A postage meter is a machine that prints official USPS postage directly onto mail pieces or labels. Businesses use postage meters to process high volumes of mail efficiently while accessing commercial postage rates that are lower than retail stamps.
How Postage Meters Work
Basic Operation
- Load postage funds to meter account
- Weigh mail piece
- Select mail class
- Print postage onto envelope/label
- Mail is ready to send
What Gets Printed
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ┌──────────────────────┐ │
│ │ US POSTAGE │ │
│ │ $00.58 │ COMPANY │
│ │ DATE: 02/04/26 │ LOGO │
│ │ ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ │ │
│ │ (Barcode/2D) │ │
│ └──────────────────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
Postage Meter Benefits
Cost Savings
| Mail Type |
Stamp |
Meter Rate |
Savings |
| Letter (1 oz) |
$0.68 |
$0.64 |
$0.04 |
| Letter (2 oz) |
$0.92 |
$0.88 |
$0.04 |
| Postcards |
$0.53 |
$0.48 |
$0.05 |
Note: Rates as of example; check current USPS rates.
Operational Benefits
- No trips to post office
- Accurate postage every time
- Professional appearance
- Tracking capabilities
- Accounting/reporting
- Time savings
Types of Postage Meters
Low Volume (Home Office)
| Model |
Volume |
Monthly Cost |
| Pitney Bowes SendPro |
20-50 pieces/mo |
$20-40 |
| FP Mailing PostBase |
Similar |
$25-45 |
| Quadient IS-280 |
Similar |
$20-40 |
Medium Volume (Small Business)
| Model |
Volume |
Monthly Cost |
| Various SendPro |
100-500/mo |
$50-150 |
| FP PostBase Vision |
Similar |
$50-150 |
High Volume (Enterprise)
| Model |
Volume |
Monthly Cost |
| SendPro P Series |
500-5000+/mo |
$150-500+ |
| Quadient iX Series |
High |
$200+ |
| FP Mailing Solutions |
High |
$200+ |
Major Postage Meter Providers
Pitney Bowes
- Market leader
- SendPro line
- Broad range of sizes
- Stamps.com partnership
Quadient (Neopost)
- Strong mid-market
- iX and IS series
- Good software integration
- International presence
FP Mailing
- Growing competitor
- PostBase series
- Competitive pricing
- Good support
Postage Meter Costs
Pricing Structure
| Cost Type |
Description |
| Equipment rental |
Monthly fee for machine |
| Postage |
Funds for printing postage |
| Supplies |
Ink, labels |
| Maintenance |
Often included |
Example Monthly Cost
Small business meter:
Equipment rental: $40/month
Postage used: $500
Ink/supplies: $10
Total: ~$550/month
Compare to stamps:
Would cost $525 in stamps
Plus time to post office
Savings: ~$25/month + time
Meter Features
Standard Features
- Weigh on demand
- Multiple mail classes
- Date advance
- Account tracking
- Tape/envelope print
Advanced Features
- Differential weighing
- Barcode printing
- Department tracking
- Software integration
- Rate comparison
- Address verification
Loading Postage
How It Works
- Account with meter provider
- Purchase postage online
- Download to meter
- Postage available for printing
Payment Methods
- Check/ACH
- Credit card
- Auto-refill
- Purchase Power (Pitney Bowes credit)
Postage Meter vs. Alternatives
Comparison
| Option |
Best For |
Pros |
Cons |
| Meter |
Daily mail |
Discounts, convenient |
Monthly cost |
| Stamps |
Occasional |
Simple |
No discount, trips |
| Online postage |
Packages |
Flexibility |
Per-label fees |
| Presort |
Very high volume |
Deep discounts |
Minimum volumes |
Regulations
USPS Requirements
- Meters must be leased (not purchased)
- Decertification process for old meters
- Postage security device required
- Regular inspections
- Reset requirements
- Modern meters use IMI barcode
- Contains tracking information
- Required for commercial rates
- Enables better mail tracking
Choosing a Postage Meter
Evaluation Factors
- Volume - How much mail?
- Mail types - Letters, flats, packages?
- Features - Weighing, tracking, reporting?
- Budget - Monthly cost fit?
- Integration - Software needs?
- Support - Service availability?
Volume Guidelines
| Monthly Volume |
Recommendation |
| Under 50 |
Maybe just stamps |
| 50-200 |
Entry-level meter |
| 200-500 |
Mid-range meter |
| 500+ |
High-volume meter |