The short answer
For UK business mail sent via Royal Mail, you're looking for a franking machine. Search terms and marketing sometimes use "postage meter" interchangeably.
Terminology by region
UK: franking machine, franking meter.
US and some international markets: postage meter, mailing meter.
What actually matters
Whether the machine is Royal Mail-authorised and Mailmark-capable.
Whether the machine matches your volume, mail mix and budget.
The service, support and consumables your UK supplier offers.
Terminology by region
| Region | Term used | Postal operator |
|---|---|---|
| UK | Franking machine | Royal Mail |
| US | Postage meter | USPS |
| Canada | Postage meter | Canada Post |
| Australia | Franking machine | Australia Post |
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MailFranking.com is an independent B2B comparison platform and is not affiliated with Royal Mail.