Online headstone designer
Design a headstone online — see the proof in about a minute.
Upload a photo of the existing stone, pick a font, type the new inscription. Monumize’s AI returns a photorealistic proof on the actual stone, usually in under sixty seconds. A local dealer cuts it on-site in the cemetery once you approve.
How it works
- 1. Upload a photo. Use any smartphone. Stand squarely in front of the stone, include the full inscription area, and place a coin or credit card on the stone for scale. Full photo guide →
- 2. AI reads the stone. Within about thirty seconds, Monumize returns the detected font family, stone color, stone dimensions, and the layout zone for the new inscription.
- 3. Pick a font and type the inscription. Eight monument-industry fonts to choose from. The text builder enforces the date and punctuation conventions cemeteries actually use. Need inscription ideas?
- 4. Review the AI proof. A photorealistic rendering shows the new inscription on the actual photo of your stone. Regenerate up to three times to adjust size, font, or layout.
- 5. Approve and pay. A typed signature approves the proof. Stripe captures payment. A local dealer is matched and schedules the on-site cemetery visit.
- 6. Cemetery cut + completion photo. The dealer performs the on-site sandblasting and emails a completion photo when finished. Most jobs complete within 10–21 days.
What you can design
- Second-date and final-date inscriptions on an existing companion stone — the most common job, usually one new line of text and a date.
- Adding a name and dates on a stone previously cut with the spouse’s information only.
- Adding an epitaph below an existing name and date inscription.
- Adding a relationship line (“Beloved father,” “Devoted wife and mother”) that was omitted from the original cut.
- Memorial benches and grave-marker plaques with cut text — same workflow, smaller scale.
Not yet supported: full new monument design from scratch, shape changes to an existing stone, or laser-etched portraits. We’re focused on the inscription pipeline.
Online design vs. the traditional dealer process
| Step | Traditional | Monumize online |
|---|---|---|
| Find a dealer | Call 3–5 local shops. Voicemails, return calls. | Matched automatically after proof approval. |
| Get a proof | Mailed paper proof, 3–10 days per revision. | AI proof on your photo, ~60 seconds. |
| Approve | Wet signature mailed back. | Typed signature in-app. |
| Pay | Check, money order, or in-shop card. | Stripe at approval. |
| Total cycle time | 4–6 weeks typical. | 10–21 days typical. |
Frequently asked questions
- Is this really online — or just an inquiry form?
- Really online. You upload a photo, our AI analyzes the stone and detects font and dimensions, you pick a Monumize font and type the inscription, and a photorealistic AI proof renders on the actual photo of your stone within about a minute. You can regenerate the proof up to three times before paying.
- Do I need to know the exact stone dimensions?
- No. The AI infers stone dimensions from your photo, using a reference object (a coin or credit card placed next to the stone in the photo) for scale. If you know the actual dimensions, you can confirm or adjust them before approving.
- What kinds of headstones can I design online?
- Any privately-purchased granite, marble, or bronze headstone — upright markers, flat markers, slant markers, companion stones, and bevel markers. The most common job is adding a second date or final date inscription to a stone that was installed when a spouse passed earlier.
- Who actually cuts the inscription?
- A local monument dealer in our network. Monumize handles the design, the proof, and the cut-file generation; the dealer handles the on-site cemetery work. You don’t need to be present at the cemetery.
- What if the AI proof doesn’t look right?
- Regenerate it. You get three free regenerations per job; each one lets you adjust font, size, or layout. If after three you still aren’t happy, our team can intervene manually. Nothing is cut until you sign off.
- How much does it cost?
- The design and proof tooling is free to use up to the approval moment. Payment captures only when you approve a proof — typically $175–$450 for a second-date inscription, including the dealer’s on-site work, depending on stone material and travel distance.
- Can I design without uploading a photo?
- You can try fonts and inscription layouts anonymously in our font preview and inscription text builder tools. To get a proof on the actual stone, a photo is required — the proof is what protects you (and the dealer) from a surprise on the day of cutting.
Ready to design?
Free to start. No card required to see the AI proof — payment captures only after you approve.