Direct mail remains one of the most effective and budget-friendly ways to boost brand awareness and generate qualified leads. It puts your message directly into the hands of your audience and lets you target the neighborhoods, ZIP codes, and regions that matter most to your success—without relying solely on crowded digital channels.
It’s a powerful tool for both new and established businesses looking to reach prospects who may not be active online or might otherwise miss your digital ads. When paired with smart targeting, QR codes, campaign-level tracking, and light automation, direct mail can drive consistent, measurable ROI in 2025.
Quick answer: For most businesses, PostcardMania is the best all-around pick because it combines printing, lists, EDDM, and coordinated digital remarketing. VistaPrint is best if you mainly need attractive postcard designs and occasional mailings. PsPrint is best for format variety. Gunderson Direct is ideal if you want an agency to run everything. Printing for Less is great for local targeting and EDDM. NextDayFlyers is the fastest when timing is critical.
The 6 Best Direct Mail Services for 2025
We reviewed dozens of direct mail services and narrowed it down to the top six using strict evaluation criteria that included affordability, design flexibility, list and targeting options, automation and multi-channel support, turnaround time, and value-add marketing extras.
- PostcardMania — Best for multi-channel marketing campaigns (direct mail + Facebook/Instagram/Google/YouTube retargeting)
- VistaPrint — Best selection of postcard designs and templates
- PsPrint — Best variety of mailer types and finishing options
- Gunderson Direct — Best full-service solution for hands-off, high-volume, or high-ACV campaigns
- Printing for Less — Best for targeting local neighborhoods and EDDM routes
- NextDayFlyers — Best for next-business-day turnaround and urgent drops
Best Direct Mail Services Reviews
PostcardMania — Best for Multi-Channel Marketing Campaigns
PostcardMania stands out for its ability to handle high-volume postcard mailings while offering significant bulk discounts. What sets it apart is how seamlessly it pairs direct mail with digital channels so your audience sees the same message on paper and online.
Services include postcard design, mailing list creation, bulk mail, Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM), triggered mailers, and optional campaign analytics. Pricing is competitive at scale and varies by size, paper, finish, quantity, and postage class.
High-volume printing-only pricing (current typical examples) starts around:
- Standard 4.25″ x 6″ postcards – about $0.07 each
- Jumbo 6″ x 8.5″ postcards – about $0.10 each
- Colossal 6″ x 11″ postcards – about $0.16 each
- Tri-Fold 8.5″ x 11″ brochures – about $0.15 each
- Quadfold 11″ x 17″ brochures – about $0.14 each
- Door hangers – about $0.30 each
- Full page flyers – about $0.15 each
- Business reply cards – about $0.19 each
- Business cards – about $0.04 each
Note: The figures above are printing-only snapshot prices at volume; postage and services are additional and depend on class and presort.
PostcardMania’s Everywhere Small Business product pairs your mailing with coordinated Facebook, Instagram, Google, and YouTube ads, plus tracking tools to tie responses to specific drops.
There’s also a new-customer promo that includes 1,000 free postcards with your first qualifying order—check terms when you claim it.
VistaPrint — Best Selection of Postcard Designs
VistaPrint is best known for business cards, but it’s also a strong pick for direct mail—especially if you want a huge library of postcard designs to start from.
VistaPrint offers thousands of templates and can also print, address, and mail your postcards for you. You can purchase targeted mailing lists inside the platform and refine by demographic, income, location, hobbies, and B2B industries.
About 95% of VistaPrint’s paper products are printed on FSC- or PEFC-certified stock, which is useful if you need to report on sustainability or ESG initiatives.
Start designing with VistaPrint.
PsPrint — Best Variety of Mailer Types
PsPrint gives you more mailer types than most providers—perfect if you want flexibility in your campaigns or need unusual formats to stand out. Expect options like foil, die cuts, inkjet addressing, postal sorting, and CASS certification.
Eco options include recycled stocks and soy-based inks. You can also request a free sample kit to feel papers and finishes before committing to a larger run. PsPrint runs frequent sitewide promos, so check their coupons page for percentage-off deals.
Gunderson Direct — Best for Hands-Off Marketing Campaigns
Gunderson Direct is a full-service direct marketing agency for large or fast-growing businesses that want strategy, creative, list sourcing, production, and analytics under one roof. The team has been focused on direct mail for 20+ years and works across industries like B2B, financial services, healthcare, and telemedicine.
Expect a collaborative process—goal setting, audience definition, creative testing, postal optimization, and dashboards for tracking and attribution—plus support for multivariate testing and multi-touch campaigns.
Contact Gunderson Direct for a personalized quote and consultation.
Printing for Less — Best for Targeting Specific Neighborhoods
Printing for Less (PFL) offers robust geographic targeting and supports EDDM if you want coverage of specific carrier routes without maintaining an address list—ideal for restaurants, real estate, service businesses, and local retail. PFL also provides web-to-print tools and CRM integrations for distributed teams.
PFL gives you pinpoint control over geographic targeting with EDDM.
PFL supports a wide range of printed materials, including postcards, catalogs, menus, door hangers, presentation folders, magnets, sticky notes, letterhead, and more.
Before committing to a run, you can request free print samples to compare finishes and stocks.
NextDayFlyers — Best for Fast Turnaround Times
If you need something in the mail quickly, NextDayFlyers specializes in speed, with options for same-day or next-business-day printing on many products and an EDDM full-service workflow that handles route selection and USPS processing.
The company emphasizes production rigor (they advertise 33 quality checkpoints) and a very high on-time rate. Expect a straightforward online workflow for sizes, design, and artwork upload.
Products include postcards, brochures, flyers, rack cards, banners, and more, with address verification and list rental available if you need targeting help.
How to Choose the Best Direct Mail Service for Your Business
The best service for your business depends on your goals, timeline, budget, and how much control you want over the process. Use the factors below to compare options.
Design Tools and Templates
If you don’t have a designer on staff, pick a platform with user-friendly design tools or ready-made templates. Services like VistaPrint and PsPrint offer hundreds (often thousands) of options, so you can create polished postcards without hiring an agency.
Some providers—like PostcardMania and Gunderson Direct—also offer professional design and copywriting, which is useful if you’re building a multi-step campaign and want everything to look cohesive and conversion-focused.
Print Quality and Material Options
Look for services that let you choose between matte, glossy, or uncoated finishes, and provide options like thicker cardstock, foil stamping, spot UV, or recycled materials. Several providers will send free sample kits so you can review materials in hand before a large order.
Targeting Capabilities
If you don’t already have a list, look for a service that offers targeting by demographic, income, location, profession, or purchase behavior—plus CASS/NCOA address hygiene to reduce undeliverables.
To keep things simple, choose a provider that supports Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM), which doesn’t require an address list and is ideal for local outreach and new-store launches.
Turnaround Time
If your campaign is time-sensitive—like a seasonal sale or event—turnaround time is critical. Some services take a week or more to process orders, while others can get materials printed in as little as one business day. Always factor in USPS delivery windows by class (First-Class vs. Marketing Mail) on top of production time.
Multi-Channel Campaign Support
For maximum impact, consider using a provider that can pair your direct mail with online ads. PostcardMania’s Everywhere Small Business product, for example, syncs your postcards with Facebook, Instagram, Google, and YouTube ads to reinforce your message across multiple channels.
This approach increases visibility, recall, and conversions. If you’re spending thousands on mail, it’s worth boosting results with digital follow-up and simple attribution (unique URLs, QR codes, or call tracking).
Tracking, Attribution, and Compliance
Ask about mail tracking, delivery scans, and campaign dashboards so you can tie responses to specific drops. For regulated industries (financial services, healthcare, political), confirm the provider understands compliance and can support required disclosures and data handling.
The Top Direct Mail Services in Summary
Direct mail still performs when you pair a good offer with the right list. A well-crafted postcard or brochure delivered to the right mailbox can beat a crowded inbox.
PostcardMania is the best direct mailing service for most businesses, especially if you want to connect print with coordinated digital ads. The others on this list cover design-heavy, format-heavy, agency, hyperlocal, and speed-first use cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do direct mail services cost?
Costs break down into printing + postage/services. For printing at volume, postcards can be as low as about $0.07 each for standard sizes from some providers; larger formats and premium finishes cost more. For postage, as of November 1, 2025, single-piece First-Class postcard postage typically sits in the low $0.60s; always confirm current USPS rates at checkout because postal increases can happen midyear. Bulk options like USPS Marketing Mail/EDDM typically run in the mid-$0.20s per piece for qualifying flats, with exact rates based on presort and entry. Ordering in bulk lowers per-piece costs.
What type of direct mail works best?
High-response formats include postcards, flyers, catalogs, booklets, and multi-piece kits. Match format to the offer and audience. Direct mail is most effective when paired with digital remarketing so people see your message in multiple places with consistent creative.
How long does it take for direct mail to deliver?
Plan for production time (often 1–5 business days depending on options and provider) plus USPS delivery time. First-Class Mail is fastest; USPS Marketing Mail (including EDDM) is more economical but can take longer. Many business mailings arrive within 3–10 days after drop, depending on class and distance.
Is direct mail profitable?
Yes—when you use clean targeting, a compelling offer, and track results with unique URLs/QR codes, promo codes, or call tracking. Test formats, creatives, and audiences; then scale what performs.
How often should I send direct mail?
Many brands see consistent results with monthly or seasonal drops and extra touches around launches or promotions. If you’re running short offers, plan your production and postal windows so pieces hit during the promo.
How do I make my direct mail stand out?
Use personalization (names, local references), strong creative, and clear calls-to-action. Consider larger sizes, unique finishes, or tactile elements. Track responses so you can double down on what works.