- Name tag makers compared
- Ten name tag makers to try
- Which name tag maker fits your event or team
- The name has to be readable from a metre away
- Label sheet, design tool or badge maker?
- Six checks before you print name tags
- Signs your name tags need a rethink
- My plain advice on name tags people use
- Frequently asked questions
A name tag maker helps you design name tags or name badges from a template, then print them on label sheets yourself or order printed or reusable badges. Some are free design tools, some are label printing programs and some are badge makers that produce staff badges for you. Ten options follow in no particular order.
A name tag does one job: it saves people the embarrassment of asking a name twice. Get it right and a networking event, a shop floor or a school open day feels warmer, because nobody's stuck wondering who they're talking to.
The ten tools below cover one-off events and permanent staff badges. They're listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the vendor's own website, read this week. If you're going to an event rather than running one, my guide on choosing a digital business card for networking covers the other half of the introduction.
Name tag makers compared
I checked the free plan column on each tool's own website, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the site says the tool, or a plan or version of it, is free or open source. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it, so check the vendor's page before you sign up.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avery Design & Print | Free label design software | Printing name labels on Avery sheets | Yes |
| Badgemaster | UK name badge manufacturer | Reusable staff badges with new inserts | Not stated |
| Canva | Online design tool | Designed name tags for guests | Yes |
| Eventleaf | Event management software | Printing badges at check-in | Not stated |
| Microsoft Word | Label templates in Word | Name labels from a familiar program | Yes |
| Name Badges International | Staff name badge maker | Magnetic and reusable staff badges | Not stated |
| Name Tag Wizard | Custom name tag and photo ID shop | Name tags, badges and photo IDs together | Not stated |
| NameBadge.com | Custom name badge maker | Engraved and printed badges made in the US | Not stated |
| OnlineLabels | Online label designer | Blank label sheets with free templates | Yes |
| VistaCreate | Online design tool with a name tag maker | Quick name tags from a template | Yes |
Ten name tag makers to try
Avery Design & Print
Best for: Offices and event teams that print sticky name labels at home on Avery sheets and want templates that line up.
Badgemaster
Best for: UK shops and care homes that want branded staff name badges made in a choice of materials, with replacement inserts later.
Canva
Best for: Hosts who want free name tag layouts they can edit with images, icons, fonts and colours, then print themselves.
Eventleaf
Best for: Conference and meetup organisers who want to register attendees, check guests in and print event badges on the day.
Microsoft Word
Best for: Anyone comfortable in Word who wants to customise a free label template for name tags and print it on standard sheets.
Name Badges International
Best for: Hotels, retailers and clinics that want magnetic, reusable, chalkboard or wooden staff name badges for the whole team.
Name Tag Wizard
Best for: Organisations that want custom name tags, badges and photo IDs from one shop rather than three different suppliers.
NameBadge.com
Best for: US businesses that want to design custom name badges and name tags online and have them made in the USA.
OnlineLabels
Best for: Small businesses that buy blank label sheets and want a free online design program with templates and clipart to fill them.
VistaCreate
Best for: People who need new name labels fast and want an online name tag maker with ready-made designs to adapt.
Which name tag maker fits your event or team
- Sticky labels printed at home: Avery Design & Print, Microsoft Word or OnlineLabels.
- Designed name tags for guests: Canva or VistaCreate.
- Badges printed at check-in: Eventleaf.
- Reusable staff badges in the UK: Badgemaster or Name Badges International.
- Badges made in the US: NameBadge.com.
- Name tags and photo IDs together: Name Tag Wizard.
The name has to be readable from a metre away
GOV.UK's guidance on accessible communication says printed information should use a minimum 12 point text size, and to consider 14 point text if the audience includes people with sight loss.
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That guidance is for documents held in the hand. A name tag is read across a table or a shop counter, which is much further away, so a first name printed at document size is almost useless. Make the first name the biggest thing on the badge, keep job titles and logos smaller, and test one print from a step or two back before you print the whole batch.
Label sheet, design tool or badge maker?
Label sheets are the simplest route for one-off events. You'll design once, merge in your guest list and print sticky labels on a home printer.
A design tool gives you more style for a wedding, party or brand event, but you'll still print and cut the tags yourself.
A badge maker produces durable staff badges, often magnetic or reusable. They're made for shops, care homes and hotels where the same team wears them every day.
Six checks before you print name tags
- Is the first name the largest text on the tag?
- Can you merge names from a spreadsheet instead of typing them?
- Does the tag fit the holder or label sheet you've bought?
- Will pins or clips damage delicate clothes?
- Is the logo smaller than the name?
- Have you printed one test sheet first?
Signs your name tags need a rethink
- People lean in to read them. Make the name bigger.
- The logo is louder than the name. Shrink it.
- Guests rewrite their own tags. Check spellings first.
- Badges fall off by lunchtime. Try a different fastener.
Do you make a name tag maker? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on name tags people use
Print first names only, as big as the tag allows, and leave a few blank tags and a thick pen at the welcome desk. Late registrations, spelling mistakes and people who go by a nickname turn up at every event, and a blank tag fixes all three in seconds.
For the event itself, my list of giveaway items for your next event has ideas guests will keep.
Frequently asked questions
What is a name tag maker?
It's a tool that helps you design name tags or badges from a template, then print them yourself or order printed or reusable badges.
Are name tag makers free?
Several design tools and label programs are free to use. Badge makers charge for the badges they produce. Check the free plan column above.
What size should text be on a name tag?
Bigger than document text. GOV.UK suggests 12 point minimum for printed documents and 14 point for people with sight loss, and a tag is read from further away.
Can I print name tags from a spreadsheet?
Yes. Most label programs let you merge names from a spreadsheet so you don't have to type each tag.
Should name tags include job titles?
Only if it helps conversation. Keep the title smaller than the first name so the name stays readable.
What are reusable name badges?
They're badges with a holder and replaceable inserts, so a new starter gets a badge without a new order.
