What is the Best ID Card Software?

Regardless of which brand of ID card design software you choose, it's important to know is that there are three main categories that offer different features to consider:

Entry-Level Software (also called "Design Software") – This level is very limited and ideal for printing basic cards with no need to maintain a card record database.

At ID Wholesaler, we carry and support all of the major ID card design software brands, and we are experts in each brand! We also carry tracking software, but today, we'll focus specifically on the design software. Customers who are new to ID card printing often ask: "What's the best ID card software to use for great-looking and professional-grade IDs?" Well, first things first. Regardless of which brand of ID card design software you choose, it's important to know is that there are three main categories that offer different features to consider: Entry-Level Software (also called "Design Software") – This level is very limited and ideal for printing basic cards with no need to maintain a card record database.

Single workstation installation (no networking)
No outside database connections; data needs to be manually typed in
Batch printing not available; cards will need to be printed one at a time
Limited to a database of only 200 records
Add a 1D barcode or encode magnetic stripes

Mid-Level Software (also called "Design & Save" Software) – Our most popular software level and an optimal choice for organizations requiring external database capability, including the ability to save and search cardholder records.

Single workstation installation (no networking)
Print cards in batches or one at a time
Connect to an outside database
Add a 1D or 2D barcode
Encode magnetic stripes
Work with unlimited record storage

Fully-Featured Software (also called "Design, Save & Network") – The right choice for a corporate environment with multiple locations, flexible database requirements, and/or advanced card encoding.

Combines all the features of the first two levels with options to connect to more types of databases (this varies by brand)
Connect multiple copies of the software over a network so each workstation can communicate and see updates/changes
Add 1D or 2D barcodes
Encode magnetic stripe and smart cards
Enhanced security features

So What is the Best ID Card Software? Ultimately, that will depend on what your organization's specific ID card or badging requirements are. The good news is that our ID Professionals have years of experience and can ask the right questions to make the decision very easy for you. No matter which brand you end up choosing, our recommendation is to go with the mid-level option. The batch printing and database features will make your ID card printing application more efficient and streamlined. Be sure to also consider ongoing software support plans, as well as software training for help guiding you through the initial set-up.

If you are unsure which software might work best for your organization, I recommend "test driving" it with a free 30-day trial. You can design cards, build a database, add fields, and more — your work carries over when you purchase a full license!