PostalForm online mailing data: 2026 Q2 order patterns

Newer release: PostalForm online mailing data: H1 2026 order patterns covers the completed January-June period with downloadable CSV and JSON aggregates.

Published Jun 17, 2026

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Key findings

Question	Aggregate answer
What file type do people mail most often?	98.7% of paid orders used a PDF upload.
How long is a typical online mailing?	Median document length was 2 pages; the 90th percentile was 10 pages.
Are most orders short?	83.6% of paid orders were 1-5 pages.
How often do larger packets appear?	9.8% of paid orders were 11+ pages.
What did a typical order cost?	Median paid order total was $3.80; the 90th percentile was $19.07.
How often was Certified Mail selected?	15.8% of paid orders added Certified Mail.
How often was electronic return receipt selected?	2.5% of paid orders added electronic return receipt.
How often did people use color printing?	20.5% of paid orders used color printing.
How often did people use double-sided printing?	64.7% of paid orders used double-sided printing.
How often did people use Express?	5.4% of paid orders used Express; 94.6% used standard mail.

Page-count distribution

Page-count bucket	Share of paid orders
1 page	41.0%
2-5 pages	42.6%
6-10 pages	5.7%
11+ pages	9.8%

The practical lesson is that most online mailings are short, but print-and-mail services still need packet support. A service that only handles a simple one-page letter misses exhibits, forms, invoices, cancellation notices, supporting records, and dispute packets.

Print and proof choices

Choice	Share of paid orders	What it means
Black-and-white or color	20.5% used color	Most text letters can stay black and white, but color still matters for exhibits, logos, screenshots, charts, and visual proof.
Single-sided or double-sided	64.7% used double-sided	Duplex is common enough that checkout should expose it clearly, especially for packets.
Certified Mail	15.8% selected it	Proof is not needed for every letter, but it is common enough to plan for when deadlines, notices, disputes, or contracts matter.
Electronic return receipt	2.5% selected it	Signature proof is a narrower need than Certified Mail tracking.
Standard or Express	5.4% used Express	Most orders use standard mail, while urgent or signature-required jobs need a separate route decision.

Online mailing cost context

The median paid order total was $3.80. The 90th-percentile paid order total was $19.07.

Those totals are not USPS stamp prices. They are full-job checkout totals for online mailing: page count, printing, envelope preparation, postage, carrier/provider handoff, and selected options. For stamp-only questions, use How much does it cost to mail a letter?. For PostalForm-specific estimates, use the print and mail cost calculator.

Methodology

Source: PostalForm production order aggregates.
Window: January 10 through June 17, 2026.
Included: paid, non-scam, positive-price orders.
Excluded: names, addresses, filenames, document contents, emails, payment identifiers, unpaid orders, suspicious orders, and individual order IDs.
Timing data was not used for fulfillment-speed claims because provider mailpiece creation and webhook timestamps do not cleanly measure customer-visible handoff timing.
Workflow data showed all included orders as upload_or_letter; this report should not be used to estimate future guided-form demand.

How to use this data

Use these numbers to set expectations:

A short PDF letter is the most common online-mailing job.
PDF preview, page count, address review, and checkout quote matter because most mistakes happen before payment.
Proof options should be available but not forced.
Comparison pages should evaluate the actual workflow: finished PDF upload, typed letter creation, form generation, print settings, proof options, API/agent support, and final quote transparency.

Ready to send it?

Use the calculator when you need the current price for a real document, destination, print setting, and mailing option.