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Digital or paper invitations: an honest comparison
Paper has its charm, digital has its advantages. Rather than choosing blindly, here's a point-by-point comparison, and the situations where each one wins.
The point-by-point comparison
| Criterion | Paper invitation | Digital invitations |
|---|---|---|
| Price for 100 guests | Often several hundred (printing, envelopes, stamps) | One fixed price, whatever the number of guests |
| Lead time | 2 to 4 weeks (printing and mail) | Same day |
| Changes after sending | Impossible without reprinting | Possible at any time |
| Guest replies | Reply cards, calls, scattered messages | One button, every reply in one place |
| Practical details | Limited by the size of the card | Schedule, map, directions, accommodation, gift registry |
| Keepsake | An object you keep | An image and a PDF to print if you wish |
| Older guests or no smartphone | Ideal | Opens on a computer; plan a few paper copies |
What paper really costs
On top of each invitation come the envelope, often a reply card, and postage, which adds up fast. Then there's the time: writing addresses, sticking stamps, going to the post office.
Digital costs one fixed price. At InviteTo, it's €249 for unlimited guests, or €449 if we text the invitation to each guest.
When paper is still the best choice
- Many of your guests don't have a smartphone.
- You want an object to keep in a memory box.
- Family tradition expects it, for example for the grandparents.
The mixed approach, the most common
Many couples send the digital invitation to everyone, and a handful of printed copies to the grandparents. With InviteTo, you download your card as a high-resolution image or PDF after payment: just have it printed.
That way you keep the same design everywhere, and replies from your connected guests all arrive in one place.
The part people forget: sending
A digital invitation still has to be sent: finding numbers, copying the link, writing a short note, a hundred times over. That's the part most services leave to you. At InviteTo, with the Design + SMS Sending plan, you enter your guest list and we send it to everyone. See how sending works.
Design it online and see the result with every choice. And if you like, we send it to each of your guests.
Create my invitationUpdated October 30, 2026 · Digital invitations: see our designs