Poly mailers vs paper mailers vs boxes: cost per shipment
What it costs to package one order, at 250 units, from a plain poly mailer at $0.20 to a printed mailer box at $4.57. And which one your product actually needs.
By Supply Run · prices checked Nov 6, 2026 · shipping not included
The short answer
- Soft goods that can't break (clothing, fabric, soft accessories): a poly mailer. Plain if you're counting cents, printed if the package is part of the brand.
- Anything that can crush, bend or break: a box. A plain box with branded tape costs a fraction of a printed one.
- When the unboxing is the point (gifts, subscriptions, beauty, candles): a printed mailer box. It costs the most, and it's the one people post.
Cost per package, 250 of each
The cheapest price we have for each, full color where printed. Sizes are close in what they hold for flat items, not identical.
| Packaging | Each | 250 total | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain poly mailer 10 × 13 Lightest and cheapest. No branding unless you add a sticker. | $0.20 | $50 | Uline |
| Plain shipping box 10 × 8 × 6 Protects anything. Brand it with tape or a sticker. | $0.57 | $143 | The Boxery |
| Printed poly mailer 10 × 13 Branded and light. Best for soft goods. | $1.03 | $258 | Sticker Mule |
| Printed paper mailer 10 × 13 Curbside recyclable. Fewer suppliers, higher prices. | $1.20 | $300 | Vistaprint |
| Printed shipping box 10 × 8 × 6 Full protection, printed outside. | $3.63 | $908 | Packlane |
| Printed mailer box 10 × 8 × 4 The unboxing option. Opens like a gift. | $4.57 | $1,143 | Packlane |
The cost that isn't in the table: postage
Carriers price by weight or by size, whichever is more. A poly mailer adds almost no weight and has no fixed size, so a T-shirt in a bag often ships at the cheapest rate. A box has a set size, and once it's big enough, you pay for the space even if the product is light.
So for light, soft products, the mailer usually saves twice: once on the packaging and again on postage. For heavier or fragile items the box is worth it, because a broken product and a reshipment cost far more than either.
Choosing between them
- Poly vs paper mailers: paper mailers recycle at the curb in most places and feel more premium, but there are fewer suppliers and they cost more. Poly mailers are cheaper and waterproof.
- Plain box plus branding: custom tape, a sticker on the lid and a printed insert card get most of the branded feel for well under the price of a printed box.
- Mixing is normal. Plenty of brands ship single soft items in mailers and bigger or fragile orders in boxes. Keep one or two sizes of each.