Franking Machine Size Finder 2026: Which Size Fits?
Choosing the wrong size of franking machine is the most common, and most expensive, mistake buyers make. Too small and staff queue at it. Too big and you pay for features you never use. This tool asks four questions and points you to the right tier. Checked October 2026.
The four questions
1. How many items do you send a day?
Count everything that goes out on a typical day: letters, large letters and parcels. The finder uses three bands:
- Under 50 a day
- 50 to 200 a day
- Over 200 a day
If you are not sure, keep a tally for two normal weeks and take the average.
2. What is the heaviest item you send?
This decides the scale you need. If you only send letters and large letters, a small scale is fine. Large letters go up to 750g. If you send parcels, you need a scale that handles them, and small parcels go up to 2kg.
3. What share of your post is parcels?
If parcels are a big part of your mail, you want easy label printing and a larger weighing platform. Since 5 October 2026, franking a 2nd Class small parcel up to 2kg costs £4.25 against £4.60 with stamps, according to dealer Mailcoms, so parcel heavy senders now gain more from franking.
4. Do you need to track spend by department or client?
If you recharge postage to clients or split costs across teams, you need department accounts and reporting you can export.
The three tiers
| Entry | Mid range | High volume | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical daily volume | Under 50 | 50 to 200 | Over 200 |
| Feeding | Manual | Semi or fully automatic | Fully automatic |
| Sealing | Usually no | Often yes | Yes |
| Scale | Small, built in | Larger, sometimes separate | Dynamic weighing on the move |
| Accounts | A few | Many | Many, with detailed reports |
| Example models | Pitney Bowes SendPro Mailstation and SendPro C, Quadient iX-1, FP PostBase Mini and PostBase One | Pitney Bowes SendPro C Auto, Quadient iX-3 and iX-5, FP PostBase Fusion | Pitney Bowes SendPro P series, Quadient iX-7 and iX-9, higher FP Fusion models |
Example models are for orientation, not a recommendation. Each manufacturer has several models in each tier.
How the finder decides
The finder starts with your daily volume and then adjusts:
- If you send more than about a third parcels, it suggests a model with a larger platform and label printing, and may nudge you up a tier.
- If your heaviest item is over 2kg, it flags that you need a separate parcel scale.
- If you need departmental accounting, it rules out the most basic entry machines.
- If you are near the top of a band, it suggests the next tier up only when you expect growth.
Price ranges by tier
Monthly lease costs rise with each tier. Our franking machine prices guide sets out typical ranges for each size, and the franking machine lease guide explains how to compare total costs.
As a rule, the step from entry to mid range is where costs rise most noticeably, so it is worth being honest about your volumes.
Signs you have the wrong size
Too small:
- Staff wait to use the machine.
- Batches take more than half an hour.
- Envelopes jam because the machine is pushed beyond its comfort zone.
Too big:
- The machine sits idle most of the day.
- You never use automatic feeding or sealing.
- Ink dries out before a cartridge is used up.
Tips before you get quotes
- Base your choice on a normal week, not your busiest.
- Think about the next two or three years, not the next ten.
- Ask suppliers whether you can move up or down a size during the lease.
- Ask for a demonstration with your own envelopes.
Every tier must be Mailmark
Whatever size you choose, the machine must print Mailmark impressions. Royal Mail has only accepted franked mail from Mailmark machines since 1 January 2023. Any machine sold new by an authorised manufacturer for UK use will be Mailmark.
Next steps
Once you know your tier, compare models in that tier on our compare franking machines page, or read our guide to small business franking machines if you are at the entry level. Then use the quote form on this page to get prices from several suppliers.
Checked October 2026. Model names from manufacturers' UK ranges; postage figures from Royal Mail and dealer Mailcoms.