Free tool
Postcard profit calculator. Run the numbers on your card.
Pick a 9x12 or community card, choose how many homes, set your slot price, and watch the card fill. Every number comes from the real print price sheet.
CustomerPRSRT STD
EDDM Retail
Where you stand
Slot 6 pays the printer. Slots 7 to 16 are yours: $5,001.
Your pitch line
“$500 puts you in front of 5,000 homes, about 10¢ a home. Mailing your own card there runs about $2,609.”
Your profit per card
$5,001
16 of 16 slots at $500 on a 9x12 card to 5,000 homes, All Inclusive.
- Collected
- $8,000
- 16 x $500
- Print and mail
- $2,999
- Postage included
- Break-even
- 6 slots
- Every slot after that is profit
- Advertiser cost
- 10¢/home
- vs about 52¢ a home to mail their own card
Per month
$5,001
Per year
$60,012
Prices from the print.9x12method.com price sheet (September 2026). Print Only adds about 26 cents a card in postage and you handle the EDDM prep. This is math for one scenario, not a prediction of what you will earn.
How the math works
Three numbers run this whole business.
Advertisers pay you first
Every business pays for its slot before the card goes to print, so the card funds itself and you never front the print bill.
Print and mail comes out once
A 9x12 card to 5,000 homes is $2,999 All Inclusive, postage included. A community card to 2,500 homes is $1,449.
Everything after break-even is profit
On a 9x12 at $500 a slot, slot six covers the print bill. Sell all 16 and you keep $5,001. On a community card at $250, you keep $2,551.
Print and mail prices
The full price sheet, every quantity.
All Inclusive covers printing on 14pt UV gloss cardstock, packing, postage, and USPS drop-off for Every Door Direct Mail. Print Only ships the cards to you, and you pay about 26 cents a card in postage and handle the EDDM prep.
9x12 card
9" x 12"| Homes | All Inclusive | Print Only | Print Only + postage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $779 | $509 | ~$769 |
| 2,500 | $1,649 | $859 | ~$1,509 |
| 5,000Standard | $2,999 | $1,309 | ~$2,609 |
| 10,000 | $5,799 | $2,399 | ~$4,999 |
Community card
6" x 11"| Homes | All Inclusive | Print Only | Print Only + postage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $619 | $369 | ~$629 |
| 2,500Standard | $1,449 | $639 | ~$1,289 |
| 5,000 | $2,499 | $839 | ~$2,139 |
| 10,000 | $4,899 | $1,599 | ~$4,199 |
Prices from print.9x12method.com as of September 2026. Postage estimate uses about 26 cents a piece (EDDM Retail).
Keep going
Turn the math into a real card.
The calculator tells you what a card is worth. These guides show you how to fill one.
Questions
Postcard profit, answered.
How much profit does a 9x12 postcard make?
A sold-out 9x12 card has 16 slots at $500, which is $8,000 collected. Print and mail to 5,000 homes is $2,999 All Inclusive with postage included, so you keep $5,001. That is the math for a full card, not a promise; your result depends on how many slots you sell.
How much does it cost to print and mail 5,000 postcards?
Through print.9x12method.com, a 9x12 card to 5,000 homes is $2,999 All Inclusive (postage included), or $1,309 Print Only plus about $1,300 in EDDM postage that you pay and prep yourself. A community card to 5,000 homes is $2,499 All Inclusive.
How many ad slots do I need to sell to break even?
On a 9x12 card to 5,000 homes at $500 a slot, 6 slots ($3,000) cover the $2,999 All Inclusive price. On a community card to 2,500 homes at $250 a slot, 6 slots ($1,500) cover the $1,449 price. Every slot after that is profit.
How much should I charge per ad slot?
Most operators charge $500 a slot on a 9x12 card to 5,000 homes and $250 a slot on a community card to 2,500 homes. Both work out to about 10 cents a home, which is a fraction of what a business pays to mail its own postcard.
Is Print Only or All Inclusive cheaper?
Print Only looks cheaper, but you still pay about 26 cents a card in postage and do the EDDM bundling, paperwork, and post office drop-off yourself. For a 9x12 card to 5,000 homes, Print Only plus postage is about $2,609, versus $2,999 All Inclusive with packing, drop-off, tracking, print photos, and extra samples included.
Do I need money up front to start a postcard business?
No. You collect payment from each advertiser before the card goes to print, so the print bill is paid with their money. What it costs you is time: finding businesses, pitching, and following up.
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