How much does a franking machine cost?

There are two main ways to get a franking machine for your business. You can buy one outright or rent one and pay a monthly fee.

Buying a machine means a larger upfront cost, but removes the equipment rental payment. Renting lowers the initial cost, although you may be tied into a longer agreement.

Franking machines can cost between £1,000 and £27,000 to buy, while rental prices can range from around £20 to £500 a month. The actual price will depend on the model, mail volume and contract, so always check current supplier pricing.

But the machine itself is not the only cost you need to think about.

You will still need to pay for paper, envelopes and postage, just as you would when using stamps.

Franking machines also come with costs that are specific to the equipment, including:

• Ink and consumables: franking machines require specialist ink to print the postage mark. Cheaper third-party ink may also affect the warranty, depending on your supplier agreement.
• Servicing and maintenance: you may need a maintenance contract or have to pay separately for repairs, servicing and call-outs.
• Postage top-up fees: some suppliers charge when you add postage credit to the machine.
• Staff time: somebody still needs to print, fold, fill, weigh and prepare every letter.

Before signing a contract, it is worth reviewing the hidden costs of franking machines. The advertised monthly price does not always show the full cost of running one.

The monthly machine payment is only part of the picture. Add your current mailing costs below to see how they compare with sending letters through Postworks.

Include the costs you can easily see, such as postage and envelopes, as well as the ones that tend to hide in the background, such as ink, maintenance and staff time.

Before buying or renting a machine, work out how much post you send and what it really costs to prepare each letter.

This might include:

• General business correspondence
• Invoices, statements and credit notes
• Payment reminders
• Customer and operational letters

A franking machine may suit a business with a steady volume of post and staff available to manage the process in-house.

For smaller or changing mail volumes, a long contract may be harder to justify. The right option depends on your postage, equipment and staff costs rather than one fixed number of letters.

A franking machine is not the only way to send business post.

With Postworks Send, you upload your letters online and Postworks handles the printing, folding, enclosing and postage.

That means there is no machine to rent, no specialist ink to order and no pile of envelopes waiting for somebody to deal with them.

Take a look at our guide to franking machine alternatives, or use the calculator above to compare your current mailing costs.