What EDDM postage actually costs per piece

This page is for anyone planning an EDDM campaign who wants to understand the postage line before they commit. By the end you will know the current per-piece rate, how postage scales with quantity, why we treat it as pass-through, and how the final number gets verified at the post office.

The short answer: current EDDM Retail postage rate per piece

The USPS EDDM Retail rate is $0.247 per piece as of 2025. That number is set by the U.S. Postal Service and applies to every qualifying EDDM Retail flat dropped at the destination post office serving the carrier routes you selected.

Multiply that rate by your quantity to estimate postage. A 5,000-piece campaign is roughly $1,235 in postage alone. Print is a separate line item, and there is no permit fee for EDDM Retail, which is the main reason small businesses use it instead of a permitted bulk mail program.

Rule of thumb: Budget roughly 25 cents per piece for postage on EDDM Retail. Print is separate.

EDDM Retail vs. BMEU (brief)

EDDM Retail is the simpler, no-permit path. Per-piece postage is higher, but you skip the permit, the annual fee, and the BMEU drop. BMEU (Bulk Mail Entry Unit) entry runs lower per piece, as low as $0.242 per piece (USPS published rate), but it requires a USPS bulk mail permit, a permit imprint, and a regional facility drop.

For most local mailings under 25,000 pieces, EDDM Retail is the better fit because the postage difference does not outrun the permit cost and operational overhead. If you mail recurring high-volume campaigns, BMEU starts to pay off. For a full side-by-side comparison, see our EDDM Retail vs. BMEU breakdown.

Postage as pass-through

EDDM2GO treats USPS postage as a pass-through cost. The rate on your invoice is the rate USPS charges, not a marked-up version of it. A small handling fee may apply to cover bundling, facing slip preparation, and the post office drop on full-service orders, but the per-piece postage itself is not where we make margin.

This matters for two reasons. First, you can verify the postage line against the USPS published rate at any time. Second, if USPS adjusts the rate between your quote and your drop, we adjust your invoice to match rather than pocketing the difference or eating a loss. Print pricing is where the markup lives; postage is what USPS charges to deliver the mail.

How route count and quantity affect your total postage

Postage scales linearly with quantity. The per-piece rate does not drop at higher volumes on EDDM Retail, which is one of the structural differences from BMEU. What changes is the print cost per piece, not the postage.

Route count affects total quantity because each carrier route has a fixed address count, typically 400 to 600 homes and businesses. Pick three routes averaging 500 addresses each and you are mailing 1,500 pieces, which means roughly $370.50 in postage. Pick ten routes at the same average and you are at 5,000 pieces and $1,235 in postage.

A quick way to plan: estimate addresses per route from your route selection, multiply by route count to get quantity, then multiply quantity by $0.247 to get postage. Print is layered on top.

Why USPS postage rates change

USPS adjusts EDDM postage periodically, usually once or twice per year. Rate cases are filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission and announced weeks in advance of the effective date. Recent years have seen adjustments in January and July, though the schedule is not fixed.

When a rate change is published, our system updates the configurator to reflect the new per-piece number on the same day it takes effect. If you have an active quote that has not yet been paid, the postage line will reprice to the current rate before checkout. If you have already paid and your mail has not dropped, we honor the rate at the time of payment.

USPS adjusts EDDM rates periodically — usually once or twice a year. The configurator at /eddm always shows the current rate, so the number you see at checkout is the number USPS is charging that week.

How final postage is verified before mailing

Every EDDM Retail drop is verified at the destination post office before the mail enters the stream. The window clerk counts bundles, confirms each route is separated correctly, checks the facing slip totals, and applies the per-piece rate to the total piece count. The payment is calculated on the spot.

For full-service orders, our drop team handles this step. We submit USPS Form 3587 (the EDDM Retail facing slip and payment form), pay the postage on your behalf, and provide the stamped paperwork as proof of mailing. If the clerk catches a discrepancy, for example a route that came in slightly under or over the expected count, the postage is adjusted at the window and reflected on your final invoice.

This verification step is also why postage numbers in a quote are estimates until the bundles are counted. The numbers should match within a handful of pieces, but the post office count is the official one.

Postage cost examples

The table below shows postage only — print is not included. Use it for quick budgeting on the postage line of a mailing.

Quantity	Postage rate	Postage total
2,500	$0.247	$617.50
5,000	$0.247	$1,235.00
10,000	$0.247	$2,470.00
25,000	$0.247	$6,175.00

To get the all-in cost, add print and any handling fee. Print depends on the size, paper, and quantity you choose. The EDDM configurator shows the full breakdown live so you can compare sizes and quantities side by side before paying.

Frequently asked questions

Is $0.247 per piece the only EDDM Retail postage rate?

For standard EDDM Retail flats, yes. The rate is flat per piece regardless of how many routes you select or how many pieces you mail, as long as the piece meets EDDM size requirements. BMEU rates are lower but require a permit and a different drop process.

Do I pay postage upfront or at the post office?

On full-service EDDM orders through EDDM2GO, postage is paid as part of your invoice at checkout. We pay USPS at the window when we drop the bundles. On DIY orders, you pay USPS directly at the destination post office when you drop the mail.

Does the postage rate change if I mail to more carrier routes?

No. The per-piece rate stays the same. What goes up is the total quantity, because each additional route adds 400 to 600 addresses. More routes equals more pieces equals proportionally more postage at the same per-piece rate.

What happens if USPS raises the rate between my quote and my drop?

If you have not yet paid, your quote reprices to the new rate at checkout. If you have already paid and we have not yet dropped, you are locked in at the rate you paid. We do not retroactively bill rate increases on paid orders.

Is there a discount for very large EDDM Retail campaigns?

Not on EDDM Retail postage itself. The per-piece rate is flat. However, print cost per piece drops significantly at higher quantities, so the all-in cost per piece does fall as you scale. If you are mailing 25,000 or more on a recurring basis, ask us whether BMEU makes sense for your situation.

Ready to price a campaign?

Open the EDDM configurator to see live postage at the current USPS rate, choose your size and quantity, and get an all-in number including print. If you would rather walk through it with someone, call (713) 300-0687 or email cs@eddm2go.com and we will price it with you.