Lob is the most recognized name in direct mail APIs. If you're reading this, you've probably already looked at it — and you're here because something didn't quite fit. Maybe the pricing felt opaque, the API-first approach wasn't right for your team, or you just want to compare options before committing.
This is an honest comparison. We build Postmarkr, so we're obviously not neutral — but we'll be straightforward about where Lob is better and where it isn't. We'll also cover PostGrid, Postalytics, Click2Mail, and Stannp.
Why people search for Lob alternatives#
Based on G2 and Capterra reviews (226 reviews, 4.3/5 on G2), the same complaints come up repeatedly:
Developer-only setup. Lob is an API-first platform. If you don't have a developer, you can't send mail. One reviewer noted: "Set-up time is extremely intensive... businesses needed to hire developers to set up the direct mail functionality and keep them on staff to maintain it."
Confusing credit system. Lob moved to a credit-based billing model. One reviewer wrote: "Their new credit system is terrible. It delayed a mailing by several weeks because they never warned me that I needed to top up credits."
Expensive at low volumes. Lob's free plan ($0/month) limits you to 1 user and 500 pieces. To add team members, you jump to $260/month. Address verification costs $0.009-$0.05 per lookup on top of that.
Print quality inconsistency. Multiple reviewers report quality varying by print facility: "The same size postcards were being printed in two different states. Each print facility was using different paper weights."
None of these are dealbreakers for every business. If you have developers, high volume, and an enterprise budget, Lob is a strong platform. But if you're a small business looking to send a few hundred letters or postcards a month without hiring a developer, the fit gets awkward.
Quick comparison#
Here's a side-by-side before we dive into each platform:
Postmarkr — $0/month, $1.50/letter, no developer needed, address verification included, G2: N/A (new). Best for small businesses and EDDM.
Lob — $0-$550+/month, $0.606-$0.806/letter (plus subscription), developer required, verification $0.009-$0.05/ea extra, G2: 4.3 (226 reviews). Best for developer teams at scale.
PostGrid — $250+/month, per-piece on top, API-first, G2: 5.0 (207 reviews). Best for Salesforce-heavy teams.
Postalytics — $0-$399/month, credit-based per-piece, CRM integrations, G2: 4.5. Best for marketing automation and drip campaigns.
Click2Mail — $0/month, $1.45/letter all-in, no developer needed, G2: 4.4. Best for government and self-serve bulk mail.
Stannp — $0/month, from $0.49/piece, web UI + API, G2: 4.5. Best for UK/international mail.
1. Postmarkr — best for small businesses and EDDM#
Full disclosure: this is us. We built Postmarkr specifically for the use case Lob doesn't serve well — small businesses that want to send mail without hiring a developer or committing to a monthly subscription.
What it costs: $1.50/letter (B&W first page), $1.75 (color). No subscription. No minimums. Address verification is included — not an add-on. Stripe processing fee (2.9% + $0.30) applies.
Where Postmarkr wins:
• No subscription — pay only when you send mail
• No developer required — upload a PDF, enter an address, done
• Address verification included at no extra cost
• EDDM support (coming soon) — Lob does not offer EDDM
• USPS tracking on every piece
Where Lob wins:
• API depth and maturity — Lob has been building their API since 2013
• Enterprise scale — if you're sending 100K+ pieces/month, Lob's infrastructure is proven
• Compliance certifications (SOC 2, HIPAA on enterprise plans)
• Lower per-piece price at high volume on paid plans
Bottom line: If you need to send a few dozen to a few thousand pieces per month without a developer, Postmarkr is purpose-built for that. If you need programmatic control over 100K+ pieces with enterprise compliance, Lob is the better choice.
2. PostGrid — best for Salesforce-heavy teams#
PostGrid has the highest G2 rating in the category — a perfect 5.0 with 207 reviews. That's hard to ignore.
What it costs: Starts at $250/month for the Starter plan (limited to 500 mailings/month with overage fees). Per-piece costs are on top of the subscription. Exact per-piece pricing isn't publicly listed — you need to contact sales.
Where PostGrid wins:
• Deep Salesforce and HubSpot integrations — trigger mail directly from CRM workflows
• Comprehensive API with address verification, geocoding, and print-and-mail
• Perfect G2 score (5.0/5, 207 reviews)
• Strong international coverage
Where PostGrid falls short:
• $250/month minimum — expensive for low-volume senders
• API-first — not designed for non-technical users
• Pricing opacity — need to contact sales for per-piece rates
Bottom line: If your team lives in Salesforce and wants to trigger mail from CRM workflows, PostGrid is the strongest option. If you don't need CRM integration, the $250/month floor is hard to justify.
3. Postalytics — best for marketing automation#
Postalytics positions itself as the marketing-team-friendly alternative to API-first platforms. It's designed for triggered direct mail campaigns — drip sequences, event-based sends, and CRM-integrated workflows.
What it costs: Free tier available. Marketer plan is $199/month. Pro and Agency plans are $399/month. Per-piece charges apply on top via a credit system — you buy credits in blocks (minimum 100). Volume discounts above 25,000 pieces.
Where Postalytics wins:
• HubSpot integration depth — direct mail as part of marketing automation workflows
• Triggered/drip direct mail campaigns (send a postcard when a lead hits a stage in your CRM)
• Built-in design editor — no developer or designer needed for postcards
• Free tier for testing
Where Postalytics falls short:
• Credit system adds pricing complexity
• $199-$399/month subscription on top of per-piece credits
• Smaller review base on G2 — less social proof than Lob or PostGrid
Bottom line: If you're a marketing team running drip campaigns through HubSpot and want physical mail as part of your automation, Postalytics is purpose-built for that. If you just want to send letters without a CRM, it's more platform than you need.
4. Click2Mail — best for self-serve bulk mail#
Click2Mail has been around since 2004 and serves a broad range of customers — from individuals sending a single letter to government agencies processing thousands. It's the most established self-serve option.
What it costs: No subscription. Letters start at $1.45 (1 page, First-Class, includes postage). Postcards from $0.56 (First-Class standard size). Volume discounts at 500+ pieces. EDDM product available.
Where Click2Mail wins:
• No subscription — true pay-per-piece like Postmarkr
• EDDM product available
• Bulk/presort Marketing Mail rates available for high volume
• Long track record — operating since 2004
Where Click2Mail falls short:
• Dated web interface — the UX hasn't been modernized
• No CRM integrations or marketing automation
• Limited API compared to Lob or PostGrid
Bottom line: Click2Mail is a solid, no-frills choice if you want pay-per-piece pricing and don't need a modern UI or CRM integration. It's especially strong for government agencies and organizations that need Marketing Mail (bulk) rates.
5. Stannp — best for UK and international mail#
Stannp is a UK-based direct mail platform with US fulfillment. If you need to send mail internationally — especially to the UK and Europe — Stannp has the widest coverage.
What it costs: Pay-per-use starting at $0.49/piece. No subscription, no signup fee, no minimum order. Prices include production, printing, postage, and mailing. Volume discounts at 4,000+ pieces.
Where Stannp wins:
• True pay-as-you-go with no minimums or subscriptions
• International mail coverage (UK, Europe, Australia)
• Both web UI and API available
• Low starting price ($0.49/piece)
Where Stannp falls short:
• Smaller US presence — fulfillment may not match US-based competitors
• No EDDM support
• Limited CRM integrations compared to PostGrid or Postalytics
Bottom line: If you need to send mail to international addresses — especially in the UK or Europe — Stannp is likely your best option. For US-only mail, the other platforms offer more depth.
Total cost of ownership: a real scenario#
Let's make this concrete. Say you're a small business sending 200 First-Class letters per month. Here's what each platform costs:
Postmarkr: 200 × $1.50 = $300/month. No subscription. Address verification included.
Lob (Developer plan): 200 × $0.806 = $161.20/month + address verification (200 × $0.05 = $10) = $171.20/month. But limited to 1 user — if you need team access, add the $260/month Startup plan: $161.20 + $10 + $260 = $431.20/month.
PostGrid: $250/month subscription + per-piece charges. Total likely $350-$450+/month (exact per-piece not public).
Postalytics: $199/month subscription + credit-based per-piece charges. Total likely $350-$500+/month.
Click2Mail: 200 × $1.45 = $290/month. No subscription.
Stannp: 200 × $0.49+ = $98+/month. No subscription (but verify US letter pricing).
At 200 letters/month, the subscription-based platforms (Lob Startup, PostGrid, Postalytics) cost 40-65% more than the pay-per-piece options (Postmarkr, Click2Mail) once you include the monthly fee. At 3,000+ pieces, the math flips — Lob's lower per-piece rates start to justify the subscription.
How to choose#
Choose Lob if: you have developers, send 3,000+ pieces/month, need enterprise compliance (SOC 2, HIPAA), and want the deepest API in the category.
Choose Postmarkr if: you're a small business without a developer, want transparent pay-per-piece pricing with no subscription, or need EDDM for local marketing.
Choose PostGrid if: your team lives in Salesforce and wants direct mail triggered from CRM workflows.
Choose Postalytics if: you're running marketing automation drip campaigns through HubSpot and want physical mail in the sequence.
Choose Click2Mail if: you want a proven, no-frills pay-per-piece option with bulk mail rates, and UX design doesn't matter to you.
Choose Stannp if: you need to send mail internationally, especially to the UK or Europe.