When you’re sending postcards, determining the correct size can be tricky. The most standard postcard size is 4″ x 6″, which meets USPS postcard standards and is affordable to print. however, many people choose to mail sizes other than 4″ x 6″. here are the reasons why and how you can make the best decision to print and send postcards.
Standard postcard sizes
The most common sizes for postcards are 4” x 6”, 5” x 7”, 6” x 8”, 6” x 9”, 6” x 11” and 8.5” x 11”. U.S. press offers all of these sizes on our postcard pricing page.
postcard sizes that can be mailed
all sizes above can be mailed (meets usps minimum size of 3.5” x 5.5”); however, not all postcards cost the same to mail. In addition to printing cost differences, different sizes also ship at different postage rates:
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4″ x 6″ postcards mailed at first class postage rate
5” x 7”, 6” x 8”, 6” x 9” and 6” x 11” postcards at standard letter or first class letter rate
understand mail classes and size ratings
mail classes determine how quickly recipients will receive your postcard. The two main classes of USPS Direct Mail that result in different postal costs and delivery times are First Class Mail and Standard Mail (now known as Marketing Mail):
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First Class Mail offers faster delivery time (1-5 days), but is generally more expensive.
standard mail is slower (3-14 days), but generally less expensive.
The two main size classifications for direct mail postcards are “postcard” size and “letter” size:
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To qualify as the USPS technical “postcard” size, your piece must be at least 3.5″ x 5″, but no larger than 4.25″ x 6″, and rectangular shape.
To qualify as USPS “letter” size, your piece must be larger than 4.25″ by 6″ but not larger than 6 ? x 11.5” and rectangular in shape (so if your postcards fall within this range, the postal service classifies them as letters, not postcards. yes, we know this is confusing. however, we don’t set the rules ).
Quick note: USPS also has thickness requirements for postcards and letters to prevent thin sheets of paper from jamming in their machines. however, when you print with u.s. press, all of our postcard stock already meets these requirements, so you don’t have to worry about this part.
The exact amount of postage for your campaign will depend on a variety of factors, but as a simple rule of thumb, you can estimate costs based on the size of your postcard (postcard vs. letter sort) and the corresponding class of mail in the that is found .
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