Blast vs Punchbowl for Kids' Party Invitations
Punchbowl is the name parents know for character invitations: licensed cards sent by email or text, on a paid membership. Blast is a different kind of kids' invitation. Blast makes free animated video invitations with music that guests RSVP to from a link, with no app and no account. Punchbowl needs a paid membership to send new events after a 7-day trial. Here is the comparison and when each fits a class party, a first birthday or a sleepover.
Blast vs Punchbowl at a glance
Prices and limits as published by Punchbowl in October 2026; sources are at the end of the page.
| Blast | Punchbowl | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free; no subscription, no ads. | A paid membership is needed to send new events after a 7-day free trial; Plus from $3.99 a month on the web, higher tiers for more guests. |
| What guests get | A vertical animated video with music (dinosaurs, space, princesses, unicorns and more), opened from a link. | A designed card, including licensed kids' characters, sent by email or text. |
| How it's sent | One link, by text, WhatsApp, email or any app. | By email or text from Punchbowl; sharing by link, WhatsApp or Facebook needs a paid membership. |
| How guests RSVP | From the link, no account; replies on a private page and by email. | From the invitation, with real-time tracking and a viewed date per guest. |
| Guest limit | Unlimited. | Plus up to 50 guests per event, Premium 100, Platinum 500, Business 5,000. |
| Own design | No: you personalize a Blast theme with the name, details, a photo and a song. | Yes, you can upload your own design. |
Pick Blast when
- You don't want a subscription for one party a year.
- The whole class is invited and the parents are in a group chat: one link does it.
- Your child wants an invitation they can watch, with music.
- You'd like each RSVP in your inbox without logging in anywhere.
Pick Punchbowl when
- The party is themed on a licensed character and you want that exact character on the card.
- You send several events a year and a membership pays for itself.
- You want to upload your own finished design.
- You want Punchbowl to send the emails and texts and show you who has viewed the invitation.
What's the same
- Both collect RSVPs and show them in real time.
- Both let you add a photo of the birthday child.
- Both work on a phone with no app for guests.
Themes to start from
Sources
Blast publishes this guide and is one of the options in it. Details about other services come from their own websites, last checked in October 2026. Prices and features change, so confirm on their sites before you decide.
Related guides
Is Punchbowl free?
Punchbowl offers a 7-day free trial, after which a paid membership is required to send new events; its help center says there is no ongoing free tier for invitations. Blast is free to create and send, with no membership.
Does Blast have character invitations?
Blast has its own animated themes for kids: dinosaurs, space, princesses, unicorns, fairies, mermaids, superheroes, trucks and more. It does not carry licensed characters such as Disney or PAW Patrol; Punchbowl does.
Which is easier for a class party?
Blast: one link in the class group chat, parents reply from it, and you see the count on your private page. Punchbowl sends to a list of emails or numbers, which means collecting them first, and link sharing needs a paid membership.
Can I cancel Punchbowl after one party?
Punchbowl's membership is a subscription; check its help center for the current cancellation terms. With Blast there is nothing to cancel.