Compare · as of Oct 2026
Be Thoughtful vs Punkpost
Punkpost and Be Thoughtful both send a typed message as a real card, but the hand behind the pen is different. Punkpost’s cards are written by people: its press page says a community of handwriting artists across the United States write each card from home, and that it never uses fonts or machines. Be Thoughtful’s cards are written in real ink with a ballpoint pen by a pen-guided handwriting machine.
Both are lovely ways to send a card. This page sets out the honest trade-offs, as of Oct 2026, using what Punkpost publishes about itself.
Side by side
| Be Thoughtful | Punkpost | |
|---|---|---|
| Handwriting | Written in real ink with a ballpoint pen by a pen-guided handwriting machine at our handwriting fulfillment partner, in the handwriting style you pick | Hand-lettered by a person, one of their handwriting artists, each with their own style |
| Writing the message | AI drafts a personal letter you edit, or write your own | You type the message and the artist writes it |
| Card covers | A painted cover made from your letter, your photo or your design | Exclusive artist-designed cards |
| How you order | In the browser on any phone or computer, guest checkout | iPhone and Android apps, plus the Projects web app for batches |
| Price | A card starts at $8.95 and a full letter at $10.95, US stamp included | Their press page gives a starting price that covers the card, the writing and postage |
| Scheduling | Pick an arrival date | Made within a day, or scheduled up to a year ahead |
| Big lists | Send to a whole list in one checkout, each letter written for its person | Projects, for sending hundreds of cards from a computer |
| Letters from characters | Santa, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny, with optional voice or video | Not offered on their site |
Where Be Thoughtful is better
- Help with the words. The AI drafts a personal letter from a few details, so you don’t start from a blank box.
- Consistency for long messages and full letters. A full handwritten page reads the same from the first line to the last, in the style you picked and previewed.
- A cover made from your letter, so the picture on the front matches what you wrote inside.
- Free reminders and a phone calendar, letters from characters for children, and business automations.
Where Punkpost is better
- A real person’s hand. If it matters to you that a human wrote the card, Punkpost does exactly that; we don’t.
- Art in the lettering. Their artists turn the message into a designed piece, which no handwriting style can match.
- Apps for iPhone and Android, and the Projects web app for team birthdays and client thank-yous.
- Scheduling far ahead: up to a year in advance, according to their press page.
Who should pick which
Pick Punkpost if… you want a person to hand-letter the card and are happy to type the message yourself.
Pick Be Thoughtful if… you want help writing a personal letter, a full-page letter, a cover painted from your words, or free reminders.
Good to know
Because each Punkpost artist has their own style, cards can look different from one order to the next; Punkpost lets you rate the writer. With Be Thoughtful the handwriting style you pick is the one written, every time, which helps when you want a set of cards to match.
Punkpost sends a photo of the finished card. Be Thoughtful shows you a preview of the cover and the letter in the chosen style before you pay, and you can follow the order’s progress online.
Both mail the card for you with a stamp. Neither needs a trip to the post office.
If you love the idea of a human hand and are happy to type your own message, Punkpost is a lovely choice. If you want help with the words, a matching set of cards, or a long letter, Be Thoughtful may suit you better.
Questions
Sources
Checked as of Oct 2026. Services change their features and prices, so check their pages for the latest. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we’ll fix it.