First Class postage: letters, large envelopes, postcards
First Class postage for anything flat you mail in the United States, by shape and ounce. Choose what you send and its weight.
Independent site, not the Postal Service: prices read in its own price files.
Example: a 2 oz letter· change a figure to see yours
First-Class Mail letter
$1.11
charged at the 2 oz step
| Forever stamps to put on it | 2 |
| Same letter with a postage meter | $1.07 |
| Price from Jan 17, 2027 | $1.11 (no First-Class Mail change filed) |
| Weight not over | Stamps | Meter |
|---|---|---|
| 1 oz | $0.82 | $0.78 |
| 2 oz | $1.11 | $1.07 |
| 3 oz | $1.40 | $1.36 |
| 3.5 oz | $1.69 | $1.65 |
Compiled by Radif Partners · How the prices are built
First Class postage is the price of First-Class Mail, the class for letters, large envelopes and postcards. It depends on the shape first, then on the weight in ounces, and never on distance. In the Notice 123 retail list read on November 13, 2026, a letter costs $0.82 up to 1 ounce, plus $0.29 for each extra ounce up to 3.5 ounces. A large envelope, flat and flexible, starts at $1.69 for 1 ounce and goes up to $5.24 at 13 ounces, its limit. A postcard costs $0.65. Businesses that print postage with a meter pay $0.78 for a 1-ounce letter, $0.04 less than a stamp. Square, rigid or lumpy letters add $0.49. Above 13 ounces the piece is a package, sent by Ground Advantage from $10.05 for a pound nearby. The January 17, 2027 filing changes none of these prices: the Postal Service said stamp prices stay as they are.
First Class postage by ounce
The table gives the three prices that matter for a letter: with stamps, with a postage meter and, for the same weight, as a large envelope. A letter stops at 3.5 ounces; above that, the large envelope scale goes on.
| Weight not over | Letter, stamps | Letter, meter | Large envelope |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 oz | $0.82 | $0.78 | $1.69 |
| 2 oz | $1.11 | $1.07 | $1.98 |
| 3 oz | $1.40 | $1.36 | $2.27 |
| 3.5 oz | $1.69 | $1.65 | $2.56 |
First Class postage for your piece
Example: a 2 oz letter· change a figure to see yours
First-Class Mail letter
$1.11
charged at the 2 oz step
| Forever stamps to put on it | 2 |
| Same letter with a postage meter | $1.07 |
| Price from Jan 17, 2027 | $1.11 (no First-Class Mail change filed) |
Large envelopes from 4 to 13 ounces
A catalog, a stack of forms or a thin booklet in a 9 by 12 inch envelope often weighs between 4 and 13 ounces. The number of Forever stamps assumes each stamp is worth the 1-ounce letter price and rounds up.
| Weight not over | Postage | Forever stamps |
|---|---|---|
| 4 oz | $2.56 | 4 |
| 5 oz | $2.85 | 4 |
| 6 oz | $3.14 | 4 |
| 7 oz | $3.43 | 5 |
| 8 oz | $3.72 | 5 |
| 10 oz | $4.32 | 6 |
| 12 oz | $4.93 | 7 |
| 13 oz | $5.24 | 7 |
Folding the same papers into a standard envelope turns a large envelope into a letter, often at a lower price, as long as it stays flexible and under 3.5 ounces.
Which page answers your question
For the stamp alone, see the Forever stamp cost; to count stamps on an odd envelope, the stamps calculator; for cards, the postcard page. A letter that needs proof of mailing adds a fee, shown on the Certified Mail page.