Postcrossing for Web

Collect Postcards from Around the World

Postcrossing is an online community that reconnects people with the old-fashioned pleasure of receiving postcards. The idea is similar to having a pen pal: you get a surprise in the mail, learn about another place and its customs, and sometimes practice a foreign language while making a new connection.

How the Exchange Operates

When you join Postcrossing and provide a few basic location details, the system pairs you with other members so you can send and receive postcards internationally. The platform follows a simple principle: for every card you mail out, one will be sent to you in return. You can choose to ask for cards from particular countries or leave the destination to chance for a surprise arrival.

Cards: Make Your Own or Buy One

You can create personalized postcards with an image editor or buy ready-made cards. The important thing is that the card represents something interesting about your hometown or culture—something the recipient will enjoy learning about.

Mailing Address and Privacy

To receive physical postcards you need to share a mailing address, which requires some trust. If you prefer, you can omit personal details such as your full name or gender; those are not mandatory on the platform.

Recording and Displaying Your Collection

After a postcard arrives, you log it on the Postcrossing site. The service also offers a gallery feature where you can display the cards you've collected and a profile metric that shows how far mail addressed to you has traveled, measured in kilometers.

Quick Highlights

• Track the distance your received postcards have covered (displayed in kilometres).
• Send a card and receive one back—Postcrossing pairs outgoing and incoming mail.
• Opt to request cards from certain countries or let matches be random.
• Share only the address information required for delivery; other personal details can be left out.
• Use a desktop program to design a custom card or purchase traditional postcards that showcase local highlights.

Why Try It

If you enjoy getting mail from distant places and building a tangible, visual collection of memories, Postcrossing is an enjoyable way to document and track your worldwide postcard arrivals.