The 9 Best Digital Christmas Card Sites of 2020

Electronic Christmas cards, also known as e-Christmas cards or digital Christmas cards, are a convenient way to send holiday greetings to friends and loved ones. We've organized our list of excellent digital Christmas card services by category, including easiest, silliest, and most elegant.

American Greetings has a huge selection of digital Christmas cards, including many with animation and customization options. Upload your own photos and put yourself into the scenery, or add a personal message via the Merry Chrismoose talking card.

Downloading these cards requires a one-month ($4.99), one-year ($1.67 per month), or two-year ($1.25 per month) paid membership. American Greetings offers a seven-day free trial to test out the service.

JibJab offers one of the web's best collections of animated video greetings with music and elaborate personalization options. Many cards are billed as "Music videos starring you!" Upload pictures of your family and watch them dancing and singing in various holiday scenarios. JibJab specializes in humor and many of its cards tell elaborate stories.

JibJab offers a free account with limited options or a paid membership ($2.99 per month or $24 per year) with unlimited options and access to JibJab apps.

123 Greetings has a wide variety of free e-greetings, including some nice YouTube video messages, such as Elvis singing over vintage Christmas scenery. Easily send your personalized holiday greetings via email.

123 Greetings is a large site, with thousands of different cards and advanced search functionality to find just the right card for any occasion.

Jacquie Lawson is a British illustrator in southern England who started creating electronic greetings in 2000. She has built an elegant and impressive online collection of animated Flash greeting cards with music.

These e-cards aren't free, but they are very high quality and it may be worth the yearly membership fee to send classy messages to your friends and family throughout the year. (A U.S. membership is $20 per year.)

Hallmark has some beautiful and high-quality e-cards, but they aren't free. A $5 monthly fee gets you an unlimited-use membership and access to the entire Hallmark e-library.

Hallmark has many customization options, including the ability to send cards featuring various cartoon characters, popular music, and TV shows. The Christmas section is nicely categorized. Sort by character name, tone (funny? heartfelt? religious?), and options such as music and customizable animation. Hallmark includes user reviews of its cards, which is helpful.

CowrieCards offers a small but lovely collection of e-cards featuring African American wit and wisdom, with both illustrated cards and photographs. Search for the right card or create your own. Cards range from modern photographs to hand-drawn pictures. 

A CowrieCards membership is free for unlimited use of e-cards and e-invitations. Single and boxed sets of printed greeting cards are for sale.

Victorian Trading Company adds a dose of sly humor to its lovely vintage-style free Christmas e-cards. The images used in these e-cards are more than 100 years old and are seriously wonderful. If you're over it with talking Christmas cards or crazy jumping graphics, this might be the site for you.

E-Cards.com offers sweet and simple Christmas cards with a twist: support of wildlife and the environment. Send cards for free or pay for a membership with added benefits.

The company donates a portion of its revenues to non-profit organizations dedicated to preserving our planet. The lack of glitz and glamour in these cards makes them unique. Build an address book with reminders and add your own photos to the cards.

Looking for canine-inspired cards? The dogs of Sloppy Kiss Cards shop for presents, decorate the tree, and travel the world in delightful Christmas e-cards. Create personalized cards with photos of your own beloved fur-baby, or add your photos to the current card selections.

Sloppy Kiss Cards offers a 30-day free trial; a yearly membership is $13.95.