Pick a gift box style, type the size you need and get a template drawn to your measurements: a box with a lid, an explosion box, a petal box, a ribbon-top favor box, a pyramid, gable, milk carton, hexagon, heart, star or drawer box. Add a paper bow, a ribbon band, a gift tag, a window or a name, turn the box in 3D, then download a cut file for Cricut with the fold lines ready to score, a printable PDF, or a measurement diagram to pin.
Free, no sign-up, no watermark. Everything runs in your browser, and the boxes you make are yours to sell.
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How to make a gift box template
- Pick a box style: a gift box with a lid, an explosion box, a petal box, a ribbon-top favor box, a pyramid, gable, milk carton, hexagon, heart, star or drawer box.
- Type the inside size in inches, centimeters or millimeters, or tap a ready-made size like Mug, Cookies or Gift card.
- Choose your cardstock weight. The lid is drawn a little bigger for thicker card, so it slides on without wobbling.
- Add the fun parts: a paper bow, a ribbon band, a gift tag, a window or a name. Tap 3D preview and drag to turn your box around.
- Download the SVG cut file for Cricut, the printable PDF to cut by hand, or the Pinterest diagram to save your box with all its measurements.
Your box and settings stay on this device, so you can come back later and carry on where you left off.
Which gift box style should you make?
- Gift box with lid: the classic two-piece box. Perfect for mugs, candles, jewelry and cookies, and it looks amazing with the paper bow and ribbon band.
- Explosion box: lift the lid and the walls fall open to show two or three layers of photos, notes and treats. A favorite for birthdays, anniversaries and Valentine’s Day.
- Petal box: four curved petals fold in to close the top. No glue on the lid, and it looks so pretty for earrings, chocolates and party favors.
- Favor box with ribbon top: four triangles meet at the top and tie closed with ribbon through the holes. Great for candy and wedding favors.
- Pyramid box: a base and four tall triangles tied at the tip. Quick to make in a big batch.
- Gable box: a little carry box with a handle, ideal for cupcakes, cookies and kids’ party favors.
- Milk carton box: the cute carton shape with a top fin. Switch on Little house to cut a door and windows for a gingerbread or birdhouse box.
- Hexagon box: a six-sided box with a lid. You can also make it as a pentagon or an octagon.
- Heart box: a heart-shaped box with a lid, made from a base, a wall strip and liners. Ready for Valentine’s chocolates!
- Star box: a five-point star with a lid, built the same way as the heart box. Lovely for Christmas and Fourth of July.
- Drawer box: a tray that slides into a sleeve, like a matchbox. Perfect for gift cards, jewelry and tiny surprises.
Need a plain tuck box, pillow box or open tray instead? Our free Box Template Maker draws those to any size too.
How to measure for your gift box
Measure the gift: length, width and height. Then add a little room, about 1/8 in (3 mm) on each side, so it slides in easily. Type those numbers as the inside size.
The lid is drawn bigger than the base for you: about 2 mm (3/32 in) bigger with 80 lb cardstock, and a touch more with 110 lb. That gives the walls room to slide past each other, and it’s why it matters which cardstock you pick. Cutting the lid from heavier card than the base? Choose the heavier weight.
Explosion box measurements
Want to make an explosion box by hand, or just check your sizes? Here are the measurements our maker uses. Each layer is a cross: a square base with a wall on every side. Every inner layer is 1/4 in smaller so it nests inside the one before, and its walls are 1/8 in shorter. The lid is about 2 mm bigger than the outer layer (80 lb cardstock).
| Box | Outer layer | Middle layer | Inner layer | Lid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 in cube | 3 in base, 3 in walls (9 in across) | 2 3/4 in base, 2 7/8 in walls (8 1/2 in across) | 2 1/2 in base, 2 3/4 in walls (8 in across) | 3 in + 2 mm square, 7/8 in deep |
| 3 1/2 in cube | 3 1/2 in base, 3 1/2 in walls (10 1/2 in across) | 3 1/4 in base, 3 3/8 in walls (10 in across) | 3 in base, 3 1/4 in walls (9 1/2 in across) | 3 1/2 in + 2 mm square, 1 in deep |
| 4 in cube | 4 in base, 4 in walls (12 in across) | 3 3/4 in base, 3 7/8 in walls (11 1/2 in across) | 3 1/2 in base, 3 3/4 in walls (11 in across) | 4 in + 2 mm square, 1 1/4 in deep |
A 3.5 in explosion box fits on a 12 × 12 mat. The 4 in box needs 12 in across, so cut it on a 12 × 24 mat, or use the printable PDF and cut by hand.
How to cut your gift box with Cricut Design Space
- Download the SVG cut file (keep Score (Cricut) selected for the fold lines).
- In Design Space, click Upload, then Upload Image, and choose the SVG. It opens at the real size you made, so don’t resize it.
- Select the pink fold lines and change Operation from Basic Cut to Score.
- Select each piece together with its score lines and click Attach, so the scores stay in place on the mat.
- Click Make It, choose your cardstock, and add the scoring stylus or scoring wheel when Design Space asks.
No scoring tool? Cut the box, then press each fold line with a bone folder, an empty pen or the back of a butter knife against a ruler. Curved lines (like on the petal box) go slowly and by hand.
The name is its own piece in the file. Cut it from glitter cardstock, a second color or adhesive vinyl, and stick it on the lid or the tag.
Gift box extras: bow, band and tag
- Paper bow: three loop strips, a center loop and tails, sized to your lid. Curl each strip so its ends meet at the middle score, stack the loops, wrap the center strip around them and glue the tails underneath.
- Ribbon band: two strips that cross over the lid and fold down the sides at the score lines. It looks like real ribbon, with no knots to tie.
- Gift tag: a classic, round or heart tag with a hole for twine. Put the name on the tag instead of the box if you like.
- Window: a circle, heart, star, rectangle or arch cut in the lid or front. Tape clear acetate or a page protector behind it so the treats peek through.
What size gift box fits on a 12 × 12 mat?
Cricut cuts up to 11.5 × 11.5 in on a 12 × 12 mat, and each piece has to fit on its own. Every flat piece is bigger than the finished box, because its walls are laid out around it. For a box with a lid, the base measures the length plus two heights, by the width plus two heights. So the biggest cube you can cut from one 12 × 12 sheet is about 3.75 in.
Heart and star boxes are easier: the walls come as long strips, and the maker splits them into shorter pieces when they get too long for the mat. The Will it fit? box under the downloads checks every piece for you.
How to print and cut a gift box by hand
Download the printable PDF, pick Letter or A4, and print at 100% / Actual size (not “Fit to page”). Measure the 2 in check line at the bottom of the page to make sure it printed the right size. Cut the solid lines, score the dashed lines, then fold.
If a piece is bigger than one sheet of paper, the PDF splits it over several pages. Trim one page along the grey edge, line up the shapes and tape them together.
Gift box ideas
- Christmas gift boxes, star boxes and milk carton gingerbread houses. Find more in our Cricut Christmas gift ideas.
- Heart boxes and explosion boxes full of photos for Valentine’s Day, plus more Cricut Valentine ideas.
- Treat boxes and gable boxes for teachers, like the ones in our Cricut teacher gift ideas.
- Favor boxes and pyramid boxes for baby showers, weddings and birthdays.
- Product boxes for soap, candles and earrings you sell. See what else sells in Cricut ideas to sell.
- Tuck a handmade card inside. Our Envelope Template Maker makes a matching envelope in any size.
Frequently asked questions
Is the gift box template maker free?
Yes! There’s no sign-up and no watermark, and everything is drawn right in your browser. Nothing you make is uploaded anywhere.
Can I sell the gift boxes I make?
Yes. The templates are yours to use for gifts and for products you sell. The fonts for names are open-license (SIL Open Font License), so they’re fine for selling too.
What cardstock is best for gift boxes?
Use 65 lb to 80 lb cardstock for small boxes, favors and the paper bow, and 100 lb to 110 lb for bigger boxes that need to hold their shape. Smooth, solid-core cardstock folds the cleanest, and kraft card looks great on rustic boxes.
Why doesn’t my lid fit?
Check that you didn’t resize the file in Design Space, and that you picked the same cardstock weight you cut. Scaling a box changes its size but not the thickness of the card, so lids stop fitting. Change the size here and download a new file instead.
Can I make a gift box without a Cricut?
Of course. Download the printable PDF, print it at actual size on cardstock, and cut it out with scissors or a craft knife. Score the dashed lines against a ruler before you fold.
Have fun making your gift boxes! If you make one, save the Pinterest diagram so you can find your sizes again next time.