The best funny birthday cards

A funny birthday card only works if it's aimed at the right person. The same card that gets a howl from a best mate gets a very quiet room when it's opened by a grandmother.

These are our funniest cards, sorted by how far they go.

How rude is too rude?

• Family gathering, cards opened out loud: puns only.
• Best mate, opened in the pub: go as far as you like.
• Colleague: keep it clean and about the age, not the person.
• Someone you don't know well: funny about birthdays in general, never about them.

Types of funny card that always work

• The straight-faced pun - obvious, groan-worthy, endlessly repeated.
• The card that pretends to have forgotten the birthday.
• The one that's rude on the front and unexpectedly sweet inside.
• The very specific joke that only two people in the room will get.

Shop all funny cards

Rude cards, if you dare

For the people who'd be disappointed by anything tamer.

How to write it so it lands

• Read the card out loud before buying. If it isn't funny said aloud, it won't be funny opened.
• Funny cards work best blank inside so you can add the personal bit.

Where to shop next

• Funny birthday messages
• Birthday puns
• Rude and funny cards
• Best birthday cards for mum
• Best birthday cards for dad
• Best 60th birthday gifts
• Best 50th birthday gifts
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• Birthday badges & party pins
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Party bag ideas for adults
• How much helium do you need for balloons?
• Birthday pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

Are rude birthday cards ever a bad idea?

Only when you can't picture who else is in the room. If cards get opened in front of children or in-laws, choose a pun instead.

What if the joke is on the front - what do I write inside?

One sincere line. The contrast is what makes funny cards land: laugh first, mean it second.