Sign Blast USA vs UPrinting and PrintPlace
Three printers, one identical order: 500 4×6 postcards, 16pt stock, full colour both sides. We configured all three on 6 September 2026 and put a real delivery address in, so the shipping is a number rather than a guess.
The short answer
Delivered, all three land within about twenty dollars of each other. UPrinting came to $120.58, ours is $119, PrintPlace was $138.55. The print prices look much further apart than that until you add shipping.
The gap that is not close is the calendar. UPrinting quoted delivery eleven days out. PrintPlace quoted twelve. We print the next business day after proof approval and ship Priority Overnight, which is about three business days from ordering.
Both are good printers. If your file is print-ready and your date is soft, either will serve you well and cost about the same.
Side by side
| Sign Blast USA | UPrinting and PrintPlace | |
|---|---|---|
| 500 4×6, 16pt, both sides — print | $119 all-in | UPrinting $98.33 · PrintPlace $108.50 |
| Shipping on that order | Included | UPrinting $22.25 · PrintPlace $30.05 |
| Delivered total | $119 | UPrinting $120.58 · PrintPlace $138.55 |
| Delivery date quoted | About 3 business days | UPrinting 11 days · PrintPlace 12 days |
| Production time | Next business day after approval | UPrinting 3 business days · PrintPlace 5 business days |
| Shipping service | FedEx Priority Overnight, nationwide | Ground; faster service costs $77 to $166 more on this order |
| Human proof before printing | Yes, in 2–4 business hours | Upload a print-ready file; proofs are an add-on or absent |
| If your file is not print-ready | A designer lays it out and proofs it | Their file-check catches format problems, not design ones |
| 1,000 4×6, delivered | $189 | UPrinting about $149 · PrintPlace $186.79 |
| Size and option range | 4×6, 5×7, business cards | Dozens of sizes, stocks, coatings and finishes |
All figures configured and captured on 6 September 2026 with matching specifications and a South Jersey delivery address. Print prices, shipping rates and transit times all change; confirm current numbers with each printer before deciding.
When the other one is the better choice
- You have a print-ready PDF and a soft deadline. You do not need the proof step, and at 1,000 pieces UPrinting is meaningfully cheaper than we are.
- You want an unusual size, stock or finish. Both carry far deeper option lists than we do — soft touch, spot UV, rounded corners, dozens of sizes.
- You are ordering 2,500 or more. This is volume territory and the big trade-backed printers price it better than we do. We will tell you that on the phone.
- The absolute lowest print price is the only thing that matters. Trade-style printers selling direct will beat all three of us. You will not get a proof, and shipping is extra.
Common questions
Is UPrinting or PrintPlace cheaper for postcards?
On the identical order we priced on 6 September 2026 — 500 4×6, 16pt, both sides — UPrinting was $98.33 plus $22.25 shipping, and PrintPlace was $108.50 plus $30.05. UPrinting came out about $18 cheaper delivered. Both quoted delivery around eleven to twelve days out with standard shipping.
Why is your postcard price similar when your print cost is higher?
Because shipping is inside our price and outside theirs. Paper is heavy, so the shipping line is not small: it was $22 to $30 on a 500-piece order and $60 on a 1,000-piece one. Comparing print prices without shipping consistently makes every printer look cheaper than they are.
Do UPrinting and PrintPlace send proofs?
Their model is upload-and-print: you supply a print-ready file and their preflight checks that the format is valid. Neither looks at your design. We have a person lay out or check the card and email a proof in 2–4 business hours, and nothing prints until you approve it.
When should I use UPrinting or PrintPlace instead?
When you have a finished print-ready file, no fixed date, and especially when you are ordering 1,000 or more. At 1,000 pieces UPrinting delivered lands around $149 against our $189. If the deadline is soft, that is real money and you should take it.
Same delivered price. Eight days sooner.
A designer proof in 2–4 business hours, printed the next business day after you approve, and shipped FedEx Priority Overnight anywhere in the US.
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