A mailing of 1,000 personalized, one-sheet letters costs $745.03 at iti Direct Mail in this October 2026 example, before applicable California sales tax: $275.03 for printing and production plus $470.00 for Standard bulk presort postage. That is approximately $0.745 per mailed letter. Production alone is approximately $0.275 per letter, excluding postage.
This example uses one 8.5 × 11-inch sheet of 20 lb white paper, black-and-white printing on the front with a blank back, personalized mail merge, and a white non-window #10 envelope. Real peel-and-stick stamp application is included at no additional charge; postage is separately charged.
These are iti Direct Mail calculator examples checked on October 5, 2026. Production prices and postage can change. Use the letter printing and mailing calculator for current pricing for your quantity and selected options.
The prices shown include the services described in this guide. California customers pay sales tax on the printing and production portion; postage is not taxed. The listed amounts do not include that sales tax.
Letter mailing prices by quantity — October 2026
You can start with as few as 50 letters for a small campaign or test mailing. The production cost per letter falls as order quantity increases. A 1,000-letter order is the main reference example below; larger orders show how the budget changes at higher quantities.
Every row uses the same one-sheet default production configuration and Standard bulk presort postage. Production prices exclude postage; the combined columns include both production and the stated postage, including real peel-and-stick stamps and their application. All amounts are in U.S. dollars, before applicable California sales tax on printing and production.
| Letters | Production per letter* | Production total | Standard postage total | Combined total | Combined per letter* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | $1.030 | $51.50 | $31.00 | $82.50 | $1.650 |
| 250 | $0.448 | $112.11 | $135.00 | $247.11 | $0.988 |
| 500 | $0.316 | $157.91 | $235.00 | $392.91 | $0.786 |
| 1,000 | $0.275 | $275.03 | $470.00 | $745.03 | $0.745 |
| 5,000 | $0.209 | $1,046.88 | $2,350.00 | $3,396.88 | $0.679 |
| 15,001 | $0.192 | $2,875.69 | $7,050.47 | $9,926.16 | $0.662 |
| 20,001 | $0.189 | $3,783.69 | $9,400.47 | $13,184.16 | $0.659 |
| 30,001 | $0.178 | $5,345.16 | $14,100.47 | $19,445.63 | $0.648 |
*Per-letter figures are approximate and rounded to three decimal places. Order totals retain the calculator amounts. Multiplying a rounded per-letter figure by quantity may not reproduce the exact order total.
Standard bulk presort postage in these examples is $0.620 per letter at 50 pieces, $0.540 at 250 pieces, and $0.470 at each selected quantity from 500 pieces upward. Those postage amounts are specific to the quantities and mailing configuration shown.
The quantities 15,001, 20,001, and 30,001 are shown exactly because they begin new quantity pricing tiers. For an order between the examples, enter the actual quantity in the calculator rather than interpolating a price from the table.
Calculate Your Letter Mailing Price
What is included in the production price?
The default one-sheet production price includes the materials and work needed to prepare each letter for mailing:
- One 8.5 × 11-inch sheet of 20 lb white copy paper, printed with margins in black-and-white on the front; the back is blank.
- Mail merge and mail merge setup to personalize letter content using fields from your mailing list.
- A white 24 lb non-window #10 envelope, with black-and-white printing on the front, including envelope address printing.
- Folding, inserting the letter into the envelope, sealing, and preparation for USPS mailing.
- Standard production of four business days after proof approval and a free PDF proof, listed at one business day.
For presorted mailings, list processing, National Change of Address (NCOA) processing, and CASS-certified address processing are also included. Mail merge setup and proofing are included in the stated default prices; these are not additional service charges.
For the 1,000-letter default example, these production services total $275.03 before postage. Selecting upgrades changes the production price.
How common options change the price at 1,000 letters
The following October 2026 differences are measured against the $275.03 default production price for 1,000 letters, excluding postage and applicable California sales tax. Each row changes one selection while keeping the other defaults unchanged.
| Change from default | Difference per letter* | Difference for 1,000 letters |
|---|---|---|
| Edge-to-edge letter printing | +$0.033 | +$32.50 |
| 70 lb white letterhead | +$0.020 | +$20.00 |
| 20 lb ivory paper | +$0.020 | +$20.00 |
| Color letter front, blank back | +$0.050 | +$50.00 |
| Generic letter without mail merge | −$0.020 | −$20.00 |
| 6 × 9.5-inch white booklet envelope | +$0.070 | +$70.00 |
| Ivory 24 lb non-window #10 envelope | +$0.030 | +$30.00 |
| Pink 24 lb non-window #10 envelope | +$0.030 | +$30.00 |
| Color envelope front, blank back | +$0.050 | +$50.00 |
| Two-business-day production after proof approval | +$0.070 | +$70.00 |
| Standard ITI handwritten envelope font | $0.000 | $0.00 |
*Per-letter differences are rounded to three decimals; order differences retain the exact amounts. Use the calculator to price a combination of upgrades.
Margins or edge-to-edge printing
The default letter prints with margins. Edge-to-edge printing, also called full bleed, extends the design to the edge of the sheet. For 1,000 letters, selecting it adds $32.50 to production, approximately $0.033 per letter. These price differences apply to 1,000 letters. For higher quantities, check the price calculator because the per-letter price difference could be smaller.
Paper choices
The included stock is 20 lb white copy paper. At 1,000 letters, either 70 lb white letterhead or 20 lb ivory paper adds $20.00, or $0.020 per letter. Other choices include gray, blue, green, and canary paper, plus linen, glossy, and pre-printed stock options. Prices for these additional choices are available in the calculator. These price differences apply to 1,000 letters. For higher quantities, check the price calculator because the per-letter price difference could be smaller.
Letter printing and personalization
The default is single-sided black-and-white printing. A color front with a blank back adds $50.00 for 1,000 letters, or $0.050 per letter. Other available combinations are black-and-white on both sides, color on the front with black-and-white on the back, and color on both sides. These price differences apply to 1,000 letters. For higher quantities, check the price calculator because the per-letter price difference could be smaller.
Mail merge personalizes the letter content for each recipient. If every recipient receives identical letter content, selecting no mail merge saves $20.00 at 1,000 letters, or $0.020 per letter. Production for that generic-letter configuration totals $255.03 before postage. This saving is based on 1,000 letters; check the price calculator for your quantity because the per-letter saving can vary.
Calculate Your Letter Mailing Price
Envelopes and envelope printing
The default envelope is a white 24 lb non-window #10 envelope. A 6 × 9.5-inch white booklet envelope adds $70.00 at 1,000 letters, or $0.070 per letter. Either an ivory or pink 24 lb non-window #10 envelope adds $30.00, or $0.030 per letter. These price differences apply to 1,000 letters. For higher quantities, check the price calculator because the per-letter price difference could be smaller.
Other envelope choices include single-window, double-window, and full-window styles; canary, blue, gray, green, and kraft colors; white or ivory textured linen; and pre-printed envelopes. The calculator lists prices for each choice.
Black-and-white front printing with a blank back is included on the envelope. A color front with a blank back adds $50.00 for 1,000 envelopes, or $0.050 per letter. Other envelope-printing choices include printing on both sides and selected colored-ink handwritten styles. Check your selected combination in the calculator. These price differences apply to 1,000 letters. For higher quantities, check the price calculator because the per-letter price difference could be smaller.
Standard handwritten fonts: no additional charge
Using a standard ITI handwritten font to address the envelope adds $0.00 to the order. iti Direct Mail recommends handwritten fonts to help improve open rates. Custom font creation and client-supplied custom fonts are separate choices. The standard-font option adds no charge in the 1,000-letter example; check the price calculator for custom-font choices at your quantity.
Production turnaround and PDF proof
Standard production is four business days after proof approval. Two-business-day production after proof approval adds $70.00 for the default 1,000-letter configuration, or $0.070 per letter. The free PDF proof is listed at one business day. Proof preparation, production, and postal delivery are separate stages; the production timeframe is not a delivery timeframe. These price differences apply to 1,000 letters. For higher quantities, check the price calculator because the per-letter price difference could be smaller.
For other options or a combination of changes, use the current letter mailing calculator to obtain the complete configured price.
Postage examples as of October 2026
Every postage price listed below includes real peel-and-stick postage stamps and their application, with no additional stamp-application charge. Postage itself is charged separately from printing and production. ITI chooses real stamps to encourage better response than imprint or metered postage.
The following postage examples are for a domestic mailing of 1,000 default one-sheet letters, as checked in October 2026. They are postage-only amounts. The finished mailpiece must meet the selected class’s weight, format, and eligibility requirements.
| Domestic postage choice | Postage per letter | Weight and eligibility |
|---|---|---|
| Standard bulk presort | $0.470 | Domestic letter rate; finished pieces must qualify for this mailing class. |
| Regular First-Class | $0.820 | Domestic letter rate for a finished mailpiece up to 1 oz. |
| Presorted First-Class | $0.730 | Domestic letter rate up to 2 oz; presort requirements apply. |
| Nonprofit presort | $0.260 | Eligible domestic letter mail; USPS nonprofit authorization is required. |
Nonprofit pricing requires USPS nonprofit authorization. Presort rates depend on applicable mailing preparation and qualification; confirm that the finished mailpiece qualifies for the selected class. The quantity table above shows that Standard bulk presort postage differs for the 50- and 250-letter examples.
These are October 2026 postage examples. Postal prices may have changed since this guide was prepared. Check the calculator for current postage pricing for your actual mailing.
Calculate Your Letter Mailing Price
A complete budget for 1,000 mail-merged letters
For 1,000 personalized, one-sheet letters with the default specifications and Standard bulk presort postage, the October 2026 calculator example, before applicable California sales tax on printing and production, is:
- Printing and production: $275.03.
- Standard bulk presort postage: $470.00.
- Combined mailing cost: $745.03, approximately $0.745 per mailed letter.
Peel-and-stick stamp application is included at no additional charge. For 5,000, 15,001, 20,001, or 30,001 letters, the first table provides the same production-plus-postage breakdown. Use the calculator for current pricing or a different configuration.
Frequently asked questions
Does the price include postage?
The production-only prices exclude postage. The combined mailing prices include printing, production, and the specified Standard bulk presort postage. For example, the October 2026 default 1,000-letter mailing costs $275.03 for production plus $470.00 for postage, totaling $745.03 before applicable California sales tax on production. Other postage classes have different prices.
Does personalization cost extra?
No. Mail merge personalization, mail merge setup, and proofing are included in iti Direct Mail’s default mail-merged letter pricing. You can use fields from your mailing list to personalize the letter content. The generic-letter option is available if you do not need personalized letter content.
Do real peel-and-stick postage stamps cost extra?
No additional stamp-application fee is charged. All four domestic postage prices listed in this October 2026 guide include real peel-and-stick stamps and their application. At 1,000 pieces, Standard bulk presort postage is $0.470 per letter, including the stamp and its application. Postage remains separately charged from printing and production.
Are list processing, NCOA, CASS processing, setup, and proofing included?
Yes. For presorted mailings, the prices shown include list processing, National Change of Address (NCOA) processing, and address processing using Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS)-certified software. Mail merge setup and proofing are also included in the default pricing. These services do not create additional processing, setup, or proofing charges for the configurations described in this guide.
Is sales tax included in these prices?
The listed prices are before applicable California sales tax. California customers pay sales tax on the printing and production portion of the order; postage is not taxed. For the default 1,000-letter Standard bulk presort example, the $275.03 production portion is subject to that tax, while the $470.00 postage portion is not.
