How much does direct mail cost? Real prices per piece
Most direct mail prices online are ranges so wide they don't help. Here are our actual 2026 prices for a postcard mailed to a list, what goes into them, and what makes a mailing cost more or less.
The short answer
A 6 × 11 postcard printed in full color, addressed and mailed to your list costs 60¢ to 80¢ a card, depending on how many you send. That includes printing, addressing, mail processing and postage. If you need a mailing list, it adds 15¢ an address. Every Door Direct Mail®, which goes to every home on a route with no list, costs 41¢ to 73¢ a home.
Direct mail prices in 2026
A 6 × 11 postcard, 16 pt card stock, color on both sides and a UV gloss on the front, mailed to your list:
| Postcards | Printing | Addressing and processing | Postage | Total | Per card |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $318 | $75 | $407 | $800 | 80¢ |
| 2,500 | $513 | $125 | $1,017 | $1,655 | 66¢ |
| 5,000 | $790 | $250 | $2,034 | $3,074 | 61¢ |
| 10,000 | $1,415 | $500 | $4,069 | $5,984 | 60¢ |
Postage shown for a local list that sorts to the 5-digit ZIP Code, the usual case for a business mailing nearby. A mailing list, if you need one, is 15¢ an address on top.
What's in the price
Printing
The card itself: thick 16 pt stock, full color on both sides and a glossy front that stands out in the mailbox. It's the only part that gets cheaper per card as the quantity goes up.
Addressing and mail processing
5¢ a card, with a $75 minimum. It covers printing each address and barcode, checking the list against USPS address and change-of-address data, sorting for the lowest postage, and delivering the trays to the Post Office.
Postage
A 6 × 11 card is the largest size USPS Marketing Mail still prices as a letter, so it mails for about 41¢ a card, compared with 82¢ with a stamp. That's the USPS rate plus 3%. See bulk mail rates for every USPS price.
The mailing list
Free if you mail your own customers. Otherwise you can buy a targeted mailing list on our site for 15¢ an address, picked by area, homeownership, income, age and more, and see the count before you pay.
What makes direct mail cost more or less
- Quantity. 1,000 cards cost 80¢ each, and 10,000 cost 60¢ each.
- Where your list is. A local list sorts finely and gets the lowest postage. 5,000 cards to addresses spread across the country cost about $3,445 instead of $3,074.
- Size and shape. A card bigger than 6.125 × 11.5 inches is a flat and costs much more to mail, and square cards pay a surcharge. Our postcard sizes guide shows where each size falls.
- Letters instead of postcards. A letter in an envelope pays the same postage as a 6 × 11 card, but printing, folding and inserting cost more. We quote letters by the job.
- Whether you need a list. Mailing your own customers costs nothing extra. A purchased list adds 15¢ a card.
Example: 5,000 postcards to new customers
A home services company in North County San Diego wants to reach 5,000 homeowners near its shop and buys a list of them.
| Printing | $790 |
| Addressing and processing | $250 |
| Postage | $2,034 |
| Mailing list, 5,000 homeowners | $750 |
| Total | $3,824, or 76¢ a card |
The same company could also mail every home on the routes around its shop with EDDM® and skip the list. Which one costs less per likely customer depends on how many of those homes could actually buy. EDDM® vs addressed direct mail has a calculator for it, and EDDM® prices lists every EDDM® size and quantity.
How to lower your cost per customer
- Mail fewer, better addresses. 2,500 cards to the right homes beat 10,000 to everyone.
- Keep the list local. Nearby addresses sort to the lowest postage, and nearby customers are the ones most likely to call.
- Mail the same people again. Most people need to see an offer more than once. Two or three mailings to the same list usually bring more calls per dollar than one big mailing.
- Use the biggest card at the lowest price. A 6 × 11 card costs the same to mail as a 6 × 9 and has about 20% more space.
Want the whole process from list to mailbox? Read how direct mail works, step by step, or see our postcard mailing services.
Frequently asked questions
How much does direct mail cost per piece?
A 6 × 11 postcard printed, addressed and mailed to your own list costs 60¢ to 80¢ a card with us in 2026, depending on the quantity. A mailing list adds 15¢ an address if you need one. Every Door Direct Mail® costs 41¢ to 73¢ a home and needs no list.
How much does it cost to send 1,000 postcards?
$800 for 1,000 6 × 11 postcards to your list, with printing, addressing, processing and postage included, or 80¢ a card. With a purchased list, add $150.
How much does it cost to send 5,000 postcards?
About $3,074, or 61¢ a card, when your list is local. If the addresses are spread across the country, postage is higher and the total is about $3,445.
Why is direct mail cheaper per piece at higher quantities?
Printing is the part that drops. The press setup is shared by more cards, so each one costs less. Postage stays about the same per card at any quantity.
Is direct mail worth the cost?
It is when the card reaches people who could actually buy from you and makes one clear offer. Compare the cost per likely customer, not per card, and mail the same people more than once. A single mailing rarely shows what mail can do.