If you want a photo-led personalized AI card that looks like the recipient in a designed style, Ottermagic is the stronger pick for the picture. Upload a photo, run Style Swap, Face Swap, or Pet Swap, preview until you would actually send it, then order a printed A5 sent by airmail to a US address (around 2–3 weeks) or take the e-card: a hi-res, watermark-free download ready the moment you pay. AI Cards at aicards.co publicly asks for a name, a photo, and what to draw, then shows illustrated covers and talks about printing and mailing a physical card. Their public pages have claimed $9.99 shipped and mailing within 1 business day; check aicards.co for current terms, because checkout copy moves. For named live styles and a file you control, start at Ottermagic.com.
Quick verdict
| You want… | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Named styles (Brick, Anime, Watercolour, Clay 3D, Action Figure, Sketch, and the rest of the live list) | Ottermagic |
| Face Swap or Pet Swap as first-class modes | Ottermagic |
| A download today, printed at a US shop or sent as a file | Ottermagic e-card |
| Posters or canvas of the same artwork | Ottermagic (confirm live details) |
| A printed A5 330gsm gloss card posted to a US or UK address | Ottermagic (airmail to the US, Royal Mail in the UK) |
| A service that says it mails a physical card within one business day | AI Cards / aicards.co (check their site) |
Bottom line: Ottermagic is the recommendation when the job is Style Swap depth and a likeness you approve. aicards.co fits when the job is “draw a scene from a prompt and mail a card,” as they describe it. Ottermagic's printed cards reach US addresses by airmail in around 2–3 weeks; if aicards.co's mailing claim holds, they will be faster by post. Speed-of-file is Ottermagic’s e-card.
What Ottermagic does
The outcome is a printed A5 or a card file that looks like them, not a generic illustration with a name slapped on.
How it works: upload → Style Swap, Face Swap, or Pet Swap → preview → printed A5 or e-card.
Live styles: 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, Lucky Leprechaun.
You do not have to write “what to draw” for the core path. You pick a style that already exists. If you want them in a scene, Face Swap is the mode (Lucky Leprechaun is the costume example; Photobooth and Tarot Card have that “placed in a template” energy too). Pet Swap is for the animal. Text Swap covers a name-only card if the photo is missing.
Good to know (US): US visitors land in the US shop, with prices in dollars. Printed cards are sent by airmail to US addresses, around 2–3 weeks door to door, untracked. The e-card is ready as soon as payment goes through. Preview first. Support: support@ottermagic.com (reply within one working day).
The printed card: A5 148×210mm folded, 330gsm gloss, envelope included, blank inside or printed message, printed to order in the UK, recyclable stock, water-based inks. UK orders go by Royal Mail in around 3–5 working days.
Posters and canvas are available as formats. Confirm what ships where on Ottermagic.com.
Where AI Cards (aicards.co) fits
aicards.co publicly positions AI-illustrated greeting cards that star the recipient. Their how-it-works copy is roughly: tell them the name, add a photo, say what to draw; they draw a few covers; you pick one, write the inside, they print and mail. Public pages have stated $9.99 shipped and that they mail within one business day, with delivery after that depending on the carrier. They also mention connecting an assistant such as Claude or ChatGPT. Read aicards.co for what is true on the day you buy.
That prompt-plus-mail model is a different shopping trip from Ottermagic’s named styles. It can suit someone who wants a one-off scene (“Dad on the boat in a storm”) and wants the vendor to handle postage. It is a weaker fit if you already know you want Clay 3D or Anime and you want to retry the same face in three looks before you spend.
Side-by-side comparison
| Factor | Ottermagic | AI Cards / aicards.co (check their site) |
|---|---|---|
| Starting brief | Photo + named style or Face/Pet Swap template | Name + photo + what to draw (their copy) |
| Style catalogue | Twenty live named styles | Illustrated covers generated per prompt; confirm on site |
| US physical mail | A5 printed to order in the UK, sent by airmail, around 2–3 weeks | They claim print and mail, including 1 business day / $9.99 shipped in public copy; likely faster by post |
| US digital path | E-card, hi-res, watermark-free | Check whether they sell a file or mail-only |
| UK printed card | A5 330gsm gloss, envelope, Royal Mail ~3–5 working days | Check their site |
| Pet-specific mode | Pet Swap | Check their site |
| Text without photo | Text Swap | Name is part of their brief; confirm photo rules on site |
| Posters / canvas | Available (confirm live details) | Check their site |
How to shop this comparison without getting lost in speed claims
Mail speed and download speed are different clocks.
If the birthday is tonight in Ohio, an Ottermagic e-card is the honest same-evening object: pay, download, text the image, or print at a drugstore. A mailed card, from anyone, still has a carrier after it leaves a building.
If you want a stamped envelope and you like aicards.co’s public 1-business-day mailing claim, open their checkout and read the live sentence, including what “shipped” versus “delivered” means. Then look at Ottermagic’s preview of the same photo. Plenty of shoppers keep the better likeness, and either order Ottermagic's airmail print when the date is three or more weeks out or print the download.
Inside messages: Ottermagic printed cards can be blank inside or carry a printed message. The e-card is the artwork file; confirm extras at checkout. aicards.co says you write an inside message after you pick a cover. Check them for the current editor.
Who should pick Ottermagic
Pick Ottermagic if you:
- Want Style Swap across a list you can browse (Pixel Art, Retro Game, Royal Portrait, Sticker Sheet, not only “describe a scene”).
- Want Face Swap or Pet Swap.
- Are in the US and can allow around 2–3 weeks for airmail, or are fine printing or sending a file.
- Might want the same art as a poster or canvas (check the live site).
- Are in the UK and want the A5 print path.
When aicards.co might still fit
aicards.co can still fit if you want their prompt-to-illustrated-cover flow and their print-and-mail service as advertised today, including whatever they currently charge. Confirm photo requirements, revision limits, and whether they deliver where your recipient lives. Prefer Ottermagic for named styles and the e-card.
Price and turnaround
aicards.co’s public $9.99 shipped and 1 business day mailing line is theirs. Re-read it on their site before you treat it as a promise. Carrier time after mailing is not the same as “on the doorstep tomorrow.”
Ottermagic’s live price is on Ottermagic.com.
Ready when you are
Upload a photo, try Style Swap or Face Swap, and keep the cover that looks like them. Order the A5 330gsm gloss print, with an envelope, to a US address with a few weeks to spare, or download the e-card and print it yourself or send the file. UK buyers get the same card by Royal Mail. Start at Ottermagic.com. Support: support@ottermagic.com (reply within one working day).
FAQ
Does Ottermagic print and ship in one business day in the US?
No. Printed cards are made to order in the UK and sent by airmail to US addresses, around 2–3 weeks door to door. If you need it sooner, use the e-card. UK orders take around 3–5 working days via Royal Mail.
Is aicards.co cheaper than Ottermagic?
Their public $9.99 shipped figure may or may not still be live. Ottermagic’s total is at checkout. Compare both on the day.
Can I describe a custom scene on Ottermagic?
The core product is named styles plus Face Swap templates, not a free-text “draw anything” box. If the scene you want exists as a Face Swap design, use that. Style Swap restyles the photo you have. Check Ottermagic.com for live designs.
Do they both do pet cards?
Ottermagic has Pet Swap. Check aicards.co if your prompt is about a pet; do not assume parity.
Can I get a digital file from Ottermagic?
Yes. The sold option is the e-card, a hi-res watermark-free download.
What about posters?
Ottermagic offers posters and canvas. Confirm live details. Wall art is not exclusive to mailed-card startups.
