Lil’ Letter Club vs Zip's Mailbox Club

Where they differ

Both are letters, activities and art & prints clubs. Lil’ Letter Club covers stickers on top of that; Zip's Mailbox Club stays narrower.

Lil’ Letter Club is the cheaper of the two — $10/mo against $19.99/mo, roughly 50% less on a monthly basis. Whether that gap means anything depends on what turns up: the dearer club is not automatically sending more, and on a gift the up-front total matters more than the monthly figure.

They arrive on different rhythms. Lil’ Letter Club comes monthly; Zip's Mailbox Club comes twice a month. More frequent post is not automatically better — it is more to keep up with, and for some children the wait is part of it.

The age ranges differ too: Lil’ Letter Club is pitched at ages 1–12, Zip's Mailbox Club at ages 3–12. Match the reading level rather than the birthday — a child who cannot yet read the letter alone needs an adult in the loop either way.

What each one sends

Lil’ Letter Club

A monthly envelope built around an original illustrated story, with the child's first name taken at checkout and written into the letter itself. Alongside the story comes an art print of its artwork, stickers, an inspirational trading card and a different small surprise each month. Written and illustrated by Lily, who makes them to be read together rather than handed over.

Zip's Mailbox Club

Two envelopes a month from a character called Zip: an illustrated personalized letter with a monthly Mailbox Hunt and a collectible crew card, then a mid-month envelope with a coloring page, a paper game and a letter the child can pass on to a friend. Every package includes a reply card, envelope and stamp, and what the child writes back is worked into later letters.

Which one to pick

We are not going to pretend there is a winner here — they are close enough to be on the same shortlist, which is why this page exists. What we would say is that the choice usually turns on the household rather than the club: how much adult time there is, whether the child reads independently yet, and whether you want post that asks something of them or post that simply arrives.

Read the full listings before deciding, and follow through to each club's own site — prices, terms and gift options are theirs to change and ours only to record.