Franking Machine Buyers Checklist 2026: 25 Checks

Buying or leasing a franking machine is a commitment that can last five years. A few minutes with a checklist can save hundreds of pounds and a lot of hassle. Work through these 25 checks before you sign. Checked October 2026.

Part 1: Know your post

1. Count your daily volume. Tally everything you send for two normal weeks and take the average.
2. Split it by format. Letters, large letters and parcels are priced very differently. On 2026 prices, a 1st Class letter is £1.77 franked, a 1st Class large letter up to 100g is £2.86, and a 1st Class small parcel up to 2kg is £5.45.
3. Note your heaviest item. This decides the scale you need. Small parcels go up to 2kg.
4. Check your class mix. How much goes 1st Class and how much 2nd?
5. Work out the saving. Multiply your monthly volumes by the gap between stamp and franked prices. Our franking savings calculator does this for you.

Part 2: Choose the right machine

6. Size it to a normal week, not your busiest one.
7. Confirm it is Mailmark. Royal Mail has only accepted franked mail from Mailmark machines since 1 January 2023.
8. Check the feed. Manual feed is fine under about 50 items a day. Above that, look at automatic feeding.
9. Check label printing if you send parcels.
10. Check connectivity. WiFi or a network connection makes top ups and rate updates easy.
11. Check department accounts if you need to split spend across teams or clients.
12. See a demonstration with your own envelopes before deciding.

Part 3: Compare suppliers

13. Get at least three quotes, ideally across more than one brand. In the UK you will be offered machines from Pitney Bowes, Quadient or FP.
14. Ask for the same spec from each, so quotes are comparable.
15. Check who services the machine. Is it the supplier or the manufacturer?
16. Ask about local engineers and typical response times.

Royal Mail authorises the manufacturers and says it does not recommend one company over another, so the choice is yours. Our compare franking machines page sets models side by side.

Part 4: Read the contract

17. Term length. How many months, and is that right for your plans?
18. Automatic renewal. Does it renew if you do not give notice? How long is the notice window?
19. Early termination. What would you pay to leave early?
20. Price rises. Can the monthly fee or ink price go up during the term?
21. Minimum postage spend. Is there one, and what happens if you fall short?

Our franking machine lease guide explains these clauses in more detail.

Part 5: Add up the full cost

22. Total cost over the term. Use this sum:

Total = upfront + (monthly lease × months) + (monthly ink × months) + other fees

23. Ink price and yield. Ask what a cartridge costs and roughly how many impressions it gives.
24. Extras. Labels, a larger scale, installation and removal fees.

Part 6: After you sign

25. Diary the dates. Put the lease end date and the notice deadline in your calendar on day one, and set a reminder six months before the end.

A one page summary

Area	Key question
Volume	How many items a day, and what formats?
Machine	Right size, Mailmark, scale, labels?
Supplier	Three quotes, same spec, good service?
Contract	Term, renewal, exit, price rises?
Cost	Total over the full term, ink included?
Dates	End date and notice deadline in the diary?

Extra checks for special cases

If you are replacing a machine

Ask for a settlement figure from your current supplier.
Ask how unused postage credit is refunded.
Use up spare ink, since cartridges are brand specific.
Line up the start of the new lease with the end of the old one.

If you are buying second hand

Confirm Mailmark capability in writing.
Check a supplier will provide postage, updates and service.
Check ink availability and price.

Our used and second hand franking machines guide covers the risks.

If you are a Frama customer

Quadient bought Frama in February 2024 and now supports Frama machines. When your lease ends, compare Quadient's offer with other brands. Our Frama guide explains your options.

Posting rules to know

Once the machine arrives, remember that franked mail needs to be sorted by destination, product and class before posting. Royal Mail lists Post Office branches, Customer Service Points, mail centres and business post boxes as places to hand it in. A public post box is only allowed if items are inside a franking outer envelope from your supplier. Royal Mail accepts franked mail up to seven days after the impression date.

Final word

Most bad franking deals we hear about share the same few causes: a machine that was too big, a contract nobody read, or ink that cost far more than expected. Tick off all 25 checks and you avoid all three.

When you are ready, use the quote form on this page to get prices from several suppliers, and see our franking machine prices guide for typical costs.

Checked October 2026, from Royal Mail's franking pages, its Mailmark franking tariff of 7 April 2026, and Quadient's acquisition announcement.