Why the meter is leased
A postage meter prints money: each imprint is proof that postage was paid. USPS regulations (39 CFR Part 501) allow only authorized providers to make and distribute postage evidencing systems, and those providers keep ownership of the secure device that holds the postage funds. You lease it, refill it with postage online, and return it when you stop. The main providers are Pitney Bowes, Quadient and FP.
What you pay for
- The lease on the meter and base, monthly or quarterly.
- Postage, loaded in advance. Metered mail qualifies for lower letter prices than retail stamps, and that saving is how a meter pays for itself at volume.
- Ink, specific to the machine.
- A scale and rate updates, often bundled.
The same contract warnings as a copier lease apply: check the term, the auto-renewal notice window and what happens to unused postage at the end.
When you do not need one
PC Postage services print postage on an ordinary printer or label printer from an online account, with no meter to lease. For a business sending a few dozen letters or parcels a week that is usually cheaper. A meter starts to make sense when volume is high enough that feeding envelopes through a machine saves real staff time.
Certified mailing machines
These mailing machines are certified under ENERGY STAR for the US market.
| Model | Type | Speed | Certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Francotyp-Postalia FPB2202 | Mono · Inkjet | 100 ppm | Nov 2019 |
| Francotyp-Postalia PFL1103 | Mono · Inkjet | 70 ppm | Nov 2019 |
| Francotyp-Postalia PostBase Fusion | Inkjet | 70 ppm | Apr 2025 |
| Francotyp-Postalia PostBase Mini | Mono · Inkjet | 15 ppm | Mar 2022 |
| Francotyp-Postalia PostBase Vision M2 | Inkjet | 15 ppm | Mar 2026 |
| Pitney Bowes MailCenter 1000 Mailing System | Inkjet | 180 ppm | Dec 2022 |
| Pitney Bowes MailCenter 2000 Mailing System | Inkjet | 180 ppm | Dec 2022 |
| Pitney Bowes MailCenter 3000 Mailing System | Inkjet | 310 ppm | Dec 2022 |
| Pitney Bowes SendPro C200 | Mono · Inkjet | 65 ppm | Mar 2020 |
| Pitney Bowes SendPro C500 | Mono · Inkjet | 120 ppm | Sep 2019 |
| Pitney Bowes SendPro P1000 Mailing System | Inkjet | 180 ppm | Nov 2021 |
| Pitney Bowes SendPro P2000 Basic Mailing System | Inkjet | 180 ppm | Nov 2021 |
| Pitney Bowes SendPro P3000 Mailing System | Inkjet | 310 ppm | Nov 2021 |
| Pitney Bowes Sendpro SPP CSD1 | Inkjet | 12 ppm | Feb 2020 |
| Quadient IS-280 | Mono · Inkjet | 20 ppm | Dec 2024 |
| Quadient IS-350 | Mono · Inkjet | 44 ppm | Mar 2025 |
| Quadient IS-420 | Mono · Inkjet | 65 ppm | Dec 2024 |
| Quadient IS-440 | Mono · Inkjet | 95 ppm | Mar 2025 |
| Quadient IS-480 | Mono · Inkjet | 150 ppm | Mar 2025 |
| Quadient IS-5000 | Mono · Inkjet | 150 ppm | Jul 2023 |
| Quadient IS-6000 | Mono · Inkjet | 150 ppm | Jul 2023 |
| Quadient IX-1 | Mono · Inkjet | 20 ppm | Dec 2024 |
| Quadient IX-3 | Mono · Inkjet | 45 ppm | Jul 2023 |
| Quadient IX-4 | Inkjet | 45 ppm | Sep 2025 |
| Quadient IX-5 | Mono · Inkjet | 110 ppm | Jul 2023 |
| Quadient IX-6 | Inkjet | 110 ppm | Sep 2025 |
| Quadient IX-7 | Mono · Inkjet | 140 ppm | Jul 2023 |
| Quadient IX-8 | Inkjet | 150 ppm | Sep 2025 |
| Quadient iX-9 series | Mono · Inkjet | 270 ppm | Sep 2022 |