Cardkive vs. Plum Print: Which Makes the Best Card Book?
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Turning greeting cards into books has become one of the most beloved ways to preserve those heartfelt messages without the mess. Two services making waves in this space are Cardkive and Plum Print. Both promise to transform your stack of cards into a beautiful, lasting keepsake. But, they do differ — sometimes significantly — in price, process, availability, and the final product.
Here's a closer look at both, so you can decide which one deserves your precious cards.
Cardkive: The Award-Winning Greeting Card Solution
Cardkive is a concierge service — and a wildly popular one, at that. Cardkive recently earned The Knot's 2025 Registry Award, with its wedding card box named both "Most-Loved" and "Most-Added" registry gift. That's not a small thing.
It works like this: a card box arrives at your door, you fill it with your wedding cards and paper keepsakes, and send it back with the pre-paid label — that's it. Once they receive your box, Cardkive's team gets to work — professionally photographing every card inside and out. Then they craft a stunning hardcover memory book for your approval. Think of it as a coffee table book, but filled with love notes.
Introducing - Plum Print Card Books!
Plum Print is better known for transforming kids' artwork into books and other products. More recently, they've also expanded into the greeting card memory book space with a similar format.
Plum Print's process involves mailing in your cards, which their team then photographs and arranges into a book layout. Like Cardkive, they handle the production side, giving you a hands-off process with a sentimental result.
Cardkive vs. Plum Print: The Side-by-Side
Ease of Use
Both services follow the same general flow: order a card box, fill it, ship it back, and approve a proof. Both options are pretty hands-off — you don't need any design experience or to do much work yourself.
Where Cardkive pulls ahead is in its Book Builder tool. This easy-to-use proofing platform lets you rearrange pages, add captions, and tweak the layout before the book goes to print. You're not just approving a finished product; you're collaborating on it.
Plum Print's editing options are more limited by comparison. Customers can ask for a few small tweaks, but bigger changes will cost you extra. For something as personal as a wedding book or memorial book, that level of control matters.
Advantage: Cardkive
Pricing
Let's talk numbers — because they tell quite a story.
Plum Print's card book starts with a $49.99 deposit to receive your card box. You will receive this amount back as a credit on your final invoice. Card book pricing starts at $199 for up to 20 cards, and scales beyond that. Keep in mind that 20 cards is a fairly small capacity — most couples walk away from a wedding with far more cards than that.
Cardkive's pricing differs — in some ways more generously. The standard greeting card book is $119, all-in, including the shipping kit, processing, and print. A standard card box holds approximately 50 cards, depending on size and thickness. As long as your cards fit securely in the box, they'll all make it into your memory book — no counting, no 20-card limit.
For weddings specifically, the Cardkive wedding card book is $139 and includes the option to add 20 wedding photos to your book. A photo-inclusive wedding book, with room for ~50 cards, for $60 less than Plum Print's base card book. That's a meaningful difference.
Advantage: Cardkive
Need Twice the Size? Try Cardkive's "Double Box"!
Shipping Availability
Keep in mind that Plum Print's card book service is still limited — not all U.S. customers will be able to access it. At present, their shipping kit is only available to residents of the contiguous US. If you live in Alaska, Hawaii, or are international, you will have to provide your own shipping.
Cardkive, by contrast, ships its card box to all 50 states, as well as Cardkive Canada and Cardkive U.K. They will also receive other international orders if you are willing to provide your own box for shipping. These options make it a more reliably accessible option for most couples and families.
Advantage: Cardkive
So, Which Card Book Service Should You Choose?
When you weigh the features side by side, Cardkive is the clear standout. It offers more flexibility in what you can include, a superior photography process, a more customizable proofing experience, better pricing, and broader availability. This book is not just a greeting card organizer — it's an heirloom in the making.
Plum Print is a reliable company with a solid track record in the kids' art space. Ultimately, Cardkive is your best option for preserving wedding cards, anniversary cards, and other precious greeting card keepsakes.
Here's to preserving the love and keeping your home happily organized!