Printing

EDDM Services Compared: Who Does What

There are four ways to run an Every Door Direct Mail® campaign, and the difference between them is mostly who does the work. The cheapest option on paper can turn into the most expensive once your time is counted.

SPEC CHECKED 2026-11-06 · SOURCES BELOW

Who does what

"Varies" means it depends on the company and the option you pick. Ask before you order. The printer questions cover exactly this.

What each option suits

Doing it yourself costs the least in cash. You choose routes in USPS's free online tool, order printing, bundle the cards and take them to the Post Office. It suits small mailings, people who like control and anyone testing EDDM for the first time.

A local printer gives you a person to ask, physical proofs and often help with mail prep. It suits repeat campaigns and anyone who wants advice on size, paper and design.

An online printer is quick for standard sizes. Some only print and ship the cards to you, like Vistaprint's EDDM® postcards. Others offer print and mail. It suits people who know what they want. See online printers explained.

A full-service company handles routes, design, printing, prep and drop-off. It suits busy owners and larger or repeating campaigns, and it costs the most per piece.

The real cost of doing it yourself

Bundling is the hidden job. Here's the arithmetic for a 2,500-piece mailing:

• USPS bundles must hold 50 to 100 pieces, so 2,500 pieces means at least 25 bundles.
• Each bundle gets a facing slip with the route, date and piece count.
• The pieces have to be separated by route first, using the counts from your order.

How long that takes depends on you, but count it as real work and put a value on your hour. If your time is worth more than the difference between a print-only quote and a print-and-mail quote, let the printer do it.

How to judge "best"

There's no single best EDDM service, only the best fit for your mailing. Judge any company on:

• Clear pricing. Printing, prep, drop-off and postage shown separately.
• Proofs. You see exactly what will print.
• EDDM know-how. They catch size and indicia problems before printing.
• Responsibility. They say what happens if the Post Office won't accept the mailing.
• Samples. They'll show you real printed pieces.

Mixing and matching

You don't have to pick just one. Common mixes:

• Design it yourself with a free template, print online, drop off yourself.
• Print with a local printer and pay them to bundle, then drop off yourself.
• Let a full-service company run the first campaign, then take over once you've seen how it's done.

Questions people ask