Is printing inside your mailer box worth it?
Printing the inside too costs about $1.29 more per box at 250 boxes, roughly 40–60% on top of an outside-only box at most suppliers. Here's what it costs at each size, who's cheapest, and when it pays off.
By Supply Run · prices checked Nov 2, 2026 · shipping not included
The short answer
- It adds $0.80 to $1.89 per boxat 250 boxes, depending on size. On a whole order that's $200 to $472.
- UPrinting is the cheapest way to print both sides at every size we priced, and its premium is the lowest and most predictable.
- It's worth it when the unboxing is part of what customers pay for: subscription boxes, gifts, premium products and anything people film or post.
- It's usually not worth it for low-priced orders, wholesale shipments and first runs where you're still testing the product.
What it costs at each size
Cheapest full-color price on white board for 250 boxes, outside only versus inside and outside.
| Size | Outside only | Inside + outside | Extra per box | Extra on 250 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 × 4 × 3 | $2.02 UPrinting | $2.82 UPrinting | +$0.80 | +$200 |
| 7 × 5 × 3 | $2.50 Vistaprint | $3.57 UPrinting | +$1.07 | +$267 |
| 8 × 6 × 3 | $2.76 Arka | $4.01 UPrinting | +$1.25 | +$313 |
| 12 × 9 × 2 | $3.15 Arka | $4.61 UPrinting | +$1.46 | +$365 |
| 10 × 8 × 4 | $4.57 Packlane | $6.46 UPrinting | +$1.89 | +$472 |
The cheapest outside-only and cheapest inside-and-outside supplier aren't always the same one.
The premium varies a lot by supplier
How much more each supplier charges per box to print both sides, at 250 boxes:
| UPrinting | +40% |
|---|---|
| Packlane | +40% to +55% |
| Packhelp | +43% to +44% |
| Vistaprint | +46% to +58% |
| Fantastapack | +56% |
| Arka | +57% to +100% |
Some suppliers charge a flat percentage at every size. Others price custom sizes differently from their stock sizes, and printing inside a custom-size box can cost double. Check the inside-and-outside price for your exact size before you decide.
A cheaper trick: print only the inside
At Arka, Fantastapack and Vistaprint, printing only the inside costs the same as printing only the outside. A plain outside with a branded inside keeps the surprise for the customer, looks discreet in transit, and costs nothing extra over a normal printed box.
At big runs, a simple logo changes the math
For 1,000 6 × 4 × 3 boxes printed on both sides, EcoEnclose's 1–2 color kraft box comes to $1.94 per box, including its plate fees. The cheapest full-color white option is $2.54 at Arka. If a one-color logo inside works for your brand, that's $600 less on the order.
How to decide
- Divide the extra cost by your average order value. If it's more than a few percent, test it before committing.
- Ask whether customers will see the inside as part of the product, or just open the box and recycle it.
- Price inside-only printing too. At some suppliers it's no more than outside-only.
- Order one printed sample of each before a full run, so you can see the difference in hand.
Compare inside and outside printing
Switch Printing to "Inside + outside" to see every supplier's price for your size and quantity.
Compare prices with inside printing