USPS Postcard Rates Guide: Current Pricing and How to Qualify for Discounts

By Lee Garvey

The humble postcard just got more expensive. On July 13, 2025, the USPS raised postcard rates by 5 cents to 61 cents per piece, marking the sixth increase since August 2021. For businesses sending thousands of postcards monthly, that seemingly small bump translates to hundreds or thousands of dollars in additional annual costs.

The good news? Smart mailers who understand USPS discount structures can still send postcards for as little as 38 cents per piece. The key lies in knowing which rates apply to your mailings, how volume thresholds work, and where the biggest cost-saving opportunities hide in plain sight.

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Current USPS Postcard Rates (2025)

The USPS implemented a 7.4% average rate increase on July 13, 2025, as part of its ongoing “Delivering for America” plan to achieve financial stability. This change affects all postcard categories, from single-piece mailings to bulk commercial rates.

First-Class Mail Postcard Rates:

• Standard postcards (single piece): 61 cents (up from 56 cents)
• International postcards: $1.70 (up from $1.65)
• Additional ounce pricing: 29 cents (up from 28 cents)

Marketing Mail Commercial Rates (bulk/presort required):

• Automation letters (5-digit, DSCF entry): 35.5 cents
• Standard automation rates: 38.4-41.9 cents depending on presort level
• Bulk mail postcards with addressing/presorting services: 38.4-41.9 cents plus 7 cents processing fee

Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) Rates:

• EDDM retail (self-service): 24.7 cents per piece

Size-Based Pricing Differences: The size of your postcard significantly impacts both printing and postal costs. Smaller formats like 4.25″ x 6″ cards qualify for the lowest postal rates, while oversized cards (larger than 4.25″ x 6″) may require letter-rate postage. Cards exceeding 6″ x 9″ automatically fall into the flat-rate category, which can cost 2-3 times more than standard postcard rates.

Calculate Your Postcard Mailing Costs: Real Examples

Comprehending rate structures means little without seeing how they translate into actual campaign budgets. These real-world scenarios show the total cost impact of different mailing strategies, including both postage and production expenses.

Small Business Scenario (1,000 pieces)

A local restaurant mailing 1,000 promotional postcards faces a choice between First-Class and Marketing Mail. First-Class delivery costs $620 in postage plus approximately $180 for printing and processing, totaling $800. Marketing Mail reduces postage to $390-420 depending on presort level, but requires additional setup fees and longer delivery times. Total Marketing Mail cost: $650-700, saving $100-150 per campaign.

However, the 5-7 day delivery delay with Marketing Mail may reduce response rates for time-sensitive promotions. Many small businesses find First-Class worth the premium for grand openings, limited-time offers, or seasonal campaigns where timing drives results.

Medium Volume Campaign (5,000 pieces)

At 5,000 pieces, presort discounts become more attractive. First-Class mailing costs $3,100 in postage plus $600 in production for a $3,700 total. Marketing Mail with proper automation formatting drops to $1,950 in postage plus $650 in production and presort fees, totaling $2,600—a $1,100 savings representing 30% cost reduction.

This volume threshold makes professional mail services cost-effective. The time saved on postal regulations, sorting requirements, and delivery logistics often justifies service fees while ensuring maximum discount qualification. Direct mail automation can streamline these complex processes.

High-Volume Marketing (25,000+ pieces)

Large campaigns unlock the deepest discounts and lowest per-piece costs. First-Class mailing 25,000 postcards costs $15,500 in postage alone. Marketing Mail with 5-digit presort and destination entry discounts reduces postage to $8,750-9,500 depending on geographic concentration. Including production and processing, total costs drop from $17,000 to $11,500—savings of $5,500 per campaign.

At this volume, investing in list hygiene, address standardization, and professional design optimization pays measurable dividends through additional automation discounts and improved deliverability rates. Bulk address validation becomes essential at these volumes.

EDDM vs. Targeted Lists

A home services company comparing 2,000-piece mailings sees dramatically different cost structures. Targeted Marketing Mail to homeowners aged 35-65 costs $1,100 in postage plus $400 for the demographic list and $300 in production, totaling $1,800. EDDM to the same geographic area costs $324 in postage with no list fees and $350 in production, totaling $674.

The $1,126 savings comes with zero demographic targeting. Response rates typically drop 40-60% with EDDM’s broad reach, making the higher-cost targeted approach more profitable despite increased upfront investment.

How to Qualify for USPS Postcard Discounts

Grasping USPS discount structures can cut your postcard mailing costs by 30-70%. However, these savings come with specific requirements that many small businesses overlook.

Volume Requirements for Presort Discounts

The magic number for most postcard discounts is 500 pieces per mailing. Bulk mail requires a minimum of 500 pieces to qualify for discounted rates, though the deepest discounts typically start at 1,000+ pieces.

For businesses mailing smaller quantities, the math rarely works in your favor when handling presort requirements yourself. The time spent sorting mail by ZIP codes, preparing postal documentation, and delivering to the correct postal facilities often exceeds any postage savings. This is why many businesses turn to mail service providers who can aggregate multiple customers’ mailings to reach volume thresholds.

First-Class presort discounts require even higher volumes—typically 500+ pieces sorted to specific geographic levels. The more precise your sorting (5-digit ZIP codes vs. 3-digit prefixes), the deeper your discounts.

Marketing Mail vs. First-Class Savings

Marketing Mail offers the steepest discounts but comes with trade-offs. Marketing Mail rates average 35-42 cents per postcard compared to 61 cents for First-Class, representing potential savings of 32-44% per piece.

However, Marketing Mail delivers slower (2-9 business days vs. 1-3 for First-Class) and receives lower delivery priority during peak seasons. For time-sensitive promotions or customer communications, the delayed delivery may offset the cost savings. USPS service standard changes affect these delivery windows.

Automation discounts within Marketing Mail reward properly formatted addresses and postcard designs. Mail pieces that can be processed by USPS sorting equipment qualify for additional 2-5 cent discounts per piece. This means investing in clean mailing lists and professional design pays dividends beyond response rates.

Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) Option

EDDM eliminates the need for mailing lists entirely by delivering to every address on selected postal routes. At 24.7 cents per postcard, it offers the lowest per-piece rates available.

The catch? Zero targeting capability. EDDM works best for businesses serving entire neighborhoods—restaurants, retail stores, service providers with geographic service areas. For businesses selling specialized products or services, the lack of demographic targeting often results in poor response rates despite the low mailing costs.

EDDM postcards must meet specific size requirements (6.25″ x 11″, 6.5″ x 9″, 8.5″ x 11″, or 8.5″ x 12″) and can only be designed as self-mailers without envelopes.

Factors That Impact Your Postcard Mailing Costs

Size and Format Costs drive both printing and postage expenses. Standard postcard sizes (4.25″ x 6″ or smaller) qualify for the lowest postal rates, while oversized formats trigger letter-rate postage that can double your mailing costs. The sweet spot for most businesses falls between 4.25″ x 6″ and 5.5″ x 8.5″—large enough to make an impact while maintaining postcard-rate eligibility.

List Quality Impact represents the biggest variable in overall campaign costs. Highly targeted lists with specific demographic criteria cost more upfront but dramatically improve response rates and ROI. Conversely, broad demographic lists cost less per name but often generate more waste through irrelevant targeting. The most expensive mailing list is one that doesn’t generate responses. Hidden costs of poor mailing lists can devastate campaign budgets.

Production Choices between color and black-and-white printing have narrowed significantly. Digital printing technology has made full-color postcards nearly as affordable as single-color versions, often representing less than a 10-15% cost difference. However, premium finishes like UV coating or specialty papers can add 20-50% to production costs.

Geographic Factors influence both postage rates and delivery times. Local and regional mailings often qualify for additional postal discounts, while national campaigns may require higher postage rates. Additionally, mailing from facilities closer to your target markets can reduce both costs and delivery times through destination entry discounts.

Timing Considerations affect both postal rates and printing costs. USPS implements rate changes twice yearly (typically January and July), while printing costs fluctuate based on paper availability and seasonal demand. Planning mailings around these cycles can generate meaningful savings, especially for high-volume campaigns.

Service Level Selection involves balancing cost, speed, and deliverability. First-Class Mail provides faster delivery and better tracking but costs 50-70% more than Marketing Mail. Many businesses find success with Marketing Mail for prospecting campaigns and First-Class for customer communications, optimizing both cost and service level for each audience segment.

Start Saving on Your Next Postcard Campaign Today

Tackling USPS rate structures and discount qualifications doesn’t have to drain your marketing budget or overwhelm your team. The difference between paying 61 cents per postcard and 38 cents per postcard adds up quickly—but only if you can access the volume discounts, proper presort services, and automated processing that make those lower rates possible.

Click2Mail eliminates the complexity of postal regulations while delivering maximum cost savings on your postcard campaigns. With no minimum volume requirements, next-day processing, and automatic access to bulk mail discounts regardless of your mailing size, you get enterprise-level postal rates without the enterprise-level headaches. 

From design assistance to automated presort services, API integration for high-volume senders, and transparent cost estimation tools, Click2Mail handles every aspect of your mailing process while ensuring you pay the lowest possible postage rates. Ready to see how much you could save on your next postcard campaign? Get your free quote today and discover why thousands of businesses trust Click2Mail for their direct mail success.