Everything ButtonMaker Can Do

From quick one-offs to bulk mail merge orders — built specifically for button makers

Core Features

The foundation every button maker needs — without the learning curve

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Automatic Bleed Calculation

Bleed is the extra image area that wraps around the edge of your button. Get it wrong, and you'll see white edges or cut off important parts of your design. Get it right, and your buttons look professionally made.

ButtonMaker calculates the exact bleed for every button size automatically. We use a proportional 5% bleed (with sensible min/max limits) so your buttons always look perfect — whether you're making 1.25" trading pins or 3" statement buttons.

The bleed ring is visualized in real-time as you position your image. You'll see exactly what will print and what will wrap around the edge. No guessing, no wasted prints.

In Photoshop: Calculate bleed manually for each size. Create guides. Hope your math is right. Repeat for every button size you offer.
In Canva: No bleed support at all. Export and hope for the best.
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All Standard Button Sizes

We support the button sizes that actually matter: 1.25", 1.5", 2.25", and 3" circles — plus 1", 1.5", and 2" squares — and even 2.5" hearts for Valentine's and wedding buttons. These aren't arbitrary numbers; they match real button-making equipment and supplies.

Each size has its sweet spot. 1.25" buttons are perfect for collecting and trading. 2.25" is the versatile all-rounder. 3" buttons make a statement at events and rallies. We've sized the interface and templates to match what button makers actually use.

Need a non-standard size or shape? Paid plans let you create custom templates for any dimension your equipment supports.

In Photoshop: Create a new document for each size. Remember the exact dimensions. Set up bleed guides from scratch every time.
In Canva: No button-specific sizes. You're on your own figuring out the math.
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Print-Ready Exports

Download PDFs that are ready to print and cut — no additional processing needed. Cut lines are precisely positioned so your Cricut, Silhouette, or circle cutter knows exactly where to cut.

Free users get high-quality PDF exports. Paid plans unlock SVG export for vector-perfect output that scales to any resolution. SVGs are ideal for large format printing or when you need absolute precision.

Every export includes proper margins for your paper size. We support letter (8.5x11"), tabloid (11x17"), A4, and more — choose your paper size and we handle the rest.

In Photoshop: Export, import to cutting software, align cut paths manually, hope the scale is correct.
In Canva: Export as image, figure out cut lines yourself, manually position in cutting software.
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Intuitive Positioning Controls

Drag your image to position it. Scroll or pinch to zoom. Rotate with simple controls. The interface feels natural whether you're on a desktop with a mouse or a tablet with touch.

Visual guides show you the safe zone (what's guaranteed to be visible) and the bleed zone (what might wrap or get cut). Position your key content in the safe zone, let backgrounds extend into the bleed.

The zoom slider lets you precisely control how much of your image fills the button. Too zoomed out? You'll see empty space. Too zoomed in? Important details might get cut. The guides help you find the sweet spot every time.

In Photoshop: Transform tool, snap to guides (if you set them up), mental math for what's safe vs. bleed.
In Canva: No concept of bleed or safe zone. Position and hope it works out.

AI-Powered Design Tools

No design skills needed — let AI do the heavy lifting

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Generate Images from Text

Describe what you want in plain English: "Retro microphone with colorful sound waves" or "Cute cartoon bee on honeycomb background." Our AI creates button-ready artwork in seconds.

The generated images are already sized and formatted for buttons — no need to crop, resize, or adjust. They're designed to work with circular and square formats, with important elements centered in the safe zone.

Don't like the first result? Generate variations until you get exactly what you need. Each generation costs 1 AI credit.

In Photoshop: Either design from scratch (hours of work) or use a separate AI tool, then import and resize.
In Canva: AI generation exists but produces generic images not optimized for button layouts.
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Enhance Quality & Remove Backgrounds

Got a blurry logo from a client? A low-res image from Google? AI enhancement sharpens and upscales images so they look crisp when printed — not pixelated and amateur.

Background removal is one click. Upload a photo with a busy background, and AI extracts just the subject with clean edges. Perfect for turning any image into button-ready art.

Both tools cost 1 AI credit per use. The enhancement is smart enough to know what to sharpen and what to leave smooth — faces, text, and edges get special attention.

In Photoshop: Background removal is manual and tedious. Enhancement requires knowing the right filters and settings.
In Canva: Background removal exists but quality varies. No enhancement tools.
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Style Transfer & Modification

Transform photos into artwork: watercolor effects, pop art styles, vintage filters, comic book looks. Upload a regular photo, choose a style, and AI recreates it with that aesthetic.

You can also modify existing images with text prompts: "Add a rainbow in the background" or "Make the colors more vibrant." The AI understands context and makes intelligent edits.

These tools unlock creative possibilities that would take hours in traditional software. Great for turning customer photos into unique button designs.

In Photoshop: Style effects require plugins or hours of manual filter work. Modifications mean starting over.
In Canva: Limited style options. No intelligent modification capabilities.

All AI operations use 1 credit. Maker gets 5/month, Producer gets 100/month. Need more? Purchase credit packs that never expire.

Batch Processing & Personalization

Handle high-volume orders and personalized buttons efficiently

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Print Queue & Page Layout

Stop printing one button at a time. Add multiple designs to your print queue, set quantities for each, and export everything in one optimized PDF. We arrange buttons efficiently on the page so you waste less paper.

Mixed sizes? No problem. The layout algorithm handles different button sizes on the same page, fitting as many as possible while maintaining proper spacing for cutting.

Queue limits by tier: Tinker (free) can queue 1 design. Maker gets 5. Producer gets 100 — enough for even the largest batch orders.

In Photoshop: Manually duplicate and arrange buttons on artboards. Calculate spacing yourself. Export each page separately.
In Canva: No batch or queue concept. One design at a time.
Available on: Maker, Producer
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Text Layers & Arc Text

Add text directly to your button designs. Choose from 12 premium fonts selected specifically for button readability. Adjust size, color, and position to get exactly the look you want.

Arc text curves your words to follow the circular edge of your button — the classic "VOTE FOR" at top and "PEDRO" at bottom look. You control the curve radius and position.

Layer limits by tier: Maker gets 1 text layer per design (great for names or simple labels). Producer gets 5 layers for complex designs with multiple text elements.

In Photoshop: Arc text requires path tools and text-on-path features. Steep learning curve.
In Canva: Curved text is available but positioning for button edges takes trial and error.
Available on: Maker (1 layer), Producer (5 layers)
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Mail Merge from CSV

Upload a spreadsheet with names, and ButtonMaker generates a personalized button for each row. Making 50 buttons for a class? 200 buttons for a campaign? This is how you do it without losing your mind.

Design your template once with placeholder text like {NAME} or {TEAM}. Upload your CSV. Click generate. Every variation is created automatically and added to your queue for batch export.

This single feature has saved button makers hundreds of hours. What used to take an entire weekend now takes 10 minutes.

In Photoshop: Data-driven graphics exist but require advanced setup. Most users do it manually — one save per name.
In Canva: No mail merge. You'd create 50 separate designs manually.
Producer only

Save & Reuse

Build a library of designs and templates you can access anytime

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Saved Designs

Save your button designs to access later. Come back tomorrow, next week, or next year — your work is waiting. Perfect for seasonal designs you reuse annually or customer favorites you make repeatedly.

Each saved design preserves everything: image positioning, zoom level, text layers, and settings. Load a saved design and you're back exactly where you left off.

Storage limits by tier: Maker stores 25 designs. Producer stores 150 — enough for a full product catalog.

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Custom Templates & Shapes

Got a non-standard button size? Equipment that uses different dimensions? Create custom templates with your exact specifications, and they'll appear alongside the standard sizes in your interface.

Templates save the button size, shape, and bleed settings. Once created, they work just like built-in sizes — with all the same positioning tools and export options. You can even upload custom shapes for non-circular buttons like hearts, stars, or rectangles.

Template limits by tier: Maker can save 10 custom templates. Producer gets 100 — enough for any equipment collection.

Available on: Maker, Producer

ButtonMaker vs. The Alternatives

We're not a general-purpose design tool. We're built specifically for button makers.

Task ButtonMaker Photoshop Canva
Create a button template 3 minutes 30+ minutes Not built for this
Calculate bleed correctly Automatic Manual math + guides Not supported
Generate button artwork Built-in AI External tool required Generic, not button-optimized
Remove background One click Manual selection tools Available, quality varies
Fill page with mixed designs Automatic layout Manual arrangement Not possible
Create 50 personalized buttons Mail merge (10 min) 50 manual exports 50 manual designs
Export with cut lines Included in PDF Separate process Not included
Learning curve None Steep (months) Low (but wrong tool)
Cost Free – $19.99/mo $22.99/mo Free – $12.99/mo

Photoshop is powerful but overkill. Canva is easy but not built for buttons. ButtonMaker is the tool that does exactly what you need — nothing more, nothing less.

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