Frequently Asked Questions

Why can I only upload PDF documents? What about Word?

A PDF looks the same to you as it does to us, which makes it an ideal format for printing. If we were to accept documents in .docx or other formats, we would not be able to guarantee that they'd be printed properly.

How can I convert my document to PDF?

If you have a non-PDF document that you need printed, you can usually save or export it to PDF from the software that created it. Look for PDF options in the "File > Save as" or "File > Export" menus. Alternately, you can use an online converter like Adobe's to convert a Word doc to a PDF.

Why would I use this?

We're so glad you asked. If you already have a printer, or have easy access to one, printbysnail probably isn't for you. If you only need to print things a handful of times a year, don't have a printer, don't want a printer, and don't feel like trekking to the nearest library or print shop, we get it. Save yourself the effort and let us handle the printing.

What size paper do you print on?

We print on 8.5" x 11" Letter-sized paper, as is standard in North America. If your document contains pages with different dimensions than that, they will be scaled to fit (preserving aspect ratio). This means that smaller pages will be scaled up and larger pages will be scaled down.

The printable area of the paper is 8.4375" x 10.9375", i.e. the entire page minus a 1/32" margin on all sides.

Can you print pages in landscape orientation?

Yes, and the same scaling described above is performed.

Can I order multiple copies?

Yes.

Is there a limit on the number of pages I can print?

Each document you upload can be a maximum of 100 pages. Depending on the number of sheets required to print your order (i.e. taking into account double-sided printing), it may be split into several envelopes.

Will printing double-sided save me money, or just trees?

The cost per page is the same for single-sided and double-sided printing. If a document fits in fewer envelopes when printed double-sided, though, it will save you the cost of the extra envelopes and postage.

What kind of envelopes do you use?

We use standard letter envelopes, which fit up to 5 document sheets each (sheets folded to fit) and flat envelopes, which fit up to 59 document sheets (unfolded). Flat envelopes are only available for US orders and are used automatically when an order consists of more than 5 sheets.

Are printed pages marked in any way?

Yes. As a result of our automated printing process, each page is stamped with a small computer-readable mark in the bottom left corner. See this PDF demonstrating how the mark would appear on an otherwise blank page.

How long will it take for me to get my document?

Your printed document will be mailed within 2 to 3 business days; you can judge how long it will take after that based on how soon after they're sent you typically receive letters. All documents are mailed from the United States via USPS First-Class Mail. Mail to international destinations, including Canada, will take longer to arrive than mail to within the US.

How does printbysnail work?

Typical online print-on-demand businesses tend to focus on high-margin physical products (think printed coffee mugs, calendars, photo collages, t-shirts, etc.) or high-volume mailable paper products (like postcards, flyers, or ad mail). Some paper-focused print-on-demand services offer lettermail printing services, aimed at businesses that need to send letters to advertising targets, customers, clients, or patients. Most such printing services are designed for high-volume customers and, therefore, expect a large upfront investment of time in terms of account creation, setup, and so on.

That's where we come in: we leverage the online print and mail API offered by a business-focused print-on-demand service called Lob (which is not set up for easy, one-off print jobs) to meet the low-volume document printing needs of our customers-- needs that wouldn't be worth a company like Lob's time to meet themselves.