Where can I buy cheap online greeting cards in the UK?

Greeting cards are the oldest personalised gift there is — the ancient Chinese sent goodwill messages for the New Year, and the Egyptians managed it on papyrus. The modern version of the question is more practical: with half a dozen big card sites competing, where do you actually get the best personalised card for your money? Here's our honest comparison, updated for 2026 — including the bit the homepages don't show you, which is what the card costs once delivery is added.

The golden rule: compare with delivery included

Every card site advertises the card price and whispers the postage. Delivery typically adds around £1 or more to a standard card, and it's where the 'cheapest' site often quietly stops being cheapest. Whatever the sticker price says, do the maths at checkout — and remember most of these sites run near-constant app discounts and first-order codes, which shuffle the rankings weekly.

Moonpig vs Funky Pigeon: the big two

Moonpig is the biggest name for a reason: an enormous range, slick photo personalisation, reliable printing, and an app with occasion reminders that genuinely earns its place on your phone. The trade-offs: you'll need an account to check out, delivery is charged on top, and the upsells (flowers, chocolates, plush) are relentless.

Funky Pigeon (owned by WHSmith) is Moonpig's scrappier rival — a quirkier design range and frequently the cheaper basket once delivery is counted. Quality is comparable on standard cards. If the design you want exists on both, Funky Pigeon usually edges the total price; if the design matters more than the pennies, Moonpig's range is deeper.

The honest verdict: for most people it comes down to whichever has the better discount running that week — check both apps before paying full price on either.

The rest of the field

• Card Factory — the value pick, with a trick nobody else has: high-street stores, so you can order online and click-and-collect the same card without paying postage at all. For last-minute cards, this beats everyone.
• Thortful — cards by independent creators, so it's where you go when you want a design nobody else's fridge will have. Prices sit slightly above the big two; the designs justify it.
• Etsy — for genuinely handmade and niche personalised cards; delivery times vary by seller, so it rewards planning ahead.
• Supermarkets — Tesco, Sainsbury's and M&S all print photo cards now; fine in a pinch, rarely the cheapest or the nicest.

When a card isn't quite enough

Here's the thing about milestone occasions — an 18th, a 50th, a christening, a golden wedding: the card gets read, passed round, and filed in a drawer. For the occasions that deserve more than a drawer, pair the card with something small that keeps: a dated bauble, an engraved glass, or a personalised Toblerone for the price of two premium cards. And if you want the wrapping to match the occasion, wrapping paper printed with their name costs about the same as a large-format card from the big two — and nobody files wrapping paper in a drawer, but nobody forgets it either.

Quick answers

• Moonpig or Funky Pigeon — which is cheaper? Usually Funky Pigeon once delivery is included, but active discount codes change this weekly; check both apps.
• Cheapest personalised card overall? Card Factory via click-and-collect, because postage drops to zero.
• Best range? Moonpig for breadth, Thortful for designs you won't see twice.
• Card plus a small gift? That's us — personalised gifts from under a tenner, made unique with their name.