Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about Cardwise. Can't find your answer? Email us.

Getting Started

What is Cardwise?: Cardwise is a relationship memory and AI-powered greeting card platform. It helps you remember the people who matter — their birthdays, anniversaries, preferences, and important moments — and then helps you express that care through personalized, AI-generated greeting cards you can send digitally or order as printed cards.
Is Cardwise free?: Yes. Cardwise has a free tier that includes 5 lifetime credits for AI card generation, relationship and event tracking, and in-app reminders. For unlimited monthly credits and additional features, you can upgrade to Gold for $9.99/month.
How do I get started?: Sign up at getcardwise.com, then add the people you care about under Relationships. Add their important dates (birthdays, anniversaries), and Cardwise will remind you when they're coming up. When you're ready to send a card, tap Generate and follow the steps.
Is there a mobile app?: Yes. Cardwise is available on iOS via the App Store. The iOS app has full feature parity with the web app and supports native push notifications for reminders.

Credits & Subscriptions

What are credits?: Credits are used to access AI-powered features in Cardwise. Each time you generate a card, write personalized content, or regenerate an image, it uses 1 credit. Credits help manage usage of AI generation features.
How many credits do I get?: Free tier members receive 5 lifetime credits — these don't expire, but they don't reset either. Gold members receive 50 credits every month, which reset at the start of each billing period.
What's included in Gold?: Gold ($9.99/month) includes: 50 monthly credits (resets each month), high-quality AI image generation powered by Imagen 3, email notifications for upcoming events, priority order processing, advanced card customization options, early access to new features, and discounted physical card pricing at $6.99/card with free shipping.
How do I upgrade to Gold?: On iOS, billing is handled through the App Store. You'll be charged monthly starting from the date you subscribe.
Can I cancel my subscription?: Yes, you can cancel at any time. You'll retain Gold access through the end of your current billing period and won't be charged again. After your period ends, your account reverts to the free tier.
When does my subscription renew?: Gold subscriptions automatically renew monthly on the same date you originally subscribed. To avoid being charged for the next period, cancel at least 24 hours before your renewal date.
How do I cancel on iOS?: Go to your iPhone Settings → tap your name (Apple ID) → Subscriptions → Cardwise → Cancel Subscription. Apple requires all iOS subscription management to happen through this flow.
Do unused credits carry over?: Free tier credits never expire (you keep your 5 lifetime credits). Gold credits reset at the start of each billing period — unused credits do not roll over to the next month.

Relationships & Events

How do I add a relationship?: Go to the Relationships tab and tap "Add Person." Enter their name, relationship category, and any key dates like birthdays or anniversaries. You can also add notes, memories, and preferences to build a fuller picture over time.
What relationship categories are available?: Family, Friends, Spouse/Partner, Colleagues, and Other. You can mark any relationship as a favorite to keep your most important people easily accessible.
How do I track birthdays and anniversaries?: Add important dates when creating or editing a relationship. Cardwise will automatically track them and surface reminders on your dashboard as the dates approach. You can also add one-off events like graduations or moves.
What are Memories?: Memories are personal notes attached to a relationship — things like "loves hiking," "allergic to peanuts," or "got promoted in March." Cardwise uses these memories to make AI-generated card content more personal and specific to that person.
Can I import my contacts?: Yes. On iOS, you can import from your device contacts to quickly populate your relationships list.

AI Card Generation

How does card generation work?: Tap Generate and follow the steps: pick a person from your relationships, choose an occasion, set the vibe (heartfelt, funny, professional, etc.), and select a card style. Cardwise uses Claude AI to write personalized card content informed by your relationship history and memories, and generates matching artwork. The whole process takes about 30 seconds.
What occasions are supported?: Birthday, Anniversary, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Graduation, Thank You, Sympathy, Wedding, New Baby, Congratulations, Easter, Thanksgiving, Friendship, Just Because, Get Well, and more.
What are card styles?: Card styles define the visual aesthetic of the AI-generated artwork — things like Minimal Luxe (refined and elegant), Painterly Romantic (soft watercolor), Storybook Dreamy (whimsical), Playful Modern (bold geometric), and more. Each style produces visually distinct card art.
Can I add a photo to the card?: Yes. During the generation flow, you can upload a photo of the person to be incorporated into the AI-generated card artwork.
What if I don't like the result?: You can regenerate the card from the editor. Each regeneration uses 1 credit. You can also manually edit the text, adjust the layout, change colors and fonts, or regenerate only the background image.
What is "Surprise Me"?: Surprise Me lets Cardwise pick a card style for you. When you tap it, a quick roulette animation cycles through styles and lands on one — think of it as a curated recommendation, not a random pick. If you don't love it, tap "Try another" for a new one.

Card Editor

Can I edit the card after it's generated?: Yes. The full card editor lets you change the text content, reposition elements, adjust fonts and colors, swap the background image, and customize both the front and inside of the card.
Is there undo/redo?: Yes. The editor supports full undo and redo history so you can experiment freely without worrying about losing your work.
Can I save my card?: Cards auto-save as you work. You can also save a finished card to your Vault to revisit or reorder it later.
Can I export my card?: Yes. Export your card as a PNG or PDF from the editor. This is useful for sharing digitally or printing yourself.
What is the Vault?: The Vault is your personal card library — a collection of cards you've saved or previously ordered. You can revisit past cards, duplicate them for similar occasions, or reorder a printed version.

Physical Card Ordering

Can I order a printed card?: Yes. Once you're happy with your card in the editor, tap Order to have it printed and mailed directly to your recipient. Cards are printed on premium cardstock and include an envelope.
How much does it cost?: Free tier: $7.99 per card + $1.00 shipping. Gold tier: $6.99 per card with free shipping. Credits are only used for AI generation — physical card orders are a separate purchase.
How long does delivery take?: Typically 5–7 business days for standard delivery. Gold members receive priority processing which can reduce production time.
What countries do you ship to?: Currently US addresses only. International shipping is on our roadmap.

Notifications & Reminders

How do reminders work?: Cardwise tracks upcoming dates for all your relationships and sends reminders a few days before each event so you have time to create and send a card. Reminders are delivered via push notification (iOS) and in-app. Gold members also receive email reminders.
Why am I not getting notifications?: Check that you've granted Cardwise notification permissions. On iPhone, go to Settings → Cardwise → Notifications and make sure "Allow Notifications" is enabled. If notifications are enabled but you're still not receiving them, try signing out and back in.

Account & Privacy

How do I change my password?: Go to Profile → Settings → Change Password. You'll receive an email with a reset link.
How do I delete my account?: Go to Profile → Settings → Delete Account. Deleting your account permanently removes all your relationships, memories, cards, and personal data. This action cannot be undone.
Is my relationship data private?: Yes. Your relationship data is private and is never shared with other users or third parties. It is only used to personalize content within your own account. See our Privacy Policy for full details.
Does Cardwise use my data to train AI?: No. Your personal data and relationship information are not used to train AI models.

Troubleshooting

The Generate button isn't working.: Check that you have credits remaining — the credit balance is shown in the top bar. If you're out of credits, you can upgrade to Gold for 50 monthly credits or wait until your next billing period.
My Gold purchase isn't showing up.: This can happen if the App Store confirmation was delayed. Go to Profile and tap "Restore Purchases" — this syncs your App Store purchase history with Cardwise. If the issue persists, contact us at support@getcardwise.com.
The card editor feels slow.: The card editor uses a canvas renderer which can take a moment to initialize, especially on the first load. If it feels sluggish, try closing and reopening the card. If the issue persists, try refreshing the app.
I forgot which email I signed up with.: On the login screen, try the "Forgot Password" flow with each email address you might have used — you'll only receive a reset email for the one that matches. If you're still stuck, email us at support@getcardwise.com and we'll look it up for you.
How do I contact support?: Email us at support@getcardwise.com. We typically respond within 1 business day.