Free Printable Birthday Postcards

A postcard is a cheerful, low-cost way to send birthday wishes by post. Choose a design, type the birthday person’s name and your message, pick colours and see the front and back of a standard 4 × 6 inch postcard update instantly. Print two per page on card stock, or download images to print at a photo shop — free, with nothing uploaded.

Why send a birthday postcard?

In a world of instant messages, something that arrives in the letterbox stands out. Postcards are cheaper to post than cards in envelopes in many countries, there’s no envelope to address separately, and the short format means you can write a heartfelt message in a couple of minutes. Grandparents, friends who have moved away and colleagues working remotely all appreciate them — and children love receiving post addressed to them.

How to use the postcard maker

1. Choose a design: balloons, confetti, cake, stars or flowers.
2. Type the headline, the birthday person’s name and their age if you like.
3. Pick a background and accent colour — the preview updates as you go.
4. Write your message and sign-off for the back.
5. Press “Shuffle pattern” for a different arrangement of confetti, stars or balloons.
6. Print two postcards per page, or download the front and back as PNG images.

Everything happens in your browser. Your text and designs are not uploaded or saved.

Printing on card stock

Postal rules for postcards

Postal services set size and thickness limits for postcards. In the United States, a card qualifies for the cheaper postcard rate if it is rectangular, between 3.5 × 5 in and 4.25 × 6 in, and between 0.007 and 0.016 in thick — so a 4 × 6 in card fits. Other countries have their own rules, and many charge the same as a letter. Leave the right half of the back clear for the address and stamp, keep the message on the left, and check your postal service’s current rules before mailing a large batch.

What to write on a birthday postcard

• For a friend: “Another year of being brilliant — have the best day!”
• For family: “Thinking of you on your birthday and sending lots of love from all of us.”
• For a colleague: “Happy birthday! Hope you get to switch off and enjoy your day.”
• For a child: “Hooray, you’re 7! We hope your day is full of cake and fun.”
• For a milestone: “Happy 40th! Here’s to the best decade yet.”
• Belated: “This postcard is fashionably late, but the wishes are right on time.”

Worked example

For a friend turning 30, choose the balloons design, type “Happy Birthday!” with the name Maya and age 30, and set a warm cream background with a pink accent. Write a two-sentence message on the back and sign it. Print on 110 lb card stock: the front page gives two postcards, and the back page lines up behind them. After trimming you have two 4 × 6 postcards — one to send and one spare, or print a batch for everyone in a class or team.

Design tips

• Keep the name large and high contrast so it reads at a glance.
• Strong accent colours print better than pale pastels on most home printers.
• Leave a margin — printers can’t print right to the edge, which the trim hides.
• Use the same design with different names for a set of party thank-you postcards.
• Add a photo by printing the postcard and sticking a small photo print onto the front.

Sending postcards abroad

International postcards usually need a higher-value stamp and take longer to arrive — allow one to three weeks, depending on the countries involved. Write the destination country in capital letters on the last line of the address, keep the address on the right-hand side, and use a waterproof pen so rain doesn’t smudge the ink. Posting a week or two early means the wishes arrive on time.

Making a batch for a class or team

For a classroom or office, keep the same design and change only the name for each person, printing a page at a time. Card stock sheets come in packs of 50 or 100, and two postcards per page means a class of 30 needs 15 sheets. If you are posting them, pre-print the return address on the backs so you only need to add each recipient.

Other uses

The same maker works for party invitations (change the headline to “You’re invited!” and put the details on the back), thank-you notes after a party, classroom birthday cards, or a set of postcards to leave in a guest book. Because nothing is saved, make each card and print it straight away.