Flyers vs. Postcards vs. Brochures: Which Marketing Piece Should You Print?

Every small business eventually stands in front of a print counter (or a product page) asking the same question: "Do I need flyers, postcards, or brochures?" And the honest answer is "depends on where it's going to end up" — which sounds like a dodge until you see how differently each one gets used.

Here's the cheat sheet we'd give a friend.

What's the difference between a flyer, a postcard, and a brochure?

Piece	Paper	Best For	Starting Price (25)
Flyer	Paper or light cardstock	Events, sales, bulletin boards, handouts, bag stuffers	$10.99
Postcard / rack card	Cardstock	Direct mail, appointment reminders, counter displays	$14.99
Brochure	Folded paper or cardstock	Service menus, price lists, "here's everything we do"	$38.99

Starting prices are for 25 pieces at the smallest size and lightest paper; all three are priced live on the product page as you change quantity, size, and stock.

When should you print flyers?

When speed and volume matter more than shelf life. Flyers are the workhorse for anything with a date on it — a fall festival, a grand opening, a Saturday sale, a lost-dog sign (we hope you never need that one). They come in sizes from 4.25×5.5 (a quarter sheet) up to 11×17 posters, single- or double-sided, and quantities from 25 to 3,000.

• Use them for: events, limited-time promos, community boards, door-to-door drops, inserts in shopping bags.
• Skip them for: anything that needs to survive a mailbox or sit on a fridge for months.

When should you print postcards?

When it's going in the mail — or when you want it kept. Cardstock survives the post office and the junk drawer, and a good postcard gets stuck on the fridge right next to the dentist reminder. Our postcards and rack cards run from 3×5 up to 6×9, with a 4×9 rack card size for display stands at the counter or the hotel lobby.

Mailing math, as of July 12, 2026: a standard postcard stamp is 65¢, but only for cards up to 4.25×6 inches. Go bigger — like a 6×9 — and the post office charges the letter rate, currently 82¢ with a Forever stamp. For a mailing to a few hundred customers, that difference adds up fast, so pick your size on purpose.

When should you print brochures?

When customers have to understand something before they say yes. A landscaper's service list, a med spa menu, a church's ministries, a wedding venue's packages — that's brochure territory. Ours are 8.5×11 or 11×17 sheets, folded into a bi-fold (4 panels) or tri-fold (6 panels).

• Tri-fold: the classic rack size, fits a #10 envelope, great for step-by-step or "what we offer" layouts.
• Bi-fold: bigger panels, more room for photos — better for menus and price sheets.
• The rule: the front panel sells the inside. If the cover is just your logo, nobody opens it.

Which one gets the best results?

The one that matches where your customer is. Handing something across a counter? A flyer or rack card. Reaching people at home? A postcard. Following up after a conversation where they asked "so what do you charge?" A brochure. Plenty of businesses use all three: a postcard to get attention, a flyer at the event, a brochure for the serious buyers.

Whatever you pick, a few things move results more than the format does: one clear offer, a deadline, your phone number or a QR code big enough to scan, and a headline someone can read from across the room.

Art already made? Upload it here — order flyers, postcards and rack cards, or brochures in a few clicks. Made your design in Canva or ChatGPT? Here's how to upload it so it prints sharp.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between a flyer and a postcard?
A flyer is usually printed on paper and handed out or posted, while a postcard is printed on thicker cardstock so it can be mailed or kept. Postcards cost a little more but last much longer.

Are postcards or brochures better for marketing?
Postcards are better for reaching people by mail and getting attention fast. Brochures are better when a customer needs details, like a service menu or pricing, before deciding to buy.

How much does it cost to mail a postcard in 2026?
A postcard stamp costs 65 cents for cards up to 4.25 by 6 inches. Larger postcards, like 6 by 9, are charged the letter rate of 82 cents as of July 12, 2026.

What size flyer should I print?
Half-sheet 5.5 by 8.5 flyers work well for handouts and bag stuffers, while 8.5 by 11 is standard for bulletin boards. Go up to 11 by 17 when it needs to work like a small poster.

What's the difference between a bi-fold and a tri-fold brochure?
A bi-fold folds once into four panels with more room for photos. A tri-fold folds twice into six narrower panels, fits a standard number 10 envelope, and works well in display racks.

How much do flyers cost?
At Go Print Plus, 25 quarter-sheet flyers start at $10.99. Price changes with quantity, size, paper, and single or double sided printing, and the product page shows your exact total instantly.