Pop-Up Card Template
Make a pop-up card that really closes flat. Choose a box (step fold), layered stairs, a V-fold, a heart or a word in pop-up letters, and set its width, height and depth in millimetres. The template fits an A2 (4¼ × 5½ in), A7 (5 × 7 in) or A6 card and prints the open inner sheet at exact size with solid cut lines, dashed valley folds and dash-dot mountain folds, plus a cover page to glue it into and, for the V-fold, the separate piece with its glue tabs. Before you download, every design is checked: each fold closes flat at every opening angle and nothing sticks out of the closed card. Add a picture to the box front, a message at the top and a colour, or print it plain to colour in. Download a PDF, 300 DPI PNG or an SVG cut file for a cutting machine. Nothing is uploaded.
100% private — everything runs in your browser. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
Print at 100% (Actual size) on card stock. Solid lines are cuts, dashed blue lines valley folds (fold toward you), dash-dot red lines mountain folds (fold away from you).
Card
Size of the pop-up
Colour and words
Runs in your browser with our own code and drawings: nothing is uploaded and nothing is saved. Every design is checked before you download it: each fold closes flat at every opening angle and nothing sticks out of the closed card. The designs are our own drawings: you may use them and anything you make with them, including things you sell, with no credit needed.
How to make a pop-up card
- Choose US Letter or A4, the card size and the pop-up.
- Set the size of the pop-up (the page tells you if it would stick out when the card is closed).
- Pick a picture, a colour and a message, and leave the cover page on.
- Download the PDF, print at 100% (Actual size) on card stock, and cut the solid lines.
- Fold the valley folds toward you and the mountain folds away from you, push the pop-up through, close the card and press it flat, then glue the inner sheet into the cover.
What you can use it for
- Birthday, thank-you and holiday cards
- Valentine’s and anniversary cards with a heart
- Name or word cards for a party or a classroom display
- Teaching folding and simple geometry
- Cutting machine projects with score lines
- Greeting card sets to sell (the drawings are ours)
Card sizes
| Card | Open inner sheet | Half the card | Largest height + depth | Widest pop-up (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A2 card (4¼ × 5½ in folded) | 139.7 × 215.9 mm (5.5 × 8.5 in) | 108 mm | 102 mm | 116 |
| A7 / 5 × 7 in card | 177.8 × 254 mm (7 × 10 in) | 127 mm | 121 mm | 154 |
| A6 card (105 × 148 mm folded) | 148 × 210 mm (5.83 × 8.27 in) | 105 mm | 99 mm | 124 |
A box closes inside the card only when its height plus depth is no more than half the card, less a 6 mm margin; the page stops you going over. The widest pop-up leaves at least 12 mm of uncut card at each side.
Pop-up mechanisms
| Pop-up | Cuts | Mountain folds | Valley folds | Points checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Box (step fold) | 2 | 1 | 4 | 66 |
| Layered stairs | 4 | 3 | 8 | 126 |
| V-fold | 0 (+ the piece outline) | 1 | 3 | 390 |
| Heart | 3 | 2 | 4 | 930 |
| Text pop-up | 10 | 5 | 16 | 258 |
Counts are for the default design of each pop-up on an A7 card, read from the template itself. Fold counts are fold lines; valley folds include the centre fold of the card, and the V-fold counts include the crease and the two tab folds of its separate piece.
What the lines mean
| Line | Means | In the SVG cut file |
|---|---|---|
| Solid black | Cut | Cut |
| Dashed blue | Valley fold: fold toward you | Score, then fold toward you |
| Dash-dot red | Mountain fold: fold away from you | Score, then fold away from you |
| Grey shape | Glue here (V-fold tabs) or keep glue off (cover) | Not included |
Envelopes for each card
| Card (folded) | Envelope |
|---|---|
| A2, 4¼ × 5½ in | A2, 4⅜ × 5¾ in |
| A7, 5 × 7 in | A7, 5¼ × 7¼ in |
| A6, 105 × 148 mm | C6, 114 × 162 mm |
Envelope sizes as on our Envelope Template, which prints a matching envelope for any card size; see also Envelope Sizes.
Tips for a crisp pop-up
- Print at 100% (Actual size) and cut with a craft knife and a metal ruler for straight cuts.
- Score every fold line with an empty ballpoint pen before folding.
- Fold the card in half first, then fold the pop-up the other way and press the closed card flat under a book.
- Glue only around the edges of the inner sheet, never over the pop-up.
- Card stock heavier than about 250 gsm may crack along the folds.
More card makers
Design the front with the Greeting Card Maker, add a Gift Tag Template to a present, or make seasonal cards with the Christmas Card Template and the Valentine’s Day Card.
More free tools
Making things from paper?
Templates for cards, boxes and crafts that run privately in your browser, with no sign-up and no watermark.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make a pop-up card?
Print the inner sheet on card stock and cut the solid lines. Fold the whole sheet in half on the dashed centre line, then fold the pop-up’s own lines: valley folds (dashed blue) toward you and mountain folds (dash-dot red) away from you. Push the pop-up through to the inside, close the card and press it flat, then glue the inner sheet into the cover, keeping glue off the grey areas.
What is the difference between a mountain fold and a valley fold?
A valley fold folds toward you, so the paper makes a V. A mountain fold folds away from you, so the paper makes a peak. On a box pop-up the two folds where the box meets the card are valley folds and the fold across the middle of the box is a mountain fold.
Why doesn’t my pop-up card close flat?
A box pop-up folds flat only when its middle fold sits exactly where the height and depth balance, and when height plus depth is no more than half the card. This page places every fold by that rule and checks the folded card at many angles before you download, so if you print at 100% and fold on the lines it closes flat.
What size is a pop-up card?
An A2 card is 4¼ × 5½ in folded (an open inner sheet of 5½ × 8½ in), an A7 card is 5 × 7 in (7 × 10 in open) and an A6 card is 105 × 148 mm (148 × 210 mm open). All three fit on one sheet of US Letter or A4.
What is a V-fold pop-up?
A V-fold is a separate piece folded in half and glued to both halves of the card along two lines that meet at the centre fold. When the card opens, the piece stands up at an angle. The template prints the piece with its tabs and grey shapes on the card that show exactly where to glue.
Can I use the template with a cutting machine?
Yes. The SVG cut file holds only the cut and fold lines: cuts in solid black, valley folds in dashed blue and mountain folds in dash-dot red. Set the fold lines to score in your cutting machine software, and print any colour separately.
Which envelope fits a pop-up card?
Use the envelope for the folded card size: an A2 envelope (4⅜ × 5¾ in) for an A2 card, an A7 envelope (5¼ × 7¼ in) for a 5 × 7 card and a C6 envelope (114 × 162 mm) for an A6 card. A box or stairs pop-up lies flat inside, so it needs no extra room.
What paper should I use?
Card stock of about 200 to 250 gsm (65 to 90 lb cover) holds a pop-up well; heavier card cracks along the folds. Score the folds with a blunt point and a ruler before folding for a crisp line.
Is it free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no watermark, and the drawings are ours, so you may sell what you make with them. The note under the tool gives the full terms.
Is anything uploaded?
No. Everything is drawn by JavaScript in your browser and never leaves your device, and nothing is saved when you close the page.