When I was researching invitations for my daughter’s first birthday party, I decided to look into options that involved technology.  Online event invitations have been growing in popularity for the past few years due to the low cost and eco-friendly nature of their design.  I had only used one service in the past, Evite, and was curious to see if there were other similar websites that offered this service.  I found 5 services that offered unique options and designs, and have detailed them for you below.

1. Evite

We’ll start with the most recognizable site, Evite, which has over 32 million users and is definitely the most used online invitation software.  They offer both free and premium paid designs for a variety of occasions.  In addition to providing invitations, they also have greeting cards, party ideas, and instant gifts available.

Pros:

• Easily accessible
• Many designs
• Customizable responses
• Guests have probably used it before
• Open invitations (link can be posted and guests can RSVP without you having to enter their email address)
• Instant gifts and gift lists

Cons:

• Fairly generic
• Premium designs cost money
• All greeting card designs are premium
• Only an online service (cards cannot be printed)
• Design your own invitation is a premium feature

 

2. Paperless Post

I was so excited when friends of mine used Paperless Post for their daughter’s first birthday party, since I had never heard of any online invitation site other than Evite.  When I explored their website, I was so pleased to see how many designs they offered, and the different types of events that they offered them for.  Any invitation can be customized to your liking.

Pros:

• Partnerships with brands like Kate Spade, Disney, and Rifle Paper Co.
• Most designs are free, with the exception of designer invitations
• Displays a map of the location on the invitation
• Designs can be ordered as a paper version so that you have a keepsake or for a relative that does not use email

Cons:

• RSVP process can get a bit confusing if you add all of the features available
• Not as recognizable of a name as Evite- attendees may not recognize that it is an online invitation
• There are many upgrade options for cards, but they all cost money

 

3. Pingg

Pingg launched in 2008, and has been hosting online invitations and greeting cards ever since.  They are the only online invitation site that allows independent designers to create their own collections and earn money off of their designs.

Pros:

• Option to add potluck item sign ups on invitation
• Option to add photos and videos to the invitation
• Ability to create a gift fund to go in on a group gift for an event honoree
• Tickets can be sold for events through Pingg’s software
• Designs can be ordered as a paper version so that you have a keepsake or for a relative that does not use email

Cons:

• Guest list size is limited to 75 unless you pay
• Tickets sold for events cost $1.00 each, so cost may be a factor
• The interface is not as aesthetically pleasing as others, so it’s not as enjoyable of an experience creating an invitation
• Not as recognizable of a name as Evite- attendees may not recognize that it is an online invitation

 

4. Punchbowl

Punchbowl is an online event invitation site that offers designs with favorite childhood characters, handmade cards, and many more beautiful designs.  They have different membership levels for higher tier events, and even have a business membership for corporate events.

Pros:

• All invitation types have easy to navigate buttons at the top that let you search for cards based on things like the children’s character that you want on the card, or the age of the honored guest
• You can send a card as an invitation that includes an RSVP,  or a Save the Date without an RSVP
• Digital envelope is included in the free membership
• Option to add potluck item sign ups on invitation
• Partnerships with venues like Chuck E. Cheese’s and Color Me Mine for themed invitations

Cons:

• You need a paid membership to get advanced features and premium designs
• Not as recognizable of a name as Evite- attendees may not recognize that it is an online invitation

 

5. Smilebox

Smilebox is a bit different than the other sites that I have detailed above, because it is a program that you download rather than being hosted on a website.  Smilebox allows you to create a full experience with the card that you send, including the option to add a slideshow and music.

Pros:

•  Add photos and videos to your card to personalize the recipient’s experience
• Send slideshows to recipients as a way to provide more information and in a way that makes most sense to your event
• Cards are animated, which really sets them apart from designs from other sites
• You can share cards by email, an online link, printing them at home, saving them as a JPG, or ordering high quality prints directly through Smilebox

Cons:

•  You have to download the software to use their product
• There is a bit of a learning curve with their software, because it is set up so differently from the other online invitation sites

 

I ended up going with Paperless Post for my daughter’s birthday, because I loved the simple user interface, as well as the fact that I could upload my own design for no additional fee.  I absolutely loved it!

I would love to hear if you have any experience with any of these websites, or if you know of any others that I missed!