Written by Dan Barraclough Reviewed by Heleana Neil Updated on March 20, 2023 On this page What's The Difference Between Priority Mail and Flat Rate Priority Mail? Flat Rate Priority Mail Prices Do Postage Rate Rises Apply to Flat Rate Priority Mail? How Do I Calculate Priority Rate Postage Costs? Should I Use Flat Rate or Metered Mail? 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. The new rates for speedy mail delivery are here: $8.05 for Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope, all the way up to $19.90 for Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Box. These are the USPS Commercial rates, by the by.Consumers are more impatient on delivery than ever. But, you’ll be pleased to know that packages sent by USPS Flat Rate Priority Mail will reach your customers within 1-3 days. Flat Rate Priority Mail is what Amazon, eBay, and most other online retailers rely on to ship goods to customers so quickly.The convenience of flat rate pricing means you don’t have to get lost in the weeds of counting up the pennies for every single piece of mail. You just pay one simple price no matter how far across the country your parcel travels. What’s the Difference Between Priority Mail and Flat Rate Priority Mail?The difference is that Priority Mail postage costs are based on the item’s weight and delivery zone, whereas Flat Rate Priority Mail prices are based on fixed-package dimensions, which you can see below. Flat Rate Priority Mail PricesThe Commercial Rate pricing for USPS flat rate priority mail is:Package2023 RateSizePriority Mail Flat Rate Envelope$8.0512-1/2″ x 9-1/2″Priority Mail Express Flat Rate Envelope$24.9012-1/2″ x 9-1/2″Priority Mail Small Flat Rate Box$8.558-5/8″ x 5-3/8″ x 1-5/8″Priority Mail Medium Flat Rate Box$14.7511″ x 8-1/2″ x 5-1/2″or13-5/8″ x 11-7/8″ x 3-3/8″Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Box$19.9012-1/4″ x 12-1/4″ x 6″There’s a maximum weight restriction of 70lbs for domestic mail.Importantly, you can only get the flat rate prices if you pack your mail with USPS-produced Flat Rate Envelopes or Boxes.You can order free USPS flat rate mail supplies on the official webstore. Did You Know? Speedy shipping significantly influenced 33% of online shoppers’ decisions.USPS Flat Rate boxes and envelopesBoth versions of Priority Mail offer the following:Two to three-day deliveryDelivery to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, or the U.S. Virgin Islands at domestic pricesFree Package Pickup service (USPS saves you a trip to the post office by collecting your package(s) straight from your home or your office)Packages insured for up to $50 (more insurance is available for a fee)No surcharges for residential, rural or Saturday delivery Do Postage Rate Rises Apply to Flat Rate Priority Mail?No. The rate rises are separate. We’ve observed Flat Rate Priority Mail price rises of around a dollar per mail item since 2021. This roughly tracks with inflation rates seen across the country.If you’re looking for USPS Priority Mail Rates then we’ve put together a separate guide on that. Do You Want to Save Money on Your Mail? Do you already own a postage meter? Yes No Answer the question below to get free quotes... How Do I Calculate Priority Rate Postage Costs?Priority Mail costs vary by weight for items over a certain size. That means you need to individually weigh the items you’re posting. In order to do this, you need to use a postage meter.Postage meters are designed to save your business money by calculating accurate postage costs. Postage meters can process your mail in half the time it would take you to buy stamps from the post office and manually apply them to all your mail.With those factors in mind, you’ll find that using a postage meter is an excellent way to reduce your overall administrative costs. Postage meters for small businesses can typically process around 30 letters per minute, while the larger machines can sometimes process over 100 letters per minute. Should I Use Flat Rate or Metered Mail?If you want to save time and money for your business, then you should be using a postage meter.Why? Because when you’re sending out regular mail, it works out far cheaper. If you send your mail by Priority, it’ll be faster too which will result in happier customers..Postage meter costs start from less than $20 per month (they’re only available to lease, not to buy), but the savings quickly add up. To find out more, you can request more information about prices directly from postage meter suppliers on our webform.Simply tell us what you need on our free comparison tool, and we’ll match your business with postage meter suppliers that best suit your requirements. They’ll then be in touch with free, non-obligation quotes for you to compare. Written by: Dan Barraclough Dan’s a Senior Writer at Expert Market, specialising in digital marketing, web design, and photocopiers, amongst other topics. 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.