Postcard stamp price, and when a card costs a letter
The postcard stamp price applies to standard rectangular postcards. A greeting card in an envelope is a letter. Pick “Postcard” or “Letter” to compare.
Independent site, not the Postal Service: prices read in its own price files.
Example: a 1 oz postcard· change a figure to see yours
Postcard stamp
$0.65
1 Forever stamp ($0.82 each), $0.17 overpaid
| One Forever stamp (1 oz letter) | $0.82 |
| Each extra ounce of a letter | $0.29 |
| Price on January 17, 2027 | $0.65 (stamps do not change) |
Compiled by Radif Partners · How the prices are built
The postcard stamp price is $0.65 in the First-Class Mail retail sheet of Notice 123, read on November 13, 2026, for a standard-sized rectangular postcard as usps.com describes it. It was $0.65 in July 2026 and stays $0.65 in the January 2027 file, since the Postal Service made no change to stamp prices in its filing of November 12, 2026. A card in an envelope is not a postcard: it pays the letter price, $0.82 for 1 ounce, and a square envelope adds the $0.49 nonmachinable surcharge. Mailing 50 holiday greetings therefore costs $32.50 as postcards, $41.00 as cards in standard envelopes and $65.50 in square envelopes. A Forever stamp on a postcard pays it, with $0.17 overpaid, so postcard stamps are worth buying for a large mailing. Postcards travel as First-Class Mail, in 1 to 5 days according to usps.com.
The postcard stamp price for many cards
| Mailing | 1 card | 50 cards |
|---|---|---|
| Postcard | $0.65 | $32.50 |
| Card in a standard envelope, 1 oz | $0.82 | $41.00 |
| Card in a square envelope, 1 oz | $1.31 | $65.50 |
For a holiday mailing, the shape of the card decides more of the cost than the number of cards. A square envelope looks good on the shelf but is the dearest option; a rectangular postcard is the cheapest way to send a greeting by mail.
Postcard or letter?
Example: a 1 oz postcard· change a figure to see yours
Postcard stamp
$0.65
1 Forever stamp ($0.82 each), $0.17 overpaid
| One Forever stamp (1 oz letter) | $0.82 |
| Each extra ounce of a letter | $0.29 |
| Price on January 17, 2027 | $0.65 (stamps do not change) |
Count the return cards too. A reply postcard enclosed for a guest to send back needs its own postcard stamp, and a reply card in an envelope needs a letter stamp.
Check before you buy cards
A postcard has to be a rectangle of standard size and thickness, the kind sold as a postcard. Large or thick cards, or cards cut into shapes, are not postcards and pay letter or large envelope prices. When in doubt, mail it in an envelope at the letter price, or show it at a counter before you buy a stack of stamps. The stamp page gives the letter prices and the large envelope page the prices for bigger pieces.