- Greeting card makers side by side
- Ten greeting card makers to try
- Which card maker fits the occasion
- Why an ecard can look like a phishing email
- Ecard, group card or printed card?
- Six things to check before you send a card
- Signs your card needs a rethink
- My plain advice on cards people remember
- Frequently asked questions
A greeting card maker lets you design or choose a card, add your own words or photos, then send it as an ecard, print it at home or have it printed and posted. Some are free ecard sites, some are group card platforms for offices and some post a real card for you. Ten options follow in no particular order.
Most of us still care about getting a card, even if we've stopped buying them in shops. A thoughtful card for a client, a colleague's leaving card or a birthday card for a friend abroad all land better than a quick message.
The ten tools below cover ecards, group cards, printables and posted cards. 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 writing to customers this season, my Christmas messages for clients and customers give you the words.
Greeting card makers side by side
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 123Greetings | Free ecard site | A quick ecard for a small occasion | Yes |
| Blue Mountain | Ecard membership | Keeping in touch through the year | Trial only |
| Cardly | Personalised card delivery | Real cards posted for you | Not stated |
| Doozy Cards | Ecard site | Funny ecards for friends | Trial only |
| Fotor | Online card maker | Designing a printable card yourself | Yes |
| GroupGreeting | Group ecard platform | Office cards everyone signs | Yes |
| Jacquie Lawson | Animated ecard membership | Animated ecards with date reminders | Not stated |
| Kudoboard | Group ecards and recognition | Celebrating people at work | Not stated |
| Microsoft Word | Greeting card templates | Printing a card at home | Yes |
| Moonpig | Personalised card and gift shop | Milestone birthday cards with gifts | Not stated |
Ten greeting card makers to try
123Greetings
Best for: People who want a ready-made ecard for a birthday, thank you or quirky awareness day, sent in a minute or two.
Blue Mountain
Best for: Grandparents and busy families who want thousands of ecards on hand to send for every season of the year.
Cardly
Best for: Anyone who wants to personalise a printed card online and have it posted, with an optional gift card inside.
Doozy Cards
Best for: Friends who want funny, musical or heartfelt ecards for birthdays and holidays without paying for postage.
Fotor
Best for: Crafters who want to design a card from a template with their own photos, then print it or share it digitally.
GroupGreeting
Best for: Office teams that want one online card for a colleague's birthday or farewell that everyone can sign from their desk.
Jacquie Lawson
Best for: Senders who'd like animated ecards for holidays and family occasions, with reminders for upcoming dates.
Kudoboard
Best for: HR and managers who want group ecards, online collages and recognition boards to celebrate people at work.
Microsoft Word
Best for: Home and office users who'd rather print a birthday or thank you card from a Word template on their own printer.
Moonpig
Best for: UK senders who want a personalised printed card for a milestone birthday, often posted with flowers or a gift.
Which card maker fits the occasion
- A quick ecard for a small occasion: 123Greetings or Doozy Cards.
- Keeping in touch all year: Blue Mountain.
- A real card posted for you: Cardly or Moonpig.
- A card you design and print yourself: Fotor or Microsoft Word.
- A leaving or birthday card the whole office signs: GroupGreeting or Kudoboard.
- Animated ecards with date reminders: Jacquie Lawson.
Why an ecard can look like a phishing email
The Federal Trade Commission says phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment, and can look like they come from a company you know or trust.
An ecard is, by design, an unexpected email with a link in it, often from a service the recipient has never heard of. That's exactly the pattern people are taught to ignore, and it's why so many ecards never get opened. Send a short note from your own email or phone first to say a card is on its way, and the link stops looking suspicious.
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For a short note that needs no envelope, our guide to postcard makers compares design tools, photo apps and direct mail services.
Ecard, group card or printed card?
An ecard arrives in minutes and often includes animation or music. It's ideal for birthdays you nearly forgot and friends who live far away.
A group card collects messages from lots of people on one online board. It suits offices, clubs and classes, where passing a paper card round takes a week.
A printed card is designed online, then printed and posted for you or printed at home. It's the option that ends up on the mantelpiece.
A matching sticker on the envelope finishes a card nicely, and our guide to sticker makers compares tools to design one.
Six things to check before you send a card
- Is the recipient's name spelled correctly?
- Does the card suit your relationship, from client to close friend?
- Will it arrive in time if it's posted?
- Have you written a personal line, not just signed it?
- Does the recipient know an ecard is coming?
- For a group card, has everyone had a chance to sign?
Signs your card needs a rethink
- It only says best wishes. Add a personal line.
- It's a link with no warning. Send a heads-up first.
- Half the office hasn't signed. Send a reminder.
- It'll arrive after the day. Switch to an ecard.
Do you make a greeting card maker? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on cards people remember
Write one sentence only that person could receive. Mention something specific: a project you finished together, a trip they took or a phrase they always use. The design matters far less than that line, and it's the reason a card gets kept instead of recycled.
For customer thank-yous, my end of year thank you messages to customers are ready to adapt.
Frequently asked questions
What is a greeting card maker?
It's a tool that lets you design or choose a card, add your words or photos and send it as an ecard, print it or have it posted.
Are greeting card makers free?
Some ecard sites and design tools are free, and membership sites often offer a trial. Check the free plan column above, then confirm on each site.
Why do ecards end up in spam?
An unexpected email with a link looks like phishing, which the FTC says often uses a story to get you to click. Warn the recipient first.
How does a group card work?
One person creates an online card and shares a link, and everyone adds a message before it's delivered on the day.
Can I print a greeting card at home?
Yes. Many design tools and document templates let you design a card, then print and fold it on your own printer.
Can a card be posted for me?
Yes. Some services print your personalised card and post it, sometimes with a gift included.
