The next USPS® price change will take effect on January 21, 2018, and involves both Competitive and Market Dominant mail classes. Both primary competitors of the USPS, UPS and FedEx, will also increase their rates on December 24, 2017 and January 1, 2018, respectively.
Endicia will update all service offerings with the new prices and applicable regulations to ensure our customers are compliant and print postage correctly. We are committed to providing our customers with all USPS options as soon as they are available, and we make it a priority to educate our customers and partners about the changes and how they will be affected.
For more information, download our PDF:
2018 USPS Postage Rate Increase Guide
Key Highlights or Changes
Starting at 12:01 a.m. Sunday, January 21, 2018:
- Competitive Mail Classes:
- First-Class Package Service Commercial Base Pricing will increase by 3.9 percent, with rates increasing the most for packages weighing 13 ounces or more.
- Priority Mail Commercial Base Pricing will increase by 6.2 percent.
- Priority Mail Flat Rate Commercial Base Pricing will increase by $0.45 to $0.60 per piece, depending on the envelope or box used.
- Priority Mail Express Commercial Base Pricing will increase by 3.7 percent
- Priority Mail Express Flat Rate Envelopes Commercial Base Pricing will increase by $0.80 to $0.82 per piece, depending on the type of envelope.
- Global Express Guaranteed, Priority Mail International, Priority Mail Express International and First-Class Package International Service rates will all increase by an average of 3.9 percent.
- Market Dominant Mail Classes:
- The retail rate for a First-Class Mail® Letter postage stamp will increase one cent, from $0.49 to $0.50.
- If using PC Postage or a postage meter, the First-Class Mail Letter postage stamp rate will increase one cent, from $0.46 to $0.47.
- The price to send First-Class Mail Flats/Large Envelopes will increase two cents, from $0.98 to $1.00.
Carrier comparisons and USPS savings
When we compare 2018 pricing between USPS Priority Mail®, FedEx Home Delivery® and UPS® Ground, what we find is that USPS will be even MORE competitive with the private carriers in certain weights and zones than they were in 2017.
While rates have increased across the board with all three carriers, the savings between the private carriers and USPS has also increased.
As an example, if we compare the costs to ship a 1 lb. package to Zone 8 in 2017 to what you'll pay in 2018 (see chart below), you'll notice that when using USPS you will save $0.17 more per package over using FedEx and a whopping $1.84 more per package over using UPS.
| FedEx vs. USPS* 1 lb. package to Zone 8 | 2017 | 2018 | Additional savings 2018 vs. 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|
| FedEx Home Delivery | $11.15 | $11.83 | |
| Zone 9 (vs. 2013 Zone 8) | $7.25 | $7.76 | |
| Savings with USPS | $3.90 | $4.07 | $0.17 |
* FedEx rates calculated using published 2017 and 2018 retail rates with 20% discount. Residential and fuel surcharges added. USPS rates calculated using 2017 and 2018 Commercial Base Rates.
| UPS vs. USPS* 1 lb. package to Zone 8 | 2017 | 2018 | Additional savings 2018 vs. 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPS Ground | $11.28 | $13.63 | |
| USPS Priority Mail | $7.25 | $7.76 | |
| Savings with USPS | $4.03 | $5.87 | $1.84 |
* UPS rates calculated using published 2017 and 2018 retail rates with 20% discount. Residential and fuel surcharges added. USPS rates calculated using 2017 and 2018 Commercial Base Rates.
And, when compared to UPS you'll also see significant savings at higher weights and zones with USPS than you did in 2017.
The yellow cells below show the weights and zones where USPS Priority Mail saved you money in 2017 versus UPS Ground. You'll still save in these weights and zones in 2018, but notice the green cells, which show the additional weights and zones where you'll see additional savings in 2018. And, keep in mind that the pricing used in this chart is based solely on actual weight not dimensional weight, so based on the size of your packages, your savings could be even higher.
USPS Priority Mail savings vs. UPS Ground 2018*
| Zones | 1&2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 lb | -$7.08 | -$6.63 | -$6.53 | -$6.43 | -$6.28 | -$6.13 | -$5.87 |
| 2 lb | -$6.53 | -$6.38 | -$6.23 | -$5.48 | -$4.16 | -$3.34 | -$3.68 |
| 3 lb | -$6.43 | -$5.95 | -$5.16 | -$4.37 | -$1.99 | -$1.93 | -$1.88 |
| 4 lb | -$6.32 | -$5.58 | -$4.94 | -$4.45 | -$1.57 | -$0.54 | -$0.28 |
| 5 lb | -$6.22 | -$5.21 | -$4.26 | -$4.65 | -$0.27 | $0.70 | $1.89 |
| 6 lb | -$6.11 | -$4.84 | -$4.18 | -$1.91 | $0.31 | $2.01 | $3.53 |
| 7 lb | -$5.59 | -$3.99 | -$4.47 | -$1.71 | $1.87 | $4.11 | $5.79 |
| 8 lb | -$5.14 | -$3.73 | -$3.35 | -$0.32 | $3.46 | $5.98 | $8.17 |
| 9 lb | -$4.91 | -$3.74 | -$3.54 | -$0.10 | $5.15 | $6.91 | $10.60 |
| 10 lb | -$4.40 | -$3.63 | -$3.84 | $0.82 | $4.70 | $8.55 | $11.14 |
| 11 lb | -$3.02 | -$1.37 | -$1.74 | $1.91 | $5.02 | $9.21 | $11.83 |
| 12 lb | -$2.64 | -$0.74 | $0.44 | $2.32 | $6.39 | $9.39 | $12.65 |
| 13 lb | -$2.21 | -$0.50 | $1.14 | $3.31 | $7.68 | $9.24 | $12.21 |
| 14 lb | -$1.84 | $0.21 | $1.50 | $4.05 | $8.31 | $9.97 | $12.53 |
| 15 lb | -$1.61 | $0.71 | $2.18 | $5.07 | $8.46 | $9.26 | $11.90 |
| 16 lb | -$1.47 | $0.61 | $1.86 | $5.88 | $9.61 | $10.51 | $13.13 |
| 17 lb | -$1.62 | $1.27 | $2.68 | $6.66 | $10.16 | $11.13 | $14.06 |
| 18 lb | -$1.54 | $1.50 | $3.33 | $6.35 | $11.12 | $11.99 | $14.90 |
| 19 lb | -$1.47 | $1.53 | $3.72 | $6.13 | $11.76 | $12.82 | $15.69 |
| 20 lb | -$1.10 | $1.41 | $3.70 | $5.77 | $11.60 | $13.26 | $16.48 |
| 21 lb | -$0.65 | $1.16 | $2.63 | $5.39 | $10.67 | $12.30 | $15.56 |
| 22 lb | -$0.42 | $1.39 | $2.45 | $5.31 | $9.61 | $11.25 | $14.52 |
| 23 lb | -$0.09 | $1.01 | $2.43 | $3.82 | $8.59 | $10.24 | $13.05 |
| 24 lb | $0.34 | $1.49 | $3.26 | $4.19 | $8.23 | $10.21 | $12.67 |
| 25 lb | $0.39 | $1.86 | $3.69 | $4.53 | $7.65 | $10.24 | $11.98 |
| 26 lb | -$0.03 | $1.94 | $5.27 | $5.58 | $7.43 | $10.27 | $12.33 |
| 27 lb | -$0.11 | $1.71 | $6.38 | $8.12 | $6.77 | $9.76 | $13.15 |
| 28 lb | -$0.10 | $1.44 | $6.69 | $8.23 | $6.22 | $10.30 | $13.94 |
| 29 lb | $0.03 | $0.95 | $7.01 | $8.02 | $6.04 | $10.65 | $15.07 |
| 30 lb | $0.14 | $1.04 | $7.21 | $7.66 | $6.06 | $10.19 | $15.23 |
| 31 lb | $0.11 | $0.28 | $6.45 | $7.29 | $5.77 | $10.34 | $14.80 |
| 32 lb | $0.05 | $0.33 | $5.63 | $6.85 | $5.14 | $10.41 | $14.63 |
| 33 lb | $0.14 | $0.65 | $5.14 | $6.79 | $5.07 | $10.45 | $14.49 |
| 34 lb | $0.11 | $0.84 | $4.94 | $6.58 | $5.14 | $10.52 | $14.32 |
| 35 lb | $0.16 | $1.02 | $4.55 | $6.74 | $5.51 | $10.57 | $14.11 |
| 36 lb | -$0.08 | $0.53 | $4.26 | $6.84 | $5.85 | $10.19 | $14.10 |
| 37 lb | -$0.46 | $0.52 | $3.96 | $6.90 | $6.33 | $9.87 | $14.25 |
| 38 lb | -$0.66 | $0.79 | $3.49 | $6.87 | $6.97 | $9.38 | $14.42 |
| 39 lb | -$0.86 | $0.98 | $3.19 | $7.14 | $6.84 | $9.37 | $14.39 |
| 40 lb | -$1.04 | $1.27 | $2.84 | $7.41 | $6.85 | $9.75 | $14.48 |
| 41 lb | -$0.88 | $1.47 | $2.48 | $7.12 | $7.04 | $10.40 | $14.83 |
| 42 lb | -$0.89 | $1.04 | $1.83 | $7.24 | $7.35 | $10.30 | $14.89 |
| 43 lb | -$0.85 | $0.00 | $1.12 | $7.28 | $7.93 | $10.29 | $14.84 |
| 44 lb | -$0.83 | -$0.46 | $1.02 | $7.41 | $8.05 | $10.47 | $15.11 |
| 45 lb | -$0.92 | -$0.56 | $1.01 | $7.48 | $7.88 | $10.60 | $15.07 |
| 46 lb | -$1.11 | -$0.54 | $0.96 | $7.58 | $7.75 | $10.74 | $14.99 |
| 47 lb | -$1.10 | -$0.65 | $0.99 | $7.74 | $7.66 | $10.93 | $14.86 |
| 48 lb | -$1.10 | -$0.59 | $0.96 | $7.87 | $7.74 | $10.98 | $14.74 |
| 49 lb | -$1.12 | -$0.64 | $1.04 | $7.96 | $7.95 | $10.60 | $14.93 |
| 50 lb | -$1.16 | -$0.66 | $1.13 | $8.71 | $8.72 | $10.94 | $15.14 |
* UPS rates calculated using published 2018 retail rates with 20% discount. Residential and fuel surcharges added. USPS rates calculated using published 2018 Commercial Base Rates
