Written by Sabrina Dougall Reviewed by Heleana Neil Sponsored by TrustFund 100 Updated on June 1, 2023 On this page 1. Best All-Round: FP PostBase mini 2. Best for Ease of Use: PB SendPro Mailstation 3. Best for Your Budget: Quadient IS 280 4. Best for Growing Businesses: Quadient iX-5 Series 5. Best for Heavy Mail: Datapac EZ-Mailer Which Are the Benefits of Postage Meters? How Much Can I Save with a Postage Meter? How Can I Find the Best Postage Meter Rates? Expert Verdict FAQs Expand Our site is reader-supported – by clicking our links, we can match you with a potential supplier, and we may earn a small commission for this referral. If you run a small businesses that’s overly reliant on post, you’d be wise to look for ways to save on postal charges – and postage meters can help you with that. On that note, FP PostBase mini is the best all-round reliable postage meter, while the Quadient IS 280 is the best budget option.With the rising cost of postage and expected price increases twice a year through 2024, we understand it’s important to find a meter that fits into your businesses budget. And with every postage meter company claiming to be the best, it can be hard to cut through the marketing. Don’t worry – we’ve conducted heaps of research and selected the five best postage meters for small business which you can read about below.For more information you can check out our guide of the best postage meter companies, which dives into the four companies authorized by the USPS to lease postage systems.You can use our free quote comparison tool to be matched with trusted suppliers suited to your business needs. Which are the Best Postage Meters? These are the providers we recommend based on our research. Use our comparison tool to find the best service for your businessFP PostBase mini – Best overallPitney Bowes SendPro Mailstation – Best for ease of useQuadient IS-280 – Best budget postage meterQuadient iX-5 Series Mailing System – Best for growing businessesDatapac EZ-Mailer – Best for heavy mailIf you’d like to know more beforehand, don’t worry: our guide to the best postage meters for small businesses will take you through the best models for: cost saving, ease of use, growing your business and heavy mail. To discover our findings, just head below. Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward Editor's pick FP PostBase mini PB SendPro Mailstation Quadient IS 280 Quadient iX-5 Series Datapac EZ-Mailer Best for Overall Best for Ease of use Best for Budget Best for Growing businesses Best for Heavy Mail Price $21.95 – $22.95 Price $29.99 Price $20 Price Bespoke Price Bespoke Why These Five? We got to our ranking testing these postage meters on criteria such as usability, equipment size, letters per minute and mail weight allowance. 1. Best All-Round: FP PostBase mini 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 (LPM), 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.Rental Costs:$22.95 – 13 months plus one month free$21.95 – 26 months plus two months free$21.95 – 42 months plus six months free FP PostBase Review Pros Integrated 5lb scale Easy to use Operates very quietly Cons Relatively small touchscreen Not the quickest model on our list A Note On Pricing Suppliers may change their rental prices at any time, and your exact quote depends on your particular business needs. 2. Best for Ease of Use: PB SendPro Mailstation Not hot on technology? This is the postage meter for low-tech folk. Without the complicated bells and whistles, the Pitney Bowes SendPro Mailstation is an efficient solution that won’t ask too much of you.As the most basic model in the Pitney Bowes Small Business range, the SendPro Mailstation processes up to 16 LPM and can handle letters weighing up to 5lb. It’s got a color touchscreen and is barely more complicated than a regular printer. The rental price is $29.99 per month with a 60-day free trial (for new customers). Pitney Bowes Review 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 3. Best for Your Budget: Quadient IS 280 The Quadient IS-280 is a small but mighty machine, processing 18 LPM. 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 suitable for businesses sending fewer than 150 pieces of mail monthly. We don’t have exact pricing to share with you, but rental starts from around $20 per month. Quadient review Pros Compact design suitable for any small office Top up postage balance online Easy to use Cons Scales only weigh up to 5lbs Quicker postage meters out there 4. Best for Growing Businesses: Quadient iX-5 Series Are your mailing solutions scaling quickly? Great news! The Quadient iX-5 Series comes with a 5lb scale as standard, with options up to 70lb, an expandable catch tray and color screen control panel. It processes 75-110 LPM, depending on whether or not you choose the automation option.Multi-carrier shipping rates are available with USPS, UPS and FedEx so you can improve your chances of getting the best possible postage rate. Quadient’s iX-5 Series also offers low ink email alerts and automatic ink ordering.Quadient’s 9% discount on First Class postage applies. Pros Ideal for scaling your mailing solutions Cons Relatively expensive Likely overkill for very small mailrooms 5. Best for Heavy Mail: Datapac EZ-Mailer The EZ-Mailer is your heavy-lifter when it comes to small business mail sorting. With this mail machine, you can process 140 LPM including flats, letters, and parcels. Choose between 25lb or 70lb integrated scales – far more than any other meter we’ve reviewed here. Data-Pac’s Shape-Based measurement software ensures highly accurate sizing for the best possible postage prices.Make use of unlimited accounting and job reporting, as well as numerous form printing options. Pros Accurately measures large and heavy mail Great for small and medium businesses Cons Likely too large for very small mailrooms Not the sleekest hardware out there Which Are the Benefits of Postage Meters?There are lots of ways small businesses can save money with a postal meter:Getting discounted USPS postage ratesReduce staff time spent processing mailCut down on trips to the post office (and the fuel required)Getting accurate postage cost calculationsEliminating petty cash and checksGaining insightful data on postage expenditureEasily monitoring the balance on your meter before and after usePlanning budgets more effectively How Much Can I Save with a Postage Meter?With inflation affecting the price of stamps, it’s always smart to make business savings where you can.Fortunately, the USPS offers discounted rates for postage meters. Currently a single metered letter is 3¢ cheaper than a stamped letter.Just take a look out our table…Savings from Using a Postage MeterNumber of LettersSavings500$155,000$15050,000$1,500So you can really see that at scale, your business saves more money with a postage meter. In the long-run, you’ll keep mail costs lower compared with buying stamps at retail price.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 $30-$1,000+ per month.High-volume machines like the Quadient IS-6000 can process thousands of 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 your business money.We can put you in touch with the perfect postage system supplier for your small business, quickly and easily. All you need to do is tell us what you need with our free quote gathering tool, and we’ll match your business with the right suppliers for your requirements. They’ll get in touch with more information and no-obligation quotes for you to compare. How Can I Find the Best Postage Meter Rates?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. Top Tips 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 our free comparison tool, and you’ll hear from top postage system suppliers with quotes tailored to you. Verdict Remember: federal law regulates the creation and distribution of postage meters, meaning you can’t purchase a postage meter outright. Instead, you have to rent or lease one from the authorized dealers.Our pick of the bunch is FP PostBase mini, a reliable postage meter at a small-business-budget-friendly rental rate. If your mailroom is on the busier side, however, you’d be better of with the Quadient iX-5 Series.When renting a machine, you’ll normally sign a contract for one or two years with a monthly rental fee that is subject to change. If you choose to lease, instead, your contract will be longer and the monthly payments are fixed for the entire duration.Despite the price variations, a postage meter will usually save your small business time and money, so it’s a worthwhile investment. Compare Prices from Leading Postage Meter Providers Get Free Quotes FAQs Is it cheaper to use a postage meter? Yes, postage meters are typically cheaper as you often receive discounted rates, avoid overpaying, and save time and money on manual processes. Can I buy my own postage meter? In the United States you are unable to purchase your own postage meter but you can lease one from an authorized supplier. Written by: Sabrina Dougall Writer Sabrina writes about tech for business as well as consumer software. She covers topics ranging from digital marketing to ecommerce fulfilment, security systems, franking machines, and more. Having run her own successful small business, Sabrina knows first-hand how much there is to keep on top of. Writing with your company’s needs in mind, she distils truly useful product information (without the sales pitch). Reviewed by: Heleana Neil Business Services Editor Heleana Neil specialises in Business Services, managing the strategy and production of content for SMBs, helping businesses with the challenges and opportunities they face today. Covering everything from payroll to payment processing, Heleana uses her expertise to help business owners make better, informed decisions and grow their companies. Sponsored by: TrustFund 100 CEO of Fun We’re a passionate team of editors, writers, and researchers with over a decade's experience in helping people choose the best solutions for their businesses. We know that finding the right tools for your team, at the right price for your budget, can be a real challenge – that’s why we work hard to make sure our guides, reviews, and product comparisons are always accurate and helpful.