USPS postage calculator: letter, envelope or package
A USPS postage calculator for any piece: say what you send and its weight, add ZIP Codes for a package, and read the postage and the stamps.
Independent site, not the Postal Service: prices read in its own price files.
Example: a 1 lb package from 10001 to 90012· change a figure to see yours
Package postage at the Post Office, Ground Advantage
$13.65
zone 8 · charged as 1 lb
| Same label printed online | $11.22 |
| Priority Mail, faster | $17.95 |
| Ground Advantage from Jan 17, 2027 | $14.04 |
Compiled by Radif Partners · How the prices are built
A USPS postage calculator has to start with the shape of the piece, because the Postal Service prices letters, large envelopes and packages on different scales. Letters and large envelopes pay First-Class Mail postage by the ounce, the same anywhere in the United States: $0.82 for a 1-ounce letter, $1.11 for 2 ounces and $2.56 for a 4-ounce large envelope, in the Notice 123 list read on November 13, 2026. Packages pay by weight and by zone, the distance band read from the two ZIP Codes. A 1-pound package from New York to Los Angeles, zone 8, costs $13.65 by Ground Advantage at a Post Office counter and $11.22 with a label printed online; the same pound costs $10.05 between two nearby ZIP Codes. Stamps can pay postage on any piece, but a package is easier to pay with a label. From January 17, 2027 the proposed package price of the example becomes $14.04, fuel surcharge included; letter postage does not change.
USPS postage calculator results for common pieces
The table runs the calculator on six usual cases. Postage for letters and large envelopes does not depend on distance; the two package lines use the New York to Los Angeles example.
| What you send | Postage | Distance | How to pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Card or letter, 1 oz | $0.82 | any distance | 1 Forever stamp |
| Letter, 2 oz | $1.11 | any distance | 2 Forever stamps |
| Postcard | $0.65 | any distance | postcard stamp |
| Large envelope, 4 oz | $2.56 | any distance | 4 Forever stamps |
| Small package, 4 oz | $10.20 | zone 8 | label or counter |
| Package, 1 lb | $13.65 | zone 8 | label or counter |
Postage for your piece
Example: a 1 oz letter· change a figure to see yours
Letter postage
$0.82
1 Forever stamp, any distance in the United States
| Forever stamp | $0.82 |
| Price from Jan 17, 2027 | $0.82 (no change filed) |
Three steps to the right postage
First the shape: a standard envelope is a letter up to 3.5 ounces; a bigger flat one is a large envelope up to 13 ounces; anything stiff, thick or heavier is a package. Then the weight, rounded up. Then, for a package only, the two ZIP Codes, which give the zone. The calculator follows the same order. For a package, the shipping cost page compares Ground Advantage, Priority Mail and Express; for letters, the stamps page counts stamps on odd envelopes.
Stamps or a label
Stamps suit letters and large envelopes: they never expire, and a Forever stamp follows the letter price. For a package, a label is the better tool. Bought online, it is charged the Commercial price, lower than the counter, and it carries tracking from the first scan. Bought at the counter, the clerk weighs the package and reads the zone for you, which avoids paying too little and seeing the piece come back. The calculator gives both prices for a package so you can decide before leaving home.