If you are trying to choose between a printable PDF you fold at the kitchen table, an instant digital file, and a posted greeting card, Ottermagic’s honest split is simple. The e-card is a hi-res, watermark-free download after payment, ready to send or print yourself. The printed path is an A5 card (148×210mm folded, 330gsm gloss, envelope included, made to order in the UK), posted with Royal Mail to UK addresses in around 3–5 working days or sent by airmail to US addresses in around 2–3 weeks. Upload a photo, run Style Swap, Face Swap, or Pet Swap, preview, then pick the format from the date and the effort you want to spend with a printer. Ottermagic does not sell a free-PDF product. Start at Ottermagic.com.
The short answer
| You want… | Choose |
|---|---|
| A finished card in the post, already folded, envelope in the pack | Ottermagic printed A5 |
| A file tonight to message, email, or print locally | Ottermagic e-card |
| To use your own paper, trimmer, and envelopes | E-card, then print at home (you own the mess) |
| A free PDF template with no likeness work | Not an Ottermagic product; look at free-template sites and check their licences |
| A printed card to a US address | Ottermagic printed A5, sent by airmail in around 2–3 weeks |
| The same artwork on a wall | Posters and canvas are available; check Ottermagic.com |
Bottom line: Home-print PDFs are a craft choice. Ottermagic’s e-card is the paid, print-ready artwork from Style Swap, Face Swap, or Pet Swap. Ottermagic’s A5 is the version that arrives as a real card. Pick based on time and whether you want to fight an inkjet.
What people mean by “printable PDF”
Search results mix three different files:
- Blank templates (Canva, teachers’ blogs, freebie sites). You add a photo in a frame. Licence terms vary; check the site.
- Paid printables from small shops. You buy a PDF, print on card, fold it. You still do the paper chase.
- A designed portrait file from an AI card product. That is closer to Ottermagic’s e-card, except the e-card is the storefront option labelled E-card: hi-res, watermark-free, available after you pay.
Ottermagic does not give away a free PDF SKU, a Canva template pack, or a “print 20 for the class” licence. If you need a free downloadable blank, you are on a different kind of site.
What you get on Ottermagic
Printed A5 (UK and US)
- 148×210mm folded
- 330gsm gloss
- Envelope included
- Blank inside, or a printed message
- Printed to order in the UK
- UK: posted with Royal Mail, typically around 3–5 working days
- US: sent by airmail, around 2–3 weeks door to door
- Recyclable stock, water-based inks
Choose this when you want the object. No scoring with a butter knife. No envelope that is 4mm too small.
E-card (UK and US)
- Instant after payment
- Hi-res, watermark-free download
- Send digitally, print at home, or take to a local shop
- Confirm the exact file at checkout
Choose this when the date will not wait, when the recipient lives far away, or when you actively want to print on paper you already like.
Text Swap still works if there is no photo. Style Swap, Face Swap, and Pet Swap are the reason most people are here.
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.
Posters and canvas exist as formats on Ottermagic. Do not treat wall art as something only a PDF-to-poster website can do. Check live sizes on the site.
Print-at-home: what you are signing up for
Home printing a card is fiddly even when the file is good.
- Use the downloaded e-card, not a screenshot of the website preview (previews are watermarked until you buy).
- Ordinary copier paper feels like a flyer. Heavier card is closer to a greeting.
- Colour printers lie about yellow. Print a small test.
- A5 folded is 148×210mm. US letter is a different rectangle; you will crop or have borders.
- You still need an envelope that fits.
- Ink smears if you write inside too soon.
A high-street print counter often beats a tired home tank printer. Take the file on your phone and ask for one copy first.
None of that is a moral failing. It is why the posted A5 exists.
UK vs US on this choice
UK shoppers have a real fork: e-card versus printed A5. If the birthday is more than a handful of working days away, the posted card is the calmer gift. If it is tomorrow, download.
US shoppers have the same fork with a longer clock: the printed A5 goes by airmail to US addresses in around 2–3 weeks. Inside that window, or if you typed “print at home personalized cards” because you want to print it yourself, take the e-card: print it at a pharmacy, a copy shop, or at home, or send the image. Prices are in dollars in the US shop and pounds in the UK shop.
When a third-party printable still makes sense
- You are making 30 identical party signs and you already live in Canva.
- You need a colouring-in sheet, not a likeness.
- You have a free template you are allowed to use and you enjoy craft.
Those jobs do not replace Face Swap of a real person on 330gsm gloss. You can still generate the Ottermagic portrait and print the e-card at home if you want the likeness and the craft afternoon.
Price
Free PDFs are free until you count card stock, failed prints, and envelopes. Paid printables have their own prices. Ottermagic’s live totals are on the site.
Ready when you are
Upload a photo, run Style Swap, Face Swap, or Pet Swap, and decide from the preview. If you want paper in someone’s UK or US letterbox, order A5. If you want a file now, take the e-card. If you want to print it yourself, that is still the e-card, plus your printer. Start at Ottermagic.com. Support: support@ottermagic.com (reply within one working day).
FAQ
Does Ottermagic give you a free printable PDF?
No. The digital option is the e-card, a hi-res watermark-free download after payment. There is no free-PDF product.
Is an e-card the same as a print-at-home PDF?
Often in practice: you receive a file, you print it if you want. The difference is the artwork (Style / Face / Pet Swap) and the fact it is a paid storefront option, not a free template.
Which looks better, home print or Ottermagic A5?
The posted A5 is 330gsm gloss with a proper fold and envelope. Home print depends on your paper and printer. If the feel of the card matters, order the printed A5.
Can I print an Ottermagic e-card in the US?
Yes. Download it and print locally or share the file.
What if I need it on a wall, not in an envelope?
Ottermagic offers posters and canvas as well. Check the site. You can also print the e-card at a poster counter if that is easier where you live.
