Printing 500 full-color 4 x 6 in postcards on 14pt card costs about $52 to $102 at typical market prices in October 2026, and 1,000 cost about $87 to $145, or 9 to 15 cents a card. Postage is usually the bigger number. A stamped First-Class postcard is 65 cents, a 5 x 7 or 6 x 9 card mails at the 82 cent letter price, and an EDDM Retail piece is 26 cents, per USPS prices checked in October 2026.
How much does it cost to print postcards?
Size and quantity set most of the price. The table shows printing only, in full color, before postage.
| Size | 100 | 500 | 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 x 6 in | about $24 to $35 | about $52 to $102 | about $87 to $145 |
| 5 x 7 in | about $30 to $60 | about $102 to $255 | about $137 to $290 |
Prices shown are typical market prices for standard options, based on published prices from national print retailers and online printers, checked October 2026. They are a guide, not a quote. Prices are subject to change and do change with quantity, paper, finishing and turnaround, so contact us for an updated quote.
These ranges are based on published prices at national retailers and online printers such as Staples, FedEx Office, Vistaprint and 4over4, checked on October 29, 2026, for cards on 14pt or 16pt stock. 4over4's postcard pricing guide is one example. Online printers sit at the low end of each range; retail counters and brokers whose prices include shipping sit at the high end.
For 6 x 9 in postcards, published prices vary widely, from premium brands to print-and-ship services, so ask for a quote. Per card, a 6 x 9 costs more to print than a 4 x 6 and mails at the letter price rather than the postcard price.
What does it cost to print and mail a postcard?
Add the print cost per card to the postage per card. At 1,000 pieces, a printed and stamped 4 x 6 in card comes to roughly 74 to 80 cents, and an EDDM postcard to about 46 cents.
| Mailer | Print, per piece | USPS postage | Total per piece |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 x 6 in, First-Class stamped | 9 to 15 cents | 65 cents | about 74 to 80 cents |
| 5 x 7 in, First-Class stamped | 14 to 29 cents | 82 cents | about 96 cents to $1.11 |
| 6.5 x 9 in, EDDM Retail | about 20 cents, one published price | 26 cents | about 46 cents |
Postage is from USPS business prices and the USPS Notice 123 price list, checked October 29, 2026. Stamped prices are single-piece rates. Presorted First-Class and USPS Marketing Mail prices are lower and depend on how the mail is sorted, so we price postage with each mailing quote.
What does USPS count as a postcard?
To mail at the postcard price, a card must be rectangular, at least 3.5 x 5 in and no larger than 4.25 x 6 in, and between 0.007 and 0.016 in thick, under the USPS Domestic Mail Manual, section 201. A 4 x 6 in card on 14pt stock, which is 0.014 in thick, fits. A 5 x 7, 6 x 9 or 6 x 11 in card mails as a letter, which costs more per piece but buys a bigger panel for the offer. Our comparison of postcards, self-mailers and letters covers the other formats.
How much is EDDM per piece?
EDDM Retail postage is 26 cents a piece for flats up to 3.3 oz, per USPS in October 2026, and printing a 6.5 x 9 in EDDM postcard adds about 20 cents at one published price for 1,000. EDDM needs no mailing list: you choose carrier routes and every address on them gets a piece. The piece must be flat-size, such as 6.5 x 9 in or larger, so a 4 x 6 card does not qualify. Our EDDM guide for Manhattan covers routes, sizes and bundling.
What is presorted First-Class and bulk mail?
Bulk mail is a large mailing sorted before it reaches the post office, by the mailer, a printer or a mail house, in exchange for lower postage. Presorted First-Class Mail needs at least 500 addressed pieces and USPS Marketing Mail at least 200, according to the USPS quick service guides for presorted First-Class Mail and Marketing Mail, checked October 2026. Both carry an annual presort mailing fee.
- Permit and indicia: postage is paid by permit imprint, meter or precanceled stamp. The permit imprint, usually called an indicia, is printed in the stamp corner and charged to a USPS permit account.
- NCOA and Move Update: addresses on every piece must be updated within 95 days before mailing through a USPS-approved method such as NCOALink, which checks the list against change-of-address records.
- Mail house or lettershop: a business that addresses, sorts, inserts and bundles mail and hands it to USPS. Big Apple Press handles printing, addressing, sorting and the postal drop as one job, for EDDM, print-and-mail and bulk mailings.
What moves the price of postcard printing?
- Quantity: a 4 x 6 card falls from about 24 to 35 cents each at 100 to 9 to 15 cents at 1,000.
- Size: a 5 x 7 costs more to print than a 4 x 6, and anything over 4.25 x 6 in pays letter postage.
- Sides: the back usually adds little. At one printer that lists both, it added about $11 on 500 cards.
- Stock and coating: 16pt, soft touch and spot UV cost more than 14pt gloss.
- Mailing: addressing and sorting are part of a print-and-mail quote, separate from the postage itself.
- Turnaround and shipping: published prices assume standard turnaround, and most exclude shipping.
A costly postcard mistake is designing a 5 x 7 or 6 x 9 card on the assumption that it will mail at the postcard price. It will not: anything larger than 4.25 x 6 in, or thicker than 0.016 in, pays the letter price. At stamped rates that is 17 cents more a piece, or $170 on 1,000 cards. Decide the size and the postage together before design starts, and leave the address panel free of UV coating or laminate so the addresses do not smear.
Postcard printing and mailing questions
How much does it cost to print 500 postcards?
About $52 to $102 for 500 full-color 4 x 6 in postcards, and about $102 to $255 for 5 x 7 in, at typical market prices in October 2026. Prices are subject to change; ask us for a current quote.
How much does it cost to mail a postcard in 2026?
A stamped First-Class postcard up to 4.25 x 6 in costs 65 cents, and a larger card mails at the 82 cent letter price, per USPS in October 2026. Postage is subject to change, and presorted rates are lower.
How much does direct mail cost per piece?
A 4 x 6 postcard printed and stamped First-Class costs roughly 74 to 80 cents a piece at 1,000, and an EDDM postcard about 46 cents, using typical market print prices and USPS postage in October 2026. Both are subject to change.
Is a 6 x 9 postcard more expensive to mail?
Yes. USPS postcard pricing stops at 4.25 x 6 in, so a 6 x 9 card mails at the letter price: 82 cents stamped in October 2026, against 65 cents for a postcard. Postage is subject to change.
Can you print and mail postcards for me?
Yes. Big Apple Press handles printing, addressing, sorting and the postal drop as one job, including EDDM and bulk mail. Ask for postage to be priced with the print quote.
See postcard sizes and EDDM options on our postcard and direct mail page, or send your list size and mail date for a combined print and postage quote.
Need this printed? We are at 40 Wall Street, and we deliver free anywhere in Manhattan.