Is Catalog Choice Legit? What the Free Opt-Out Really Does

calendar Jun 29, 2026 / · 6 min read · catalog opt out general method catalog choice dmachoice paperkarma mail preferences junk mail direct mail  ·
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The Short Answer: Yes, It Is a Real Nonprofit

Catalog Choice is a real service, and it is free. Its About page says it "is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, managed by The Story of Stuff Project, with EIN #46-4334785." The same page calls it a "free service to cancel specific catalogs and other types of paper mail you no longer wish to receive." Donations pay for it. The Catalog Choice FAQ says, "we rely on the generosity of our members to be able to provide our service free of charge."

It is also honest about what it cannot do. The About page warns that signing up "will not stop all of your incoming paper junk mail in one fell swoop," and that "we have no control over how and when merchants will process your opt-out request." That is a useful sign. A scam does not usually list its own limits.

What Catalog Choice actually does

Catalog Choice works one company at a time. You make a free account, search for a catalog by name, and ask to opt out of it. The FAQ explains the steps: log in, click "Cancel a Catalog," search, then click "Opt out of this catalog." After that, "you will be taken to the Catalog Choice opt-out form, or redirected to the relevant page on the merchant's website."

So there are two kinds of listing:

  • Catalog Choice sends the request for you. The About page says it "sends merchants your catalog opt-out request on your behalf."
  • Catalog Choice sends you to the company. Some companies take requests only on their own site. Its Restoration Hardware listing , for example, says the company "accepts opt-out requests on their website" and links you there.

The service has been running for a while. Its home page says it has "helped over 2 million users reduce junk mail over the past 8 years." The database is large too: the same page says it has "nearly 10,000 titles in our database, ranging from clothing brands to credit card companies to charities." The FAQ adds that you can save names and addresses to your account, so you do not have to type them each time.

You can also tell Catalog Choice whether a request worked. The FAQ says to open the opt-out in the "history" section of your dashboard and click thumbs up or thumbs down. That helps it "identify non-compliant merchants."

Is it safe to give Catalog Choice your address?

To stop a catalog, any service has to tell the company which name and address to remove. Catalog Choice is no different. Its privacy policy says it uses your details "to contact companies on your behalf and request that they remove your name and address(es) from their mailing lists and their name rental and sharing practices."

On sharing, the policy says: "We do not share your information with commercial entities or third parties except to fulfill the Mail and Privacy Preference Service." When you register, it asks for your name, mailing address, phone number and email address.

Two points from the same policy are worth knowing. It is dated March 25, 2015, so it has not been updated in years. And it says Catalog Choice may send newsletters and alerts about "our partners, advertisers and sponsors." Expect the odd email and donation request after you sign up.

Where Catalog Choice falls short

Some companies will not accept its requests. The FAQ says that "a few do not accept requests from Catalog Choice" and instead "require that you submit your personal email address to complete your request." L.L.Bean goes further. Its catalog page says it "no longer honors requests made by" third-party opt-out services. For those companies, contact the store yourself. Our guide to stopping the L.L.Bean catalog shows how.

Companies do not have to comply. The FAQ says "there is unfortunately no law requiring companies to honor opt-out requests," so Catalog Choice depends on "merchants' voluntary participation."

It does not cover "Current Resident" mail. The FAQ says this mail "is usually distributed by the USPS to every house in a given area," so there is no name for the company to remove.

It takes time. The FAQ says it "may take 6-8 weeks to stop receiving mail from a particular merchant." Some listings give longer; the Restoration Hardware listing says "up to 90 days."

It is for paper mail only. The FAQ says the service "is only applicable to catalogs and other kinds of paper junk mail," not email.

Catalog Choice, DMAchoice or PaperKarma?

Catalog Choice itself recommends using it alongside DMAchoice. The About page says to "sign up for DMA choice in tandem with our service," because "many catalog merchants share lists of personal information with other merchants."

  • DMAchoice is run by the Association of National Advertisers. You register once and choose the kinds of mail you do not want. Its FAQ lists the fee as "$8 for online and $9 for mail-in registration" and says your choices are kept for 10 years. It also says that companies you have bought from in the past two years must be asked directly.
  • PaperKarma is a paid app. You photograph a piece of mail and it sends the opt-out. Its pricing page lists plans from $3.99 a month to $59.99 one time.

Our comparison of DMAchoice, PaperKarma and Catalog Choice goes through each one. For the full method in one place, read How to Stop Getting Catalogs in the Mail .

Can I use it for someone else?

Yes. The FAQ says you can opt out "on behalf of another person, such as a family member or the previous resident of your home, by entering their name in the opt-out form rather than your own." For someone who has died, it also suggests the Deceased Do Not Contact List, which the FTC says DMAchoice runs.

Frequently asked questions

Is Catalog Choice a scam? No. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit managed by The Story of Stuff Project, and it publishes its EIN, 46-4334785, on its About page.

Is it really free? Yes. The FAQ says donations let it "provide our service free of charge." You may get donation requests.

Does it sell my address? Its privacy policy says it does not share your information with commercial entities or third parties "except to fulfill the Mail and Privacy Preference Service," meaning the opt-out requests themselves.

Does it work? For many named catalogs, yes, within 6 to 8 weeks or so. It cannot force a company to comply, and a few companies, such as L.L.Bean, refuse third-party requests.

Does Catalog Choice send catalogs or take orders? No. The FAQ says it is "unaffiliated with the marketing industry or any private company" and does not send catalogs or help with orders.

Want to stop junk mail beyond catalogs? OptOut.ws has a guide on how to stop junk mail .

References

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