If you are choosing between Evite and Paperless Post, you are weighing two of the most established names in digital invitations. They take very different approaches. This is a straight comparison of how they handle design, RSVPs, pricing and advertising, so you can pick the right one for your event. At the end we also cover a third option worth knowing about.
Evite vs Paperless Post at a glance
Evite: free and fast, with a catch
Evite is the option most people reach for first because the core product is free. You pick a theme, add your details, and send to a guest list by email or text. RSVP tracking is built in and easy to read.
The trade off is advertising. On the free tier, recipients can see ads alongside your invitation, which can feel out of place for a milestone event. Evite also sells Premium tiers that remove ads and add features such as custom designs and richer messaging.
Evite suits you if: you are hosting a casual gathering, you have a large guest list, and you want something free and quick where polish is not the priority.
Paperless Post: polish, paid by the card
Paperless Post is built around design. The cards look like real stationery, with envelopes, liners and refined typography, which is why it is popular for weddings, engagement parties and showers.
Pricing works through a virtual currency called Coins. Basic cards can be free, but the premium designs and customisations that make Paperless Post stand out are paid for with Coins you buy in bundles. For a single elegant event this can be good value. For frequent hosting it adds up.
Paperless Post suits you if: the look matters more than the cost, the event is formal, and you want a card that feels considered rather than templated.
Side by side on the things people actually ask about
Cost
Evite wins on raw price if you accept ads. Paperless Post can be free for very basic cards but realistically costs money for anything premium. Neither is "free" once you want it to look the way you imagined.
Design
Paperless Post is the clear winner for elegance. Evite has breadth and familiar themes, but the premium feel of Paperless Post is hard to match on the free tier of either.
RSVP and guest management
Both track RSVPs well. In both cases you build and manage a guest list yourself, typically by entering or importing contacts, then chasing replies.
Ads and branding
This is the sharpest difference. Evite shows ads on its free tier. Paperless Post mostly avoids ads but recovers the cost through Coins. If a clean, ad free experience matters to you, that is worth weighing.
So which should you choose?
Pick Evite for a free, no fuss invitation to a casual event where you do not mind ads. Pick Paperless Post when the design carries the occasion and you are willing to pay for that polish. For a deeper look at both, see our Evite alternative and Paperless Post alternative breakdowns.
A third option: skip ads, watermarks and the guest list entirely
There is a middle path that removes the two biggest annoyances of both tools: ads and per card costs. Invyt is an ad free digital invitation platform with no watermarks. You create one beautiful animated invitation, share a single link, and guests RSVP themselves. There is no guest list to upload and chase, dietary needs and plus ones come back automatically, and it is free to start with nothing to download.
It is not trying to be stationery like Paperless Post, and it is not ad supported like Evite. If your priority is a clean, modern invite that handles RSVPs without the busywork, compare the options on our best invitation app guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Evite or Paperless Post free?
Evite has a genuinely free tier, paid for by ads. Paperless Post offers free basic cards, but its signature premium designs cost Coins, so most polished events end up paying.
Which is better for a wedding?
Paperless Post is the stronger fit for formal weddings thanks to its stationery style designs. Evite is better suited to casual celebrations.
Do both track RSVPs?
Yes. Both have built in RSVP tracking. The difference is mostly in design and pricing, not in core RSVP features.
The bottom line
Evite is the budget pick with ads, Paperless Post is the premium pick you pay for. If neither trade off appeals, an ad free, link based option like Invyt is worth a look.