Mail call can be the best or the worst part of the day for someone inside. PenPalsOnly exists so fewer people hear their name skipped.
What we do
PenPalsOnly is a pen pal site for incarcerated people. A person inside, or a friend or family member with their permission, lists a profile with photos, a short bio and the facility mailing address. Visitors browse profiles by state and write real letters, sent by regular mail straight to the facility.
We are not a dating service and we don't pass messages along. Every letter goes through the facility's own mail system, under its rules.
Why it matters
Staying in touch with the outside world helps people get through their time and come home ready. A letter is proof that someone out here is thinking of you. Many people inside have lost touch with family or never had much support to begin with; a pen pal can be the first steady connection they've had in years.
How we keep it safe
- A real person reviews every profile before it goes live. Nothing is published automatically.
- Profiles may not include phone numbers, emails or social media handles, so contact stays on paper and within facility rules.
- Anyone can ask for a profile to be removed, and we act on reports quickly. Our community guidelines explain what isn't allowed.
- We never ask pen pals for money, and we tell writers never to send money to someone they haven't verified.
Free help for families and people coming home
Much of the site is free to use, with no account needed:
- Find an Inmate: how to look someone up in every state's prison system.
- Fresh Start: reentry guides on IDs, housing, benefits, record sealing and jobs that hire people with records, plus a daily reentry news feed.
- Coming home checklist: what someone needs in their first weeks out.
- Wall of Innocence: wrongful conviction stories and innocence organizations in every state.
- Family guides: how to write, what you can send and how to stay connected.
How we're paid
Browsing and writing letters are free. The person listed, or their family, pays a small fee to keep a profile up (see the FAQ). We also show a few ads, and some links to shopping sites may earn us a small commission. That keeps the free resources free.
Who we are
PenPalsOnly is a small, independent business registered in the State of Ohio and run by people who know what a letter means to someone inside. We read every message sent to us.
Questions, removal requests or ideas: use our contact page or email support@penpalsonly.com.