PsPrint vs GotPrint for Postcard Printing

TLDR

The practical answer in the psprint vs gotprint postcards comparison depends on the job. PsPrint has a focused range of conventional postcard stocks, selectable UV coating and a described file-review process. GotPrint publishes a broader specialty-material catalog, offers embellishments such as raised UV and raised foil on qualifying configurations, and provides both direct-mail and EDDM workflows. Neither printer can responsibly be called the physical-quality winner from specifications alone.

For an ordinary promotional postcard, start with PsPrint if you want straightforward coated, matte, recycled or soft-touch choices and value a vendor-described file check. Start with GotPrint if specialty stock, rounded corners, raised effects or a built-in EDDM path matters more. For either printer, compare the complete delivered price using the same size, quantity, stock, printed sides, coating, production speed and delivery ZIP code.

The evidence limitation that matters

This comparison was intended to incorporate direct postcard testing, but the supplied project material does not contain the exact order configurations, photographs, inspection notes, paid totals, packaging observations or delivery records. It would therefore be misleading to report that one company produced better color, sharper text, cleaner trimming or sturdier cards.

The conclusions below are based on the printers’ published postcard specifications and policies, USPS requirements and buyer-focused analysis. That is enough to compare available workflows and identify the better shortlist for a particular job. It is not enough to turn nominal stock thickness or marketing labels into an observed quality ranking. PrintReviewer’s review methodology likewise distinguishes documented orders from specification-based research and emphasizes realistic cart totals rather than headline prices.

PsPrint vs GotPrint postcards at a glance

Sizes, stocks and coatings

PsPrint publishes layout guides for 4 x 6, 4 x 9, 5 x 7, 5 x 8, 5.5 x 8.5, 6 x 8.75 and 6 x 11 postcards, and it states that custom sizes are available. Its listed stock selection includes 16 pt. coated-two-sides gloss, 15 pt. velvet, 15 pt. velvet with soft-touch coating, two 14 pt. gloss constructions, 13 pt. matte and 13 pt. recycled matte.

That range covers the usual split between inexpensive glossy promotions, subdued matte presentation and a more tactile soft-touch treatment. PsPrint also allows UV coating on neither side, one side or both sides. Its 14 pt. C1S option combines one gloss-coated face with an uncoated reverse, a potentially useful arrangement when the image side needs gloss but the address or message side must remain writable.

GotPrint lists a wider assortment that includes 14 pt. gloss and uncoated stocks, 13 pt. linen, 16 pt. matte, 18 pt. pearl, kraft, smooth white, 24 pt. Trifecta Green, 38 pt. layered Trifecta stocks and 100 lb. matte cover. It also offers rounded corners and, on eligible 16 pt. premium matte postcards, raised UV or raised foil in gold, silver and rose gold.

The important caution is that point thickness and finish names do not establish equal construction or performance across vendors. A 15 pt. velvet card and a 16 pt. matte card may differ in surface feel, stiffness, color appearance and susceptibility to handling marks. Even two products called soft touch can feel different because of the substrate and finishing process. If those differences affect the campaign, a small matched order is more informative than the stock name.

Choose the reverse side deliberately

A coating that improves gloss and abrasion resistance can make handwriting, overprinting or addressing more difficult. GotPrint explicitly says its high-gloss UV surface is not writable or printable and directs mailing customers toward an uncoated back or UV Front Only. PsPrint’s one-sided UV and C1S choices can serve a similar practical goal.

Do not leave this decision until after the artwork is complete. Determine whether the reverse will carry variable addresses, postal markings, handwriting, appointment details or an inkjet-printed message. Then select a compatible surface and request a physical sample if the writing instrument or addressing method is important.

Proofing and file control

PsPrint describes a free file review based on a 20-point checklist. It also says print-ready files received by 6 p.m. Pacific begin production on the next business day, although one-day production is configuration-dependent. A file review may identify technical problems, but buyers should not assume that it functions as a creative proofread or guarantees an intended color match.

GotPrint describes two proof routes: an instant proof checked by the buyer and a manually processed PDF proof reviewed within one business day after submission, excluding weekends and holidays. The instant path favors speed but leaves more responsibility with the buyer. The manual PDF route adds another checkpoint, although a screen proof still cannot reproduce the exact stiffness, texture, coating reflectivity or press color of a physical card.

For either printer, inspect bleed, safe margins, image resolution, small reversed type, rich black construction, panel orientation and the uncoated address area. A proof can reveal positioning and content errors; it cannot fully predict the physical result.

Turnaround and shipping are separate clocks

GotPrint states that postcard production may take two to six days depending on stock, with estimated transit taking another two to six business days. File problems, reuploads, billing holds and mailing orders can change those estimates. PsPrint advertises configuration-dependent one-day production and provides a next-business-day production rule for qualifying print-ready files received by its cutoff, but that should not be treated as universal availability.

The useful deadline is not the fastest production label. It is the date by which an acceptable package must reach you or the mail stream. Production starts only after file approval and applicable checks; shipping starts after production. The distinction is explained further in production time versus shipping time in printing. Add time for proof review, weekends, mailing preparation and a contingency for reprints.

Direct mail, EDDM and postcard postage

Both companies publish list-based mailing services with a 500-piece minimum. PsPrint says its service includes list processing, CASS certification, inkjet addressing and postal presorting, with Standard and First-Class options. It estimates that mailing processing adds roughly three to five days after printing.

GotPrint says its list-based service includes CASS certification, NCOA processing, presorting, addressing and delivery to its local post office. Its published workflow adds an estimated one to three business days after printing. GotPrint also offers print-only and full-service EDDM routes, with route selection incorporated into the full-service option.

List-based direct mail is appropriate when you need to reach named recipients or a defined customer list. EDDM is a saturation tool for reaching eligible addresses along selected postal routes without supplying a conventional recipient list. Buyers still need to confirm format eligibility, route coverage, postage, drop-off responsibilities and campaign timing. The broader postcard printing guide for EDDM and direct mail can help with that workflow decision.

Physical size also affects postage. Under the USPS postcard-size rules, a piece qualifies for First-Class Mail postcard pricing only when it is rectangular, at least 3.5 x 5 x 0.007 inches and no larger than 4.25 x 6 x 0.016 inches. A larger marketing piece may still be mailable, but calling it a postcard does not make it eligible for the postcard postage category.

This makes the common 4 x 6 format attractive when postage economy is the priority. A 5 x 7 or 6 x 11 piece provides more visual space, but its postage and design implications must be evaluated under the applicable mail category. Ask the mail provider to confirm the final artwork, thickness and postage classification before committing to a large run.

How to compare delivered value

A valid price comparison cannot be built from starting prices. Promotions, quantity breaks, upgrades, shipping and tax can reverse the apparent winner. No same-day matched carts were supplied for this article, so declaring either company cheaper would be unsupported.

Build two carts at the same time and record the following:

• Identical finished size and quantity
• Closest genuinely comparable stock construction and thickness
• Same printed sides and coating arrangement
• Any rounded corners, soft touch, raised effects or other upgrades
• Proof charges or proof-related delays
• Standard versus expedited production
• Shipping to the same ZIP code
• Tax, mailing preparation, postage and list-processing charges
• Expected production date, ship date and arrival date
• Final total and calculated cost per usable card

Run at least one ordinary 4 x 6 configuration and one premium configuration if finish quality matters. For a bulk campaign, also price the intended 2,500- or 5,000-piece quantity rather than extrapolating from a small order. If neither catalog fits, a third quote from Printiverse's online printing options can provide another comparison point, provided the configuration and delivery assumptions remain normalized.

Which printer should you choose?

Choose PsPrint for a conventional, controlled postcard specification

PsPrint belongs on the shortlist when you want a common marketing size, a conventional coated or matte stock, one-sided UV, an uncoated reverse or a published file-review step. Its stock range is broad enough for most ordinary promotions without forcing the buyer through an unusually complex specialty catalog. That is a workflow recommendation, not a claim that its postcards print better.

Choose GotPrint for specialty materials or a broader mailing path

GotPrint is the more obvious shortlist candidate when the design depends on linen, pearl, kraft, very thick layered stock, rounded corners, raised UV or raised foil. It also has the clearer published advantage for buyers specifically seeking both print-only and full-service EDDM paths. Confirm that the desired size, quantity and production schedule support the chosen specialty option before designing around it.

Do not choose either printer on stock labels alone

If fine type, neutral gray, skin tones, dark solids, exact brand color or trim consistency is mission-critical, place matched sample orders. Use the same artwork and as close to the same construction as possible. Inspect image detail, gradients, small text, solid coverage, front-to-back registration, trim variation, corner condition, coating consistency, rigidity and packaging. A single clean sample still does not guarantee every future batch, but it provides stronger evidence than a product-page label.

Check the remedies before placing a large order

PsPrint’s supplied satisfaction page instructs dissatisfied customers to contact customer service within seven days of receiving the order. Because policy language can change or differ across pages, confirm the governing deadline and remedy immediately before ordering.

GotPrint’s help content describes narrower conditions: eligibility tied to first-time retail customers or a first-time issue, an eligible subtotal cap of $100, notice within six business days of pickup or delivery, coverage limited to printing cost and customer responsibility for return shipping. Review the current terms rather than assuming that a “money-back guarantee” covers shipping, postage, consequential campaign costs or every reprint dispute.

Final verdict

There is no defensible universal winner for PsPrint vs GotPrint postcards from the available evidence. PsPrint has the cleaner case for a conventional coated or matte postcard with selectable UV treatment and a described file review. GotPrint has the stronger published case for specialty materials, decorative finishes and EDDM workflow breadth.

The next step is to define the job before choosing the printer: size, quantity, mailing method, writable area, stock, coating, deadline and maximum delivered budget. Capture matched carts, verify postage eligibility and order comparable samples if the physical result matters. The better printer is the one that meets that exact specification—not the one displaying the lowest starting price.

References

1. Review Methodology – The Print Reviewer
2. Editorial Policy – The Print Reviewer
3. Premium Postcard Printing | Easy Online Templates | PsPrint
4. Order Custom Postcards at GotPrint.com
5. Postcards | Custom Postcard Printing at GotPrint.com
6. Production Time at GotPrint.com
7. Online Postcard Printing and Mailing Services at PsPrint
8. Direct Mail Services at GotPrint.com
9. EDDM® Postcard Mailing & Printing| GotPrint.com
10. Sizes for Postcards | Postal Explorer
11. PsPrint offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all printed pieces!
12. Help Center at GotPrint.com