Written by Sabrina Dougall Reviewed by Tatiana Lebreton Updated on December 1, 2025 On this page The Top Three Cheapest Postage Meter Rentals Quadient iX-1 FP PostBase Mini Pitney Bowes SendPro Mailstation How to Get Cheap Postage Meter Contracts What's Cheaper, Renting or Leasing a Postage Meter? What's Cheaper, Buying or Renting a Postage meter? Expand One of the cheapest widely advertised postage meter rentals in 2025 is Quadient’s iX-1, starting from $27.95 per month plus three months free for new customers. This adds up to just $251.55 for a new customer’s first year, which is lower than many other postage meter contracts we’ve seen.That said, a low monthly rental doesn’t always mean the lowest overall cost. Your total spend will depend on how much mail you send, the length of your contract, and any extra fees for supplies or maintenance. For low-volume mailers who keep an eye on the fine print, though, there’s no reason not to take advantage of cheaper rental deals.Since many provider hardware pricing is kept private, the easiest way to find out how much a postage meter costs for your business is to use our quote tool – answer a few quick questions, and we’ll request free quotes on your behalf. Cheapest Postage Meters: Key Takeaways For low-volume mailers, three of the cheapest clearly advertised IMI-compliant options in 2025 are Quadient’s iX-1 (from $27.95/month with three months free), FP’s PostBase mini (from around $23.95/month), and Pitney Bowes’ SendPro Mailstation (from $29.99/month with a 60-day free trial).A low monthly rental doesn’t guarantee the lowest overall cost – your real spend depends on mail volume, contract length, and extras like ink, labels, rate-change fees, and maintenance.Most hardware pricing is now custom, so the most reliable way to benchmark “cheap” is to collect multiple quotes via a comparison tool and see how each deal aligns with your actual mailing profile.You can meaningfully cut costs by tightening the contract terms – clarifying every line item, negotiating away hidden fees, considering longer terms only if your volumes are stable, and securing fair repair/maintenance and supplies pricing.Leasing is often cheaper per month than short-term rental but locks you in, so you need to watch early-termination charges and auto-renew clauses that can quietly roll you onto a more expensive plan.You can’t buy a postage meter outright in the US – federal rules mean the metering component must be leased or rented from an approved provider, so your main decision is which vendor and contract best balance price, flexibility, and features. Compare Quotes from Postage Meter Suppliers and Save Money Which brand of postage meter do you currently use? Quadient (NeoPost) None/Another brand It only takes a minute! The Top Three Cheapest Postage Meter RentalsThe cheapest postage meters are:Quadient iX-1FP PostBase miniPitney Bowes SendPro Mailstation Quadient iX-1Speed: Up to 18 letters per minute (LPM)Scale: Integrated 10 lb weighing platform (removable for larger packages) Price: From $27.95 per month for new US customers (typically with at least three months free) Quadient is one of the best postage meter companies in the US and the Quadient iX-1 is its current entry-level IMI-compliant postage meter for US small businesses.It’s built for offices mailing fewer than roughly 150 pieces a month, combining discounted postage rates with a compact, desk-friendly design and simple, manual feed operation. The iX-1 processes up to 18 letters per minute and includes account tracking, shortcut keys, and basic reporting tools, which is more than enough for most low-volume mailrooms.On Quadient’s US sites, the iX-1 is advertised from $27.95 per month with three months free, and in some promotions at around $28.75 per month with up to six free months, putting its effective monthly cost in the high-$20s once the free period is factored in.That makes the iX-1 one of the cheapest clearly advertised IMI-compliant postage meters available in the US, while still giving you built-in USPS discounts on First-Class letters and Priority Mail, plus price protection on the lease fee for up to three years. FP PostBase MiniSpeed: Up to 17 letters per minuteScale: Integrated 5 lb scale Price: From $23.95 per month FP USA’s PostBase Mini is another compact, IMI-compliant postage meter for small businesses. FP’s US direct-sales site currently describes it as processing up to 17 letters per minute and including a 5 lb integrated scale.As of 2025, FP advertises pricing that “starts as low as $23.95 per month” for new customers on some plans, such as 26 or 42-month contracts. However, FP increasingly uses custom pricing, so your exact monthly cost will depend on contract length and options. You can safely think of this as an early-$20s per month entry-level option for low-volume mailrooms. Pitney Bowes SendPro MailstationSpeed: Around 16 to 18 letters per minute (low volume)Scale: Integrated 5 lb scale Price: From $29.99 per month Pitney Bowes’ SendPro Mailstation is designed for very small offices that still want professional metered mail. It’s compact, IMI-compliant, and offers a colour touchscreen with a 5 lb integrated scale, which is enough to handle most letters and small parcels in-house.Recent US marketing and comparison guides put the Mailstation at $29.99 per month after a 60-day free trial for new customers, which is still one of the most competitive headline rates in the low-volume space. That monthly price is for the hardware lease only (postage, ink, and labels are billed separately), but it remains an appealing option if you just want a simple meter at a predictable price. How to Get Cheap Postage Meter ContractsTo get a cheap postage meter contract, you should first check with your sales representative about every single cost involved in your upcoming postage meter contract, to make sure you don’t get hit with any unexpected fees.If any hidden costs come up when you’re going over the contract, it never hurts to try and negotiate them down.Other ways to reduce reduce costs include:Choosing a longer contract: Long contracts offer better value for money than short ones since suppliers are more likely to offer you reduced pricing for your loyalty.Mailing in bulk: The USPS (United States Postal Service) offers discounted postage rates for businesses that mail in bulk (500 letters minimum).Buying supplies from your postage meter supplier: It can work out cheaper to buy supplies such as ink and paper from your postage meter manufacturer if you’ve negotiated a discount in your contract.Negotiating good terms of repair and maintenance: The postage meter suppliers are responsible for the repair of their machines. However, you should check your contract to see if they charge you for repairs and maintenance, or if they’re included at no extra charge. What’s Cheaper, Renting or Leasing a Postage Meter?Typically, it is cheaper in the long term to lease rather than rent a postage meter because the monthly price stays fixed. Often this means your postage rates remain constant even if the USPS raises its rates.However, leasing locks you in for a lengthy commitment, so be sure about your decision or you will be liable to buy out the remainder of your contract should you choose to leave early. You should also check your contract for an auto-renew clause which may enroll you on an expensive plan should you forget to cancel at the end of your deal.To discover which postage meter is the cheapest for your business needs, answer a quick quiz and we’ll contact suppliers to send you bespoke quotes. What’s Cheaper, Buying or Renting a Postage meter?A postage meter cannot be purchased in the United States; the US government and US Postal Service tightly regulate the industry and as a result, federal law forbids the private sale of them.That means your only option is hiring from approved vendors who lease or rent out postage meters. Written by: Sabrina Dougall Web Marketing Expert Sabrina is a business journalist whose career began in news reporting. She has a master's in Investigative Journalism from City University London, and her work has appeared in The Times, The Daily Express, Money Saving Expert, Camden New Journal, Global Trade Review, and Computer Business Review. She specializes in writing about SEO (search engine optimization). Having run her own small business, Sabrina knows first-hand how critical digital marketing is to building a client base and local reputation. Reviewed by: Tatiana Lebreton Senior Grow Online & Business Software Expert Tatiana is Expert Market's resident payments and online growth expert, specialising in (E)POS and merchant accounts, as well as website builders.