A postcard club for kind people
Every week we pair you with one member somewhere in the world. You each send a real postcard. Once both have arrived, the bridge between you is built and you can start talking.
You start with a postcard, so there's no awkward first message to write.
Why we started
Read the news for ten minutes and the world can feel cold and divided. We don't think that's the whole picture. Most people we meet are warm and curious, and happy to hear from someone far away.
We started Pen Friend Club so those people could find each other. A postcard won't fix the world, but it can brighten a stranger's week, and kindness tends to get passed on. We'd like the club to be a place where people look out for each other, even from the other side of the planet.
An easier way to meet people
You have to start the conversation, think of something interesting to say and then keep it going. A lot of people find that part tiring.
Here you start with a postcard instead. Write a few lines about your day and post it. Nobody expects more than that.
How it works
It fits into an ordinary week, and nothing has to be done in a hurry.
We pair you with one member. You'll see their character, their country and the address to write to.
Write a few friendly lines and copy the secret word the app gives you, for example HARBOR 14. Every postcard has its own word, so we always know which one arrived.
When a postcard comes, open the app and type the word written on it. Your pen friend gets a message that their card made it.
Now you can chat about anything and swap photos. Plenty of members keep sending each other postcards too.
The bridge
You can always see how things are going. Once both halves are in place, you're pen friends.
Mikko and Elena have both posted their cards. Now it's up to the post.
Elena typed his word and sent him a short thank-you.
Now they can chat about anything, send each other photos and keep the postcards coming.
Worth the wait
You don't know when the card will turn up, what picture is on the front or what your pen friend wrote on the back.
Almost everything else arrives in seconds these days. A postcard that spent ten days crossing Europe feels different when it finally drops into your mailbox.
From your own kitchen table
One week the card comes from a town you've never heard of. The next week it's from a city you always wanted to visit.
You get to know people in other countries without packing a suitcase.
What it feels like
After a while you have a small pile of postcards, each one in different handwriting. They don't scroll away like posts on a screen. You can keep them in a drawer or stick them on the fridge.
Real postcards
I like travelling in my own country and seeing the lovely, numerous places in the UK. I hope you are well and happy.S. · Liverpool, UK
I love postcards and letters and "real" mail. I hope you enjoy getting this postcard as much as I enjoyed sending it!J. · Perth, Australia
Your character
You don't need a photo. Choose one of 20 characters, and that's how your pen friends will see you in the app.
Why a club
Everyone here joined for the same reason. They like getting real post from real people.
Members agree to be friendly and respectful. If someone isn't, you can report or block them with one tap.
Only your pen friend for that week sees where you live. Other members never do.
You get one pen friend a week. Reply when it suits you. The app won't nag you about it. Busy week? Skip a Monday with one tap.
If there's an odd number of members one week, the person left over writes with our founder or someone from the club team. Nobody misses a week.
Membership
Pay monthly or once a year. You buy your own postcards and stamps, so you can choose ones you like.
$19.99 / month
Pay month by month
$69.99 / year
About $5.83 a month
Renews automatically. You can cancel any time in My plan.
We're still building the App Store and Google Play versions. Join the club now and we'll email you the day they come out.
Questions
It's a club for swapping real postcards. Every Monday we pair you with one member. You both send a postcard, and when both have arrived you can chat in the app. Nobody expects you to talk more than you want to.
Right away, whatever day you join. Your first pen friend is Rustam, who started the club, and the postcard comes from our team in Helsinki. From the next Monday you're paired with other members.
We can't track post, and once in a while a card gets lost. If that happens the bridge stays unbuilt and nobody is at fault. You'll get a new pen friend the following Monday.
Most postcards are short. Tell them about your town, the weather or what you had for breakfast. A few honest lines are plenty.
Every time a postcard arrives from a country you haven't had before, a new illustrated card opens in your collection. Nobody knows what's on it until they open it.
No. The chat only opens after both postcards have arrived, and even then it's up to you. Some people chat every day and send photos. Others just post the next card.
Your address goes only to your pen friend for that week. It isn't shown on a public profile or to anyone else in the club.
Every member agrees to the club rules, and you can report or block anyone with one tap. If something feels wrong, please write to us at support@penfriendclub.com.
You pay monthly or yearly and get a new pen friend every Monday. If you cancel, your membership runs until the end of the period you've paid for, so you can finish any exchanges that are still going.
No, you buy those yourself, the same way you would for any postcard. A card and an international stamp usually come to a few dollars, depending on your country. If that adds up, skip a Monday or take a longer break and come back when it suits you.
Yes. You can skip any Monday with one tap on the home screen, take a longer break, or cancel completely. There's no penalty for any of them.
If you subscribed through the App Store or Google Play, refunds follow their rules, which usually means a period you've already paid for isn't refunded. You can cancel in the store where you subscribed. If something looks wrong, email us and we'll help.
Probably not, and that's fine. It suits people who like taking things slowly and would rather get a handwritten note than a quick text.
Use the help section in the app, or email support@penfriendclub.com. We answer as quickly as we can.
Your first postcard comes from the club in Helsinki. Find a nice card and a stamp, and write back.