EDDM Cost Guide: Every Door Direct Mail Pricing for Texarkana Businesses

If you have heard about Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) from the USPS and wondered whether it fits your business, you are in the right place. EDDM is one of the most affordable ways to get a printed piece into every mailbox on a route. But affordable does not always mean effective — and knowing the real cost means looking beyond postage.

This guide breaks down exactly what EDDM costs, how it works, when it makes sense, and when a more targeted approach (like Texarkana Spotlight's Community Card) delivers better results.

What Is EDDM?

Every Door Direct Mail is a USPS program that lets businesses send mail to every address on a selected carrier route — no mailing list required. You choose the routes, drop off your mail at the post office, and USPS delivers it to every mailbox on those routes.

EDDM is popular because:

• No mailing list needed — you target by geography, not by name
• Low per-piece postage — discounted rates compared to standard mail
• No permit required — any business can use it
• Simple logistics — drop and go

How EDDM Works

The process is straightforward:

1. Select your routes using the USPS EDDM mapping tool
2. Design your piece following USPS size requirements (at least 3.5" x 5", maximum 6.125" x 11.5")
3. Print and deliver to the post office for the selected routes
4. USPS delivers to every address on those routes

Sounds easy — and it is. But there are limits.

EDDM Cost Breakdown

Here is what you can expect to pay for a typical EDDM campaign:

Postage Costs

EDDM uses a flat-rate postage structure. As of current USPS pricing:

• EDDM Retail (walk-in): approximately $0.20–$0.23 per piece
• EDDM Commercial (presort): approximately $0.17–$0.20 per piece

For 1,000 pieces, that means $170–$230 in postage.

Print Costs

Print pricing varies by size, paper stock, and quantity:

• Standard postcard (4" x 6"): $0.12–$0.25 per piece
• Jumbo postcard (6" x 11"): $0.25–$0.50 per piece
• Full-color, both sides: adds to cost but improves response

For 1,000 standard postcards, expect $120–$250 for printing.

Design Costs

If you need design work:

• Basic template design: $100–$300
• Custom professional design: $300–$800
• Texarkana Spotlight includes design: included with our campaigns

Total Estimated Cost (1,000 pieces)

Per-piece cost: $0.39–$0.78

EDDM vs Targeted Mailing: What Is the Difference?

This is where many businesses make a costly mistake. EDDM sends your postcard to everyone on a route — every house, apartment, and business. There is no filtering.

Texarkana Spotlight's Community Card works differently. Instead of mailing every door, we pool multiple businesses into a single mailer and distribute to a curated list of high-potential households. You share the cost and reach better prospects.

Who Should Use EDDM

EDDM makes sense when:

• You need total market saturation — every single household must know about you
• Your offer is for everyone — think grand openings, new locations, or general services
• You are on a tight budget — EDDM is the cheapest per-piece option
• You want a simple test — quick campaign to gauge interest

Who Should Skip EDDM

EDDM is not ideal when:

• You only need homeowners — EDDM hits renters and vacant properties too
• You need to control frequency — you cannot limit how many times the same household gets your piece
• You want premium positioning — EDDM pieces compete with every other flyer in the mailbox
• Your offer targets a specific audience — EDDM wastes money on people who will never buy

Ready to reach Texarkana households? Explore our pricing and packages or learn more about how our mailers work.