It is a fair question, and the mixed reviews you found deserve a straight answer rather than a defensive one.
InmateAid has been operating since 2012 and has served over a million families. At that volume, complaints are inevitable, and some will find their way into reviews. What is worth understanding is what those complaints are actually about, because the pattern matters.
The most common source of frustration in negative reviews is the phone service, and it almost always comes down to a misunderstanding of how it works. InmateAid's phone line is not a replacement for the facility's phone system. It is a separate number that routes calls through the existing carrier at a lower rate. Customers who expect it to work like a direct line and do not read the setup instructions carefully end up confused, and that confusion becomes a review. That category of complaint says more about expectations than about the service itself.
For mail, the process is straightforward and automated. Letters and photos are printed and sent out through USPS every day by machine. As long as the facility information you entered is correct, the mail goes out and arrives through standard postal delivery within two to three days. InmateAid has been doing this reliably since 2012.
The best way to confirm your inmate received something is simply to ask them directly on their next call or in a return letter. If they report not receiving anything after a reasonable window, contact InmateAid at aid@inmateaid.com. The team will look into it and resend at no charge if something went wrong on the delivery end.