Last updated October 1, 2026

Whimbel vs. Wonderbly

One personalizes a story. The other tells yours.

Wonderbly personalizes pre-written books with a child's name and a chosen character. Whimbel writes and illustrates a new storybook from your real family memory and your own photos. Here's how they compare.

Wonderbly says its first book, Lost My Name, started it all in 2013, and it makes personalized books beautifully: you add a name, choose an illustrated character with hair and skin tone options, add a dedication, and preview the whole book before you buy. But if you're looking for a book about YOUR real family moment — a specific memory, with characters drawn from your own photos — that's a different product entirely. That's Whimbel.

Feature-by-feature comparison

Feature

Wonderbly

Whimbel

Story

Written in advance. In Lost My Name, each letter of the child's name becomes a character, so each name gets its own version

Written from YOUR real memory — completely unique to your family

Characters

Chosen from characters they designed, with hair and skin tone options

Drawn from your photos — they look like your family

Photos needed

None. Some books let you add a special photo

One photo of each person, or one group photo

Topics

Their catalogue: a name quest, birthdays, books for grandparents and more

Any real moment: first steps, a beach day, the day grandma visited

Preview

Preview the whole book before you buy

Preview every page for $7.99, credited against the hardcover

Price

Lost My Name and Birthday for You from $34.99, I Love Grandma This Much from $44.99: each book's starting price, softcover or hardcover

$44.99 for a premium casewrap hardcover

Whimbel hardcover: Free shipping to the US, Canada, UK & most of Europe. Other countries: see shipping costs

What this page says about Wonderbly was checked on October 1, 2026 against: Lost My Name, Birthday for You, I Love Grandma This Much. Their prices may have changed since.

The verdict

If you want a beautifully made story with your child's name and character in it, and a look at the whole book before you buy, Wonderbly does that well. If you want a keepsake about a real family memory, with characters drawn from your own photos, that's what Whimbel was built for. Different products for different needs.

Learn more: National Literacy Trust — Personalised Print Books and Family Literacy Outcomes

Ready to preserve your moment?

$7.99 to preview your book. $44.99 for the hardcover — preview deposit deducted.

Free shipping to the US, Canada, UK & most of Europe. Other countries: see shipping costs

Create Your Book

Frequently asked questions

Is Whimbel more expensive than Wonderbly?

It depends on the book. On wonderbly.com on 1 October 2026, Lost My Name and Birthday for You started at $34.99 and I Love Grandma This Much at $44.99 (US prices, before choosing a format). Whimbel's hardcover is $44.99. Wonderbly lets you preview the whole book before you buy; Whimbel's preview is $7.99, credited against the hardcover, because each book is written and illustrated new for you.

Can Wonderbly use my real family photos?

Some Wonderbly books let you upload a special photo, but the characters in the story are chosen from illustrated options, not drawn from a photo. Whimbel draws every character from a photo of that person.

Which is better as a gift?

For a quick, fun gift either works. For a keepsake about a real family moment, Whimbel makes a book that exists only for your family.