We’re long past the days of licking and sticking stamps to envelopes and packages before taking them to the post office. Modern postage meters let you send mail without even leaving the office.
If all that business mail is getting in the way of more important tasks, using a postage meter will save you time and money. But you can’t just buy one. You need to lease one instead. There are only five companies authorized by the USPS to rent postage meters. These are: Pitney Bowes, Neopost Inc, Francotyp Postalia Inc (FP USA), Hasler Inc. and Data Pac.
Postage meter leases usually represent a substantial financial commitment, which is why many businesses delay signing one. But with prices starting from just $25 a month, a great postage meter will save you a whole lot more than you’ll spend.
Finding a postage meter for the right price can be a time consuming process, but our comparison service does all the hard work for you. Click here to tell us a bit about your business, then postage meter suppliers that match your requirements will be in touch in a matter of minutes. It’s as easy as that!
Read on to find out more.
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Best Postage Meter Companies Roundup
We’ve reviewed the five leading postage meter companies to help you hone in on the best mailing solutions for your needs. Here’s our roundup:
| Postage Meter Company | Best Postage Machine for Small Business | Best Postage Machine for Medium Business | Best Postage Machine for Large Business |
|---|---|---|---|
| FP USA | PostBase 20 | PostBase 65 | CentorMail MAX |
| Pitney Bowes | Mailstation2 | DM400 | Connect+ 3000 |
| Neopost | IS-280 | IN-600 Series | IS-6000 |
| Hasler | WJ20 | IN600 Series | IM5000 |
FP USA Postage Meters
FP Mailing quickly achieved market-leading status after entering the US in the 1960s. Today, FP is the fastest growing postage meter company in the US.
FP has an excellent reputation for producing reliable postage meters. On the rare occasions when their machines malfunction, customer service staff are trained to spot issues and fix them with minimal fuss.
Through an independent dealer network that spans 40 countries, FP connects you with your customers, wherever they are in the world.
FP’s range of postage meters includes:
Low Volume: the PostBase mini (17ppm) and the PostBase econ (20ppm)
Medium Volume: the PostBase semi (45ppm), the PostBase auto (95ppm) and the PostBase integra (110ppm)
High Volume: the PostBase pro (150ppm), the PostBase proDS (110ppm) and the PostBase one (150ppm)
Pitney Bowes Postage Meters
Pitney Bowes make extremely sophisticated postage meters. The company impresses clients in more than 100 countries with a strong commitment to innovation. With an annual turnover of $5.3 billion, they’re a popular choice for big and small businesses alike.
Pitney Bowes postage meters are designed for ease of use. Their automated sorting feature saves you from having to sort and file your mail manually. Affordability is also a major selling point, as the company negotiates great rates on Standard and First Class postage from the USPS.
Pitney Bowes’ range of postage meters includes:
Low Volume: the MailStation 2 (up to 18ppm), the DM100 (up to 30ppm) and the DM200 (up to 40ppm).
Medium Volume: the DM300 (up to 65ppm), the DM400 (up to 120ppm) or the Connect+1000 (up to 180ppm).
High Volume: the Connect+ 3000 (205-310ppm), the DM1100 (295ppm) and the DM Infinity Digital (22,000 items per hour).
Neopost Postage Meters
Neopost USA is the American arm of the French company Neopost SA, the number one postage meter company in Europe. Their advanced mailing solutions help thousands of customers sort and send their mail.
Neopost rolls out regular software updates, so you won’t need to upgrade your system any time soon. The postage meters themselves are remarkably easy-to-use; effortless letter processing, mailing and shipping are part and parcel of all their machines.
The company’s support staff are always happy to provide customers with product information and advice on financing options. The National Customer Service Association awarded the Neopost USA support team ‘All Star’ status in 2012 for “maintaining a focused culture of excellence”.
Neopost’s range of postage meters includes:
Low Volume: the IS-280 (up to 18ppm) and the IN-360 (up to 45ppm)
Medium Volume: the IN-600 (up to 75ppm), the IN-610 (up to 110ppm), the IN-700 (up to 140ppm), and the IN-710/760 (140-175 ppm)
High Volume: the IS-5000/6000 (up to 300ppm) and the IJ-15K (up to 250ppm)
Hasler Postage Meters
For a century, Hasler has lead the way in mailing solutions. They specialize in affordable, but sophisticated postage meters for business.
Note: Neopost USA supplies all Hasler postage meters in the US
Hasler specializes in advanced, affordable postage meters for businesses. High build quality is an earmark of Hasler’s machines, which make use of top quality materials and precision engineering.
Several independent sales teams supply Hasler postage meters on lease across the country. Hasler provides robust customer service, including financing advice, maintenance and after-sales support.
Hasler’s range of postage meters includes:
Low Volume: the WJ20 (20ppm), the IM280 (18ppm) and the IM330 (35pp)
Medium Volume: the IM430 (65ppm), IM440 (95ppm), the IM460 (60ppm) and the IM480 (90ppm)
High Volume: the IM490 (110ppm), the IM5000 (up to 300ppm) and the WJ PRO (250ppm)
Data Pac Postage Meters
Data Pac is the newest postage meter company to hit the US, and the first company to become USPS-authorized in more than 25 years. Their market share is smaller than other postage meter companies listed above, but their product range covers businesses of all sizes.
Great controls are Data Pac’s best innovation – each of their machines features a crisp 15-inch touch screen display. Other perks include high build quality and low cost ink refills.
Currently, Data Pac’s biggest limitation is the lack of high volume postage meters in its product line. If you need processing speeds in excess of 100ppm, you’ll be better served by the four more established postage meter companies.
Data Pac’s range of postage meters includes:
High Volume: the DP 100W (up to 200ppm) and the DP 240B (up to 240ppm)
Choosing a Postage Meter
Postage meters might all seem alike, but a few key differences distinguish various models from one another. Here are three key considerations to keep in mind when you’re shopping for quotes:
Do I need batch processing?
Batch processing is a feature of medium and high volume postage meters from all five postage meter companies. These meters can print postage even faster than non-batch processing machines. In order to use batch processing, you need to be able to pre-sort your mail into batches by weight and box size.
You need this feature if: You ship lots of uniformly-sized packages to a few specific regions
You don’t need this feature if: You ship a variety of types of mail to customers in several places
▶ Now read: A guide to USPS Priority Mail Rates and shipping zones
Do I need automatic feed features?
Simple postage meters require you to manually feed every piece of mail into the machine. Semi-automatic feeders automate parts of the process – for example, by closing and sealing envelopes or applying labels. Fully-automatic feeders go further, and on a much larger scale.
You need this feature if: You send hundreds of pieces of mail each week
You don’t need this feature if: You only send a few letters a fortnight
▶ Read full review: Pitney Bowes DM475 fully-automatic postage meter
Do I need to weigh my mail?
That depends on the type of mail you’re sending. The USPS offers flat rate postage for letters and packages matching specified dimensions. If your mail fits their requirements, they’ll even throw in free packaging for using the service. It’s definitely not a bad deal.
If, on the other hand, your mail exceeds these dimensions, a postage meter with built-in weighing scales is the clear winner. These machines make it easy to calculate accurate postage costs, and your savings will soon stack up.
You need this feature if: You’re happy with USPS-specified mail weights and dimensions
You don’t need this feature if: You want to send irregularly-sized mail and don’t want to waste your time and money buying stamps
Next Steps
If you currently spend more than $50 per month on postage, switching to a postage meter is sure to result in savings. Hopefully, you have a better idea now of which postage meter companies are and aren’t able to take care of your company’s needs.
If your business has a real need for one, a postage meter will pay for itself several times over. That said – and you probably don’t need us to tell you this – price is an important factor to consider in your buying decision.
Pitney Bowes, FP USA, Neopost, Hasler and Data Pac all lease their systems according to your usage needs. The more mail you send, the more you’ll pay each month. Speaking to suppliers on the phone is the best way to get an exact figure. But how do you know what value for money looks like? Our free quotes service can help you with that part.
Finding a postage meter for the right price can be a time consuming process, so let our comparison service do all the hard work for you. Click here to tell us a bit about your business, then postage meter suppliers that match your requirements will be in touch in a matter of minutes. It’s as easy as that!
