Free tool · USPS prices as of October 9, 2026
How Much Is a Postcard Stamp?
A postcard stamp costs 65¢ (USPS, as of October 9, 2026). That covers a rectangular card up to 6 × 4¼ inches mailed anywhere in the US.
Card bigger than that, or not a plain rectangle? It pays the letter price, so use a Forever stamp (82¢). A square card owes 49¢ more on top.
Source: USPS, Letters & postcards
Postcard postage calculator
Enter your cards for the total, then a mail date to see when they should land.
How long does First-Class Mail take?
USPS says 1 to 5 days. Mail that stays within a region usually takes 2 to 3, and the standard never runs past 5.
Those are delivery days. Regular mail doesn't move on Sundays or the 11 federal holidays, so the calculator skips them. A card that misses the last pickup goes out the next day.
For Christmas 2026, USPS recommends mailing First-Class by December 17 to anywhere in the lower 48. Our guide on when to mail Christmas cards has the rest of the dates.
Sources: USPS mail services, Postal Bulletin 22673, USPS 2026 holiday dates
Postcard size rules for the 65¢ rate
| Measure | At least | At most |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 3.5 in | 4.25 in |
| Length | 5 in | 6 in |
| Thickness | 0.007 in | 0.016 in |
| Shape | Rectangular | Rectangular |
A standard 4 × 6 photo postcard fits the height and length limits, with a quarter inch to spare on the short side. If you're choosing a size for custom photo postcards, 4 × 6 is the safe one. Every size in inches, millimetres and pixels, plus a free template, is on postcard size.
Source: USPS Domestic Mail Manual 101
What if the card is too big or square?
USPS charges it as a letter, so it takes a Forever stamp (82¢). A square card owes another 49¢, because a card less than 1.3 times as long as it is tall can't go through the sorting machines.
A Forever stamp on a normal postcard works too. You just pay 17¢ more than you need to.
How much to mail a postcard to another country
One Global Forever stamp, $1.75, takes a postcard to any country (USPS, as of October 9, 2026). If you'd rather send one from your phone, we compared the postcard apps that mail abroad. Writing the address yourself? See how to address a postcard for the international format.
Source: USPS, International letters
Or skip the stamp
No stamps in the drawer? Make a real 4 × 6 photo postcard on your phone and we print, stamp and mail it for you by USPS First-Class. $9.99 for one card, postage included, and each card after the third is $5.
Only a Christmas card or two to send? Have Christmas cards mailed for you, even a single one.
Sending for a birthday or a holiday? Please allow up to 15 days. USPS can run a little slow, especially in December.
Frequently asked questions
- How much is a postcard stamp in 2026?
- 65¢ for a standard postcard mailed anywhere in the US, as of October 9, 2026 (USPS).
- Do postcard stamps still exist?
- Yes. USPS still sells a postcard stamp, and it costs 65¢. Any mix of stamps that adds up to 65¢ works too.
- What stamp do I need for a postcard?
- One postcard stamp (65¢) for a standard rectangular postcard up to 6 × 4¼ inches. A bigger card needs a Forever stamp (82¢), and a square one needs 49¢ more on top.
- How much is postage for a 4x6 card?
- 65¢ as a postcard, because 4 × 6 fits the size limits. A 4 × 6 card inside an envelope is a letter, so it takes a Forever stamp (82¢).
- Can I mail a 5x7 postcard with a postcard stamp?
- No. At 7 inches it is longer than the 6-inch postcard limit, so it pays the letter price: one Forever stamp (82¢).
- Is a postcard cheaper to mail than a letter?
- Yes. A postcard stamp is 65¢ and a letter takes a Forever stamp, 82¢, so each postcard saves 17¢.
- Where does the stamp go on a postcard?
- Top right of the address side, in the box printed for it. USPS says to put the postcard stamp near the delivery address.
- Can I use a Forever stamp on a postcard?
- Yes. A Forever stamp is enough postage for any standard postcard, it just costs 17¢ more than a postcard stamp.
- How much does it cost to mail a postcard to another country?
- $1.75. One Global Forever stamp takes a postcard to any country (USPS, as of October 9, 2026).
- How long does a postcard take to arrive?
- First-Class Mail takes 1 to 5 days, according to USPS, and 2 to 3 days within a region. Sundays and federal holidays don't count. It is a service standard, not a guarantee.