Start with the recipient and the moment. A handwritten note, a familiar message and a digital envelope can all carry thoughtful words. The useful question is which format fits the privacy, timing and experience you want.
This guide is published by ShareLove Letters, which offers the digital-envelope option described below. It is not an independent ranking of competing services. We have removed the previous unsourced competitor prices and feature restrictions; compare current terms directly with any service you are considering.
Useful for: A physical keepsake, delivered in person or by post.
Before using it: Allow delivery time, check the address, and keep a copy if you want one.
Tradeoff: The recipient can hold the original, but you cannot change its words once it has been sent.
Useful for: A short note in a channel you already use together.
Before using it: Check the recipient and any group or reply-all setting before sending.
Tradeoff: It is familiar and convenient. It may sit among routine notifications, and it can be forwarded or captured.
Useful for: A longer letter you want to format or work on together.
Before using it: Review who can view or edit the document and whether the link grants access to anyone who receives it.
Tradeoff: Revision can be useful, but changing the text later may alter the copy your recipient sees.
Useful for: A letter with an opening presentation and a link you can share.
Before using it: Review expiry, optional password protection and the exact features included in your plan.
Tradeoff: The recipient opens a link. A link can be forwarded, and a digital service should not be your only copy of an irreplaceable letter.
Useful for: Words you want to work out without asking someone to receive them.
Before using it: Keep it somewhere private and choose whether you want to save it.
Tradeoff: There is no delivery and no response to expect. That can be the appropriate choice when contact is unwelcome.
Ask what would happen if someone else found the paper, opened the email, or received the link. Password protection can add a barrier, but it does not stop an authorised reader from copying a message. Avoid including sensitive details about other people when those details are not needed.
On ShareLove Letters, letter content is encrypted at rest. This is not end-to-end encryption: the service decrypts a letter to display it to its reader. See the privacy policy before choosing it for a sensitive message. No delivery format can make an unwanted message welcome; respect a request for no contact.
For a birthday or wedding morning, leave time to write and check the letter rather than relying on a last-minute delivery effect. A posted letter needs enough time for the postal service. A shared link still needs the right recipient and a working way to open it. If a precise moment matters, agree on the timing with the recipient where appropriate.
ShareLove has date-locking and optional scheduled email features. A date-locked link and an automatically sent email are different: check which you selected. Current paid features and limitations are described on the pricing page. Keep a backup delivery plan for a time-sensitive occasion.
A physical letter can be stored with photographs or other memories. For a digital letter, keep your own text or printable copy if you want it long term. Check a service’s expiry and account terms before assuming a link will remain available forever.
Preserving a draft and preserving the recipient’s experience are different tasks. A copy of your words protects the message; it may not preserve music, animation or replies. Decide which parts matter before deleting the original.
Look for clear answers to five questions: Who can read the letter? How long is it available? What does the advertised price actually include? Can you keep a copy? How do you contact the operator or request deletion? If an answer is unclear, ask the service or choose a format whose limitations you understand.
For help with the words themselves, use our letter-writing workshop. You can follow it on paper or in any editor. When you want a digital envelope, open the ShareLove editor.