Quick Answer
Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) is a USPS program that delivers your marketing piece to every address on a mail carrier route — no mailing list required. You choose the routes by ZIP code or neighborhood, and USPS delivers to every door. Postage is approximately $0.242 per piece — the lowest rate USPS offers for marketing mail. EDDM is ideal for restaurants, home services, real estate, and any business that serves a geographic area.
How EDDM Works
EDDM removes the two biggest barriers to direct mail — the mailing list and complex postal requirements. Here's the process from start to delivery:
Select your carrier routes
Use the USPS EDDM mapping tool (or let Mail Movers do it for you) to select the carrier routes you want to reach. You can filter by ZIP code, city, average household income, average age, and residential vs. business addresses. Each route typically covers 200–2,000 addresses.
Design and print your piece
Create a flat-size mailer (minimum 6.125" × 11.5") with your offer, contact information, and call to action. Mail Movers can print EDDM-compliant pieces in-house. Your design must include an EDDM indicia (postage permit) in the upper right corner.
Bundle and prepare for USPS
EDDM pieces must be bundled in groups of 50–100 and banded with a facing slip that identifies the carrier route. Mail Movers handles all bundling, banding, and paperwork as part of our EDDM service.
Submit to USPS and pay postage
Mail is delivered to a USPS Business Mail Entry Unit (BMEU) along with electronic documentation. Postage is paid at the time of induction at the EDDM flat rate of approximately $0.242 per piece.
USPS delivers to every door
Letter carriers deliver your piece to every address on the selected routes, typically within 3–7 business days of induction. There is no tracking at the individual piece level, but USPS provides container-level scan data.
EDDM Size Requirements
EDDM pieces must qualify as flats — larger than a standard letter. The USPS size requirements are:
| Dimension | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 6.125" | 12" |
| Length | 11.5" | 15" |
| Thickness | 0.007" | 0.75" |
| Weight | — | 3.3 oz |
Most Popular EDDM Sizes
6.5" × 9"
Standard EDDM postcard — most affordable to print
8.5" × 11"
Letter-size flat — more space for offers and copy
9" × 12"
Oversized flat — maximum visual impact
EDDM vs. Targeted Direct Mail
EDDM and targeted direct mail serve different goals. Use this comparison to decide which is right for your campaign.
| Feature | EDDM | Targeted Mail |
|---|---|---|
| Postage rate | ~$0.242/piece | $0.178–$0.433/piece |
| Mailing list required | No | Yes |
| Demographic targeting | Route-level only | Full (age, income, interests) |
| Minimum quantity | 200 pieces (BMEU) | 200 pieces (Marketing Mail) |
| Piece size | Flats only (6.125"×11.5" min) | Letters, cards, flats |
| Best for | Geographic saturation | Specific audience profiles |
| List cost | $0 | $50–$300/thousand |
| Suppression (opt-outs) | Not available | Available |
EDDM Advantages
- No mailing list required — eliminates list purchase cost
- Lowest USPS postage rate (~$0.242/piece)
- Total market saturation within a defined area
- No minimum quantity restrictions for most routes
- Simple targeting — select routes by ZIP code or neighborhood
- Works for any business with a geographic service area
- Ideal for new business launches and grand openings
- Can be combined with Informed Delivery for digital preview
EDDM Limitations
- No demographic filtering — reaches every address, not just your ideal customer
- Piece size must be a flat (6.125" × 11.5" minimum) — no standard postcards
- Cannot suppress existing customers or do-not-mail lists
- Less effective when your customer profile is highly specific
- Delivery timing is less predictable than First-Class mail
Who Uses EDDM?
EDDM is the right choice for businesses whose customers are defined primarily by where they live rather than specific demographic characteristics.
Restaurants & Food Delivery
Reach every household within your delivery radius with a menu or coupon. EDDM is the standard for restaurant marketing.
Home Services (HVAC, Plumbing, Lawn Care)
Saturate neighborhoods in your service area before peak season. No wasted spend on households outside your territory.
Real Estate Agents
Farm a specific neighborhood with just-listed, just-sold, or market update mailers. EDDM covers every home on a route.
Dentists & Healthcare
Reach every household near your practice with new patient offers. HIPAA-compliant because no patient data is used.
Gyms & Fitness Studios
Promote grand openings, new year specials, or membership drives to everyone within a 3–5 mile radius.
Political Campaigns
Deliver voter outreach to every registered address in a precinct without purchasing a voter file.
What Does an EDDM Campaign Cost?
A complete EDDM campaign has three cost components: printing, mail preparation, and postage. Here's a typical cost breakdown for a 5,000-piece campaign:
| Cost Component | Per Piece | 5,000 Pieces |
|---|---|---|
| Printing (6.5" × 9" postcard) | $0.08–$0.14 | $400–$700 |
| Mail preparation & bundling | $0.04–$0.06 | $200–$300 |
| USPS postage | ~$0.242 | ~$1,210 |
| Total (estimated) | $0.38–$0.44 | $1,810–$2,210 |
Prices vary based on paper stock, quantity, and turnaround time. See our full direct mail pricing guide or request a free quote.
Frequently Asked Questions About EDDM
What is EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail)?
Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) is a USPS program that allows businesses to mail marketing materials to every address on a specific mail carrier route without needing a mailing list. You select the carrier routes you want to reach by ZIP code, city, or neighborhood, and USPS delivers your piece to every residential and/or business address on those routes. EDDM postage is approximately $0.242 per piece — the lowest USPS rate available for marketing mail.
How much does EDDM cost?
EDDM postage is approximately $0.242 per piece as of 2026. For a complete EDDM campaign including printing, mail preparation, and postage, typical costs run $0.40–$0.55 per piece for a standard 6.5" x 9" postcard. A 5,000-piece EDDM campaign typically costs $2,000–$2,750 total. There is no mailing list cost, which makes EDDM significantly cheaper than targeted mail for geographic saturation campaigns.
What is the minimum quantity for EDDM?
There is no USPS minimum for EDDM Retail (the self-service version). For EDDM BMEU (Business Mail Entry Unit, the version used by mail houses like Mail Movers), the minimum is 200 pieces per mailing. Most carrier routes contain 200–2,000 addresses, so a single-route mailing typically satisfies this minimum automatically.
What size does EDDM mail have to be?
EDDM pieces must be flats — larger than a standard letter. Minimum size is 6.125" x 11.5". Maximum size is 12" x 15". Common EDDM sizes are 6.5" x 9", 8.5" x 11", and 9" x 12". The piece must be at least 0.007" thick and no more than 0.75" thick. Standard letter-size pieces (4.25" x 6" postcards) do not qualify for EDDM.
Do I need a mailing list for EDDM?
No. EDDM requires no mailing list. You select carrier routes by ZIP code, neighborhood, or city using the USPS EDDM mapping tool, and USPS delivers to every address on those routes. This eliminates the cost of purchasing or maintaining a mailing list, which typically runs $50–$150 per thousand names for consumer lists.
What is the difference between EDDM and targeted direct mail?
EDDM delivers to every address on selected carrier routes — no list required, lowest postage rate, best for geographic saturation. Targeted direct mail uses a purchased or owned list to reach specific individuals based on demographics, income, interests, or purchase history — higher postage rate ($0.178–$0.433/piece for Marketing Mail), but more precise audience selection. EDDM is best for local businesses serving a geographic area; targeted mail is best when your ideal customer has specific characteristics that differ from the general population.
What businesses benefit most from EDDM?
EDDM works best for businesses whose customers are defined primarily by where they live rather than who they are: restaurants, pizza delivery, home services (HVAC, plumbing, lawn care, window washing), real estate agents, dentists, chiropractors, gyms, retail stores, auto repair shops, and any business with a defined service radius. It is also effective for political campaigns, school enrollment, and community events.
Can I target specific demographics with EDDM?
EDDM does not allow demographic targeting — it delivers to every address on a route. However, you can use the USPS EDDM mapping tool to select routes by average household income, average age, and residential vs. business mix. For more precise demographic targeting (by income, homeownership, family size, or interests), targeted direct mail with a purchased list is the better option.
How long does EDDM take to deliver?
Once your EDDM mailing is accepted at a USPS Business Mail Entry Unit (BMEU), typical delivery is 3–7 business days to reach recipients. Mail Movers typically requires 5–7 business days for printing and mail preparation before induction, so plan for 10–14 days from order to delivery for a standard EDDM campaign.
Related Resources
What Is Marketing Mail?
Learn how Marketing Mail presort compares to EDDM for targeted advertising campaigns.
What Is Presort Mail?
Understand how presort discounts work for First-Class and Marketing Mail — and how much you can save.
USPS Full-Service Certification
See how Full-Service IMb tracking unlocks additional postage discounts on eligible mailings.
Direct Mail Pricing Guide
Complete 2026 cost breakdown for printing, postage, list rental, and lettershop services.