, so they are worth it only if you make the same size repeatedly.
Mailing considerations
A2, A6, A7 and slimline all mail at the standard US letter rate, provided the finished card is under 1/4 inch thick and weighs under one ounce.
Square cards cost more to send. USPS applies a non-machinable surcharge to square envelopes because they jam automated sorting equipment. It is a small amount per card, but it adds up on a wedding invitation run, and it surprises people.
Thick embellishments push a card over the 1/4 inch limit and into a higher rate regardless of shape. Shaker cards, chunky die cuts and anything with a bow are worth taking to the counter rather than guessing.
Which size should you use
- Making a batch, or new to it: A2. Two per sheet, envelopes are stocked everywhere, mails at letter rate.
- Invitations or a photo focus: A7.
- Something that stands out: slimline. The proportions suit scene-style die cuts and it uses a common #10 envelope.
- Scrapbook-style layering: square, accepting the postage surcharge.
- Quick notes at volume: A1, two per sheet and the least cardstock per card.
Try a design at A2
Most cut files here are sized to sit comfortably on an A2 front without scaling. Browse the free SVG collection or the free cut files for Cricut page and place a design on a 4.25 by 5.5 rectangle to check the proportions before you cut. Every download includes SVG, PNG, DXF and JPG, so you can resize freely without losing edge quality.
Frequently asked questions
What size is an A2 card? An A2 card measures 4.25 by 5.5 inches when folded, cut from a flat piece 8.5 by 5.5 inches scored down the middle. It is the most common card size in North American card making.
What size envelope does an A2 card need? An A2 envelope measures 4.375 by 5.75 inches, written as 4 3/8 by 5 3/4. The roughly 1/8 inch of width and 1/4 inch of height over the card is the clearance that lets a decorated card slide in.
Is a card-making A2 the same as an ISO A2 paper size? No, and the difference is large. An ISO 216 A2 sheet is about 16.5 by 23.4 inches. The card-making A sizes are a separate North American convention that happens to reuse the same letters, so always check measurements on suppliers outside North America.
How many A2 cards can I cut from one sheet of cardstock? Two, from a standard 8.5 by 11 sheet, with no waste. Cut the sheet in half to 8.5 by 5.5 and score each piece at 4.25 inches. That efficiency is largely why A2 became the default size.
What weight cardstock should I use for a card base? 80 lb cover stock, around 216 gsm, or heavier. Lighter 65 lb stock works for an undecorated card but sags once layers are added, and text-weight paper will not hold a clean fold at all.
Do square cards cost more to mail? Yes. USPS charges a non-machinable surcharge on square envelopes because they do not run through automated sorting equipment. Rectangular sizes such as A2, A7 and slimline mail at the standard letter rate if they are under a quarter inch thick.
