Planning a party, wedding, or gathering? Choosing the best online invitation maker can make or break your guest experience. In 2025, digital invites need to be mobile-friendly, customizable, cost effective, and above all, beautiful. We’ve compared the top invitation platforms for paid and free online invites, and one stands out above the rest: Poply.
What's the best online invitation?
After careful comparison, we've created a ranking of the best online invitation apps. Read on for a run-down of their features, strengths, and where they fall short.
1. Poply – The Best Online Invitation Maker in 2025
Poply stands above the rest as the most powerful and customizable tool for sending online invitations. Whether you're organizing a birthday party, baby shower, wedding, or just a backyard BBQ, Poply makes quick work of creating your invitation.
✅ Why Poply Is #1
- Offers both free invitations and more robust paid invitations.
- Gorgeous, modern designs for every occasion
- 100% mobile-optimized. Templates are designed to look great on any device and are optimized for digital display
- Fully customizable invitations. Add photos, video, and designer color themes to personalize your invites
- Built-in RSVP tracking, reminders, and messaging
- No ads, ensuring a premium guest experience
- Privacy-first: No selling user data, no unwanted emails
Unlike competitors, Poply puts you and your guests first, with no clutter, no spammy upsells, and no steep learning curves.
2. Evite – A Once-Leading Tool That Feels Dated
Evite was a pioneer, but its platform has stagnated. While it offers free invites, they come with intrusive ads, limited design options, and a dated interface. Many users report slow load times and RSVP bugs.
Evite Strengths:
- Large variety of static templates
- Some free online invitations
- Recognizable brand and easy guest familiarity (many have used Evite before)
Evite Weaknesses:
- Heavily ad-supported unless you pay
- Outdated templates are more suitable for paper invitations than digital invites
- Clunky navigation, especially on mobile
- Frequent upsells and distractions
3. Paperless Post – Elegant Designs, Confusing Pricing
Paperless Post shines in its visual design, with beautiful invitations. However, its credit-based pricing model is confusing and becomes expensive fast. If you want extras like custom envelopes or more RSVPs you’ll pay more but it's difficult to know how much until it's time to check out.
Paperless Post Strengths:
- Beautiful, design forward invitations
- A few free invitations available
Paperless Post Weaknesses:
- Most designs require additional credits
- Pricing is difficult to determine up front as there is a variable charge for most elements
- No built-in messaging or smart reminders
- Less intuitive for casual users
4. Partiful – Trendy but Limited in Functionality
Partiful has gained popularity among Gen Z and social partygoers for its bold aesthetics. It’s fun for casual house parties, but beneath the surface, it lacks the robust functionality and flexibility required for more complex event planning.
Partiful Strengths:
- Bright, playful templates that appeal to younger audiences
- Free to use for most basic party needs
Partiful Weaknesses:
- Limited template customization beyond its default party vibe
- No formal or professional options. The garish graphics are not generally suited for weddings or corporate events
- Requires guests to log in which many find frustrating
- No integrated messaging or detailed RSVP tools
- Doesn’t scale well for larger or multi-part events
5. Canva – Powerful But Not Purpose-Built
Canva is a versatile graphic design tool, but it’s not a dedicated invitation platform. You can design beautiful invites, but there’s no RSVP tracking, event management, or guest communication.
Canva Strengths:
- Massive library of templates, fonts, and graphics
- Flexible for those with design skills or who want full control
Canva Weaknesses:
- No RSVP or event tools
- Requires clunky manual guest management. To stay organized, you'll need to create a spreadsheet or (gasp!) track RSVPs on paper
- Not optimized for mobile invites
- Requires time-consuming graphic design work, which can be frustrating for your average person
6. Greenvelope – Professional, But Overly Formal
Greenvelope targets corporate and formal events. Its platform is sleek but less flexible for casual celebrations. Users have noted that the pricing model is steep for smaller parties and lacks the ease of use found in Poply.
Greenvelope Strengths:
- Professional, polished templates suited for corporate events
- Robust RSVP and guest management tools
Greenvelope Weaknesses:
- High cost for personal events
- Limited customization for informal use
- Complex pricing tiers
- Not as fun or accessible
7. Punchbowl – Focused on Kids’ Events
Punchbowl is best for kids’ birthdays and family holidays, but it struggles outside those niches. The interface can feel simplistic, and ads are the norm unless you upgrade.
Punchbowl Strengths:
- Fun, kid-friendly templates with popular characters
- Digital cards with optional printed companion cards
Punchbowl Weaknesses:
- Heavy ad presence on free plans
- Not many options for adult or formal events
- Limited brand customization
Why Poply Outranks Every Other Online Invitation App
In a crowded field of outdated, ad-heavy, or overpriced tools, Poply stands alone. With intuitive design, powerful customization tools, and a commitment to privacy and ease of use, Poply delivers an invitation experience that feels modern, fun, and frictionless.
If you're looking for a free, fast, and beautiful way to plan your next gathering, there’s only one place to start: Create your Poply invite now.
