Postage Meter

If you are looking to buy a postage meter, you will need to purchase a USPS Approved Postage Meter. The USPS (United States Postal Service) only allows a few companies to sell postage meters to the public, so your options are limited. To clarify, you cannot buy a postage meter. Federal law only allows renting or leasing of postage meters.

There you two types of postage meters that you can rent or lease. The first is digital which will weight your package or letter and automatically print the postage for you. It also handles all the billing for you. The second type of postage meter is one with a spring scale, or a non-digital postage meter. This one will weigh your package or envelope, but you will have to input the weight into some program, and then the postage will print. Basically, in a digital postage meter, the scale and print functionality are combined in one, while in the spring scale they are separated.

When you shop for your postage meter, most places will give you some sort of discount or free postage when you purchase your postage meter. For example, Stamps.com gives you an $80 offer when you sign up. Pitney Bowes gives you a 60-day free trial, and if you stay on after the free trial, you will receive $100 in free postage.

When you buy a postage meter, or rent a postage meter, you will usually have to sign a contract for at least one year. The longer you sign the contract, the better the rental rate will be. Rates for the postage meter will include not only the rental fee, but you will also have to pay for the postage.