How Does EDDM Work

Step 3 of 7

How Much Does EDDM Cost?

EDDM Retail postage is $0.26 per piece, with no permit or annual fee. Bulk entry (EDDM BMEU) is as low as $0.259 per piece but comes with $780 in permit and annual fees. Your real total depends mostly on printing, so get a printing quote and add it to the postage.

Last checked against USPS: November 6, 2026

EDDM cost calculator

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Postage: EDDM Retail vs. bulk entry

EDDM RetailEDDM BMEU
Postage per piece$0.26As low as $0.259
Annual mailing feeNone$390 per 12 months, per office of mailing
PermitNonePermit imprint application fee of $390

The difference in postage is a tenth of a cent per piece. At 5,000 pieces that saves $5, while the bulk fees add $780 in the first year. Unless you mail at very high volume, EDDM Retail is the cheaper route.

Printing: what drives the price

Printing is usually the bigger part of an EDDM budget, and prices vary widely between printers. The things that move the price:

  • Size. Bigger pieces cost more to print. Sizes that fit efficiently on a printer's press sheet tend to be cheaper per piece.
  • Paper. Thicker card stock costs more but feels more substantial in the hand.
  • Quantity. Per-piece printing cost drops as quantity rises, often sharply between a few hundred and a few thousand.
  • Color and coating. Full color on both sides and a gloss or UV coating add cost.
  • Turnaround. Rush jobs cost extra.
  • Services. Some printers will bundle your pieces and add facing slips, or drop the mailing off for you, for an extra fee.

Get at least two or three quotes for the exact size, paper and quantity you need. Put the per-piece price into the calculator above.

Worked examples (postage only)

PiecesEDDM Retail postagePlus
500$130your printing quote
1,000$260your printing quote
2,500$650your printing quote
5,000$1,300your printing quote

5,000 is the most EDDM Retail allows per ZIP Code in a single day.

Ways to keep the cost down

  • Mail fewer, better routes. Ten well-chosen routes usually beat thirty random ones. How to choose routes
  • Use residential only if your customers are households, so you don't pay to mail businesses.
  • Stick to a common size that qualifies, like 6.25 x 9, 6.5 x 9 or 6 x 11. Odd sizes can cost more to print.
  • Print a bit more, mail in waves. The printing price per piece drops with quantity. You can mail some routes now and the rest later, as long as the offer has no expiry date.
  • Do the bundling yourself. It takes time but costs nothing.

Costs people forget

  • Design, if you pay a designer.
  • Shipping, if you mail to a distant ZIP Code and send the bundles to that Post Office by Priority Mail.
  • Reprints, if a piece turns out not to meet the size or indicia rules.
  • Your time to count, bundle and drop off.

Questions people ask

How much is EDDM per piece?

$0.26 for EDDM Retail postage. Add your printing cost per piece to get your real per-piece cost.

Do I pay per route or per piece?

Per piece. Each route's cost in the online tool is its piece count times the per-piece price.

Can I pay at the Post Office?

Yes. You can pay online by credit or debit card when you place the order, or pay at the Post Office when you drop off by cash, card or check.

Can I get a refund?

EDDM Retail refunds can be requested online or at the Post Office. Which option applies depends on how you paid and whether you've already dropped the mailing off.

Are there nonprofit rates for EDDM Retail?

No. EDDM Retail isn't eligible for nonprofit prices.