Let’s start with a brief history and overview to get us started. In the 1880s, a postage stamp affixing machine was first introduced. However, the first postage meter wasn’t approved by postal authorities until 1923. The earliest versions of postage meters featured manual cranks, printing die and counters so that the postage applied could be recorded. Jump ahead several decades to the present where the technology has drastically advanced and the product offerings fit a range of companies, from small start-ups to large enterprise level mailrooms.

Postage Meters can be called a variety of names including: mailing machines, franking machines, postage machines, stamp machines, postage printers, mailing systems, mail meters, and the list goes on. No matter what you call them, they all do basically the same job: calculate postage rates and print postage.

The creation and distribution of Postage Meters are regulated by the United States Postal Service, which means that you can’t outright buy a postage meter. Because of this, you have to rent or lease a machine from a postage meter manufacturer or authorized dealer (for more information see The Top 5 Qualities you should look for in your Postage Meter Provider). For a leased machine, you will normally sign a contract for 1-5 years, with longer terms usually resulting in lower payments, and pay a monthly fee. There are lots of variations in sizing, pricing, and capabilities for the postage meters, which makes it easier to find one that fits your business’ needs.

If you regularly send more than a few envelopes, you can save time and money by automating your mailroom processes with a postage meter. So how exactly can they help you out?

Manual
Insert envelope, print, remove envelope by hand. Best for low volume

Semi-Automatic
Insert envelope by hand, machine grabs and prints one-at-a-time.
Best for low-to-medium volume.

Automatic
Load a stack of envelopes in the feeder, machine grabs and prints in batches.
Best for medium-to-high volume mailing.