USPS postage, explained
EDDM postage rate: $0.26 per piece
EDDM Retail postage is one flat USPS rate per piece. Every address and every carrier route costs the same, and there is no mailing list to buy. Rate checked Nov 1.
No profit on postage
Postage is the biggest cost of most EDDM mailings. We don't profit on it.
From about 2,500 pieces up, postage is the largest single line on an EDDM bill. At 5,000 postcards it is 49% of a Full Service order. EDDM2GO prices postage from the USPS rate, $0.26 per piece, and makes no profit on it.*
Priced from the USPS rate
Postage is priced from the current USPS EDDM Retail rate. We earn on printing, bundling and paperwork, not on postage.*
Its own line on your quote
On Full Service, postage shows as a separate line before you pay, so you always see it. On Print Only, you pay USPS directly at the Post Office.
No tax on postage
USPS postage is never subject to sales tax. Wherever sales tax applies, it is added only to printing and the mailing service. Credits and reward points apply to printing, not postage.
| Pieces | Total | Postage line* | Printing, bundling, paperwork | Postage share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $766.65 | $267.80 | $498.85 | 35% |
| 2,500 | $1,469.53 | $669.50 | $800.03 | 46% |
| 5,000 | $2,706.81 | $1,339.00 | $1,367.81 | 49% |
| 10,000 | $5,096.12 | $2,678.00 | $2,418.12 | 53% |
* Full Service prices include a 3% credit card processing charge on every line, postage included, so the postage line is $0.26 plus 3% per piece. Sales tax never applies to postage. Your routes set the exact piece count, so the final total is on your quote. USPS sets the postage rate and can change it.
EDDM postage cost by quantity
Postage only, at $0.26 per piece. Printing is extra, and your routes set the exact piece count.
| Pieces | USPS postage |
|---|---|
| 500 | $130.00 |
| 1,000 | $260.00 |
| 2,500 | $650.00 |
| 5,000 | $1,300.00 |
Pieces times $0.26, rounded to the cent. Rate as of Nov 1. USPS can change the rate.
Who pays the postage
Full Service
Postage is in your price as its own line. We print, bundle by carrier route, prepare the USPS paperwork and deliver the mailing to USPS. There is nothing to pay at the Post Office counter.
EDDM mailing servicesPrint Only
We print and ship the pieces to you. You pay USPS the current EDDM rate when you drop the mailing off, using PS Form 3587. We do not add postage to a Print Only order.
EDDM printingUSPS postage is never taxed. When sales tax applies, it is added at checkout on the printing and mailing service, not on postage.
EDDM Retail vs EDDM BMEU postage
| EDDM Retail | EDDM BMEU | |
|---|---|---|
| Size of mailing | Up to 5,000 pieces per ZIP code per day | Larger mailings |
| Permit | None | USPS permit required |
| How postage is paid | At the Post Office counter with PS Form 3587 | Through the permit account |
| Where it is dropped off | Local Post Office counter | A Business Mail Entry Unit (BMEU) |
The rate on this page is the Retail rate. Both versions use the same size rules for flats. For the full list, see EDDM sizes and requirements or the postage section of the EDDM guide.
Postage is one part of the total
An EDDM mailing costs postage plus printing. On Full Service it also covers bundling by route and the USPS paperwork. The per-piece printing price drops as quantity goes up.
The fastest way to a real number is to pick your routes. The route map counts the homes, then shows an itemized price with postage as its own line before you pay. No hidden fees. Every charge is on your quote: sales tax where it applies, shipping on Print Only, and a total that follows your route count.
For worked examples by size and quantity, read what EDDM costs per piece, postage and totals.
Check the rate with USPS
USPS sets EDDM postage. These are the official USPS pages to confirm the rate and the rules yourself.
- USPS Notice 123, the official price list
Where USPS publishes the current EDDM Retail rate and every other mailing price.
- Every Door Direct Mail on usps.com
The USPS overview of the EDDM program, Retail and BMEU.
- USPS mailing standards for EDDM Retail flats
The Domestic Mail Manual rules a piece must meet to mail at the EDDM rate.
- PostalPro: Every Door Direct Mail
USPS guides for business mailers, including EDDM BMEU.
- PS Form 3587, the EDDM Retail postage statement
The form that goes to the Post Office with a Retail mailing. On Full Service, we prepare the paperwork for you.
- The USPS EDDM online tool
USPS's own route map. Ours shows the same carrier routes with counts and an itemized price.
EDDM2GO is an independent company and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the United States Postal Service. Every Door Direct Mail and EDDM are USPS trademarks.
EDDM postage questions
What is the USPS EDDM Retail postage rate per piece?
EDDM Retail postage is $0.26 per piece (checked Nov 1). It is one flat rate for every address on every route you pick. USPS sets the rate and can change it, so check the date next to any rate you find online.
Is postage included in EDDM2GO prices?
With Full Service, yes. Postage is in your price as its own line, so you can see it before you pay. With Print Only, no. You pay USPS the current EDDM rate when you drop the mailing off at the Post Office.
Does EDDM2GO make money on postage?
No. Full Service postage is the USPS EDDM Retail rate, $0.26 per piece, plus the 3% card processing charge that applies to every line of our price. We earn on printing, bundling by carrier route and the USPS paperwork, not on postage. On Print Only, you pay USPS directly at the Post Office.
Is sales tax charged on EDDM postage?
No. USPS postage is not subject to sales tax. Wherever sales tax applies to an order, it is added at checkout on the printing and mailing service only, never on the postage line.
Do I need stamps or a permit to pay EDDM postage?
No stamps. Every piece is printed with the EDDM indicia, which shows postage is paid. EDDM Retail needs no permit for up to 5,000 pieces per ZIP code per day. With EDDM2GO Full Service you do not need a permit of your own: we prepare the USPS paperwork and deliver the mailing to USPS for you.
How do I work out the total cost of an EDDM mailing?
Multiply the postage rate by the number of pieces, then add printing. On Full Service, bundling and the USPS paperwork are in the price too. Your carrier routes set the piece count, so pick routes first and the route map shows the itemized total before you pay.
Postage is easy to estimate once you know your piece count. Find the routes in any ZIP code with the free EDDM route map, no account needed. The step-by-step route tool guide covers filters, overlays and sharing. New to route codes? Start with the guide to USPS carrier routes by ZIP code.
See postage and printing on one itemized price
Pick carrier routes on the map and the price updates as you go, postage on its own line.