Postcard break-even calculator
A postcard send breaks even when the gross profit from the orders it brings in covers the cost of the cards. Divide the price of one card by the gross profit on one order and you have the response rate the send needs. Enter your numbers below; the card price comes prefilled from TouchDrop's Australian plans.
Last updated: 22 October 2026
Runs in your browser. Nothing you type leaves this page.
How the calculator works
It then applies your expected response rate: orders = cards × response rate, revenue = orders × average order value, and the result is the gross profit on those orders minus the card cost. It also shows revenue per dollar spent on cards.
TouchDrop's Australian card prices
Each price includes print, postage, delivery anywhere in Australia, the QR code and the discount code, GST included. The rate depends on your plan and the size of each send. Sends under 501 cards and triggered automations bill A$2.99 on any plan.
| Plan | One-off send, by cards in the send | Triggered |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | 1–500: A$2.99 501+: A$2.99 | A$2.99 |
| Growth | 1–500: A$2.99 501+: A$2.69 | A$2.99 |
| Scale | 4,000+: A$1.89 | A$2.99 |
Plan fees are billed separately: Starter A$79 a month, Growth A$249 a month, Scale A$499 a month. These prices apply to brands that sign up on touchdrop.com.au. Brands that install TouchDrop from the Shopify App Store pay per card in US dollars, at the rate shown in the app before each launch. Current rates are on the pricing guide.
A worked example
Say you mail 1,000 lapsed customers from a triggered automation at A$2.99 a card, your average order is A$120 and your gross margin is 60%. The cards cost A$2,990 and each order brings in A$72.00 of gross profit, so the send needs 42 orders, a response rate of 4.15%, to break even. If 5% of the customers order, the 50 orders bring A$3,600 of gross profit and the send clears its card cost by A$610.
The same 1,000 cards as a one-off send on the Growth plan cost A$2.69 each, A$2,690 in total, and break even at 3.74%.
Before you trust the answer
- Use the incremental response rate when you have it: the mailed group's rate minus a random holdout's. The test sample size calculator shows how many cards that test needs.
- A higher average order value or margin lowers the rate a send needs, so start with higher-value segments, or carts above a set value.
- Repeat orders after the first are not in this sum. If your customers reorder, the first order understates what the card is worth.
Frequently asked questions
Which card price does the calculator use?
TouchDrop's Australian per-card rate for the plan and send you pick, GST included. Sends under 501 cards and triggered automations bill the A$2.99 floor on any plan. Scale is for a single send of 4,000+ cards. You can type your own price over it.
Does the result include the monthly plan fee?
No. The calculator covers the cards in one send. Your plan fee is billed separately each month, so add it to the cost side if one send is all you mail that month.
Should I enter the attributed or the incremental response rate?
Use the incremental rate when you have one: the response of the mailed group minus the response of a random holdout. Attributed orders include customers who would have bought anyway, so they make a send look more profitable than it is.
What gross margin should I enter?
Your margin on the average order after the cost of goods, shipping and payment fees. The calculator multiplies it by the order value to get the profit each order brings in.