A digital greeting card is the same Ottermagic portrait as the posted one, delivered as a file the moment payment goes through. Upload a photo, run Style Swap, Face Swap, or Pet Swap, preview until it looks like them, then download instead of waiting on an envelope. That is the path that works on both sides of the Atlantic, and anywhere else. In the UK you can still choose a printed A5 card (148×210mm folded, 330gsm gloss, envelope included, Royal Mail around 3–5 working days), or a poster or canvas, if you have the working days. In the US the same printed A5 is sent by airmail in around 2–3 weeks; if the date is sooner, take the download and print it locally, email it, or show it on a screen.
What you actually receive
After you pay, Ottermagic’s digital path gives you the unwatermarked artwork to download. Confirm the exact file type on the confirmation screen or email. Typical uses:
- print at home on photo paper or card
- send to a local print shop
- attach to an email or message
- keep a copy for reprints next year
- show the image when you are in the room and the paper is still at home
The likeness comes from the swap, not from the courier. Brick, Chibi, Anime, Action Figure, Clay 3D, Bobblehead, Photobooth, Sketch, Watercolour, Cartoon, Tarot, Lucky Leprechaun, and the other live looks all export as digital in the same way they print.
Text Swap works here too if you only need a name or headline. If you have a photo, use it.
UK: download when post will miss, print when you want the object
UK shoppers have a real choice.
Digital download when:
- the birthday is today or tomorrow
- you are emailing someone who moved to another city this week
- you want to print on a specific paper you already own
- you are sending several versions and do not want a stack of envelopes yet
Printed A5 when:
- you want 330gsm gloss, folded, envelope in the pack
- you would rather not fight a home printer
- the date is at least around 3–5 working days away
- you like recyclable stock and water-based inks done for you
Poster or canvas when the download looks so good you want it on a wall. Check Ottermagic.com for live wall-art details. Do not copy A5 envelope timing onto a large print without reading the page.
You can love the preview and buy both a file and a posted card. The artwork is the same.
US: download when airmail will miss, print when you have three weeks
The US shop sends the printed A5 by airmail to US addresses in around 2–3 weeks. It is printed to order in the UK, so a card printed in the US will usually reach a mailbox sooner. If your date is closer than about three weeks:
- Make the Style Swap, Face Swap, or Pet Swap preview.
- Pay for the e-card (the digital download).
- Print at a US pharmacy, copy shop, or at home, or send the image.
If you type extra words for a US recipient, use US spelling (personalized, color) the way they would write it. The style names stay as they are.
Local print counters, USPS windows for a card you mail yourself, and home paper sizes vary by the shop you walk into. The thing Ottermagic can show you in advance is the preview quality of your photo in a named style, which is why the site is still the place to start.
Ottermagic checkout is in pounds in the UK shop and dollars in the US shop. If that matters to your card, you will see it at pay. Support remains support@ottermagic.com, with a reply within one working day.
How to print a download without making it look cheap
Home printing is unforgiving.
- Use the original download, not a screenshot of the website preview.
- Pick a paper heavier than standard copier stock if you want it to feel like a card.
- Print a small test if your printer loves eating yellow.
- Trim and fold carefully; A5 folded is 148×210mm if you are aiming at that size in the UK.
- Write inside after it dries.
A local print counter often beats a tired inkjet. Take the file on your phone. Ask for a single print first.
Sending on a screen is allowed. Some people would rather a Chibi of the dog in the family chat tonight than a perfect envelope next Tuesday. Say that in your message so it does not feel like you forgot paper on purpose.
Timing compared with posted cards
| Need | UK | US |
|---|---|---|
| Tonight | Digital download | Digital download |
| This week, physical card, willing to wait on post | Printed A5 (~3–5 working days, Royal Mail) | Print the download locally; airmail will not make it this week |
| Three weeks or more, physical card | Printed A5 | Printed A5 (~2–3 weeks, airmail) |
| Wall | Poster or canvas (check site) or print the file large locally | Print the file locally |
| No photo | Text Swap, then the same format choice | Text Swap digital download |
Ottermagic does not offer same-day UK printing. Other card brands might. Read them separately.
Photo quality still decides everything
A digital card does not forgive a worse upload. Face the camera, light the face, keep pets visible. If the preview is wrong, change the photo or the style before you pay. You will only spread a file faster than a posted card. That is a gift when it is good, and a slightly awkward group chat when it is not.
Ready when you are
Get the file in time, and get the likeness right. Upload a photo on Ottermagic, try Style Swap, Face Swap, or Pet Swap, and download when the preview feels like them. In the UK, order printed A5 (148×210mm, 330gsm gloss, envelope, Royal Mail around 3–5 working days) or wall art if you would rather post an object. In the US, order the printed A5 by airmail (around 2–3 weeks), or take the download and print or send it locally. Start at Ottermagic.com. Support: support@ottermagic.com (reply within one working day).
FAQ
Are digital download cards instant?
They are available after payment on Ottermagic’s confirmation path. That is the fast option compared with around 3–5 working days for a printed A5 by Royal Mail in the UK, or around 2–3 weeks by airmail in the US.
Can US customers order a posted Ottermagic card?
Yes. The US shop sends the printed A5 by airmail to US addresses in around 2–3 weeks. If you need it sooner, use the digital download, then print or send the file in the US.
Can I use a digital download as a proper folded card?
Yes, if you print it on suitable paper and fold it. The printed A5 is the no-fuss version of that object, with envelope included, when you have time to wait on post.
Is the artwork the same as the printed card?
The Style Swap, Face Swap, or Pet Swap preview is the same work. You are choosing a file versus a posted print (or a poster or canvas in the UK). Confirm file details at checkout.
What if I also want a physical copy later?
Keep the download if you bought it, or order a printed A5 when there is enough time for the post (around 3–5 working days in the UK, around 2–3 weeks by airmail to the US). Check the site for how reprints and new orders work.
Do I need design software?
No. Upload, swap, preview, download. Print with ordinary tools, or send the image as it is.
