What Is The Cheapest Postage Meter?

Colleagues discussing cheapest postage meter

The cheapest postage meter rental deal is the Quadient IS-280 at $19.75 per month. This adds up to just $237 for the year, which is far lower than many other postage meter contracts we’ve seen.

That said, a cheap monthly rental does not mean the lowest costs overall, since mailing rates can always rise if you’re not on a fixed-fee mailing contract. But if you have a low monthly mailing volume and you’re willing to check your contract carefully there’s no reason not to take advantage of cheap rental deals.

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.

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The Top Three Cheapest Postage Meter Rentals

The cheapest postage meters are:

  • Quadient IS-280
  • FP PostBase mini
  • Pitney Bowes SendPro Mailstation

Quadient IS-280

Price: From $19.75 per month

Quadient is one of the best postage meter companies in the US and its entry-level machine can process up to 18 LPM (letters per minute) and comes with an integrated 2lb scale that can be upgraded to 5lb. Ideal for small mailing rooms, this machine is one of the cheapest models on the market.


FP PostBase Mini

Price: From $21.95 per month

Rental price applies to 26 or 42 months’ contract. With a processing speed of up to 17 LPM, it’s not the quickest, but FP’s PostBase mini is one of the most wallet-friendly postage meters around. With a color touchscreen and 5lb integrated scale, this model has the basic functions a small mailroom needs and tops our best postage meters for small businesses list.


Pitney Bowes SendPro Mailstation

Price: From $29.99 per month

As one of the cheapest meters on the market, the Mailstation2 is ideal for any business looking to process low volumes of mail. As a relatively small machine, the Mailstation2 fits comfortably even in the smallest office spaces.


How to Get Cheap Postage Meter Contracts

To 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
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.
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Headshot of Expert Market Senior Writer Tatiana Lebtreton
Tatiana is Expert Market's resident payments and online growth expert, specialising in (E)POS and merchant accounts, as well as website builders.