Disclosure: this post contains an affiliate link to EDDM Agency Fortune. If you buy through it, OfferNova may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Product details come from the vendor's public sales page, and postage figures come from published 2026 USPS rate summaries. Prices change, so verify before you spend.
Quick answer: As of the July 12, 2026 rate change, USPS Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM Retail) postage is $0.26 per piece, and printing is billed on top of it. Once you add printing, design and your own time, the real cost of a campaign is postage plus a print quote at your exact quantity. Splitting one large postcard between several local advertisers is how many small operators keep each business's share low.
If you have ever asked a printer what a neighborhood mailing costs, you have probably received a number that did not match anything you read online. That is because "EDDM cost" is really four separate costs, and only one of them is set by the Post Office.
This guide breaks the bill into its parts, shows a worked example with clearly labeled assumptions, and then covers a related question: what changes when several local businesses share one postcard, and where a ready-made system such as EDDM Agency Fortune fits (and does not).
What EDDM actually is
Every Door Direct Mail is a USPS program that lets you mail to every address on selected carrier routes without buying a mailing list. Your piece is addressed generically (for example, "Local Postal Customer"), so you choose neighborhoods on the USPS mapping tool instead of choosing names. That is why it is popular with restaurants, home services, dentists and other businesses whose customers live nearby.
The four lines on every EDDM bill
| Cost line | Who sets it | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Postage | USPS | Flat per piece for EDDM Retail, regardless of the piece's size |
| Printing | Your printer | Varies by size, paper stock and quantity, so get a quote at your real number of pieces |
| Design | You or a designer | Free if you use templates, paid if you hire someone |
| Prep and drop-off | You, or a print-and-mail service | Bundling, paperwork and a trip to the Post Office, unless the printer handles it |
Postage: the one fixed number
Several 2026 rate summaries report that EDDM Retail postage rose to $0.260 per piece on July 12, 2026, up from $0.247. Older articles still show the earlier figure, so check the date on anything you read. USPS adjusts rates in January and July, and the USPS EDDM tool shows a current estimate once you pick your routes.
| Pieces mailed | Postage at $0.26 |
|---|---|
| 200 | $52 |
| 1,000 | $260 |
| 2,500 | $650 |
| 5,000 | $1,300 |
Rules that affect your budget, as described in published EDDM Retail guides:
- No mailing permit is needed for Retail.
- The cap is 5,000 pieces per ZIP Code per day, and the guides cite a 200-piece minimum.
- The piece must qualify as a "flat." Roughly, that means taller than 6.125 inches, longer than 11.5 inches, or thicker than 0.25 inch. A standard 4x6 card does not qualify, while 9x12 is one of the common EDDM sizes.
- EDDM BMEU removes the daily cap but requires a permit and an annual fee, so it suits larger senders.
For a deeper look at the Retail rules, the printer guide at 4OVER4 is a useful reference.
A worked example (illustrative numbers only)
Suppose you mail 5,000 oversized postcards. Postage is 5,000 x $0.26 = $1,300. For illustration, assume a print quote of $0.20 per piece, which is $1,000. That is an assumption, not a market price. Ask your own printer.
Total: about $2,300 before design time.
If a single business paid for that whole mailing, it would carry all $2,300. If the card is divided among 12 advertisers, the break-even share is roughly $192 each ($2,300 divided by 12). Those numbers are hypothetical, and real print quotes, route counts and ad prices will differ. The point is the structure: shared postcards turn one expensive mailing into several small ones.
What "shared postcard" advertising changes
On a shared card, one organizer sells ad spots to several non-competing local businesses, gathers the artwork, orders one print run and mails it. Advertisers pay less than a solo mailing; the organizer earns whatever remains after print, postage and other expenses. It is a real service model, but it is also selling work: you need to find advertisers, collect payment, and deliver on the mailing date.
Practical points before you try it:
- Sell the spots before you commit to a print order.
- Put the mailing date, number of homes, and refund terms in writing for each advertiser.
- Limit each card to one business per category so advertisers are not competing on the same page.
- Check the current USPS rules and your local requirements before you mail, and consider professional advice on contracts.
Where EDDM Agency Fortune fits
EDDM Agency Fortune is a done-for-you kit for people who want to run this shared-postcard model. I have not run a campaign with it, so what follows is taken from the vendor's official sales page. Confirm anything that matters to you there.
What the vendor says is included
- A WordPress agency website delivered as backup files for two common migration plugins (All-in-One WP Migration and WPvivid), with an ad reservation form and editable business details.
- A live Canva ad-preview embed so advertisers can see the card fill up.
- Canva postcard layouts and ready-made local business ad templates.
- A 43-page training PDF, an EDDM checklist and a print-and-mail vendor list (the vendor calls it a "Rolodex").
- An editable sales video template, social media templates, website copy, images and starter blog posts.
- A 30-day money-back guarantee.
What is not included
- A domain and WordPress hosting. The vendor's FAQ says you need both.
- Advertisers. You still have to find and sell to local businesses.
- Printing and postage. These are paid from advertiser payments, so you should budget them and manage timing.
- Any promised income. The vendor's own disclaimer says results vary and no outcome is guaranteed.
The listed price on the page is $27 (shown against a $97 "usual" price), and the page lists the code EDDMFORTUNE for $2 off at checkout. There is also an optional add-on, EDDM Pro, for extra postcard layouts and an AI tutor. Launch pricing can change, so confirm the amount at checkout.
See What Is Included in EDDM Agency Fortune →
Who should look at it, and who should skip it
Worth a look if you are comfortable talking to local business owners, want a visual offer that is easy to explain, and would rather start from templates than from a blank Canva page.
Skip it if you only want to advertise your own business. You do not need an agency system for that; you need the USPS tool, a printer quote and a good offer. Also skip it if you do not want to sell, or if you are not ready to handle hosting and a WordPress site.
If you plan to add related services for the same kind of client, our guide on landing restaurant website clients covers how to pitch a local business with a demo instead of a portfolio.
Five mistakes that inflate EDDM costs
- Using an old postage number. Rates change every January and July.
- Designing before checking size. A piece that does not qualify as a flat cannot go EDDM.
- Getting one print quote. Compare at least three at your exact quantity.
- Ignoring the daily ZIP cap. Big drops must be split across days or ZIPs, or moved to BMEU.
- Mailing before the card is full. On a shared card, unsold spots come out of your pocket.
Frequently asked questions
How much does every door direct mail cost per piece?
Postage alone is $0.26 per piece for EDDM Retail as of July 12, 2026. Printing is extra, so the all-in figure depends on your printer, size and quantity.
Do I need a permit for EDDM?
Not for EDDM Retail. EDDM BMEU requires a USPS permit and an annual fee.
What is the minimum order?
Published guides cite a 200-piece minimum and a 5,000-piece daily cap per ZIP Code for Retail. Check the USPS tool for your routes.
Is EDDM cheaper than other direct mail?
Postage usually is, because you skip the list. Whether it is the better choice depends on your offer, since a blanket mailing reaches everyone on a route, not only likely customers.
Do I have to design the postcard myself?
Not necessarily. Templates exist, and the vendor lists Canva layouts inside its kit. You still need to review every ad for accuracy.
Can I get a refund on EDDM Agency Fortune?
The vendor advertises a 30-day money-back guarantee for problems it cannot help you solve. Read its refund policy before buying.
Final thoughts
The cheapest way to understand EDDM cost is to price it yourself: pick a few routes in the USPS tool, multiply by the current postage, and get a print quote at that quantity. If the shared-postcard model appeals to you and you want to skip the setup work, you can View EDDM Agency Fortune Details and decide after comparing it with what you would otherwise build yourself.
Disclosure: OfferNova may earn a commission if you purchase through the links in this article, at no additional cost to you. Product details were taken from the vendor's public sales page and rate figures from published 2026 summaries at the time of writing, and may change. This article is not legal or financial advice, and no income or results are guaranteed.
