lob

What it is and what it does

Lob is a Python client library for Lob.com's print-and-mail API, letting you programmatically create and send physical postcards, letters, checks, and verify addresses. It wraps Lob's REST API in an object-oriented interface, returning Python objects that can be converted to dictionaries. You initialize it by importing the module and setting your API key, then call methods on classes like Postcard, Letter, and Check to interact with Lob's services.

The library is designed for developers who want to automate direct mail workflows without building HTTP requests manually. It has no external runtime dependencies, making installation straightforward, though you'll need a Lob account and API credentials before you can actually use it. The package is stable and production-ready under MIT license, but has not been updated since February 2022, so you should verify that it still aligns with Lob's current API if you're integrating it into a new project.

Use it for:

• Automate sending bulk postcards or letters from your application without manual mail preparation.
• Verify postal addresses programmatically before storing them in a database or using them for shipping.
• Generate and mail checks directly from your billing or accounting system.
• Integrate print-mail capabilities into a larger workflow that combines digital and physical communications.

Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying

Python wrapper for the Lob.com API, providing object-oriented access to print-mail services including postcards, letters, checks, and address verification.

Yes, if you need to integrate Lob's print-mail services into a Python application and are willing to work with a package that hasn't been updated since February 2022. The MIT license is permissive, there are no known security vulnerabilities, and the repository remains active. However, verify that the package still works with Lob's current API and that your target Python version is supported before committing to it in production.

Install

lob on PyPI

pip install lob

uv add lob

poetry add lob

Installing lob

Before you install

High install friction: no runtime dependencies but requires an API key from Lob.com and account setup before use. Last release was in February 2022; repository remains active with recent commits as of June 2026, though the package itself has not been updated in a considerable time.

License in practice

MIT license (permissive) means you can use this freely in commercial and private projects with minimal restrictions, only requiring attribution.

Quickstart

pip install lob

import lob
lob.api_key = 'your-api-key'
# Then call methods like lob.Postcard.create() or lob.Letter.create()

Requires a Lob.com account and valid API key; the package supports Python 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, and PyPy 3.

Verify before relying

• Whether the package works reliably with Python versions beyond 3.9 despite the description listing only up to 3.9
• Current state of the Lob.com API and whether all documented endpoints are still functional
• Whether high install friction relates to missing compiled dependencies or only to the API key requirement

Package facts

Evidence: lob-4.5.4.tar.gz

Tags

More WWW/HTTP packages