How to make a group card online: a step-by-step guide for busy organisers

Quick answer: To make a group card online, choose a group card website, pick an occasion and cover design, write a cover message, then share one signing link with everyone who should sign. Collect messages, check the card, seal it so no one else can add to it, and send the finished card to the recipient by link or email.

It's Wednesday, Tom leaves on Friday, and half the team works from home. A paper card would mean chasing people round three floors and two time zones. An online group card fixes that: one link, everyone signs from their own device, and the card arrives on time.

This guide walks you through the whole process, from choosing a site to the moment the recipient opens the card. It uses SignThisCard as the worked example, but the steps and etiquette apply to most group card websites.

What is an online group card?

An online group card is a digital greeting card that many people sign through a shared link and that is then sent to one recipient. It does the job of the paper card passed round the office, without anyone needing to be in the same building.

Each signer adds a short message, usually with their name and sometimes a photo or a drawn signature. When everyone has signed, the organiser closes the card and sends it. The recipient opens it in a browser, a bit like turning the pages of a book.

You'll also hear it called a group ecard, a virtual group card or, for leavers, a digital leaving card. Whatever the name, the core idea is the same: a card everyone can sign online, wherever they happen to be working that day.

What do you need before you start?

You need three things: the recipient's name and occasion, a rough list of who should sign, and a date when the card must be ready. Everything else can be decided as you go.

A little planning saves a lot of chasing later:

• The occasion. Birthday, leaving do, retirement, new baby, get-well, congratulations, welcome or anniversary. This shapes the design and tone.
• The signer list. Who should be asked? The immediate team only, or the wider department? Missing someone is the most common complaint, so write the list down.
• The deadline. Work backwards from the day the recipient should see the card. Give signers at least two or three working days if you can.
• The channel. Where will you share the link: email, Microsoft Teams, Slack, WhatsApp? Make sure the recipient isn't in that group.
• A gift, if any. If people are also chipping in for a present, decide how you'll collect the money before you send the invite.

How do you choose a group card website?

Choose a site based on how many people will sign, whether signers need an account, what it costs and whether you need extras such as photos, music or a money collection. Most sites follow the same basic pattern, so the differences are in limits and price.

Questions worth asking before you commit:

1. How many signers are allowed on the free option? Some free tiers cap the number of messages.
2. Do signers have to register? Asking 40 colleagues to create an account is a reliable way to get 12 signatures.
3. Can you print it or download a PDF? Useful for retirements and anyone who likes a keepsake.
4. Does it collect money? Some sites combine a card with a gift pot; others, including SignThisCard, don't.
5. What does it cost for the size of card you need? A one-off price suits occasional organisers; a subscription suits HR teams sending cards every week.

We've compared the main options side by side, including prices at the time of writing, in our guide to the best group card websites. If budget is the main concern, there's also a round-up of how to get a group card for free.

How to make a group card online in 8 steps

Here is the full process on SignThisCard. Other sites use different button names, but the order is broadly the same.

Step 1: Create your free organiser account

Start a new card on SignThisCard and create a free account. You'll need to verify your email address before you can share or send the card, so do that straight away rather than at the last minute.

Only the organiser needs an account. The people signing don't.

Step 2: Pick the occasion and a cover design

Choose the occasion, for example farewell, birthday or retirement, then choose a cover design. If you'd rather use a team photo or a picture of the recipient, you can upload your own image instead.

For uploaded covers, use a JPG, PNG or WebP file up to 10 MB. A portrait image around 960 × 1280 pixels fits best.

Step 3: Write the cover message and choose a colour

Add a short cover message, such as "Good luck, Tom – from everyone in Finance", and pick a colour. Keep it short; the personal messages go inside.

Step 4: Add music or a short video (optional)

As the organiser, you can add a music track from the library or upload a short video. A recorded message from the team is a nice touch for retirements or a remote colleague's leaving day. Skip this step if you're short of time.

Step 5: Set the planned date and a reminder

Enter the date you plan to send the card. This records your intended date; the card isn't sent automatically. To make sure you don't forget, set an email reminder anywhere from 0 to 365 days before the planned date. Reminders arrive at around 9 am UK time.

Step 6: Share the signing link

Copy the signing link and paste it into your team email, Teams or Slack channel, or a WhatsApp group. For in-person events you can share a QR code instead, which works well printed on a desk or shown on a meeting-room screen.

If you want more control, you can send individual invitation links (each accepts one signature) or email invitations. There's more on wording and channels in our guide to sharing your group card link.

Step 7: Track signatures and send reminders

Check the management page to see how many people have signed. For individual invitations you'll see whether each one is waiting, opened or signed. One caveat: if someone signs through the general shared link instead of their personal invite, their invitation may still show as waiting.

A day before the deadline, post a friendly nudge: "Last chance to sign Tom's card – it goes out tomorrow at 4 pm."

Step 8: Preview, seal and send

Preview the whole card. Remove anything that shouldn't be there (the organiser can delete messages). Then seal the card. Sealing closes signing and can't be undone, so check you have everyone first.

Once sealed, either copy the finished-card link and send it yourself, or enter the recipient's email address and use the email send button. The recipient presses "Reveal card" and the card opens like a book.

What does signing look like for everyone else?

Signers open the link, press "Add your message", write a message and enter their name. No account or download is needed. It takes most people a minute or two.

When they sign, people can:

• choose a note colour for their message;
• draw a handwritten signature with a finger or mouse;
• add a photo;
• use a writing helper that suggests text they can then edit.

New pages are added automatically as the card fills up, so you don't need to worry about running out of space. Our article on signing a group card without an account covers what signers see and how to reassure anyone who's wary of clicking links.

Photos are supported. GIFs aren't a listed feature on SignThisCard, so if your team loves a reaction GIF, suggest a photo instead.

How do you get everyone to sign on time?

Give a clear deadline, share the link where people already talk, and send one reminder before you seal. Most missed signatures are down to people forgetting, not refusing.

• Write a short, specific invite. "Please sign Tom's leaving card by Thursday 3 pm. Takes two minutes, no login needed."
• Pin the message in your Teams or Slack channel, and mention it at stand-up.
• Use individual invitations for small groups, so you can see who still needs a nudge.
• Don't over-chase. One reminder is helpful; three feels like pressure.

If a colleague is away and asks you to add a message for them, you can type it in, but be open about it. Write something like "From Sam (added by Priya)" and only do it with their consent.

How do you keep the card a surprise?

Keep the signing link out of any channel the recipient can see, and only send them the finished-card link after you've sealed it. The recipient can't see the card until you send it.

The usual slip-ups are posting the link in a team channel the recipient belongs to, or forwarding an email chain that includes them. A safer approach is to create a separate chat without the recipient, or send the link by direct message to a manager in each team. Anyone with the signing link can open it, so treat it like a private invitation. Keep the management link to yourself.

How do you send the finished card?

Seal the card, then either copy the finished-card link or use the email send button to send it to the recipient. There's no automatic scheduled sending, so you send it yourself on the day.

Ideas for the moment of delivery:

• In person: open the card on a laptop or big screen at leaving drinks or a team lunch.
• Remote: send the link just before a team video call on Zoom or Teams, so everyone can be there when they open it.
• Email: send it first thing in the morning on their birthday or last day.

If you're organising for colleagues spread across offices, our guide to sending a group card to coworkers covers timing and wording in more detail.

Can you print the card or keep a PDF copy?

Yes. Open the print view, then print the card or choose "Download PDF". Printed and PDF copies show the messages, signatures and photos, but they don't play music or animations.

A PDF is worth saving even if the recipient prefers the online version. SignThisCard doesn't publish a fixed expiry date for cards, so a downloaded copy is the simplest way to keep the messages for good. Retirees, in particular, often like a printed version to keep. See printing a group card or saving it as a PDF for layout tips.

How much does an online group card cost?

On SignThisCard, your first card is free for up to 15 signers, and a single card with unlimited signers costs £1.99. Monthly plans exist for people who send cards regularly.

Prices at the time of writing (November 2026):

Monthly plans can be cancelled at any time, and access continues to the end of the paid period. Payments go through Stripe, so card details are handled by Stripe rather than stored by SignThisCard.

Other sites charge different amounts and use different limits, from per-card fees to team subscriptions. In our view, a one-off price is usually the better fit unless you're sending several cards a month.

Can you collect money for a gift at the same time?

SignThisCard doesn't collect money, so pair the card with a separate collection method. Many teams want a card and a gift, and that's easy to arrange alongside.

Options include a bank transfer to the organiser, a gift-collection service such as Collection Pot, or a shared voucher. Put the collection link and the card link in the same invite message, so people can sign and chip in at once. Be clear that contributing is optional, especially in teams with junior staff or contractors.

What should people write?

A good group card message is short, personal and suited to the occasion: one to three sentences is plenty. A specific memory beats a generic "All the best".

A simple formula that works for most occasions:

1. Address them: "Tom,"
2. Say something specific: "Thanks for rescuing every month-end close with your spreadsheet magic."
3. Wish them well: "Good luck at the new place – they're lucky to have you."
4. Sign off: "Priya"

For more examples by occasion and relationship, see our guide on what to write in a group card. For sympathy or get-well cards, keep the tone gentle and avoid jokes.

Which occasions suit an online group card?

Almost any occasion where several people want to send their wishes to one person. Workplace leaving cards and birthdays are the most common, but the format works just as well for family and friends.

Typical examples include birthdays, leaving and retirement cards, new babies, get-well wishes, congratulations, welcomes for new starters, anniversaries, thank-yous and sympathy cards. Our group card ideas for every occasion hub has a dedicated guide for each one, with design and message ideas.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Sealing too early. Wait until late signers have had their chance.
• Assuming the card sends itself. The planned date is a reminder, not a scheduled send.
• Forgetting to verify your email. You can't share or send until you do.
• Making the gift collection feel compulsory. Signing should never depend on paying.

Key takeaways

• An online group card is a digital card many people sign through one shared link, then sent to one recipient.
• On SignThisCard, only the organiser needs an account; signers simply open the link and add a message.
• Cards are not sent automatically: you seal the card, then send the finished-card link or use the email send button.
• Sealing closes signing permanently, so check every message before you seal.
• The first SignThisCard card is free for up to 15 signers; a single card with unlimited signers costs £1.99.
• SignThisCard doesn't collect money, so pair it with a separate gift collection if needed.

Frequently asked questions

Do signers need to create an account?

No. On SignThisCard, anyone with the signing link can open the card and add a message without registering. Only the organiser needs a free account, and they must verify their email address before sharing or sending. This keeps signing quick for busy colleagues and anyone outside your organisation.

How many people can sign an online group card?

It depends on the site and plan. On SignThisCard, the free card allows up to 15 signers, while the £1.99 Single Card and the monthly plans allow unlimited signers. New pages are added automatically as the card fills up, so large teams aren't squeezed onto one page.

Can I schedule the card to send automatically?

Not on SignThisCard. The planned date records when you intend to send it, and you can set an email reminder 0 to 365 days beforehand, arriving around 9 am UK time. On the day, you seal the card and send the finished-card link or use the email send button yourself.

Can people add photos, GIFs or videos?

Signers can add photos and draw a handwritten signature. The organiser can add a library music track or upload a short video. GIFs aren't a listed feature on SignThisCard, so suggest a photo for anyone who wants to add something visual. Printed or PDF copies don't play music or animations.

Can I reopen a card after sealing it?

No. Sealing closes the card to new messages, and it can't be reopened. Before sealing, preview every page, remove anything inappropriate and give late signers a final reminder. Once you're happy, seal the card and send the finished-card link to the recipient.

What if someone wants to change their message?

The organiser can remove messages at any time before sending. If a signer wants to edit their own message later, they create a free account, verify their email and ask the organiser to send a personalised edit link. Edit links require that verified email and expire after seven days.

Can I collect money for a gift with the card?

SignThisCard doesn't collect money. Most organisers pair the card with a bank transfer, a gift-collection service such as Collection Pot, or a voucher, and put both links in the same invitation message. Make it clear that contributing is optional so nobody feels pressured to pay before signing.

How long does the card stay online?

SignThisCard doesn't publish a fixed expiry period; retention is assessed against the continuing purpose of the card and account, as explained in the privacy notice. The safest approach is to download a PDF as a keepsake soon after sending, and contact support if you'd like the card deleted.

Conclusion

Making a group card online comes down to a few simple moves: pick a design, share one link, nudge people once, then seal and send. The organiser does a few minutes of set-up and everyone else signs in a minute or two, wherever they work.

If you've got a leaver, a birthday or a new baby coming up, create your group card now, starting with the free 15-signer card. Our help guide walks through every step if you get stuck.