Ottermagic does Text Swap. You can make a card from a name or a short line, preview it, and order a printed A5 or the e-card (a hi-res, watermark-free download) without uploading a face. Lookalikey may still be the deeper browse if you want to shop a large name-without-photo catalogue; their public /name-swap page is built around typing a name, address, or message into artwork. That catalogue depth can be their lead. If you have a photo, or you want named Style Swap looks and clear print specs, stay on Ottermagic.com and use Style Swap, Face Swap, or Pet Swap for the front.
The mistake to avoid is "Ottermagic cannot do text." It can. The signature work is still the photo paths.
Quick verdict
| Need | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Name or message on a card, no photo, on Ottermagic | Ottermagic Text Swap |
| Photo restyled into Brick, Sketch, Anime, Clay 3D, and other live looks | Ottermagic Style Swap |
| Face into a scene, or a pet as the star | Ottermagic Face Swap / Pet Swap |
| A5 148×210mm, 330gsm gloss, envelope, posted to UK or US addresses | Ottermagic |
| Posters, canvas, or an e-card of the same design | Ottermagic |
| A wide wall of name-led designs to browse without a photo | Lookalikey /name-swap (check lookalikey.com) |
Bottom line: Use Lookalikey when the joy is hunting text-led templates. Use Ottermagic when you want Text Swap plus a door into photo-to-art and a clear print path. Preview the photo path if a picture exists. That is usually where the card gets kept.
What Lookalikey publishes about name swap
Lookalikey's /name-swap positioning is personalised cards and gifts without a photo. Public copy says you type a name, address, or message, choose a design, and preview how the words sit in the artwork. No image upload. They also sell face-swap and pet designs on the wider site, and they list formats such as printed cards, e-cards, posters, and canvas on product pages. Exact sizes, prices, and how many name designs exist on a given Tuesday belong on lookalikey.com.
Their how-it-works language treats "their face, their pet, or just their name" as three doors. The name door is a real strength if you like shopping by template: initial art, headline cakes, name-in-lights ideas, that sort of catalogue merchandising.
If you want that aisle, walk it on their site.
What Ottermagic Text Swap is
Text Swap is a first-class mode. You pick a design that wants words, add the name or line, and check it reads cleanly at card size. Long double-barrel names need a preview; they can crowd a small headline.
You still leave with an Ottermagic product:
- A5 folded, 148×210mm, 330gsm gloss, envelope included
- blank inside or a printed message
- printed to order in the UK; Royal Mail around 3–5 working days to UK addresses, airmail around 2–3 weeks to US addresses
- recyclable stock, water-based inks
- or the e-card after payment
- posters and canvas available; check the site for live wall-art details
Support: support@ottermagic.com (reply within one working day). Prices are in pounds in the UK shop and dollars in the US shop.
Text Swap is the right door for a colleague you do not photograph, a neighbour, a child who hates the camera, or a stack of similar thank-yous. Write the name the way they spell it.
When to leave Text Swap and open a photo
If a usable picture is on your phone, try Style Swap or Face Swap (Pet Swap for animals) before you settle for type. The preview makes the difference obvious: a Chibi of your brother next to a card that only says "Tom."
Style Swap restyles the photo into Brick, Chibi, Emoji, Anime, Watercolour, Caricature, Cartoon, Classic Cartoon, Action Figure, Clay 3D, Retro Halftone, Retro Game, Royal Portrait, Pixel Art, Bobblehead, Sticker Sheet, Tarot Card, Photobooth, Sketch, or Lucky Leprechaun.
Face Swap is the scene: their face in a finished template. Lucky Leprechaun is the named costume-style example.
You can still put a name inside those cards. Text and photo are not a one-way gate. Start with the photo if you have it.
Lookalikey also does face and pet work; compare previews if you enjoy that test. Ottermagic's recommendation here is the named live style list plus the A5 specs above, and the fact that posters and canvas are part of the same shop rather than a reason to leave.
Side-by-side
| Factor | Ottermagic | Lookalikey name / text swap |
|---|---|---|
| Text without a photo | Text Swap, yes | Public /name-swap catalogue; often the deeper browse |
| Photo personalisation | Style Swap, Face Swap, Pet Swap | Face and pet designs exist on their wider site; check live pages |
| Card specs | A5 148×210mm, 330gsm gloss, envelope | Check their site (sizes may differ) |
| Wall art | Posters and canvas available | They market posters and canvas; confirm on their site |
| Digital option | E-card: hi-res, watermark-free download | They market e-cards; confirm how theirs is delivered |
| Best for | Photo-to-art plus Text Swap and print clarity | Shoppers hunting a large name-led catalogue |
Choosing between them
Build both previews if you are genuinely undecided. Start on Ottermagic so you see what your photo does in Style Swap. If you have no photo and you want to flip through a long name aisle, Lookalikey may feel more like a shop. Come back to Ottermagic for clear print (330gsm, envelope, posted to UK or US addresses) or when a photo appears.
US shoppers: Ottermagic's printed A5 goes by airmail to US addresses in around 2–3 weeks, or take the e-card if the date is closer. Lookalikey's fulfilment in your country is a question for their checkout.
Prices change. Read both checkouts on the day you buy.
Ready when you are
Make the name card on Ottermagic if that is all you have, then try Style Swap the minute a photo exists. Upload, preview, and order an A5 330gsm gloss card with an envelope, a poster or canvas, or the e-card when you need the file now. Text Swap is included. The likeness paths are why most people stay. Start at Ottermagic.com.
FAQ
Does Ottermagic offer Text Swap or only photo swaps?
Ottermagic offers Text Swap alongside Style Swap, Face Swap, and Pet Swap. You do not need a photo for Text Swap. If you have a photo, the photo paths usually make a more keepable front.
Is Lookalikey better for name-only cards?
They may lead if you want to browse a deep name-without-photo catalogue. Ottermagic is the pick when you also want Style / Face / Pet Swap and the A5 specs above.
Can I put a name on a Style Swap card?
Often yes, as an inside message or wherever the design allows. The front can still be the portrait. Check the live design.
Do both sites do posters and canvas?
Ottermagic offers posters and canvas. Lookalikey markets them too. Neither has exclusive rights to wall art. Check each site for sizes and stock.
Which is cheaper?
Check both checkouts on the day you buy. Offers change.
