How to Send Ecards and Online Invitations at Punchbowl

This article explains how to get ecards and online invitations on Punchbowl, a website that lets you send customized digital greeting cards that arrive tucked in a virtual envelope with a postage stamp. Virtual invitations are also available to help you plan a party.

How to Get Free Punchbowl Ecards

This method gives you access to more ecards than you can get through the mobile app, but you have to sign up for the trial:

1. Visit Punchbowl's Free Ecards page and choose the category of ecard you'd like to send.

   There are cards for almost every holiday, birthday cards for every age and gender, announcements, and greeting cards for occasions like graduations and weddings, and ecards to express just about every feeling.

2. Select one from the list, and then choose Personalize design to get started.

3. The next page asks if you want to include a digital gift card. Select No thanks, continue to skip it, or Yes, include a gift card.

4. Choose Edit Message if you want to change the text. This is where you can add all your own personal touches like a unique font type and color.

   When finished, choose Done and then Continue to move on to the inside, where you'll have another opportunity to edit the text.

   You won't see this option on the front unless the template provides editing for the cover—if that's the case for the card you've chosen, select Continue instead.

5. Select Edit Gift Card (you'll see that option if you selected the gift card option earlier). Choose the company and the amount—anything from $10 to $1000—and then press Done and then Continue.

   There are several options here, including Amazon, Target, DoorDash, The Home Depot, GAP, Panera Bread, Apple, Disney, Wayfair, and others.

6. The final ecard editing you can do involves the virtual envelope. Change the liner design, the rubber stamp font type, and the postage, and then press Save and continue.

7. If you're not already signed in to your Punchbowl account, you're asked to do so now. There's a free trial for new members, otherwise you must choose one of their payment plans to send the ecard.

8. Enter the names and email/phone of the people you're sending the ecard to. Use the Add List tab or Import contacts link to add multiple recipients.

   Select Continue when you're done adding people.

9. To send the ecard for free, choose Decide later when asked about removing ads. Or, select Yes, join now to pay for your account and remove ads from the card.

10. Confirm the ecard design and recipient list, and then press Send now.

11. Select one of the subscription options to start your trial and send the ecard for free.

    The trial lasts seven days and renews automatically, but you can cancel your Punchbowl membership at any time before it's over to avoid being charged. Every plan bills on a yearly basis.

12. Select Send now again, now that you're using the trial. You'll instantly see a message and get an email confirmation that it's been sent.

How to Use Punchbowl Invitations

In addition to ecards, Punchbowl also has an excellent party planning section on their website. You can send online invitations for birthday parties, weddings, baby showers, and other get-togethers. There are also "save the dates" to pick from.

Customizing an invitation is similar to how ecards work, but since this is an event, you can fill out a title, date and time, host details like their phone number and address, and any other party details that your guests need to know. The invitation can also be personalized with different text, colors, and more, just a regular ecard.

You can even manage your RSVPs right there at Punchbowl. Decide whether the guest list is public, let each person bring additional people, have automatic reminders sent to the recipients who are coming, allow guests to message you, and include potluck details.

Invitations aren't included in the ecard membership or the trial. To send free invitations, you can sign up for a 7-day trial by choosing the Platinum, Premium, or Plus plan. Each are slightly different, letting you have different guest list sizes, poll your guests, add co-hosts, and remove ads.

Punchbowl Mobile App

The app for iOS and for Android is different from the desktop site because it shows all the free ecards and invitations that you can send right there from your phone or tablet. You can even get push notifications when your guests RSVP.

Instead of entering your payment information and using Punchbowl only during a trial, you can sign up from the app to send cards and invitations without paying a dime. Just be sure to use only the free items.