How Much Does It Cost to Mail a Postcard? 2026 Postage Rates

Postcard Postage Rates 2026

The standard cost to mail a single postcard via USPS First-Class Mail is $0.56 as of January 2026. This is the rate you'll pay at the post office or with a single stamp. But if you're mailing postcards for business - whether it's marketing campaigns, fundraising appeals, or event invitations - bulk postcard postage rates can save you 23% to 57% per piece.

USPS Postcard Rate Comparison Table

Current USPS postcard postage rates range from $0.24 per piece (nonprofit) to $0.56 per piece (first-class). The table below compares every mail class available for postcards in 2026:

All rates reflect 2026 USPS pricing. Presort rates require mail house processing (like MPA). Get exact pricing for your campaign.

First-Class Postcard Postage

First-Class Mail is the simplest way to send postcards. At $0.56 per piece, it's ideal for personal correspondence, thank-you cards, or small batches where speed matters.

Size Requirements for First-Class Postcard Rate

To qualify for the $0.56 postcard rate (rather than the $0.73 letter rate), your piece must meet these USPS requirements:

• Minimum: 3.5" x 5" x 0.007" thick
• Maximum: 4.25" x 6" x 0.016" thick
• Must be rectangular (aspect ratio between 1.3 and 2.5)

Postcards larger than 4.25" x 6" still mail fine - they just get charged at the letter rate ($0.73) instead. For a detailed breakdown of all postcard size requirements, see our complete size guide.

When to Use First-Class

• Sending fewer than 200 postcards (below bulk mail minimums)
• Need delivery in 1-5 business days
• Personal or one-off mailings
• Presorted First-Class at $0.68/piece for 500+ pieces with faster delivery than Marketing Mail

Bulk Postcard Mailing Rates

If you're mailing 200+ postcards, Marketing Mail (formerly Standard Mail) drops your postage to just $0.43 per piece - a 23% savings over single-piece First-Class. This is the most popular choice for business postcard campaigns.

How Presort Discounts Work

Presort discounts reward mailers who do some of the postal service's sorting work. A mail house like MPA sorts your mail by ZIP code, applies barcodes, and delivers it bundled to USPS - saving them labor, which they pass on as lower rates.

Minimum Quantities

• Marketing Mail: 200 pieces minimum
• Presorted First-Class: 500 pieces minimum

How to Qualify

You don't need your own postal permit. Work with a bulk mailing services provider like MPA and we handle all the presorting, paperwork, and USPS entry. One invoice, no hidden fees.

EDDM Postcard Rates

EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail) is the cheapest way to mail postcards at just $0.26 per piece. That's 54% less than Marketing Mail and 54% less than First-Class.

Why EDDM Is the Cheapest Option

EDDM eliminates the cost of a mailing list entirely. Instead of buying addresses, you select postal routes and USPS delivers to every address on those routes. No names, no addresses, no list - just blanket coverage of the neighborhoods you choose.

EDDM Size Requirements

EDDM postcards must be larger than standard mail. Your piece must exceed at least one of these dimensions:

• Height greater than 6.125 inches, OR
• Length greater than 11.5 inches

The most popular EDDM size is 6.25" x 9" - it meets the minimum while keeping printing costs low. Use our EDDM route planning tool to select routes and see delivery counts.

EDDM Minimums

You must mail at least 200 pieces per carrier route, up to the total number of deliveries on that route. Most routes have 300-700 addresses.

Nonprofit Postcard Rates

Qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations get the lowest postcard rates available: just $0.24 per piece through Nonprofit Marketing Mail.

How to Qualify

• Must be a registered 501(c)(3) organization
• Apply for a nonprofit mailing authorization from USPS (Form 3624)
• Content must further the organization's stated mission

MPA works with dozens of nonprofits across Florida and can help you apply for authorization if you don't already have it. Learn more about our nonprofit direct mail services.

How Much Does It Cost to Send a Postcard?

The cost to send a postcard depends on whether you're mailing one piece or thousands. A single postcard costs $0.56 to send via USPS First-Class Mail — just buy a postcard stamp at the post office or online.

For businesses mailing in bulk, the per-piece cost drops significantly when you factor in printing and postage together:

• Small batch (100-500 postcards): $0.75-$1.00 per piece all-in (printing + postage + mailing)
• Medium campaign (1,000-2,500): $0.50-$0.75 per piece all-in
• Large campaign (5,000+): $0.40-$0.60 per piece all-in
• EDDM saturation (5,000+): $0.35-$0.50 per piece all-in — the cheapest option for local businesses

The biggest factor in reducing cost per piece is quantity. Printing costs drop dramatically at 1,000+ pieces, and bulk postage rates (Marketing Mail at $0.43 or EDDM at $0.26) save 23-54% over single-piece First-Class stamps. Use our calculator above to get an instant estimate for your specific campaign.

How to Save Money on Postcard Mailing

Here are the most effective ways to reduce your postcard mailing costs:

1. Use EDDM for local campaigns - $0.26/piece saves 54% versus Marketing Mail. Perfect for restaurants, retail, real estate, and home services targeting nearby neighborhoods.
2. Use Marketing Mail for targeted lists - $0.43/piece saves 23% versus First-Class. Best when you have a specific customer list or demographic criteria.
3. Qualify for nonprofit rates - $0.24/piece is available for 501(c)(3) organizations. The lowest postcard postage rate available.
4. Mail in larger quantities - Per-piece printing costs drop significantly at 1,000+, 2,500+, and 5,000+ quantities.
5. Work with a mail house - A full-service provider like MPA handles printing, presorting, and mailing in one step, eliminating middleman markups.

USPS Postcard Rate History (2020-2026)

USPS postcard postage rates have increased steadily over the past six years. Here's how rates have changed for each mail class:

First-Class postcard postage has increased 60% since 2020, from $0.35 to $0.56. USPS typically announces rate changes in October, with new rates taking effect in January. The 2026 increase was relatively modest at 1.8% — the smallest jump since 2021.

For businesses mailing in bulk, the impact of rate increases is smaller because Marketing Mail and EDDM rates haven't risen as steeply as First-Class. This makes bulk mailing through a mail house like MPA increasingly cost-effective compared to stamping postcards yourself.

International Postcard Postage Rates

Sending a postcard internationally from the US costs $1.65 using a USPS Global Forever stamp. This flat rate applies to postcards sent to any country, regardless of destination.

International Postcard Size Requirements

• Minimum: 3.5" x 5" x 0.007" thick
• Maximum: 4.25" x 6" x 0.016" thick
• Must be rectangular with an aspect ratio between 1.3 and 2.5

These are the same size requirements as domestic First-Class postcards. Oversized pieces (larger than 4.25" x 6") must be sent as international letters at higher rates.

International vs Domestic Postcard Rates

Note: International postcard mailing is single-piece only — there are no bulk discounts for international mail. Businesses doing international direct mail campaigns typically use in-country print partners rather than mailing from the US. MPA specializes in domestic bulk mailing where the biggest postage savings are available.

Postcard vs Letter Postage: Which Is Cheaper?

Postcards are almost always cheaper to mail than letters. Here's a side-by-side comparison across every USPS mail class:

The biggest savings come at the single-piece level: $0.17 per piece cheaper to send a postcard versus a letter via First-Class. On a 1,000-piece mailing, that's $170 saved on postage alone.

For presorted bulk mail, postcards and letters cost the same per piece in postage. However, postcards are still cheaper overall because:

• No envelope needed — letters require printing an envelope plus an insert, adding $0.05-$0.15/piece in materials
• Faster production — postcards are one piece to print versus 2-3 components for a letter package
• Higher open rates — postcards have near-100% visibility since there's no envelope to open (industry average: postcards get 4.25% response vs 2.7% for letters)

For most business marketing campaigns, postcards offer the best combination of low cost and high visibility. Try our calculator to compare total costs for your specific campaign size.

Frequently Asked Questions