Mango Postal
How Do You Turn Your Photos Into Real Postcards?
Your camera roll has about 14,000 photos in it. Maybe three of them have been seen by anyone other than you.
Photo postcards fix that. You take a picture you love, put it on the front of a real card, and it shows up in someone's mailbox. It ends up on a fridge instead of buried in a group chat.
Here's how to make a postcard from a photo, and how to pick one that looks great printed.
How to make a postcard from a photo
The fastest way takes about two minutes on your phone:
- Open Mango Postal in your browser. No app to download.
- Upload one photo or several. Move, resize and layer them however you like.
- Add text if you want. Or let the photo speak for itself.
- Write your message on the back, in a pen style you like.
- Enter the address and check out.
We print the card on 100% cotton archival photo paper and mail it to anywhere in Canada or the US. It costs $4.99 CAD + $0.99 shipping, and it arrives in a free protective envelope so the photo stays crisp.
Want the full walkthrough? Read how to send a postcard online.
Picking a photo that prints well
Not every great photo is a great postcard. A few things to check:
- Use the original, not a screenshot. Screenshots and photos saved from a group chat are compressed and can print blurry.
- Landscape photos fit best. A 4 × 6 card has the same shape as a normal phone photo, so there's little cropping.
- Bright beats dark. Night photos and dim restaurants look darker on paper than on a backlit screen.
- Faces should be big. A group shot where everyone is tiny won't read from across a kitchen.
- Edit first. A quick bump in brightness goes a long way. Edit in your favourite app, then upload.
Custom photo postcard ideas
Some of our favourite ways to use photo postcards:
- Travel postcards, made after the trip. Use your own photos instead of the gift shop's.
- A collage of the year. Six small photos on one card, sent to the friend who was in all of them.
- Pet updates for the grandparents. Guaranteed fridge placement.
- Baby or move announcements. One photo, one line of text, sent to everyone.
- Throwbacks. An embarrassing photo from 2014, mailed without explanation.
- Game wins. Yes, even chess.
Need more? Start from a postcard layout with slots for several photos.
Photo postcards vs. printing at home
You can print a photo postcard yourself, but you'll need thick card stock (at least 0.18 mm), a printer that can handle it, a stamp and a correctly laid-out back. Our DIY custom postcard guide covers the whole process.
Doing it online skips all of that, and the print quality is usually better than a home printer.
FAQ
Can I put more than one photo on a postcard?
Yes. You can add several photos to the front and arrange them however you like.
What size are photo postcards?
Ours are 4 × 6 inches (101 × 152 mm), the standard postcard size. More in our postcard size guide.
Can I send a photo postcard from my phone?
Yes. Mango Postal works in your phone's browser. Upload from your camera roll and check out.
Where can I send photo postcards?
Anywhere in Canada or the United States.
What photo resolution do you need for a postcard?
For a sharp 4 × 6 print, aim for at least 1200 × 1800 pixels (300 dpi). Use the original photo, not a screenshot or a copy saved from a group chat, since those are compressed and can print blurry.
Make one now
Design a postcard on your phone. We print it and mail it anywhere in Canada or the US.
Build Postcard