8 Best Direct Mail Services for Small Businesses Right Now
Direct mail marketing offers many benefits for your small business, especially in growing awareness among your local community. It can build your brand presence, generate foot traffic, and even increase sales. But to get started, you’ll need a good direct mail service. The best direct mail services have quick turnaround times, design tools and templates, and affordable pricing. Below, we’ve rounded up the best ones for your small business.
- Vistaprint: Best direct mail design and editing tools
- PostcardMania: Best for cost-efficient cross-channel campaigns
- PsPrint: Best for wide range of direct mailer types
- Taradel: Best for personalized direct mail
- Overnight Prints: Fastest turnaround times
- PostGrid: Best automations and analytics
- Smartpress: Best for premium direct mail
- 48HourPrint: Best for fast and affordable EDDM services
Best Direct Mail Services at a Glance
Direct mail marketing uses direct mail, aka snail mail, to promote your business. Use them to build brand awareness, offer discount codes to encourage sales, or even build loyalty programs. Learn more in our ultimate guide on direct mail marketing. Plus, check out our list of 22 direct mail marketing ideas.
Keep reading for a deeper look into the best direct mail marketing services for small businesses, as well as their costs, features, and examples:
Pros
- It offers thousands of well-designed templates.
- The design platform is beginner-friendly with QR code generator (design services also available).
- It allows low minimum quantities.
Cons
- It only offers mailing services for postcards.
- It has no Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) services (you must provide or buy a mailing list).
Vistaprint lands in our top spot for more than one reason. It offers a one-stop shop for print marketing materials, has thousands of premade templates to get you started, and easy-to-use editing tools to design and print professional-looking marketing collateral. Here are the instances when you should use Vistaprint:
- If you need an expansive template library
- If you need an easy design platform with a QR generator
- If you need start-to-finish postcard mailing services
- If you need a low minimum order requirement (starting at 50)
- If you need in-house professional design services
- If you need an all-in-one solution for printed collateral, branded merchandise, signs and banners, and other designs
Vistaprint also has postcard mailing services starting at $59.48 for 50 recipients, for a postcard size of 4.2”×5.5”. Find out more about prices here.
Vistaprint has long been one of the best-known all-around design and printing services, and it’s also our best direct mail marketing service overall, especially for good designs. It has everything you need from beginning to end, from hundreds of modern templates for postcards, brochures, and other printed marketing materials, a beginner-friendly design tool that even has a QR code generator, to printing and delivery services.
Overall, Vistaprint has the best template designs and tools out of other direct mail services, so if you don’t have a design for your mails yet, Vistaprint is the best all-in-one platform to design and print them on. And if you need extra help, Vistaprint also has in-house design services, or you can hire a graphic designer from 99designs, which is owned by Vistaprint.
Then, when you’re finished with your design, you can have them printed and delivered to your door, or, for postcards, Vistaprint can also deliver them to your mailing list.
Here are some of Vistaprint’s mail templates:
Direct mail marketing series with QR code from Vistaprint
Mailer for sale or promotion voucher from Vistaprint
Gym and trainer sample mail from Vistaprint
Use Vistaprint’s design editor to customize a template, add your own elements, and generate and add QR codes to your marketing postcards.
Need inspiration for your direct mail postcard campaign? Check out our list of postcard examples for marketing and sales.
The main drawback with Vistaprint is that it only offers mailing services for postcards. So if your campaign involves brochures or booklets, you’ll need to mail them yourself. Also, they don’t offer EDDM services, which could help your brand presence. For an alternative that mails several mailer types and offers EDDM services, we recommend PsPrint.
However, no matter the size of your business, Vistaprint is still our best direct mailing service for postcard marketing campaigns, especially if you prioritize good design. It provides everything you need in one place, including mailing lists and design services, at an affordable price and with postage discounts. It’s also ideal for designing and printing other materials, such as brochures, catalogs, business cards, flyers, and branded promotional assets for your small business.
EDDM campaigns deliver direct mail to every address in a certain area (hence their “every door” name). They’re also a pillar of local marketing because they can quickly grow your brand awareness among all the members in a specific community. Find out more about EDDM marketing.
PostcardMania: Best for Cost-efficient Cross-channel Campaigns
Pros
- It integrates digital ads with mailers for cross-channel campaigns.
- It offers direct mails for Shopify cart abandonment campaigns or website visitors.
- It offers in-house design services with unlimited revisions.
- It offers New In Town and EDDM campaigns.
Cons
- It only sends postcards and no other mail types.
- Residential mailing lists can only be used three times in a 90-day period.
- It has no design editing tools.
PostcardMania’s biggest advantage is its cross-channel campaigns that make it easier to reach your customers across various touchpoints. As such, we recommend it for the following:
- Multichannel marketing campaigns combining mailers with online ads
- Affordable bulk mailing and EDDM
- Printing a variety of marketing products
- Real estate agents, dental practices, non-profits, or politicians in need of tailored direct mail services
- Businesses needing a customized low-cost design option for branding ($199 flat rate)
PostcardMania doesn’t publish exact pricing for products, but it does offer a range of what you might expect to pay.
PostcardMania offers some of the cheapest printing costs overall. But what makes it really stand out among other direct mailing marketing services is its campaigns that combine direct mail with digital ads on Google, social media, and even to people who visit your website or abandon their card in your Shopify store. This makes it a cost-efficient option for cross-channel campaigns and even for remarketing campaigns.
For example, you can match the IP address of anonymous visitors to your website and automatically send a follow-up mailer. Likewise, PostcardMania will automatically send postcards as part of your Shopify cart abandonment strategy or to people who interact with your digital ads online. Its Everywhere Small Business option also combines digital ads with your direct mails.
The process is also simple: choose a postcard template or upload your own design (or hire a PostcardMania designer), and the team will handle all the mailing for you.
Here are some of PostcardMania’s postcard templates:
Here’s an example for postcards in the education industry. (Source: PostcardMania)
PostcardMania also has templates for dental practices. (Source: PostcardMania)
Here’s a sample template for the real estate industry. (Source: PostcardMania)
Unfortunately, PostcardMania doesn’t have online design tools, so once you choose a design template, you can only customize it with your info—you can’t edit it any further, which can limit your branding. You can also avail of its in-house design services. Also, it’s not the fastest direct mailing company, so if you’re in a rush, Overnight Prints is the better option.
Still, PostcardMania is a solid choice if you want to integrate direct mail alongside digital marketing channels or simply order in bulk. It offers some of the lowest prices per piece in the industry, so it’s overall one of the best direct mail services for building your brand presence across multiple channels.
PsPrint: Best for Wide Range of Direct Mailer Types
Pros
- You can mail seven direct mail types: postcards, brochures, greeting cards, invitations, booklets, catalogs, and newsletters.
- It has templates and a design platform.
- It allows low minimum quantities (starting at 50).
- It offers EDDM services or targeted mailing lists.
- It offers rush options (one to five business days).
Cons
- It is more expensive than others for rush printing.
- It has very basic design platform and templates.
PsPrint’s best points are its affordability and multiple mailer types, so it’s a good option if you plan on doing multiple campaigns in the long run. Here are the cases where we recommend PsPrint as the best direct mail service:
- If you have multiple direct mail campaigns in your marketing plan
- If you want options for both EDDM and targeted mailing campaigns
- If you need a rush order
PsPrint offers printing and mailing services for seven mailer types: postcards, brochures, greeting cards, invitations, booklets, catalogs, and newsletters—which are more than most other direct mailing services, making it a good option if your marketing plan includes several direct mail campaigns.
Vistaprint also offers regular printing services for dozens of other marketing products like newsletters, stickers, and magnets. It even has EDDM services that start below $100 and a design platform to build your own mail designs. Although it’s not as intuitive as Vistaprint’s, you can upload your own designs.
Check out these examples of PsPrint’s direct mailers and its design platform’s interface:
Direct mailer restaurant design template from PsPrint (Source: PsPrint)
Brochure direct mailer design from PsPrint (Source: PsPrint)
Customizable real estate direct mailer from PsPrint (Source: PsPrint)
PsPrint’s design editor is intuitive and easily shareable with your team or audience
With PsPrint, you can choose between two and five production days for most products (except booklets, which can go up to 10); however, cost increases for shorter production times. Also, PsPrint will send you any leftover prints at no charge, as long as they all fit in one box.
However, one thing missing with Vistaprint is the ability to add a QR code to your printed materials. It also doesn’t offer extra marketing services like PostcardMania’s multichannel campaigns—it’s solely for printing and mailing your materials.
Still, for its variety and turnaround flexibility, PsPrint is one of the best direct mailing companies you can get. And with plenty of design templates to choose from, it can be well worth the investment if you have several direct mail campaigns planned for your business.
Taradel: Best for Personalized Direct Mail
Pros
- You can send personalized mailers.
- It integrates direct mail with Google, social media, Hulu, and Spotify ad campaigns.
- It offers B2C and B2B direct mailing.
- It offers EDDM services.
Cons
- The templates and design tools are basic.
- It has limited size options vs other providers.
- It only offers printing services for six products.
Taradel is a direct mailing service that solely mails postcards. However, it does have some strong use cases. We recommend Taradel for the following:
- Personalized direct mailers (B2C or B2B lists)
- Affordable EDDM services
- Multichannel marketing integrating direct mail with Google ads, Hulu, Facebook, Instagram, email, and Spotify
Comparing pricing for Taradel vs other providers here isn’t apples to apples. They don’t offer booklet printing, for example, and your pricing may vary depending on whether you use your own list or purchase one from Taradel. However, here’s a general idea of what a personalized direct mailing campaign will cost (though you can also get standalone printing services).
Taradel’s standout feature is its personalized direct mail campaigns, which isn’t something most other direct mail companies offer. With Taradel, you can build or upload a consumer or business recipient mailing list, upload your postcard design (or get expert help), and launch personalized postcard campaigns easily. Once sent, you’ll also get key metrics, like phone calls, clicks, and other engagements.
Another noteworthy feature of Taradel is that you can run multichannel campaigns that integrate your direct mail with ads on Facebook, Instagram, and Google, as well as entertainment platforms like Hulu and Spotify. It also has generally affordable standalone printing services. For example, pricing for 1,000 postcards will only run you $143.00. It also prints door hangers, business cards, flyers, magnets, and yard signs.
Taradel also has dozens of design templates across various industries, or you can hire a designer from Taradel’s team. Here are some of its postcard templates:
An example of a postcard template for a pizza chain from Taradel (Source: Taradel)
Here’s a postcard template for cleaning services. (Source: Taradel)
Meanwhile, here’s a look inside Taradel’s design platform.
Taradel’s best features are its personalized direct mails and integrated campaigns, but it falls short in its mail variety, especially compared to PsPrint. For instance, you won’t be able to print booklets or brochures. Another drawback is that its templates and design tools are very simple. For more template variety and creativity, opt for Vistaprint instead.
However, Taradel’s benefits still outweigh its shortcomings, and its personalization feature makes it one of the best direct mailing services for small businesses. It also lets you mail to business addresses, making it a good option for B2B businesses. Pricing is affordable, and you’ll be able to track multiple campaigns and integrate different channels to present a strong brand image online and offline.
Overnight Prints: Fastest Turnaround for Direct Mails
Pros
- It has the quickest turnaround, as fast as next-day.
- It allows low minimum orders (25).
- It offers 19 mailer types, from booklets to printed cookies.
- It offers hundreds of templates and a design platform.
Cons
- Mailing services are limited to standard and jumbo 6”×11” postcards.
- The templates and design platform are basic.
- It is more expensive than other services.
Overnight Prints’ biggest asset is its quick turnaround times—quicker than any other on this list. Here are some of its best use cases:
- For rush direct mail campaigns
- For creating branded stationery and marketing materials for teams
- For building brand loyalty among clientele (the branded cookies can help here)
Overnight Prints lives up to its name. If you need high-quality direct mail marketing materials created quickly, Overnight Prints can have them printed and delivered to your door the next day. It also offers dozens of printed marketing materials, from booklets and brochures to branded cookies, for a truly unique marketing campaign.
Overnight Prints also has templates and an easy-to-use design editor, but they’re nowhere near Vistaprint’s standards. However, it also has a QR code generator to connect your direct mail campaigns with digital landing pages, like your website or social media pages.
Here are some of Overnight Prints’ templates:
Event invitation direct mail design template from Overnight Prints (Source: Overnight Prints)
Brochure-type direct mail template from Overnight Prints (Source: Overnight Prints)
Here’s a look into Overnight Prints’ editing platform.
Overnight Prints’ direct mail marketing services are limited to postcards and oversized mailers, which are its biggest shortcomings. Plus, if you choose Overnight Prints for mailing, you’ll need to provide your own mailing list as it doesn’t sell any in-house.
However, for rush direct mail printing services, Overnight Prints offers the quickest turnaround times—its name is its guarantee. It also has a design platform and templates, so it’s a decent option for beginners. If speed is your number one priority for your direct mails, Overnight Prints is your best guarantee.
PostGrid: Best Direct Mail Analytics & Automations
Pros
- It has automated direct mail campaigns (ideal for transactional mailers like invoices and checks).
- It offers advanced direct mail analytics.
- It integrates with 1,600-plus CRM tools.
- It offers direct mail templates and design platform.
Cons
- It only prints and delivers postcards, letters, and checks.
- Templates are limited to invoices, letters, and postcards.
- Starter plan is limited to 500 mailings/month.
- It has no EDDM campaigns.
PostGrid stands out for its automations and analytics, so it’s a good option for any business that would benefit from automated mail campaigns; for instance, businesses with large mailing lists running multiple campaigns. Here are some of the best cases for using PostGrid:
- If you have large mailing lists and need efficient campaigns
- If you need to send drip mail campaigns
- If you have large sales teams (it integrates with 1,600-plus CRM tools)
- If you need to send transactional direct mailers like checks and invoices
- If you need advanced campaign analytics
PostGrid only offers two pricing plans: a free Starter plan, and the custom Enterprise plan. Find out more below:
If you want your direct mail services to have more analytics and automations, PostGrid is your best option. While it prints and sends your direct mail campaigns, it’s unique for having all these processes 100% automated. This can make it especially helpful for businesses running multiple direct mail campaigns with large mailing lists. You can even integrate your campaigns with your customer relationship management (CRM) tool of choice to help track your leads.
PostGrid also has an in-house editing platform and templates, all of which are modern and well-designed. However, the design tool doesn’t allow much customization beyond the basics, like replacing photos and text. Here are some of its templates:
Corporate business postcard sample template from PostGrid (Source: PostGrid)
Starter 6”×9” postcard template
While PostGrid gets points for its direct mail automations, its main drawback is that it only prints and ships postcards, letters, and checks. And while it has a design platform, there are very few templates to start with. This means you’ll likely need a separate design editor to craft your campaigns. Another disadvantage is that it only has two available plans: the Starter plan, which only allows up to 500 emails, and the custom Enterprise plan.
However, if improving the efficiency of your direct mail campaigns would considerably benefit your business, PostGrid could be an ideal choice. It automates the personalization, printing, and delivery of your mails for fast and accurate campaigns, and its tracking and analytics are unparalleled.
Smartpress: Best for Premium Direct Mail
Pros
- It offers the best premium-quality mailers.
- It has many customization options for size, stock, ink, and print.
- You can send your proofs before printing.
Cons
- It has no design platform or templates.
- It is more expensive than most others.
- It can only deliver postcards, letters, booklets, and self-mailers.
- It dose not offer rush printing services.
Smartpress is the go-to for premium direct mail printing. While it has a higher cost, it can be worth it for businesses that prioritize quality over everything. Here are the best cases for going with Smartpress:
- If you want premium-quality mails that truly stand out
- If you have your own designs for mailers
- If you only need to send postcards, letters, booklets or self-mailers
Smartpress’s pricing also varies depending on factors, like turnaround times, paper quality and finishing, and paper perforations. To get a price for your specific needs, visit the pricing calculator for each product on its website.
If you want your direct mails to look and feel more premium than others, you can opt for Smartpress, which specializes in premium printing. With Smartpress, print quality is the name of the game. For example, for booklets, you can choose from seven different paper stocks and choose between black or full-color printing.
Aside from booklets, you can also print and mail postcards, newsletters, self-mailers, and letters with or without envelopes. For print-only services, you can also choose from dozens of other products, like brochures and business cards.
Here are some sample products made with Smartpress:
Here are some sample postcards made with Smartpress.
Sample booklet printed with Smartpress
Letter and envelope made with Smartpress
The downside is that Smartpress doesn’t have design templates or an in-house design platform, so you’ll need to create your design first before uploading it to the platform. Also, because its prints are premium, prices are higher than most other direct mail services.
Still, if you want premium printing quality for your direct mails, Smartpress can do the job. While it has a steeper price, you’ll get an above-standard product that will help you stand out in your recipients’ mailboxes. And for postcards, letters, self-mailers, and booklets, they can even do all the shipping for you.
48HourPrint: Best for Fast and Affordable EDDM Services
Pros
- It offers mailing services for postcards, brochures, and folded cards.
- It has a one-day turnaround time.
- It has a design platform with stock image search.
- It offers EDDM for postcards.
Cons
- The minimum is 250 for direct mail services.
- The design tool and outdated templates are very basic.
- It does not offer for-hire design team like Vistaprint.
48HourPrint offers fast printing for a range of marketing materials, so if you need your mailers shipped fast—-especially for EDDM campaigns—it’s a good option. Here are the other instances where 48HourPrint could be most useful:
- For businesses needing fast and affordable EDDM services
- For businesses that already have direct mail designs and only need a printing and delivery service
- For businesses needing a wide range of sizes for postcards and brochures
48HourPrint.com is one of the most affordable direct mail services, especially for EDDM. However, all its printing and delivery services are also generally affordable for small businesses. Have a look at its pricing below:
48HourPrint is an all-around printing service for various marketing materials, like stickers and signs, but it also offers direct mail services for postcards, brochures, and mailers at small business-friendly pricing. You can design online using its design platform (which also has a stock image search) or upload your own designs. Then, specify your size and coating preferences, and you can even have them sent out within one business day.
48HourPrint has a design tool, but it’s nowhere near as sophisticated or user-friendly as Vistaprint’s (think basic shapes and fonts). Its templates are also some of the most generic. However, we like that it also has affordable EDDM services (for instance, for less than $69, you can deliver 250 EDDM postcards), so it’s a good option for easy and affordable EDDM.
Here are some sample templates you’ll find on 48HourPrint:
Brochure-type direct mail templates from 48HourPrint.com (Source: 48HourPrint.com)
Nonprofit organization postcard design sample by 48HourPrint.com
Dual side direct mail sample for cleaning service from 48HourPrint.com
Customizable templates from 48HourPrint.com are customizable yet generic, with no industry-specific designs.
Another drawback with 48HourPrint is its high minimum orders that start at 250 mailers, so it’s not the best direct mail service if you want to start small. Conversely, this also means you get more value out of your budget, as you’ll be able to deliver to more recipients.
In all, 48HourPrint’s pricing is comparable to Vistaprint and also offers EDDM, making it one of the best direct mailing services if you want to target every address in a city or zip code. You won’t find sophisticated templates or an intuitive design editor here, but if you can provide your own designs, it’s an affordable option for using EDDM to build your brand awareness in your community.
How We Evaluated the Best Direct Mailing Services
At the basic level, the best direct mail services should print and mail postcards, brochures, and other small business marketing materials on time. They should also be affordable, have good design and delivery options, and offer a good variety of products. Here are the criteria we used to determine the best direct mailing services for small businesses:
- Affordability
- Minimum order quantity
- Product offering
- Product quality
- Customization capabilities
- Printing and mailing services
- Ease of use
- Turnaround time
How to Choose the Best Direct Mail Services for Your Business
The first step in finding the best direct mail service for your business is assessing your needs. This is because each service is unique, and comparing them isn’t always apples-to-apples. For example, some offer one-day turnaround times but cost more than average, so they’re the best option if you value time over cost. Meanwhile, others have built-in design platforms if you don’t have your design yet.
This is why assessing your needs is crucial before choosing your service. Here are the biggest factors to consider when choosing the best service for your business:
- Cost: Does the provider meet my goals for the budget based on what I can spend and the return I will get on the investment?
- Delivery speed: How quickly can the provider get my direct mailer campaigns printed and sent?
- Audience: Does the provider offer EDDM services or the ability to buy a mailing list, or do I need to have a list ready to upload?
- Design: How easy are the platform’s editing tools, and are template designs available? If not, does it offer design services? What type of files do I need to upload my own designs?
- Reporting: How do I know how many pieces were delivered successfully? Does the provider offer any post-campaign analytics so I can calculate the return on my investment?
- Integrations: Do I need to coordinate direct mail campaigns with campaigns on other channels, like email, social media, digital advertising, ecommerce, and so on?
- Added value: Does the provider offer other printing or marketing services? Do I need an all-in-one solution or ways to automate future mailings?
Once you’ve answered these questions, review the providers to see which match your needs best. Doing this helps you choose a service that is not only reliable and effective, but will also prioritize your business’s specific needs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, the United States Postal Service (USPS) can deliver your direct mail campaigns the same way they deliver regular mails. Choose your mail format, input your mailing address, and then pay for your postage. The USPS also offers EDDM services, where you can send mails to every address in a specific city or zip code, and even target specific demographics, like recipients’ age range and household income and size.
You can do your direct mail by yourself using design tools, a printer, and a postal service. Design and print your mail, collect your mailing addresses, and then send your mail via your postal service. However, this can be very time- and labor-intensive, even if it is free. We recommend using one of the best direct mail services instead, which often have most or all of the services above on one platform at small business-friendly pricing.
You can use direct mail to market your small business, whether to grow brand awareness, encourage website or landing page traffic, generate leads and sales, or even build brand loyalty. Direct mail remains an effective way to communicate with captive audiences. However, it’s most effective when combined with other marketing strategies, like email, social media, and advertising.
Bottom Line
Direct mail is an easy, affordable, and effective way to advertise your business in your community. The best direct mailing services can help you get on the right track with efficient printing and delivery services. Some even have user-friendly design platforms and templates to get you started. From our research, the best service overall with all these and more is Vistaprint—it’s affordable, user-friendly, and has all the tools you need for your direct mail.
