Lob
Lob is an automated direct mail platform that enables you to send personalized physical mail, verify addresses, and track delivery with the same ease as sending digital emails.
PostPilot
PostPilot is a direct mail marketing automation platform that allows ecommerce brands to send personalized postcards and catalogs as easily as sending an email to increase customer retention.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Lob | PostPilot |
|---|---|---|
| Website | lob.com | postpilot.com |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✓ Has free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2013 | 2018 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, USA | Spartanburg, USA |
Overview
Lob
Lob transforms how you handle physical mail by bringing the speed and automation of digital tools to the offline world. You can automate the entire lifecycle of direct mail—from creation and printing to mailing and tracking—using a single platform. This eliminates manual coordination with print shops and mail houses, allowing you to trigger personalized postcards, letters, and checks directly from your existing CRM or tech stack.
You can also ensure your data is accurate with built-in address verification that cleanses and formats global addresses in real-time. Whether you are a developer looking for robust APIs or a marketer needing a dashboard to launch retention campaigns, Lob helps you scale your physical outreach while maintaining full visibility into delivery status and campaign performance.
PostPilot
PostPilot is a direct mail automation platform built specifically for ecommerce brands that want to reach customers physically. You can create, launch, and track postcard or catalog campaigns directly from your dashboard, treating direct mail with the same speed and data-driven precision as your email marketing. By connecting your store, you can trigger physical mail based on real-time customer behavior like abandoned carts or second-purchase reminders.
You can design your own mailers using a simple drag-and-drop editor or lean on their professional design services to handle the creative work for you. The platform eliminates the traditional headaches of direct mail like minimum order quantities and long lead times. It helps you cut through the digital noise of crowded inboxes by landing a tangible, personalized message directly in your customers' mailboxes to drive higher lifetime value.
Overview
Lob Features
- Direct Mail API Connect your existing software to automate the sending of personalized letters, postcards, and checks with simple code.
- Address Verification Verify and standardize US and international addresses instantly to reduce return-to-sender mail and save on postage costs.
- Campaign Analytics Track your mail pieces in real-time with per-piece tracking so you know exactly when your customers receive them.
- HTML Templating Create dynamic mail designs using HTML and CSS to personalize every piece of mail for your specific recipients.
- Automated Checks Send secure, compliant checks to vendors or customers automatically without ever touching a printer or an envelope.
- Global Delivery Reach customers in over 190 countries using a distributed print network that ensures fast and reliable local delivery.
PostPilot Features
- Behavioral Triggers. Automatically send postcards when customers abandon a cart, make a first purchase, or reach a specific spending milestone.
- Drag-and-Drop Editor. Create beautiful, branded postcards and catalogs in minutes using an intuitive design interface built for non-designers.
- Real-Time Tracking. Monitor your campaign performance with automatic ROI tracking that matches mail deliveries to actual store purchases.
- Smart Segmenting. Target specific customer groups by filtering your audience based on purchase history, location, or total lifetime value.
- Concierge Design. Access professional designers who create custom, high-converting mailer layouts for your brand at no extra cost.
- No Minimums. Send a single postcard or thousands at once without worrying about the restrictive minimums of traditional print shops.
Pricing Comparison
Lob Pricing
- Access to all APIs
- Test environment
- Up to 300 address verifications
- Standard delivery speeds
- Community support access
- Everything in Developer, plus:
- Pay-as-you-go per piece
- Unlimited address verifications
- Access to HTML templates
- Standard tracking and analytics
- Email support
PostPilot Pricing
- No monthly fee
- Standard postcard pricing
- Basic segmenting tools
- Self-service design editor
- Email support
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Lower per-piece mailing rates
- Automated lifecycle campaigns
- Concierge design services
- Advanced ROI reporting
- Priority support
Pros & Cons
Lob
Pros
- Automates tedious manual printing and mailing tasks
- Excellent API documentation makes integration very straightforward
- Real-time tracking provides digital-level visibility for mail
- Address verification significantly reduces wasted postage costs
Cons
- Monthly platform fees can be high for small teams
- HTML template rendering can sometimes be finicky
- Customer support response times vary on lower tiers
PostPilot
Pros
- Seamless integration with Shopify and Klaviyo
- High-quality print and card stock
- Excellent concierge design team support
- Easy to track actual ROI from mailings
- No minimum order requirements for campaigns
Cons
- Monthly subscription fees are relatively high
- International shipping options are more limited
- Learning curve for complex segment logic