The Best Postage Meters for US Small Businesses

While researching the leading postage meters available in 2026, the FP PostBase Mini stood out as the best postage meter for small businesses looking to stay compliant while keeping costs down.

Although the FP PostBase Mini can only process 17 letters per minute, we really like its compact size and quiet operation, which makes it well-suited to small offices. Its Intelligent Mail Indicia (IMI) support, on the other hand, ensures uninterrupted access to commercial postage discounts.

As of 2026, USPS no longer supports Information-Based Indicia (IBI) postage, and legacy meters have been fully decommissioned across its network. For US businesses, this means that upgrading to an IMI-enabled device doesn’t just unlock better tracking and longer-term cost savings; it’s also a legal necessity.

We review the models from the best postage meter companies, breaking down their monthly costs, hardware integrations, size, and more.

Best Postage Meters: Quick Head-to-Head Pricing

Before we dive into our detailed product reviews, see how the prices of the best postage meters compare at a glance.

Best Postage Meters: In-Depth Reviews

Postage meters help small businesses nail compliance while streamlining the process of sending mail. Here are our top five picks, based on factors like leasing costs, printing speeds, size and more.

1. FP PostBase Mini: Best Postage Meter For Small Businesses Overall

The FP PostBase Mini is the smallest postage meter in the PostBase range from FP USA, at just 12.2″ W × 8.1″ D × 9.1″ H. Unsurprisingly, this quiet machine is ideal for small mailrooms, and it will even fit nicely in a home office or tucked into a reception shelf. This versatility is a key reason that we awarded it the top spot in our ranking of the top postage machines.

What do we think of the FP PostBase Mini?

Processing up to 17 letters per minute (LPM), the PostBase Mini is a low-volume machine. However, it still offers full Wi-Fi connectivity as standard, a 4.3” colour touchscreen to help you organise your mail, and a personalized (one of five colors) integrated scale.

Prices for this machine vary depending on the length of the contract and the amount of usage that’s planned. At $23.95 per month, the 36-month period is $2 cheaper than 24 or 12-month options. That works out to $24 of savings over the same contract length (though the shorter options offer greater flexibility).

FP offers postage spend tracking through its many software applications. ReportOne, the app that’s compatible with the PostBase Mini, captures postage transactions to generate reports. It can be set to report on separate departments or specific periods.

As far as customer support goes, FP offers it through its MyFP customer portal and through its call center, which is open from Monday to Friday between 8am and 6pm CST.

2. PB SendPro Mailstation: Best for Customer Support

Without the complicated bells and whistles, the Pitney Bowes SendPro Mailstation is an efficient solution that won’t ask too much of you.

But even if you have trouble, Pitney Bowes offers very comprehensive customer support, which includes on-site visits and phone support (the latter is available from Monday to Friday, from 8am to 8pm EST).

What do we think of the PB SendPro Mailstation?

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 has a color touchscreen and offers the same ease of use as a regular printer.

The SendPro Mailstation’s rental price is $29.99 per month with a 60-day free trial (for new customers). Because of this economical offer, we featured this machine in our cheapest postage meters list.

Without the scale stand, this model is nearly as compact as our frontrunner, the FP PostBase Mini. However, when configured with the scale, the Mailstation has more depth and acts more like a small workstation than a corner device.

Pitney Bowes includes postage spend tracking with its two mail accounting solutions: INVIEW Analytics and Business Manager. Both track daily/monthly spend or class of service by pieces or dollars and generate custom reports. However, Business Manager is designed to consolidate postage data across multiple sites, making it a better fit for larger companies.

Another plus is that the SendPro Mailstation is explicitly designed to meet USPS IMI standards, which became mandatory in 2024. This ensures the meter remains fully compliant with current USPS requirements, supports more accurate mail tracking and fraud prevention, and avoids the risk of using legacy indicia that are no longer accepted.

3. Quadient iX-1: Best for Ease of Use

Replacing the older Quadient IS-280, the Quadient iX-1 is a small but mighty machine, processing 18 LPM. While that’s not as fast as its iX-5 counterpart’s 75 to 110 LPM rate, it’s reportedly half the cost.

New customers opting for a 24-month contract can also receive three months free on a Quadient iX-1 postage meter rental, making it an even better value for small teams looking to stay IMI-compliant.

Notably, the iX-1 offers a high printing resolution and provides an integrated 10lb scale, which can be removed, to accurately measure larger packages.

What do we think of the Quadient iX-1?

With the Quadient iX-1, you can track spending for up to 10 departments, and customize your mail with a wide range of stock imagery. The model is a brilliant, easy-to-use option that’s suitable for businesses sending fewer than 150 pieces of mail each month.

Previously, it had custom pricing that wasn’t publicly available. However, today, Quadient is publishing pricing for the iX-1, with it being available for $27.95–$29.95 per month. At the time of writing, new customers get three months for free, too. That’s the cheapest offer for first-year spend on this page.

The Quadient iX-1 takes up more surface area than the FP PostBase Mini, but still works as a desktop device. This positions it well for small-to-mid-size offices after a desktop meter, with growing mail volumes.

Quadient also offers postage spend tracking through its software solution, Neostats. It will allow you to generate detailed reports so you can analyze the usage of mail classes and identify postage trends.

Also, there is support through its MyQuadient customer portal, as well as through its call center, which operates from Monday to Friday, from 8am to 7pm EST.

4. Quadient iX-5: Best for Growing

If your mailing solutions are scaling quickly, the Quadient iX-5 Series is an upgrade on the iX-1. Specifically, it offers higher throughput, greater weight capacity, and modular upgrades that let teams expand functionality as demand grows.

It comes with a 5lb scale as standard (with options up to 70lb), an expandable catch tray and a color screen control panel. It processes 75-110 LPM, depending on whether or not you choose the automation option, and you can print a logo or marketing message on your envelopes to add a level of customization.

What do we think of the Quadient iX-5?

Multi-carrier shipping rates are available with USPS, UPS and FedEx, which 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. Also, Quadient’s 9% discount on first-class postage applies.

Neostats, Quadient’s native mail software solution, includes postage spend tracking. It produces mail class usage reports and aggregates your overall postage data, so you can spot trends and save money, even across multiple locations.

Since it’s a dedicated mail station device, it’s notably longer than desktop meters, though, making it better suited to larger offices with centralized mail operations.

Pricing is custom for the iX-5, unlike the iX-1 listed above, meaning we can’t be sure what price you’ll be met with. But since the iX-3 is listed from $42.99 per month, we expect the cost to start from the $55–$65 mark. You’ll need to contact Quadient for an exact quote.

As with all Quadient machines, you can request support via the MyQuadient customer portal. For urgent queries, you can also contact its call center from Monday to Friday, between 8am to 7pm EST.

5. Data-Pac EZ-Mailer: Best for Heavy Mail

The Data-Pac EZ-Mailer is your heavy lifter when it comes to 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.

What do we think of the Data-Pac EZ-Mailer?

Data-Pac’s Shape-Based measurement software ensures highly accurate sizing for the best possible postage prices. It packs unlimited accounting and job reporting, as well as numerous form printing options.

However, Data-Pac doesn’t provide information on whether its software includes postage spend tracking. This is an important feature for budgeting, and we highly recommend you ask about it when you request a quote.

It’s also worth noting that Data-Pac only offers support via email. While it does pledge to answer all queries within 24 hours, it may not be the best choice if you need immediate support.

Does My Business Need a Postage Meter?

Determining whether your business requires a postage meter involves considering your current and future mailing volumes, operational efficiency and cost management strategies.

• Assessing mailing volume: If your business sends a significant number of letters or packages regularly, a postage meter can streamline the process. For instance, businesses dispatching over 100 mail items monthly may find a postage meter beneficial.
• Operational efficiency: Postage meters remove the need for frequent trips to the post office. This convenience saves time and should improve your team’s productivity, especially for businesses with consistent mailing needs.
• Cost savings: Utilising a postage meter ensures accurate postage, preventing overpayment. Additionally, some postage meters offer discounted rates compared with traditional stamps, leading to long-term savings.
• Professional image: Postage meters can print your company’s logo or promotional messages on envelopes, enhancing your brand’s professionalism and visibility.

What small businesses are suited to postage meters?

In summary, small businesses that frequently send mail, whether that’s invoices, marketing materials or packages, can significantly benefit from a postage meter. Industries such as legal services, real estate and ecommerce often find postage meters indispensable for their mailing operations for these reasons.

Should I Opt For an Online PC-Based Postage Meter Instead?

An online, PC-based postage meter is a software or web-based postage service that lets you buy and print USPS-approved postage directly from your computer, using a standard printer. Unlike traditional postage meters, there’s no physical franking machine — postage is printed as a label or indicia and attached manually to envelopes or parcels.

PC-based postage is appealing because it removes hardware and prevents businesses from being tied into lengthy contracts. As a result, this printing option tends to be better suited to very small businesses, home-based setups and businesses sending low volumes of mail.

While PC-based postage is convenient, physical postage meters still offer clear advantages for businesses that send mail frequently. This is because traditional meters let you weigh and print postage directly onto envelopes in one step, as opposed to applying labels by hand.

Physical postage meters are also designed for shared office environments, making them a good fit for mid-sized offices with different departments, as well as businesses wanting to maximize the efficiency of the postage process.

How Much Can I Save with a Postage Meter?

With inflation affecting the price of stamps across last year, it’s always smart to save where you can.

Fortunately, USPS offers discounted rates for postage meters. Currently, a single metered letter is $0.04 cheaper than a stamped letter. Previously, the differential was $0.03, so that means there’s even more of a reason to get a postage meter today.

Take a look at our table below for some exemplar savings based on postage volume:

At scale, your business saves more money with a postage meter. In the long run, you’ll keep mail costs lower when compared with buying stamps at retail price.

How quickly will my postage meter pay for itself?

This will depend 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 (not discussed here but more advanced than the Data-Pac EZ-Mailer or the Quadient iX-5) can process thousands of pieces of mail an hour, but come at a cost of thousands of dollars a month.

For modest mailing needs, a low-volume model like the Quadient iX-1 could be a great choice. Similarly, 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, such as the FP PostBase Mini and the PB SendPro Mailstation.

We can put you in touch with the perfect postage system supplier for your business, quickly and easily. All you need to do is tell us what you need with our free quote-finding tool, and we’ll match your business with suppliers that meet your requirements. They’ll get in touch with more information and obligation-free quotes.

How Can I Find the Best Postage Meter Rates?

To get the best postage meter deal for your 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.

Compare options from top postage meter suppliers with our free, 60-second quote tool. Just tell us about your business, like what you need to send and in what quantities, and you’ll receive obligation-free quotes tailored to your needs.