How Much Does It Cost to Send Out Mailers?
How Much Does It Cost to Send Campaign Mailers?
If you’re organizing a political campaign, promoting a nonprofit cause, or running a business, one of the most common logistical questions is: how much does it cost to send out mailers? With advertising costs rising across all digital platforms, direct mail has re-emerged in 2025 as one of the most trusted, tangible ways to reach audiences—especially voters. But if you’re planning to use mail in your outreach, you need to know exactly how the costs break down. Sending thousands of postcards, letters, or brochures isn’t cheap.
And without a strategy, it’s easy to overspend or miss out on bulk savings. This guide walks you through everything you need to know: from design to delivery, formats, compliance, and whether options like poly mailers are really cheaper to ship.
Understanding the Cost Breakdown Behind Mail Campaigns
The real answer to “how much does it cost to send out mailers” depends on several moving parts. First, there’s the format—postcards, flyers, letters, or padded envelopes. Then there’s the design and production cost, including full-color printing, premium paper, personalization, and whether you’re printing single or double-sided. Next, postage is calculated based on weight, size, and mailing class (such as First-Class, Marketing Mail, or nonprofit rates). Finally, you have targeting and delivery costs, including list rental, address verification, and mail house services.
Let’s say you’re sending out 10,000 postcards to likely voters or potential customers. The total cost might range from $0.45 to $1.20 per piece depending on your design, size, print quality, and postage. That’s a potential spread of $4,500 to $12,000 for a single drop. Understanding these costs ahead of time helps you avoid overpaying or underplanning, especially when working with vendors or direct mail printers.
Average Cost of Mailers in 2025: What to Expect
In today’s market, the average cost of a basic mailer starts at around $0.35 per piece. This assumes a standard 4” x 6” postcard printed in bulk, using Marketing Mail rates, and a relatively simple design. More complex formats—like oversized postcards (6” x 11”), trifold brochures, or personalized letters—can run closer to $0.75 to $1.50 each when factoring in custom design, glossy finish, and additional postage weight.
The phrase “how much do mailers cost” has become more nuanced as printing and delivery have become more sophisticated. Today’s campaigns often incorporate variable data printing (such as personalized names or district-specific messaging), which adds cost but significantly improves response rates. And remember: the more you print, the less you typically pay per piece thanks to volume discounts.
How Much Does Political Mail Cost? Special Rates and Rules
Now, if you’re working on a candidate campaign or ballot initiative, you may be asking a slightly different question: how much does political mail cost? Political mail is a specific USPS classification that allows authorized political committees, PACs, and advocacy groups to access discounted postage rates under Marketing Mail or nonprofit categories. While the printing and design costs are similar to business mail, political mail requires extra steps—such as legal disclaimers, USPS registration, and list targeting.
For a campaign mailing 50,000 oversized political postcards, the cost might hover around $0.60 to $1.00 each. That total of $30,000 to $50,000 can be reduced through co-mailing strategies, early planning, and nonprofit eligibility. But failing to follow USPS political mail requirements or leaving off critical disclosures can cause delays, penalties, or worse—mail rejection.
Are Poly Mailers Cheaper to Ship?
A rising question in the world of mail logistics is: are poly mailers cheaper to ship? Poly mailers—those lightweight plastic envelopes used frequently by ecommerce brands—can be a cost-effective option when mailing apparel, merchandise, or bulk inserts. Because they weigh less and take up less space than padded or paper mailers, they often qualify for cheaper postage, especially under weight-based USPS or UPS pricing models.
However, for political or donor engagement mail, poly mailers are rare. They’re not ideal for flat mail (like postcards or brochures), and they don’t always align with brand perception for causes that prioritize sustainability. That said, if you’re shipping thank-you packages, branded gear, or bundled literature, poly mailers can definitely reduce your per-package shipping cost.
Real-World Scenarios That Show the True Cost
Consider three sample campaigns to put all this into perspective. A small-town mayoral candidate sends 2,000 6” x 9” glossy postcards to high-turnout voters. Their costs break down to $0.55 per card, totaling $1,100 with bulk postage and basic design included. A statewide ballot initiative sends 100,000 trifold mailers with regional segmentation, paying closer to $0.95 each, totaling $95,000—but they raise $500,000 in donations and turnout jumps 22%. Meanwhile, a lifestyle brand sends out 1,500 branded t-shirts in custom poly mailers for $2.80 each, which includes poly mailer printing, fulfillment, and parcel shipping.
Each of these examples shows how different strategies affect overall cost, and more importantly—how strategic spending can lead to meaningful outcomes.
Planning Ahead to Maximize Value and Minimize Waste
The best way to keep your mailing cost-effective is to start planning early. That means locking in your design and format well in advance so you can take advantage of bulk printing and avoid costly rush fees. Always use standardized sizes when possible to avoid USPS surcharges. Use NCOA (National Change of Address) services to clean your mailing list before sending anything out—it reduces returned mail and wasted spend.
Campaigns and nonprofits can save even more by taking advantage of co-mailing (sharing space with another message or organization), applying for nonprofit postage rates, or timing drops to hit mailboxes right before key action windows like early voting or end-of-quarter fundraising. Each of these steps adds value without increasing cost.
Fulfillment, Turnaround, and Delivery Timelines
From idea to inbox, the typical turnaround for a mailer is 10 to 14 business days. If you’re designing from scratch and printing locally, you may be able to move faster—but nationwide drops or multi-wave campaigns take longer, especially with personalization or vendor coordination. Fulfillment services—which prepare and bundle your mail, apply barcodes, and deliver it to the USPS—typically add $0.05 to $0.15 per piece. It’s an essential service that ensures accuracy and compliance with postal sorting rules, which in turn ensures your mail actually gets delivered efficiently.
Timing matters not only for cost control, but also for impact. Late-arriving mail can mean missed deadlines, missed ballots, or missed donations. Always align your drop date with USPS delivery estimates and have a contingency plan if your printer or list vendor hits a snag.
Conclusion
The short answer to how much does it cost to send out mailers is: it depends. But the longer answer is that costs become predictable and manageable once you know what to expect. Design, print quality, postage class, list accuracy, and fulfillment all play a role—and so does planning. Whether you’re sending 500 postcards to supporters or 150,000 GOTV mailers across multiple states, strategy is your strongest cost-control tool.
By combining smart budgeting, the right format, trusted vendors, and clean voter or customer data, you can stretch every dollar further—and create mail that actually moves people to act.
Ready to make every campaign dollar count?
Start planning your outreach with Sutton & Smart’s cost-effective mail strategies—maximize impact, stay compliant, and reach voters when it matters most.
Jon Sutton
An expert in management, strategy, and field organizing, Jon has been a frequent commentator in national publications.
Author | Partner
