What is Address Strictness?
Address Strictness is a setting that controls which addresses PostGrid will send mail to based on their verification status. PostGrid automatically verifies all addresses against official postal databases, and Address Strictness lets you decide whether to send mail only to verified addresses, include corrected addresses, or send to all addresses regardless of verification status.
Where do I configure Address Strictness settings?
To configure your Address Strictness settings:
Navigate to the Settings page within your PostGrid dashboard
Locate the "Address Strictness" section
Select one of the three available options: Verified, Corrected, or Failed
What are the three Address Strictness options?
Address Strictness determines which addresses receive mail based on their verification status:
1. Verified (Most Strict)
Who receives mail: Only addresses that are verified and deemed deliverable in the postal database
Who doesn't receive mail: Addresses that need corrections or failed verification
Best for: Maximum deliverability and minimal returns
2. Corrected (Balanced)
Who receives mail: Verified addresses AND addresses that PostGrid can correct to meet carrier standards
Who doesn't receive mail: Only addresses that completely failed verification
Best for: Balancing reach with deliverability
3. Failed (Least Strict)
Who receives mail: ALL addresses regardless of verification status, including those that failed
Who doesn't receive mail: No one is filtered out
Best for: Maximum reach, but with higher risk of returns
⚠️ CRITICAL WARNING: Using this setting may result in your entire order being rejected due to a lot of bad addresses in your list
How do I get billed for it?
How much does Address Strictness cost?
Address Strictness is a free feature. You are not charged for using any of the three strictness settings (Verified, Corrected, or Failed).
Am I charged for addresses that fail verification?
No, you are not charged separately for address verification or for addresses that fail verification.
FAQs
Q: Can I change my Address Strictness setting at any time?
A: Yes, you can adjust your settings through the Settings page in your PostGrid dashboard at any time.
Important notes:
Changes apply to all future orders submitted after the change
The setting is organization-wide and affects all users in your organization
You can change the setting between campaigns to use different strictness levels for different mailings
Changes do not affect orders already submitted or in progress
Q: Which countries does Address Strictness support?
A: Address Strictness is currently available for mailings sent to:
United States of America (addresses verified against USPS database)
Canada (addresses verified against Canada Post database)
Q: If I use "Failed" strictness, how many addresses will actually be undeliverable?
A: There's no specific percentage, but addresses that failed verification have no guarantee of deliverability. Expect significantly higher return rates compared to "Verified" or "Corrected" settings.
Q: What Address Strictness level should I start with?
A: For most users, starting with "Corrected" is recommended because it:
Maximizes deliverability by including verified addresses
Expands reach by including correctable addresses
Automatically fixes minor formatting issues
Provides the best balance for most use cases
Q: Will I know which addresses were filtered out?
A: Yes. If your Address Strictness setting is set to "Verified" or "Corrected," PostGrid will not create orders for addresses that fail verification. Here's how you'll know:
For one-off orders:
You will receive an error message when you try to create the order
For bulk campaigns:
You can download the campaign report after submission
The report contains details of all addresses, including which ones were filtered out and why
This transparency helps you identify data quality issues and clean your address lists.