For most local promotions, a 3.5 × 8.5-inch or 4 × 11-inch door hanger on 14 pt stock is the sensible starting point. Choose matte when people may write on it, gloss when color and photographs matter more, and a perforated bottom only when the detachable coupon or contact slip has a clear purpose. Before ordering, compare the complete configuration—including size, stock, printed sides, quantity, production speed, shipping, and tax—not the first price displayed on a printer’s product page.
UPrinting and PrintRunner are two broadly comparable online options. Both offer four standard sizes, short runs beginning at 25 pieces, quantities as high as 100,000, optional two-sided printing, online design tools, uploaded-artwork workflows, templates, and file checking or technical proofs. Their paper menus and production choices differ, so the better service depends less on the logo at the top of the checkout page and more on the exact hanger you need.
The main door hanger choices at a glance
| Decision | Practical default | Choose something else when |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 3.5 × 8.5 inches for a simple offer | Use 4 × 11 or 4 × 14 inches for menus, service lists, or more detailed instructions. |
| Stock | 14 pt matte or gloss | Choose a heavier laminated option for extra handling resistance, or uncoated stock when writing matters. |
| Printed sides | Two-sided for most marketing campaigns | Use front-only printing for a very simple message or when the back must remain blank. |
| Perforation | Skip it unless the tear-off has a defined job | Add it for a coupon, voucher, claim slip, or detachable contact card. |
| Production speed | Standard production with schedule buffer | Pay for faster production only after checking the estimated carrier delivery date. |
| Artwork workflow | Printer template plus uploaded PDF | Use the browser editor for simple layouts when you do not have print-ready design software. |
Choose a size based on the message, not merely the price
UPrinting and PrintRunner list the same four finished sizes: 3.5 × 8.5, 5.25 × 8.5, 4 × 11, and 4 × 14 inches. Both also offer quantities from 25 to 100,000 and an optional perforation positioned 2 inches from the bottom. That gives buyers a useful common baseline, although available stock and production combinations can still vary.
The smallest 3.5 × 8.5-inch format works well for a prominent offer, business name, phone number, short URL, and one clear action. It becomes crowded quickly if you add a service list, map, multiple coupons, disclaimers, and the entire founding story of your plumbing company.
A 4 × 11-inch hanger provides more room for readable type and a stronger visual hierarchy without becoming unusually large. The 4 × 14-inch option is better reserved for information-heavy uses such as hotel instructions, property notices, menus, or detailed service packages. A larger hanger can carry more information, but it does not make every sentence equally important. One headline and one primary action should still dominate.
Paper and finish affect both appearance and usability
UPrinting lists 10 pt and 14 pt gloss, matte, and high-gloss UV choices, along with a 14 pt option that has high-gloss UV on the front and an uncoated back. Its heavier selections include 16 pt silk- and soft-touch-laminated stocks. The company says its laminated stocks offer greater resistance to creasing, tearing, and moisture. That is useful specification information, but it should not be read as a promise that a paper door hanger is weatherproof.
PrintRunner lists 10 pt gloss and matte, 13 pt matte recycled, 14 pt gloss and matte, a 14 pt high-gloss-UV-front/uncoated-back option, and 14 pt uncoated stock. Its color configurations include full color on the front only, full color on both sides, or a full-color front with a black back.
For an ordinary local-business campaign, 14 pt stock is a comfortable default because it balances rigidity and cost. Gloss suits photographs, saturated brand colors, restaurant offers, and polished promotional graphics. Matte reduces glare and generally gives text a quieter appearance. Uncoated paper is the practical choice when recipients or staff must write appointment details, unit numbers, or notes.
A premium laminate can make sense for upscale properties, hospitality applications, or hangers expected to receive substantial handling. It is harder to justify for a high-volume offer that will be read once and discarded. Spend on heavier material when durability supports the job, not simply because the checkout page labels it premium.
Decide whether the perforation earns its space
The optional bottom perforation creates a detachable section for a coupon, voucher, contact slip, or claim ticket. Both compared printers position it 2 inches from the bottom. Because that placement is fixed, it also divides the layout and reduces the uninterrupted area available for the main message.
Use the tear-off only when you can state exactly what happens after someone removes it. A coupon with a code, expiration date, and redemption instruction has a job. A perforated rectangle containing the same phone number already printed three inches above it is mostly decorative paperwork.
If you need sequential numbering, security features, or more elaborate detachable sections, a standard promotional door hanger may not be the right product. Compare the workflow with custom event-ticket printing options or request a specialized quote rather than assuming a basic perforation provides ticket-level control.
Build artwork on the printer’s exact template
Door hangers are not ordinary rectangular flyers with a hole added at the last moment. The hook, slit, trim line, bleed, safe margins, and optional perforation all constrain the usable design area. UPrinting provides size-specific templates with and without the 2-inch tear-off, and it supports both uploaded files and a browser-based design workflow. PrintRunner likewise provides templates, artwork upload, and an online Design Studio.
Download the template for the exact size and perforation choice before designing. Keep logos, phone numbers, QR codes, and small text safely away from the cutout, slit, trim, and tear line. Background colors and photographs should extend through the template’s bleed area so minor cutting variation does not leave an accidental white edge.
A technical proof is useful, but its scope matters. UPrinting describes its free proof request as a review for technical issues rather than a guarantee of color accuracy or a design consultation. PrintRunner lists a free file-check or proof option. Review dimensions, orientation, printed sides, image warnings, trim risks, and perforation placement yourself. A proof cannot decide whether your headline is persuasive or whether six phone numbers are perhaps five too many.
Compare normalized prices and realistic delivery dates
- Select the same finished size and quantity on each site.
- Match paper thickness and finish as closely as possible.
- Choose the same front-only or two-sided printing configuration.
- Apply the same perforation choice.
- Use comparable production speeds rather than the cheapest setting on one site and rush production on the other.
- Enter the actual delivery ZIP code and compare shipping charges, taxes, and estimated arrival dates.
- Save or export the final specifications so the cheaper quote does not quietly omit an important feature.
UPrinting lists production choices from one to six business days depending on the configuration. Delivery is estimated separately using the destination ZIP code. PrintRunner lists two- and four-business-day production choices. In both cases, production time is not carrier transit time. One-business-day production does not mean a box will appear at your door tomorrow morning with cinematic punctuality.
Work backward from the distribution date. Allow time for proof review, production, shipping, inspection, and a correction if something is wrong. Rush production has little value if the selected shipping service still arrives after the campaign begins.
Plan distribution before sending the file to print
Door-to-door placement and postal delivery are different channels. USPS Every Door Direct Mail is a route-based mail service, not a program for placing pieces on doorknobs. According to the USPS Every Door Direct Mail guidance, EDDM Retail reaches addresses on selected carrier routes without individually addressed recipient names. USPS lists a 200-piece minimum and a daily maximum of 5,000 pieces per ZIP Code for EDDM Retail, along with designated-Post-Office drop-off requirements.
EDDM pieces also need the required indicia and address treatment, and they must satisfy current mailpiece eligibility rules. A standard die-cut door hanger should not be assumed to qualify merely because it is printed paper. If postal delivery is the plan, confirm the current USPS dimensions and preparation requirements before approving artwork. For a campaign designed primarily around mailboxes, postcard printing and direct-mail services may provide a more straightforward product path.
Physical door-hanger distribution also has boundaries. Federal law prohibits knowingly placing unpaid circulars or similar material in mailboxes to avoid postage. The relevant federal mailbox statute addresses that specific conduct. It does not settle separate local solicitation rules, trespass restrictions, apartment-building policies, homeowners-association rules, or an owner’s instructions. Check the rules that apply to the actual distribution area and obtain permission where required.
UPrinting or PrintRunner: which should you choose?
On documented options alone, UPrinting has the more varied premium-stock menu, including 16 pt silk and soft-touch laminated choices, and it advertises production configurations as fast as one business day. It is the stronger shortlist candidate when finish choice or a potentially faster production setting matters, subject to the exact configuration and delivery estimate.
PrintRunner is worth favoring when its 13 pt recycled matte, 14 pt uncoated stock, or full-color-front-and-black-back configuration fits the job. It also lets customers place an order before artwork is ready, which may help a buyer reserve the configuration while finishing the file.
Neither provider is automatically the value winner. Configure the same job on both sites and judge the delivered price, proof workflow, production estimate, and stock selection together. If the campaign also needs coordinated flyers, cards, signage, or other materials, compare broader custom printing and print-product options before splitting the work among several orders.
The practical ordering checklist
- Define one audience, one offer, and one primary response action.
- Choose a size that fits the message without forcing tiny type.
- Select a writable, glossy, or laminated surface based on actual handling needs.
- Add a perforation only when the detachable section has a defined function.
- Use the exact printer template for the selected size and options.
- Check both sides, trim boundaries, cutout clearance, bleed, QR codes, and contact details.
- Compare identical configurations using delivered totals.
- Keep production and shipping transit separate when planning the schedule.
- Confirm permission and distribution rules before ordering the full quantity.
- Inspect the delivered order before sending a distribution team into the field.
Final recommendation
Start with a 3.5 × 8.5-inch or 4 × 11-inch, two-sided hanger on 14 pt stock. Use matte for text-heavy or writable pieces and gloss for image-led promotions. Skip the perforation unless it creates a genuinely useful coupon or slip. UPrinting deserves the first look for broader premium finishes and faster listed production options; PrintRunner is especially relevant for recycled, uncoated, or mixed-color-side configurations.
The smartest purchase is still the normalized one: identical specifications, an approved template-based file, a reviewed proof, and a delivered price tied to a realistic arrival date. Get those four things right and online door hanger printing becomes a manageable buying decision rather than an expedition through paper menus and optimistic shipping assumptions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What door hanger size should most small businesses choose?
Start with 3.5 × 8.5 inches for a short offer or 4 × 11 inches when you need more readable space for services, instructions, or supporting details. Both compared printers also list 5.25 × 8.5 and 4 × 14-inch formats.
Should door hangers be matte or glossy?
Choose matte when text readability or writing matters. Gloss is the better fit for photographs, saturated colors, and image-led promotions. If recipients must write on the piece, an uncoated surface is the safer choice.
Does a printer proof guarantee accurate color and good design?
No. UPrinting describes its free proof as a technical review rather than a color-accuracy proof or design consultation, while PrintRunner offers a file-check or proof option. You still need to inspect orientation, sides, trim risks, cutout clearance, and perforation placement.
Is production time the same as delivery time?
No. Production covers printing and finishing; carrier transit comes afterward. UPrinting lists configuration-dependent production options from one to six business days, while PrintRunner lists two- and four-business-day choices. Check the destination-based arrival estimate before paying for speed.
Can door hangers be placed in mailboxes?
Do not place unpaid door hangers or similar circulars in mailboxes to avoid postage. Federal law addresses that conduct, while separate local solicitation rules, property policies, and owner instructions may also apply.