Best Cardstock for Laser Cut Greeting Cards (2026)

Specs compared

Specifications are manufacturer rated, as published on each listing and collected 21 October 2026.

Buying guide: best cardstock for laser cut greeting cards

Weight: 65 to 110 lb

Weight is the first filter. The WritePads lists 110LB Index (199GSM), the Aidunmis lists 200 GSM, and the Hamilco and Cranium Press list 80lb cover. The Weyew is the lightest at 65 lb (180 gsm), with heavier options up to 400GSM/148LB in the same listing. Heavier stock holds a card’s shape and takes deeper engraving; lighter stock folds easier and suits inserts and liners. Weight also decides how the sheet behaves in the printer: the Hamilco listing tells you to set the printer to cardstock or heavy paper mode, and the WritePads listing promises no jamming. If your printer has a stated weight limit, check it against the stock before ordering a pack. Note the Cranium Press conflict: the title states 216 gsm while the bullets state 176gsm, so treat its weight as 80 lb cover and move on.

Color and finish

Three stocks are white and one is cream. The Hamilco is 98 bright white, the Cranium Press is a high bright-white shade, and the Aidunmis is crisp white; the Weyew is cream, an off-white that suits vintage and wedding styles. Finish matters for both print and cut: the Cranium Press, Aidunmis and Weyew listings all state a smooth finish, which takes ink evenly and gives the laser a consistent surface. The Hamilco and WritePads listings do not name a finish, so the white you get is the white the pack gives you.

Folded cards vs flat sheets

The Hamilco is the only folded option: 100 cards, pre-scored, 5 x 7 inches folded from a 10 x 7 flat sheet, ready to print and fold. The score line is the selling point: each card is pre-scored down the center, and you fold into the raised side of the score for a professional crease with no cracking. The other four are flat sheets you cut and score yourself: the WritePads, Cranium Press and Weyew at 8.5 x 11 in, the Aidunmis at 5×7. Folded cards skip the scoring step entirely; flat sheets give you any shape the laser can cut, from arched tops to pop-up inserts, and the Aidunmis 5×7 needs no trimming to become a card back.

Laser and inkjet printing

Three listings state printer compatibility. The Hamilco is designed for laser, inkjet and copier printing, with the printer set to cardstock or heavy paper mode at the 10 x 7 flat size. The Aidunmis works with inkjet and laser printers for photos, artwork and text, and the WritePads is engineered for laser and inkjet with no jamming or smudging, per the maker. If you print first and cut second, confirm the printer handles the weight: the Hamilco’s own instructions assume you tell the printer it is feeding heavy stock. The Cranium Press and Weyew listings do not name printer types, so check before you print a run.

Acid-free and certifications

For cards meant to be kept, acid-free matters. The Hamilco and WritePads listings state acid-free paper for archival-quality results, with the WritePads resisting yellowing over time. The Cranium Press and Weyew carry FSC certification, with the Cranium Press made in USA from sustainable sources and its purchase contributing to forest replenishment, per the listing. The Aidunmis states neither, which is fine for party invitations and classroom crafts but worth knowing for wedding suites.

Sheet count and sizes

The Aidunmis leads on count with 110 sheets of 5×7, a finished card size with no trimming. The Hamilco, WritePads and Weyew each give 100, and the Cranium Press gives 50. On sheet size, three are 8.5 x 11 in, which fits standard printer trays and leaves room for trial cuts along the margin before you commit to the design.

What the listings tell you

The purpose-built card

Only the Hamilco arrives as a greeting card. Everything about the listing is card-first: folded 5 x 7, pre-scored, 98 bright white, acid-free, made for laser, inkjet and copier printers. If your workflow is print, fold, write, done, this is the only pick that needs no laser at all, though it cuts fine as a flat 10 x 7 sheet before folding if you want shaped fronts.

The flat stocks

The other four are raw material. The WritePads is the flat 110LB stock, the Aidunmis the high-count 5×7, the Cranium Press the certified smooth white, and the Weyew the cream option with a weight ladder from 65 lb to 148 LB in the same listing. Three of the four name no printer type, and none names a laser power or speed, so plan a spare sheet for settings on each new stock. None of the five states a warranty term beyond the Weyew’s 30-days no-risk customer service.

Project Match

• Ready-to-print folded cards: Hamilco Folded Cards, pre-scored 5×7 at 80lb cover.
• Custom laser-cut shapes from heavy stock: WritePads 110LB Stock, 110LB Index (199GSM) flat sheets.
• High-count 5×7 blanks for invitations: Aidunmis 5×7 Cardstock, 110 sheets at 200 GSM.
• Certified smooth white stock: Cranium Press Cardstock, FSC, 80 lb, 50 sheets.
• Cream stock with a weight ladder: Weyew Cream Cardstock, 65 lb with options to 400GSM/148LB.

How the scores add up

Each stock is scored on performance, build, value, safety and warranty, with the weights published on our How We Pick page. A spec the listing does not publish scores nothing.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each product’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score.

FAQ: lasers and CNC

What weight cardstock is best for laser cut greeting cards?

Heavier stocks hold a card’s shape: the WritePads lists 110LB Index (199GSM), while the Hamilco and Cranium Press list 80lb cover. The Weyew’s 65 lb suits lighter cards and inserts, with heavier options in the same listing.

Can I print on these before laser cutting?

On three of them, per the listings. The Hamilco is designed for laser, inkjet and copier printing; the Aidunmis works with inkjet and laser printers; the WritePads is engineered for laser and inkjet. The Cranium Press and Weyew do not state printer compatibility.

Do I need acid-free cardstock?

For keepsake cards, it helps. The Hamilco and WritePads listings state acid-free paper for archival-quality results. The other three do not state it. If the card is a wedding invitation meant to last decades, pick from the two that state it.

Is it safe to laser cut cardstock?

Paper cuts quickly and can burn, so never leave the laser running unattended, keep an extinguisher nearby and vent the smoke outdoors. Start with a spare sheet to set power and speed for each new stock, and keep paper dust and offcuts away from the machine bed between runs.

Should I buy folded cards or flat sheets?

Folded cards like the Hamilco skip scoring and folding entirely. Flat sheets give you any shape the laser can cut, at the cost of scoring and folding yourself.

Which stocks state laser printer compatibility?

Three of them. The Hamilco is designed for laser, inkjet and copier printing; the Aidunmis works with inkjet and laser printers; the WritePads is engineered for laser and inkjet. The Cranium Press and Weyew listings do not name printer types.

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