A builder where you can change everything
Start from a finished design, then change any section: its artwork, background, colours, type and spacing. The phone preview shows exactly what each household will see.
Zola vs Joy, and where Vow&Kin fits
Zola and Joy are both free wedding platforms with a website and a registry. We make Vow&Kin, which is only the invitation and RSVP. Here is what each one documents for digital invitations, so you can pick one or combine them.
Written by the Vow&Kin team. We only list what each provider documents on its own website, and we say where another service is the better choice.
The short answer
They solve different problems. For one free place with website, registry and digital invitations, choose Joy. For a free website and registry when you plan to mail paper invitations, choose Zola: we found no digital wedding invitation on Zola's own pages, only free digital Save the Dates and paper cards. For an invitation that is private per household, answered per person and read in each family's language, choose Vow&Kin, which has no registry of its own.
| Feature | Vow&Kin | Joy | Zola |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital wedding invitation | Yes, from Signature | Yes, free | Not found on Zola's pages (digital Save the Dates and paper) |
| Price | €59, €119 or €349, one time per wedding | Core plan $0; custom domain, texts and premium designs without a listed price | Website free; custom domain from $17.99 |
| Private link per household | Yes, opening addressed to the household | A personalised version of the site when sent through Joy | Not stated |
| Guests see only their events | Yes, on Complete | Yes | Event-specific invitations to the website (help centre) |
| Per-person RSVP with meal choice | Yes, with a kitchen summary on Complete | Through custom RSVP questions | Meal preferences on the RSVP |
| Guest-facing languages | 40+ invitation languages | Versions you write yourself | Not stated |
| Animated opening | Wax-sealed envelope, silk ribbon or painted scene | Not stated | Not stated |
| Registry | A link to your registry | Built in | Built in |
| Designs | 9 illustrated invitation designs | Not counted on the pages we checked | 600+ website templates |
| Password protection | Not offered; each household has its own private link | Yes, for the site or single pages | Optional |
Checked 15 October 2026: every price on the provider's own website, features on the pages listed under Sources.
Who should choose what
- Budget is the deciding factor
- Joy. You get invitations, RSVP and a registry for $0.
- You want the registry first and will mail paper
- Zola, or Joy if you would rather send the invitations digitally.
- Guests from several countries
- Vow&Kin Complete. Each household opens the invitation in its own language; with Joy you write and assign each version yourself.
- Ceremony, dinner and brunch for different guests
- Vow&Kin Complete or Joy. Zola's event-specific invitations work on the website.
- The caterer needs exact numbers by dish
- Vow&Kin Complete, with a kitchen summary of menu choices. Joy and Zola can collect meal choices through the RSVP.
- Both a registry and private household invitations
- A Zola or Joy registry plus a Vow&Kin invitation that links to it.
What you get
Here is what Vow&Kin looks like.
These are real screenshots of the builder and the planning tools, taken in our demo workspace with sample names.
Your own song, cut to the moment
Upload a song, choose the 20 to 30 seconds that matter and add a fade. Only that short clip is uploaded; your file stays on your device.
Replies that turn into a seating plan
Answers are kept per person and per event, with menu choices and dietary needs. Drag guests to tables, print the plan and export a CSV for your venue.
Uploaded music and the seating planner are part of Complete and Concierge.
The short verdict
Budget first: Joy. Registry first with paper invitations: Zola. The invitation itself, per household and in each family's language: Vow&Kin, linked to a Joy or Zola registry if you want both.
Sources
- Joy: pricing (opens in a new tab)
- Joy: FAQ (events per guest, password, guest accounts) (opens in a new tab)
- Joy: online wedding invitations (opens in a new tab)
- Joy: website for guests in several languages (opens in a new tab)
- Zola: free wedding website (opens in a new tab)
- Zola: custom domain pricing (opens in a new tab)
- Zola: event-specific invitations (opens in a new tab)
- Zola: paper invitations (opens in a new tab)
- Vow&Kin: plans and prices (opens in a new tab)
- Vow&Kin: terms (how long invitations stay online) (opens in a new tab)
Competitor features and prices can change. The provider's own website is always the reference.
Questions couples ask
Does Zola have digital wedding invitations?
We found free digital Save the Dates and printed invitations on Zola's own pages, but no digital wedding invitation product (checked 13 and 15 October 2026).
Is Joy better than Zola?
For digital invitations, Joy documents more: free digital invites, events shown per guest and custom RSVP questions. Zola has more website templates (600+). Both include a registry and a free website.
Why would we pay for Vow&Kin when Joy is free?
Only if you need what Joy does not document: a private link per household, answers per person and per event, a kitchen summary, or invitations in each family's language. If you don't, Joy is the better value.
Can we combine them?
Yes. Many couples keep a Joy or Zola registry and send a separate invitation. From Signature, Vow&Kin lets you add a gift message and a registry link.
Does Vow&Kin have a subscription?
No. Plans are one time per wedding: €59, €119 or €349. Published invitations stay online with no time limit for as long as Vow&Kin operates.
Compare the guest experience, not only the feature list.
Build your invitation free and open the preview on your own phone before you decide.