Rack Card Size
A rack card is 4 × 8.5 inches (101.6 × 215.9 mm) — designed to stand upright in wire display racks commonly found in hotel lobbies, tourist centres, and retail environments. At 300 DPI it's 1200 × 2550 pixels. The vertical narrow format is immediately recognisable and optimised for a single focused message.
Specifications
| Pixels | 1200 × 2550 px (at 300 DPI) |
| Millimetres | 101.6 × 215.9 mm |
| Centimetres | 10.2 × 21.6 cm |
| Inches | 4 × 8.5 in |
| Aspect ratio | 4:8.5 |
| Colour mode | CMYK |
| Bleed | 3 mm (0.125 in) |
| Safe zone | 5 mm (0.25 in) from trim |
Rack Card in Pixels at Different DPI
The pixel count changes with DPI setting — choose the right one for your output.
| DPI | Width (px) | Height (px) | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72 | 288 | 612 | Screen preview, PDF viewers |
| 96 | 384 | 816 | Windows screen standard, digital documents |
| 150 | 600 | 1,275 | Medium-quality print, home printers |
| 300 | 1,200 | 2,550 | Professional print, commercial offset |
Design Tips
- →Rack cards are displayed in wire racks that show only the top 2–3 inches — design the top third as the sole 'hook' that must capture attention before the card is picked up.
- →Use one clear call-to-action per face. Rack cards picked up in hotel lobbies are scanned, not read — keep the hierarchy tight: headline, image, CTA, contact details.
- →Print on 14 pt or 16 pt card stock with a gloss or UV coating for durability in high-traffic display racks.
- →Design both front and back — the back is often used for a map, QR code, or event schedule.
How to Make Rack Card Designs in Playyy
Three steps, no design software. Set the size once — from the size options or straight in your prompt — and every design comes out at 1,200 × 2,550 px.
- 1
Open Playyy
Playyy runs in your browser, so there's nothing to download. Sign in and you'll land on the Home page.
- 2
Type your prompt and set the Rack Card size
Describe what you want in the input box on the Home page, then set the size whichever way is quicker. Pick Rack Card from the size options right underneath — print, poster, and social formats are all in that list. Or just say it in your prompt, like "Rack Card at 1,200 × 2,550 px", and Playyy matches it. Either way you get 1,200 × 2,550 px at 300 DPI, with no converting from millimetres or inches.
- 3
Create your Rack Card design and export it for print
Playyy generates the design at the full 1,200 × 2,550 px — that's Rack Card at 300 DPI, the resolution commercial print expects. Allow 3 mm (0.125 in) of bleed and export a print-ready PDF. Colour mode: CMYK.
Create Rack Card designs with Playyy
Type a prompt, pick Rack Card from the size options underneath it, and export at 1200 × 2550 px — no design software needed.
Start designing free →Frequently Asked Questions
What is standard rack card size?+
Rack cards are 4 × 8.5 inches (101.6 × 215.9 mm). At 300 DPI that's 1200 × 2550 pixels. This is the most common size for hotel lobby displays, tourist racks, and retail display fixtures. The tall narrow portrait format fits standard wire racks.
What is a rack card?+
A 4 × 8.5 in (101.6 × 215.9 mm) promotional card sized to fit the standard wire display racks in hotels, visitor centres, and waiting rooms. At 300 DPI it is 1200 × 2550 px. Three rack cards cut from one 8.5 × 11 in sheet.
What part of a rack card is visible in the display?+
Roughly the top 3.5 to 4 in. Racks overlap cards, so everything below that is hidden until someone picks it up. Put the brand, the hook, and the key image in the top third — the rest is for the person already holding it.
What card stock should a rack card use?+
14 pt or heavier. Rack cards are handled repeatedly and must stand up in a wire slot without curling. Lighter stock slumps forward in the rack, which hides the top portion that does the work.
Should a rack card be double sided?+
Almost always. The front works at rack distance — one image, one hook. The back is read in the hand, so it carries hours, pricing, a map, and contact details. Printing single-sided wastes the half that actually converts.