Slash your mailing costs and save time with a state-of-the-art franking machine from one of the UK’s top suppliers
You may have heard of the time and cost saving benefits of franking mail and you may have thought to yourself: “Great. But there’s no way my business sends enough post for it to be worth investing in.” And you would be wrong.
Yes, it’s true some machines are built to process thousands of pieces of mail daily and can cost upwards of £20,000. But there are plenty of cheap franking machines on the market that meet the needs of small businesses perfectly.
Scroll down to read our roundup of the best franking machines for small businesses, or fill in the form at the top of the page to request tailored quotes.
How much can franking save your business?
The financial benefits of franking mail are so great that even small businesses sending a low volume of post stand to save heaps of cash. Quite frankly, you’d be mad not to do it.
Franking prices are on average 10p to 20p cheaper than standard mail prices. You purchase credit from your supplier, and the franking machine automatically subtracts the exact cost of postage from your account for each item processed. The clever bean.
| Franking prices vs stamps | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Delivery service | Stamps | Franking | Annual saving* |
| 1st Class letters | 85p | 77p | £1,566 |
| 2nd Class letters | 61p | 47p | £3,654 |
* For businesses sending 100 letters on every working day
Mailmark franking
And it gets even better because there’s a new type of franking in town: Mailmark. Mailmark franking uses a machine readable 2D barcode, which makes it easier for mail to be sorted and tracked.
Not all machines are approved to print these barcodes, and those that are tend to cost a little more. But Mailmark franking prices are even lower than regular franking prices, so in the long run you’ll make back any extra cost in savings.
Prices accurate as of February 2021.
| Mailmark franking prices vs standard franking | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Delivery service | Standard franking prices | Mailmark franking prices | Annual saving* |
| 1st Class letters | 77p | 72p | £783 |
| 2nd Class letters | 55p | 47p | £1,566 |
* For businesses sending 100 letters a day on every working day
The best franking machines for small business
Below are reviews of five, low volume franking machines designed to process up to 100 pieces of mail per day — so they’re perfect for small businesses.
Our top franking machines include: the Pitney Bowes DM60, the FP Mail Postbase Mini, the Quadient IS-280C, the PB DM110i, and the FP PostBase Vision 3S franking machine.
▶ Read more: Franked mail postal rates 2021
Pitney Bowes DM60
The DM60 is the ideal entry level franking machine for businesses sending up to 30 letters or parcels per day. Once setup, it will automatically download updated mail prices to ensure you never pay more than you need. Pitney Bowes also offers a free 30-day trial, so why not give the DM60 a whirl? If you don’t like it you can hand it back with a disapproving look.
| DM60 spec. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Processing speed (letters per minute) | Maximum scales weight | Mailmark franking |
| 18 | 2.5kg | ✔ |
FP Mail PostBase Mini
The PostBase Mini has a super small footprint, Wi-Fi connectivity, and an easy-to-navigate 4.3” colour screen. It comes with a choice of three, eye catching coloured weighing scale plates — so whatever the vibe in your office, this machine will fit right in. The Mini is Mailmark approved, which allows you to take advantage of the lowest postage rates available.
| PostBase Mini spec. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Processing speed (letters per minute) | Maximum scales weight | Mailmark franking |
| 24 | 2kg | ✔ |
Quadient IS-280C
With an easy-to-navigate menu and shortcut keys for quick access to frequently used settings, the IS 280C is an ideal first franking machine for businesses. You can settle bills at the end of the month, which means you’ll never pay for more credit than what you need, and keep track of your ongoing postage costs online. Plus, there’s the option to set up as many as 10 user accounts, which allows you to view a breakdown of mail sent by department.
| IS 208C spec. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Processing speed (letters per minute) | Maximum scales weight | Mailmark franking |
| Low | 2kg | ✔ |
Pitney Bowes DM110i
The DM110i marks the next step up in affordable franking machines. With a higher processing speed than any of the models reviewed above, it’s ideal for small businesses sending regular, mid-volume mailouts. The build quality is excellent, but should something go wrong with your machine you can access the Pitney Bowes Self-Service Portal for free help and advice, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
| DM110i spec. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Processing speed (letters per minute) | Maximum scales weight | Mailmark franking |
| 25 | 2.5kg | ✔ |
FP Mail PostBase Vision 3S
The PostBase Vision 3S has everything that your modern, small business needs. It processes 35 letters per minute while offering a 5″ colour touchscreen, a 5kg integrated postal scale, and 20 different shortcuts to help you find the most commonly used postal rates with ease.
| PostBase Vision 3S spec. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Processing speed (letters per minute) | Maximum scales weight | Mailmark franking |
| 35 | 5kg | ✔ |
How much does a franking machine for small businesses cost?
So how much does a franking machine cost? Let’s talk numbers.
An entry level, low volume franking machine such as the Pitney Bowes DM60 costs £1,160 to buy outright, or £7 per week in fixed payments over the course of five years. For a slightly more advanced model, such as the FP Mail PostBase Vision 3S, you’ll looking at closer to £1,500.
This might seem like a lot, but most machines will make back their cost in savings within a year.
Is franking machine rental right for your business?
If you can’t afford to pay a large upfront sum, and you don’t want to be drawn into a lengthy lease-to-buy contract, it’s worth considering renting a franking machine. Franking rental deals start from as little as £19 per month, and the machine is covered by warranty for the length of the contract.
Next steps: How to get a franking machine
Getting free franking machine quotes with Expert Market is easy as 1, 2, 3…
Step 1: Fill in our form so we know your requirements — it only takes a minute
Step 2: We match you with the most suitable suppliers for your business — they’ll be in touch with tailored quotes
Step 3: You save money by comparing prices. Simple!
