Open up your postage possibilities with this review of the best postage meters for small businesses
If you need an inexpensive postage system for your small business (who doesn’t, eh?), then you should consider using a postage meter. These mail machines calculate real-time postage costs and remove the need for trips to the post office, saving you time and money on your mailing solutions. Plus, your customers can enjoy prompt deliveries. Everyone’s a winner.
Finding the right postage system can prove tricky if you don’t know where to start, though. But not to worry – we’ve conducted heaps of research and selected four of the best postage meters for small business which you can read about below.
Better still, to save you the hassle of crawling the net and calling companies, we can put you in touch with the postage system suppliers that are best suited to your company’s unique needs. All you need to do is tell us about what you need from your postage system, and you’ll receive free, tailored quotes from a range of top-quality suppliers.
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| Best Postage Meters for Small Businesses | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Postage meter | Star rating | Best for… | |
| 1 | Pitney Bowes mailstation2 | Best machine for large mailrooms | |
| 2 | FP Postbase Mini | Best machine for small mailrooms | |
| 3 | Quadient IN-360 | Best premium postage meter system | |
| 4 | Quadient IS 280 | Best budget postage meter system | |
| 5 | Quadient IN-600 | Best for growing businesses | |
| 6 | Datapac DP Link 10 | Best for limited office space | |
Pitney Bowes Mailstation2
Best for Large Mailrooms
The mailstation2 was designed with small, ambitious businesses in mind. It’s easy to use, efficient, and provides seamless internet connectivity to make topping up credit and checking postage spend a breeze.
As part of the Pitney Bowes Small Business Mailing Solutions range, the mailstation2 processes a 18 letters per minute (LPM) which is great for larger mailrooms within a small business. This machine is extremely reliable and affordable, with monthly rental prices starting from $19.99.
Pros:
- Enterprise-level scalability
- Powerful sales analytics
- Seemingly endless CRM integrations
Cons:
- Deleting duplicate contacts can only be done manually
- The interface takes some getting used to
FP Postbase Mini
Best for Small Mailrooms
The PostBase Mini is the smallest postage meter in the PostBase range from FP USA. Unsurprisingly, this quiet machine is ideal for small mailrooms, and will even fit nicely in a home office.
Processing up to 17 letters per minute, the PostBase Mini is a low volume machine. However, it still offers full wifi connectivity as standard, and a 4.3” colour touchscreen to help you organise your mail even more easily. You can even personalize the integrated scale with one of five colours to match your brand.
Prices for this machine vary depending on the length of the contract, and the amount of usage that’s planned. Costs usually start from around $18.95.
Pros:
- Integrated 5lb scale
- Easy to use
- Quietest machine in its class
Cons:
- Relatively small touchscreen
Quadient IN-360 Mailing System
Best Premium Postage Meter
The IN-360 might be one of the smaller machines that Quadient (formerly Neopost) offers, but it still punches well above its weight in terms of productivity. Processing 45 LPM, this model can track spending for up to 300 departments. You can also choose from four different scales, ranging from 5lb to 70lb.
With the IN-360, you can also personalize your post with images and logos from a library of over 100 stock images. You can also add a message using NeoSlogan, giving your mail a personal and professional look that’ll impress your clients.
Pros:
- Processes 45 LPM
- Four different scale weights
Cons:
- Too large for most home offices
Quadient IS-280
Best Budget Postage Meter
The Quadient IS-280 is a small but mighty machine, processing 18 letters per minute. It offers a high printing resolution, and provides integrated 2lb or 5lb scales depending on your choice.
With the Quadient IS-280, you can track spending for up to ten departments, and customize your mail with a wide range of stock imagery. Overall, this model is a brilliant budget option.
Pros:
- Compact design suitable for any small office
- Top up postage balance online
- Easy to use
Cons:
- Scales only weigh up to 5lbs
Quadient IN-600
Best for Growing Businesses
Are your mailing solutions scaling quickly? Great news! The Quadient IN-600 series comes with an integrated scale and processes up to 70 letters per minute, helping your small business send a moderate volume of mail to clients and customers alike.
You can even add the optional automatic feeder which can process up to 110 letters per minute, ideal for those busy periods.
Pros:
- Ideal for scaling your mailing solutions
- Easy to use
Cons:
- Relatively expensive
Datapac DP Link 10
Best for Limited Office Space
Turning your desktop into an efficient postage system, the DP Link 10 is ideal for small businesses with limited office space. With this mail machine, you can process flats, letters, and parcels, and save up to 95 cents per piece of priority mail through the supplier’s discount program. The DP Link 10 also comes with 25lb or 70lb integrated scales.
Overall, this machine represents a low cost mailing solution that grants you the best USPS rates directly from your desktop.
Pros:
- Low-cost and compact
- Large integrated scales
Cons:
- Only suitable for low volumes of mail
The Benefits of Postage Stamp Machines for Small Businesses
There are lots of ways small businesses can save money with a postal meter:
- Getting discounted USPS postage rates
- Reduce staff time spent processing mail
- Cut down on trips to the post office (and the fuel required)
- Getting accurate postage cost calculations
- Eliminating petty cash and checks
- Gaining insightful data on postage expenditure
- Easily monitoring the balance on your meter before and after use
- Planning budgets more effectively
How Much Can I Save With a Postage Meter?
What goes up must come down, right? Well, that’s not the case with stamp prices, which have increased year on year for the past century (except for a slight dip in 2016).
Fortunately, the USPS offers discounted rates for postage systems. On average, metered postage rates are 6% cheaper than ordinary stamped postage, and almost 20% cheaper if you pre-sort your mail before giving it to the USPS to send.
Just take a look out our table…
| Savings from Using a Postage Meter | ||
|---|---|---|
| Number of letters | Metered | Metered and Presorted |
| 500 | $15 | $59.50 |
| 5,000 | $150 | $595 |
| 50,000 | $1,500 | $5,950 |
If you’re sending mail that weighs more than 1 oz, the savings are even more impressive:
- For letters/packages weighing 2 oz, using a postage meter saves you up to 44%
- For letters/packages weighing 3 oz, using a postage meter saves you up to 58%
- For letters/packages weighing 3.5 oz, using a postage meter saves you up to 66%
How Quickly Will My Postage Meter Pay For Itself?
That depends on the deal you can get from your postage system supplier. By law, companies in the US can only lease postage meters from authorized suppliers, with prices ranging from $20-$1,000+ per month.
High-volume machines like the Quadient IJ-15k can process up to 15,000 pieces of mail an hour, but come at a cost of thousands of dollars a month. For more modest mailing needs, a low-volume model like the Quadient IS 280 could be a great choice.
If you spend more than $50 a month on mail, there’s almost certainly a postage meter on this page that can save you money, and we can put you in touch with the perfect postage system supplier for your small business, quickly and easily.
Expert Tips for Finding the Best Postage Meter Lease
In order to get the best postage meter deal for your small business, you should shop around for the right model. Before making a decision, just remember that most suppliers offer free trials, so you can test out different machines without having to share your credit card details. Better yet, some companies will have introductory offers to help ease you into the contract.
Want some top tips? You’ve come to the right place. Generally, when you’re looking for a postage system, make sure you:
- Research the standout features of different suppliers’ mail machines. You’ll be in a stronger negotiating position if you know exactly what the competition are offering.
- Explain your business needs, including the type of mail you post, the volume you post, and the frequency you’ll be posting. This will help the supplier work out the best product for your needs.
- Request a free trial for at least one month. This will help you calculate whether or not the contract is worthwhile.
- Enquire about different pricing plans and lease lengths. Don’t feel pressured to sign a multi-year contract if you need more short-term flexibility.
If you’d like to compare options from different suppliers, tell us about your business’ needs using quick form, and you’ll hear from top postage system suppliers with quotes tailored to you.
Expert Verdict
As you know, postage systems could save your small business time and money. But picking the right mail machine is important, and there are things to consider when making a decision.
If your small business has a large mailroom, then you should opt for a powerful machine like the Pitney Bowes mailstation2, whereas the FP PostBase Mini would be more suitable to smaller mailrooms. Having said that, our top two recommendations are:
- Quadient IN-360: Best premium postage meter for those with some extra cash in the budget.
- Quadient IS-280: Best budget postage meter for smaller business looking for the most cost-effective option.
Remember: since federal law regulates the creation and distribution of postage meters, you can’t purchase a postage meter outright. Instead, you have to rent or lease one from a set of authorized dealers.
When leasing a machine, you’ll normally sign a contract for one or two years while paying a monthly rental fee. The actual rental cost varies depending on your contract length, and the type of machine you’ve chosen.
Despite the price variations, a postage meter will usually save your small business time and money, so it’s a worthwhile investment. But you should always compare prices before you commit.
