Compare Franking Machine Prices 2024

On 3 April 2023, Royal Mail raised the price of first and second class stamps for the first time in two years. In announcing the increase, Royal Mail emphasised that the new prices are still cheaper than the European average and stated that the price hike was necessary in order to maintain a six-day-a-week, one-price-goes-anywhere service.

At the same time, Royal Mail also announced small increases to the costs of using franked mail. The good news for businesses is that sending mail with a franking machine still represents a considerable discount when compared to the cost of using stamps.

The evidence is clear: while Royal Mail has made increases across the board, franking is still the cheaper option. Any business that sends out medium to large quantities of mail can reap huge dividends with the addition of a franking machine to the mailroom.

The best way to get the right franking machine for your business is to compare the various deals on offer. Only with multiple quotes will you be equipped to make an informed decision and take a big step towards reducing your company’s costs.

The cost of sending a first class letter weighing up to 100g with a stamp to anywhere in the UK has gone up to £1.25 pence in 2023.

The same 1st class letter can be sent franked for £1.06 pence. That’s a 17% saving. The same size letter costs 75 pence to send with a second class stamp, but only 69 pence to send franked: a 8% reduction.

Similar savings can be made on other types of mail. A large letter costs £1.95 to send with a stamp, and only £1.52 to send franked – a 22% saving. To send the same item with a second class stamp costs £1.55 but only £1.13 franked, that’s 27% cheaper.

Parcels can also be delivered much cheaper with franked mail. A first class medium parcel [up to 2kg] is 15% cheaper to send using franked mail, while the same parcel can be sent second class 18.2% reduction.

The difference in prices of franked mail and standard stamps can be seen across a wide selection of Royal Mail’s delivery options. These include:

Next Day Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm the next day: Depending on the size of the parcel and the value of the compensation for loss or damage, these can be sent at costs from £6.35 for upto 100g and £7.15 for upto 500g.

Recorded Signed For Fee: This service requires a signature on delivery, and is increasingly popular due to the added security this measure can provide. To send a letter (up to 100g) first class costs £1.50 franked.

When assessing the advantages that a franking machine could bring to your business, it helps to be fully aware of the costs involved in sending mail and how these costs are set.

Royal Mail categorises mail items according to their size and weight, and the same measurements apply to the cost of franked mail as they do with stamps. The item sizes are broken down as follows:

Letter: This must have a maximum length of 240mm, a max height of 165mm and a max thickness of 5mm. It can weigh up to 100g.

Large letter: These can be up to 353mm long, 250mm wide and 25mm in depth. They must weigh no more than 750g.

Small parcel: There are two maximum size options for small parcels. They can either have a length of 350mm, a width of 250mm and a depth of 160mm, or else they can come in a large size, but with less depth: 450mm long, 350mm wide and 80mm deep. In both cases they must weigh no more than 2kg.

Medium parcel: These can weigh up to 20kg, and must have dimensions no larger than 610mm (length), 460mm (width) and 460mm (depth).

For example, to send a 100g letter to Europe would cost £3.20 in stamps and only £3.05 franked, saving almost 5% on the cost of posting.

For more detailed information about the franking prices that were set by Royal Mail as of 3 April 2023, see the Royal Mail website or download the Royal Mail franking prices wallchart.