Postage Rates by Weight

If you send mail via USPS in different sizes and weights, you must refer to the price list to find the cheapest options. 

You are probably wondering whether the mailpiece’s weight affects the shipping rate, the amount you need to pay for domestic shipping, and ways to calculate the shipping cost of your mailpiece. 

This article serves as a guide about the different postage rates by weight. It also discusses rate options and lists postage rates, categories, and domestic prices. The write-up also gives a guideline on calculating the cost of shipping your package.

If you need to know the exact rate of your package, visit FindPostOffice.org. Our search tool lets you search for a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) post office by state, city, or ZIP code for your convenience. 

You can ask your local post office employee to calculate your package’s shipping rate.

Shipping Rates by Weight Chart

It is essential, especially for small businesses, to research the most affordable shipping solution using USPS mailing to save on postage expenses. 

Understanding how weight affects shipping costs is helpful, especially if you own an eCommerce site and need to calculate shipping costs. USPS typically charges by weight and zone. 

What Is USPS Commercial Plus Pricing (CPP)?

Various USPS pricing options are available, and the cost you receive is essential. 

The entry-level price is USPS Retail Pricing. You will pay this USPS rate at the local post office or other retail outlets. Several businesses provide Commercial Base Pricing (ComBasPrice), which gives some cost savings over USPS Retail. 

What Factors Impacted Cost?

Many factors can affect how much a package costs to mail. However, some will not be considered if you pick a particular shipping method. 

The factors influencing how much it costs to mail a package are the weight, destination, size, and shipping speed.

Some types of mail require you to consider each of these aspects, but others ask you to select a few. Your choice of shipment speed will always matter and is the most affected factor on the final rate.

Knowing the various shipping categories and where the weight and size bands fall would be best. You can save money by ensuring that your cargo falls under a weight or size cutoff restriction. 

What Is a Shipping Rates by Weight Chart?

Shipping providers like USPS create shipping rates by weight chart, allowing you to estimate the cost of sending an item. 

You can consider the weight you are shipping and the location where the package is going when figuring out the shipping cost. 

Weight charts are available on the USPS website. Through those charts, you can calculate the cost of your packages easily. Still, several shipping companies do not offer these charts. So you should enter information into their website to understand their pricing.

You may use the weight chart if you are mailing something and are not using the Flat Rate service.

USPS Postage Rates

Weight, mail class, and shape are considered when calculating USPS Rates. Customers that purchase various services from online PC Postage services like Stamps.com can receive lower prices. 

USPS First Class Shipping Rates by Weight Charts

Below are the weights and costs of the various First Class alternatives you can choose if you send mail via the First Class service.

• Stamped letter. Stamped letter postage costs $0.58 for 1oz to $1.18 for a 3.5oz parcel.

• Metered letter. Metered letter postage costs slightly less than stamped one, with $0.53 for a package weighing under 1oz and $1.13 for a 3.5oz mail.

• Large Envelope. Large envelope postage ranges from $1.16 for a mailpiece weighing under 1oz to $3.56 for 13oz.

• First Class Package. First-class package postage depends on a mailpiece’s weight and location. The heavier the mail and the farther the delivery destination are, the higher the postage. 

Zones 1 and 2 postage ranges from $4.50 for a mailpiece weighing under 1oz to $7.05 for 13oz. Postage in zone 3 ranges from $4.60 for a piece of mail weighing under 1oz to $7.10 for 13oz.

Zone 6 has postage prices ranging from $4.75 for mail weighing under 1oz to $7.40 for 13oz. Zones 8 and 9 have postage rates that range from $5 for packages weighing less than 1oz to $7.65 for 13oz.

USPS Priority Mail Shipping Rates by Weight Chart

The farther away the recipient is from you, the higher the zone and the more it will cost.

Below are the prices for USPS Priority Mail shipping rates by weight chart as of May 2022.

• Zones 1 and 2. The lowest shipping rate is $8.70 for a pound, and the highest is $50.45 for a 70lb package. 

• Zone 3, 4, and 5. The lowest rate at zone three, four, and five for a 1lb parcel and below is $9.10, $9.45, and $9.85, respectively. Meanwhile, the highest rate is $106.05 for a 70lb package. 

• Zone 6, 7, and 8. The lowest cost is $10.15, while the most expensive option costs $184.20.

• Zone 9. In zone nine, the least costly rate is $19.40 for parcels weighing under one pound, while the most expensive rate is $364.85.

USPS Commercial Plus Rate Chart

As of October 2022, the USPS Commercial Plus Rate Chart is as follows.

• Priority Mail. For packages weighing 1 to 15oz, the rate for Priority Mail is $7.62.

• ParcelSelect. If you send an item through ParcelSelect, the charge is $7.47 for items weighing 1 to 15oz. 

• First. The shipping rate ranges from $3.62 to $5.74.

• Express. Sending a package through Express costs $23.75 to $24.

• LibraryMail. The rate for sending a package through LibraryMail is $3.32 for packages weighing 15oz and below.

• MediaMail. Parcels sent through MediaMail 15oz and under cost $3.49 to ship.

USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate Options

EasyPost offers a technical connection to the USPS’s services as a PC Postage Provider.

Depending on your mailpiece’s weight, you can save anywhere from 11.9% to 14.1% via EasyPost compared to USPS’ retail rate. The following is the price update as of October 2, 2022. 

• FlatRateEnvelope. Flat rate envelope postage costs $8.50 for EasyPost and $9.90 for retail. 

• FlatRateWindowEnvelope. For EasyPost, a window envelope mailing costs $8.50 and $9.90 for retail.

• SmallFlatRateEnvelope. A small envelope mailing with EasyPost costs $8.50 and $9.90 at retail.

• FlatRatePaddedEnvelope. For EasyPost, the postage of a padded envelope costs $9.20. At retail, it costs $10.60. 

• FlatRateLegalEnvelope. Legal envelope postage is $8.80 through EasyPost. The retail price is $10.20.

• SmallFlatRateBox. A small box mailing with EasyPost costs $9 and $10.40 at retail.

• MediumFlatRateBox. A medium box mailing costs $15 for EasyPost and $17.05 for retail. 

• LargeFlatRateBox. For EasyPost, the postage of a large box costs $19.95. At retail, it costs $22.45. 

• LargeFlatRateBoxAPOFPO. An APO or FPO Box mailing with EasyPost costs $18.45 and $20.95 at retail.

Cubic Price Chart by Zone

Depending on your mail’s delivery destination, the following is the cubic price update as of October 2, 2022. 

The postage rate for a mailpiece weighing 0.1cu ft ranges from $7.79 to $19.36. Meanwhile, a 0.1 cu ft mail costs between $8.27 and $25.89 to ship.

A mailpiece weighing 0.3 cu ft has a postage cost that ranges from $8.50 to $35.26. Meanwhile, a 0.4 cu ft of mail postage costs between $8.62 and $43.47.

A 0.5cu ft mailpiece costs between $8.75 and $52.01 to mail.

Domestic Prices

Priority Mail shipping price costs anywhere between $7.62 to $9. Meanwhile, Priority Mail Express postage ranges from $23.75 to 27.25. 

First-Class services postage costs from $06.0 to $4.80, while postage for Priority Mail Express ranges from $23.75 to 27.25.

Other mailing services such as Marketing Mail, Every Door Direct Mail, Parcel Select services, Retail Ground, Return services, Media Mail, and Library Mail cost from $0.179 to $7.47.

Postage for Bound Printed Matter and Periodicals varies. See your USPS sales agent in Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Denver, Oklahoma, and other cities in the United States for open and distribute services postage rate.

International Prices

Priority Mail International postage ranges from $28.13 to $73.80. Meanwhile, Priority Mail Express International costs anywhere between $37.47 to $47.95. 

First Class international shipping, including First Class Package International Service, vary from $1.40 to $2.75, while International Business Reply starts at $1.90 apiece. 

Global Express Guaranteed shipping costs $64.41 to $67.80, while Airmail M-Bags start from $52.80. Other services, such as International Priority Airmail and International Surface AirLift, vary. 

Postage Categories

Shipping cost depends on the shape of your mail.

Standard Letters 

A standard letter is a rectangular card or envelope. It must be at least 3.5in high, 5 inches long, and 0.007in. Maximum dimensions are no more than 6.13in tall, 11.5in long, and 0.25in thick. 

Large Envelopes or Flats

Flats are rectangular cards or envelopes that are heavier or larger than letters. 

Parcels

Your mailpiece is a parcel if it does not meet the mail processing category of a letter or flat (big envelope).

Cost of First-Class Stamps

Letter Stamps

Stamp prices for rectangular, standard-size envelopes start at $0.60. Meanwhile, Stamp rates for square, oversized, or unusual envelopes start at $0.99.

Postcard Stamps

Costs for stamps on postcards of standard size and shape start at $0.44.

Global Forever (International)

Stamp prices for rectangular, standard-size envelopes start at $1.40.

Information on the USPS Postage Rate Increase

On Sunday, July 2022, USPS introduced new postage rates for most postal products.

Below is the information on the USPS postage rate increase.

• For postage purchased at the Post Office, the First-Class Mail one-ounce letter rate increased to $0.60.
• First-Class Mail 1oz letters now cost $0.57 for “Metered Mail,” which includes online postage and postage meters. 
• First-Class Mail letters now cost $0.24 for additional ounces.
• Prices for special services like Registered Mail, Signature Confirmation, and Return Receipt increased.
• First-Class Mail flats or large envelopes weighing an ounce cost $1.20. Postcard prices are currently $0.44.
• For postage bought at the Post Office or online, First-Class Mail International is now $1.30 and $4 for Certified Mail.

Summary of the Postage Rate Increase

Below is the summary of the implementation of the 2022 domestic postage rate increase.

•  First-Class Package Service, Priority Mail, and Priority Mail Express rates for Commercial Base increased. 

• Commercial Base (online postage) rates for Parcel Select Ground start at $7.22. 

• If the customer failed to supply dimensions or provided false dimensions inside an online postage provider, a $1.50 fee was added for packages larger than one cu ft or with a box length greater than 22in. Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, and Parcel Select Ground are all affected by this.

• When a package’s dimensions necessitated manual sorting by the USPS because they were too large, a new “nonstandard fee” was implemented. Rates will change according to the size of the box.

• A $4.00 surcharge will be applied to packages longer than 22in, $15 for products longer than 30in, and items larger than two cu ft. Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, and Parcel Select Ground are all affected by this.

The shipping rate increase impacts almost all eCommerce shippers. Still, USPS postage is cheaper than UPS and FedEx services for most package sizes and destinations.

UPS

One of the leading package delivery companies in the world, United Parcel Service (UPS) is also a market leader in supply chain management services. 

Even though UPS and USPS run entirely different businesses, they provide similar package delivery services in the United States and other countries.

How Do I Calculate Shipping Costs?

The price of USPS postage varies depending on the level of service. For USPS Priority Mail, the price depends on the weight and route, with a few exceptions. 

Are There Other Ways to Calculate Shipping Costs?

USPS Priority Mail Cubic shipping costs are based on your mailpiece’s size rather than weight. Priority Mail Cubic rate depending on package size makes it one of the least expensive shipping alternatives for packages smaller than a shoebox.

The USPS also uses Dimensional Weight Pricing, which considers size when computing the price for packages with a capacity greater than one cubic foot.

Additionally, as long as your item fits inside the matching container, size and weight are irrelevant when using the USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate service.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How huge of a box can I ship with USPS?

With USPS Priority Mail, you can ship items weighing up to 70lb in boxes with a maximum length and width of 108 inches.

2. What is the largest size box used for Priority Mail?

The largest branded USPS Priority Mail box is the Priority Mail Large Flat Rate box, which measures 12.25in (L) by 12.25in (W) by 8.5in (H) and can hold up to 70lb.

3. Does the USPS charge by weight or size?

Depending on the level of service, different USPS postage rates apply. With a few exceptions, the cost of USPS Priority Mail, is determined by the weight and distance traveled.

4. How much does USPS shipping cost per pound?

Weight and distance traveled determine USPS delivery charges. USPS First-Class Package Service prices for packages weighing under one pound begin at $2.74.

USPS can deliver packages up to 70lb.

5. What is the cheapest way to ship internationally?

A cost-effective choice for delivering overseas is the USPS. Some inexpensive shipping choices are First-Class Package International Service for light products and Priority Mail International for packages weighing more than one pound. For packages that need to arrive sooner, use Priority Mail Express International.

6. How much is a first and second-class stamp?

First-class stamps cost 95p while second-class stamps cost 68p. They cost £1.45 to mail a large First-Class letter, while a large Second-Class mail stamp costs £1.05.

Royal Mail is aware of how difficult the current economic climate is for many businesses. As a result, it has carefully considered price changes and tried to reduce any negative effects on customers.