Introduction
Postage meters calculate and print postage directly onto envelopes or labels. They speed up mail preparation, help businesses track postage spending, and reduce the need to buy and apply stamps by hand.
Continue reading to learn how postage meters work, what they cost, and how to decide if one is right for your business.
Key takeaways
A postage meter weighs mail, calculates the required postage, and prints proof of payment onto an envelope or label.
Postage meters must be leased or rented from a USPS®-authorized provider.
Connected systems download USPS rate updates, track usage, and allow you to add funds for postage.
The price varies based on how much mail you send, how quickly you need to process it, and the features, software, and support you choose.
A postage meter is generally best suited to businesses that send mail regularly.
What is a postage meter?
A postage meter is a mailing system that prints USPS-approved postage onto envelopes or labels that you affix to packages. They range from compact office systems for lower-volume mailers to automated equipment for high-volume mailrooms, and many models offer an integrated or connected scale for weighing mail.
Once the mail has been weighed and the mail class and service have been selected, the system calculates the required postage. This reduces the risk of overpaying or underpaying.
Connected postage meters can download current USPS rates, add postage funds, and provide postage usage data. Some models also track postage spending by department, account, or client, making it easier to manage budgets and allocate costs.
What is metered mail?
When mail is metered, a postage indicium, or evidence of paid postage, is printed directly on the envelope or on a label, eliminating the need for a traditional postage stamp.
Some postage meters can print a logo, slogan, or marketing message in addition to the indicium.
How does a postage meter work?
A postage meter brings several mailing tasks together in one system. Basic models weigh mail and print postage. Higher-volume systems can also feed and seal envelopes and track postage spending.
How do you weigh a mail piece?
Put the envelope or package on the integrated or connected scale to determine its weight.
How is the postage rate selected?
On the system’s control panel, choose a USPS mail class, any extra services, and the mailing date.
How is metered postage printed?
The system prints the postage indicium directly onto the mail piece or an adhesive label.
How does the mail enter the USPS mailstream?
Eligible single-piece metered mail can be placed in a USPS collection box, taken to a Post Office, or left for an eligible pickup service.
What are the benefits of a postage meter?
A postage meter can help businesses save time, control costs, and simplify everyday mail preparation.
Lower postage costs: Save on eligible First-Class Mail letters compared with using stamps.
Less risk of overpaying: Calculate the required postage based on the mail piece’s weight and selected USPS service.
Fewer Post Office trips: Weigh, print, and prepare metered mail from your workspace without waiting in line to purchase stamps.
Cost control and reporting: Track mailing activity by department, account, or client and access postage spending reports on systems with reporting features.
Professional branding: Add an approved logo, slogan, or marketing message to envelopes on systems that support custom imprints.
Support for different mail volumes: Prepare individual mail pieces or process larger batches with a system suited to your mailing needs.
Online postage funding: Add postage funds through a connected system as needed.
How much does a postage meter cost?
There is no standard postage meter price. Costs vary by model, processing speed, weighing options, software, services, support, and agreement terms.
Compact postage meters designed for small offices generally cost less than higher-volume systems with advanced features.
What is included in a postage meter lease?
The equipment and services included vary by provider and agreement. A lease or rental may include the postage meter, scale, connectivity, software, maintenance, or support.
Businesses should review the total cost and what is included before comparing monthly prices.
What additional postage meter costs should you consider?
In addition to the monthly rental or lease payment, businesses may need to pay for:
Postage funds
Meter-specific ink
Postage labels or meter tape
Sealing solution
Software and connectivity
Maintenance and support
Delivery and installation
Cancellation or equipment return fees
The amount spent on postage depends on the size and weight of the mail piece, the selected USPS mail class and service, and any extra services.
There is no standard annual USPS fee for using a postage meter. Permit and annual mailing fees may apply to qualifying commercial mailings.
Can you buy a postage meter in the US?
No. Postage meters are leased or rented rather than sold. Businesses must obtain one from a USPS-authorized provider.
USPS currently lists four authorized postage meter providers:
Data-Pac Mailing Systems
FP Mailing Solutions
Quadient
Pitney Bowes
Is a postage meter right for your business?
A postage meter may be a good fit for businesses that send mail regularly and want to reduce manual work, control postage costs, or track spending.
Consider leasing a postage meter if your business:
Sends invoices, statements, notices, or promotional materials regularly
Wants to prepare mail without purchasing and applying stamps
Needs to track postage spending by department, account, or client
Wants to add approved branding or messages to envelopes
Values faster mail preparation and less administrative work
If your business sends mail only occasionally, stamps or online postage tools may still meet your needs. For businesses with regular mailing activity, the potential time and postage savings may help offset the cost of the system.
Postage meter vs. stamps: What is the difference?
Feature | Postage meter | Traditional stamps |
Cost per eligible letter | Lower metered rate | Retail stamped rate |
Payment method | Postage account funded as needed | Stamps purchased in advance |
Mail preparation | Postage calculated and printed at work | Stamps selected and applied by hand |
Postage reporting | Available on many systems | Not available |
Branding | Added through supported custom imprints | Added separately to the envelope |
Best for | Businesses that send mail regularly | Businesses that send mail occasionally |
Conclusion
A postage meter can make everyday mail easier to prepare and manage. Before choosing a system, consider your mail volume, required features, postage funding options, service coverage, and total cost.
Quadient offers a range of IMI-compliant postage meters for small offices, growing businesses, and high-volume mailrooms. Explore Quadient postage meters to find the right system for your business.
