Paperless Post Coins Explained: Free Sends, Codes and Nonprofit Rates

Paperless Post is a digital invitation and card service, and the cost depends on a coin system, not a simple per-card price. The cheapest way to use it is to understand how coins work, use the free tier where it fits, take the official offers the company itself lists (including coins for creating an account and a discount tied to purchases from its Etsy shop), and avoid the long lists of seasonal codes that third-party sites say are working.

That matters because the service is easy to overspend on. A guest list of fifty people at a premium design can use far more coins than a simple free invitation with the same information. This guide explains the tiers, the discount channels that come from the company’s own promo page, what is only reported by outside sites, and how to plan an invitation so you pay for the features you will actually use.

Quick answer

• Start with the free tier if your event only needs an invitation sent by email or phone number; the company lists a free option at no cost per guest.
• Create an account first, because the company’s page says new accounts earn ten free coins.
• If you buy a design from the Paperless Post Etsy shop and send it through the service, the company page describes a ten percent saving on coins.
• Nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations are described as eligible for a permanent discount; contact the company for qualification details.
• Seasonal codes exist, but they change often; read the conditions and ignore sites that sell codes.
• Compare the coins-per-guest cost of each tier before choosing a design.

Ways to save at Paperless Post

How coins work

The company describes a tiered system. A basic card or invitation uses a small number of coins per recipient, a premium design uses more, and the top tier uses the most. According to the company’s pricing description and third-party summaries, the tiers run from the free level up to basic at two coins, premium at five coins, and all-access at eight coins per recipient. Coins are purchased in packs, with a lower cost per coin as the pack gets larger, and unused coins stay in your account for later use.

The practical meaning is that guest count multiplies design choice. For thirty guests, a two-coin design uses sixty coins, a five-coin design uses one hundred fifty, and an eight-coin design uses two hundred forty. Choosing the right tier can therefore move the cost more than any code.

A quick calculation

Use this formula before choosing a design: guests multiplied by coins per guest equals total coins. Then check whether you can do better by splitting your guest list. For example, you might send the premium design to close family and the free or basic design to casual acquaintances, which keeps the main invitation special without paying the top rate for everyone. Some events do not need a mixed approach, but when the guest list is large, it is a legitimate way to save.

The free tier

The company’s pricing summary says the free level costs nothing per guest. Third-party guides add that the first fifty invitations sent by email or phone number can go out without a purchase, though they also say stationery-style designs generally require coins. Because the free level and the limits could change, open the sending screen for your design and check the cost shown before you commit.

Free is a good choice when the event is casual: a backyard barbecue, a study group, a book club. It is less suitable when you want a specific envelope style, a custom design or tracking features. Look at what the invitation looks like to your guests, since digital invitations that appear polished can matter at a wedding or a milestone birthday.

Account bonus and starting coins

The promo page says that you earn ten free coins when you create an account and sign up. That is a small starting balance but enough to send a few basic invitations or to test a design with a couple of recipients. Use it to preview how your invitation will look and how guests receive it, then decide whether to buy more coins.

Do not create multiple accounts to farm bonuses. It is against the spirit of the offer, and you risk losing access to coins or guest lists.

Etsy shop designs and the ten percent discount

The company also operates a shop on Etsy, and its promo page explains that buying an invitation or greeting card there and choosing to send it through Paperless Post earns an exclusive code once you finish the design. The page describes the saving as ten percent on coins. This is a one-time channel tied to the purchase of the design, so it only makes sense if you like the Etsy design in the first place. If you do not, the effective cost is the design price plus the coins, which may exceed a simple in-app design.

Nonprofits, schools and tax-exempt groups

The company says nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations can receive a permanent discount, with eligibility required and details available through the company. Third-party coupon pages mention figures such as a quarter off for charities, schools and universities, but those numbers are not confirmed on the company’s own promo page in our research, so ask the company what applies to your group. Prepare documentation such as a tax-exempt determination letter or school credentials, and apply before you plan your largest event.

Seasonal and welcome codes

The promo page says the company sometimes offers coupon codes for seasonal sales and tells shoppers to check around holidays. Third-party sites list many codes, some tied to a season or a campaign name, and some claim large percentages. Reported conditions on one welcome-type offer include that it applies to one-time coin purchases only, cannot be combined with other offers, is limited to one per customer, and excludes subscriptions and purchases made through mobile apps. Whether any specific code is active today is something only the checkout can show, so do not rely on a list.

To redeem a code, you usually open your cart, move to checkout and enter the code in the promotion field before you pay. If the field is missing, you may be in the wrong purchase flow, such as an app purchase that does not accept web codes.

Coin packs and when to buy

Third-party guides give example prices for coin packs and note that the cost per coin falls with pack size. Because the figures can be out of date, check the live price on the coins page. The principle is more useful than the number: buy a pack that covers your planned event plus a small buffer for follow-up messages, thank-you cards or reminders. Do not buy a very large pack unless you expect to host several events, because the discount per coin is only a saving if you use the coins.

Remember that purchases made through a mobile app store may have different pricing and may not accept website codes. If you want to use a promo code, buy on the website.

Planning a full invitation sequence

Many hosts forget that an event rarely ends with one message. A wedding or milestone party may involve a save-the-date, the invitation itself, a reminder, a schedule update and a thank-you. If each message is sent to a large list at a premium tier, coins add up fast. A sensible plan is to spend coins where design matters most and use simpler, lower-tier or free formats for logistical messages.

Here is a simple way to plan. List every message you expect to send, the number of guests for each, and the tier you would choose. Multiply guests by coins per guest for each message and total them. Then ask whether the reminder really needs a decorative design, or whether a plain message is enough. Often the answer is that only the main invitation and the thank-you deserve the nicer design.

Also decide how you will handle guests who cannot receive email, such as older relatives. Some hosts print a small number of physical cards for them instead of sending digital versions. Weigh that cost separately; do not assume digital is always the cheapest route for every guest.

Guest tracking and avoiding wasted sends

The service tracks responses, which helps you avoid sending extra messages to people who have already replied. Check the guest list for duplicates and wrong addresses before sending, because a message that bounces may still have used coins depending on the account rules. If the settings allow, send a trial message to yourself first to confirm that the design looks right on a phone and a computer. Correct spelling and dates before sending to the full list, since a corrected re-send costs coins again.

Paperless Pro

For businesses or frequent senders, the company offers a subscription with an annual fee based on expected guest count instead of coins. It can be cheaper than buying coins repeatedly if you send to the same size list many times a year, and more expensive if you send only occasionally. Compare your last year of invitations in coins to the subscription cost before deciding. If you are a small business, consider how many campaigns you will actually send.

Stacking and timing

Stacking is limited. The Etsy discount, a welcome code and a seasonal sale are usually separate offers, and the terms for at least one welcome offer say it cannot be combined with others. Pick the one that gives you the most for your planned purchase. The nonprofit discount is a standing arrangement and is worth setting up early.

Timing matters mostly for your event date. Digital invitations are fast, so there is no need to buy coins months ahead. Watch for holiday-period offers if your event is flexible, and keep in mind that buying coins at the last minute can lead to paying a higher cost per coin. Send invitations early enough to give guests time to reply.

Coupon and promo code mistakes to avoid

• Buying codes from strangers or downloading code finders.
• Assuming one code works on every purchase type; subscriptions and app purchases may be excluded.
• Choosing the top design tier for a huge guest list without calculating the coin cost.
• Creating duplicate accounts to collect bonus coins.
• Ignoring the cost of reminders and thank-you cards when estimating coins.
• Forgetting that unused coins do not need to be spent at once.
• Paying for a subscription when you send only a few invitations a year.
• Sharing your guest list with unofficial websites.

How we researched this

This guide is based on the brand’s official pages and independent reporting named below; offers change, so confirm on the brand’s site or app before ordering. We do not publish unverified codes. Account bonus, Etsy discount and nonprofit details come from the company’s promo page; coin pack prices, the free-tier sending limit and specific code conditions come from third-party guides and should be checked on the live pricing page.

Sources

• Paperless Post official promo codes and discounts page
• Paperless Post pricing and coins information
• Third-party pricing guides on coins and free sending limits (unverified figures)
• Coupon aggregator pages reviewed for conflicting claims

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Paperless Post have a promo code that works?

The company says it sometimes offers seasonal codes, but we cannot confirm any specific one. Check the promo page and the cart on the day you buy.

Is Paperless Post free?

There is a free tier with no cost per guest, and new accounts earn ten coins. Many designs still use coins, so check the cost on the send screen.

How many coins does an invitation cost?

It depends on the tier and number of guests. Basic, premium and all-access designs use progressively more coins per recipient.

Do coins expire?

Third-party and company descriptions say unused coins remain available for later use. Confirm the current terms in your account.

Is there a discount for nonprofits?

The company describes a permanent discount for nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations. Contact them with documentation to see what applies.

Can I use a code on app purchases?

Some conditions reported for welcome offers exclude mobile app purchases and subscriptions. Buy coins on the website if you want to apply a code.

What is the Etsy discount?

After buying a design from the company’s Etsy shop and choosing to send it through the service, you receive a code described as ten percent off coins.

Is Paperless Pro worth it?

It can be for frequent senders or businesses with predictable guest counts. Compare it against the coins you would use in a year.

Last updated: October 2026