How Much Does a Blue Mountain Membership Cost?
If you're looking to send e-cards, Blue Mountain is a well-known name in the digital greeting card space. Understanding their pricing and what you get for your money can help you decide if it's the right choice for your needs. This guide breaks down Blue Mountain's membership costs and compares them with other popular e-card services, including how you can send a card on InviteDrop.
Blue Mountain Membership Costs at a Glance
Blue Mountain offers several membership options to access their extensive collection of e-cards:
- Monthly Membership: $7.99 per month
- Annual Membership: $35.99 per year
- Two-Year Membership: $49.99 for two years
They also provide a 7-day free trial, allowing you to explore their offerings before committing to a subscription. Additionally, Blue Mountain has a limited selection of free cards available, so you can send some greetings without a paid membership.
What Do You Get with a Blue Mountain Membership?
Blue Mountain, along with its sister site American Greetings, boasts an enormous catalog of over 4,000 cards. Their Creatacard maker is a key feature, allowing you to personalize cards with up to six photos or one video. You can also add typed or drawn signatures, and they offer a print-at-home option for those who prefer a physical card. However, it's worth noting that Blue Mountain does not provide open or view notifications to senders, nor do they support group signing for cards.
Comparing Blue Mountain to Other E-card Services
The world of digital greeting cards offers a variety of choices, each with its own strengths and pricing models. Let's look at how Blue Mountain compares to some of the other popular platforms.
Jacquie Lawson
Jacquie Lawson stands out for its unique, hand-drawn animated card "films" that often run for about a minute and feature commissioned music. These are genuinely artful and a real differentiator for the service. A Jacquie Lawson membership costs $36 per year or $8 per month. They do not offer a free tier on the web, but all memberships include unlimited sends. While their classic cards don't support font, color, or photo customization, their newer Postbox line allows for up to six photos or one video. A common complaint among customers is their auto-renewal process. Like Blue Mountain, Jacquie Lawson does not offer group signing.
Hallmark eCards
Hallmark, a household name in greeting cards, extends its brand to the digital space. With the free Crown Rewards program, you can send one free e-card per month. For unlimited access, you'll need a Hallmark+ subscription, which costs $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year. Hallmark's genuine strengths lie in its established brand and its convenient paper-card mail service. Their digital cards, however, do not feature opening animations, and there's no documented scheduling or open tracking. Group signing is also not available through Hallmark eCards.
Evite Cards
Evite offers a different pricing structure for its cards. You can pay per recipient at $1.99 each, or opt for an annual cards subscription for $49.99 per year. Evite is well-known for event invitations, and their card service integrates within that ecosystem.
Punchbowl Cards
Punchbowl provides tiered subscription options for sending cards. Their plans range from $2.99 per month for up to 10 cards per month, to $5.99 per month for up to 500 cards per month. This model can be appealing if you have varying card-sending needs throughout the year.
Paperless Post
Paperless Post uses a "Coins" system for its cards, where you pay per recipient. Coin packs start at $12 for 25 coins. This pay-as-you-go approach can be flexible if you only send cards occasionally.
Group-Signed Cards: A Different Approach
Sometimes, one signature isn't enough. For occasions like retirements, team goodbyes, or big birthdays, a group card where multiple people can add their messages is ideal. While Blue Mountain, Jacquie Lawson, American Greetings, and Hallmark do not offer group signing, there are other established group-card platforms designed specifically for this purpose. These include GroupGreeting, Kudoboard, Thankbox, and SendWishOnline, all of which are platforms where a team adds messages to one card or board.
InviteDrop: A Modern Option for Greeting Cards
InviteDrop offers a fresh approach to digital greeting cards, combining several desirable features that you won't find together on many other platforms. With InviteDrop, you can send group-signed cards, allowing multiple people to contribute their messages via a simple share link. This is a significant advantage for those special occasions requiring collective well wishes.
When a recipient opens an InviteDrop card, they experience an animated envelope reveal with a wax seal, and the card then opens to show your personal message, up to two photos, and a signature. This animated experience adds a touch of charm and anticipation. You also get open tracking, so you can see when your recipient opens the card, and you can schedule your cards for future delivery.
InviteDrop also allows for per-recipient personal messages, giving each person a unique experience. Cards can be delivered by email, SMS text, or a shareable link, and no app download is needed for recipients. For added personalization, you can customize the envelope, liner, and stamp, and recipients can even leave emoji reactions or reply directly to the sender. Best of all, InviteDrop is free for up to five recipients per card, making it an excellent choice for small groups or individual sends.
Making Your Choice
The best e-card service depends on your specific needs and budget. Blue Mountain offers a vast catalog and robust customization for individual cards, with various subscription tiers to fit different usage levels. However, if you're looking for group signing, an animated opening experience, open tracking, and the flexibility of sending to up to five recipients for free, then send a card on InviteDrop.
