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.
Tharstern
Tharstern provides a specialized management information system designed to help print, packaging, and labeling companies automate their entire production workflow from initial quoting through to final distribution.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Lob | Tharstern |
|---|---|---|
| Website | lob.com | thartstern.com |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Custom |
| Starting Price | Free | Custom Pricing |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✓ Has free plan | ✘ No free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2013 | 1984 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, USA | Colne, United Kingdom |
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.
Tharstern
Tharstern is a comprehensive Management Information System (MIS) built specifically for the unique demands of the printing and packaging industries. You can move away from manual spreadsheets and disconnected tools by centralizing your entire operation into a single platform. It allows you to manage complex estimating, live job tracking, and inventory levels with real-time data, ensuring your shop floor stays synchronized with your front office.
You can use the platform to automate repetitive administrative tasks and gain deep insights into your profit margins on every job. Whether you specialize in digital, litho, large format, or labels, the software adapts to your specific manufacturing processes. It helps you reduce touchpoints in your workflow, allowing your team to process more orders in less time while maintaining high accuracy in your job costing.
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.
Tharstern Features
- Smart Estimating. Generate accurate quotes in seconds for complex print jobs by automatically calculating material costs, labor, and machine time.
- Live Job Tracking. Monitor the real-time status of every project on your shop floor so you can provide customers with instant updates.
- Inventory Management. Track your paper stock and consumables automatically to prevent production delays and reduce waste from over-ordering.
- CRM & Sales. Manage your customer relationships and sales pipeline within the same system used for production and billing.
- Automated Scheduling. Optimize your press room schedule with drag-and-drop tools that account for machine availability and job deadlines.
- Business Intelligence. Access visual dashboards that show your most profitable jobs and identify bottlenecks in your manufacturing process.
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
Tharstern Pricing
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
Tharstern
Pros
- Highly specialized for complex print and packaging requirements
- Excellent integration capabilities with prepress and production hardware
- Detailed reporting provides deep visibility into job profitability
- Responsive customer support team with deep industry knowledge
Cons
- Significant time investment required for initial system configuration
- Learning curve is steep due to the extensive feature set
- Pricing is high compared to generic small-business software