How Royal Mail franking works
You lease or buy a franking machine from an authorised supplier and top up a franking credit account.
The machine prints an official postage impression showing the postage paid, class of service and a Mailmark barcode where applicable.
Royal Mail collects or accepts franked mail as normal, and your franking supplier handles servicing and support.
Benefits over stamps
Lower postage on many services compared with 1st and 2nd class stamps.
No manual stamps or trips to the Post Office for standard business mail.
Accurate reporting for accounting and departmental cost allocation.
Important note on branding
MailFranking.com is an independent comparison platform. We are not Royal Mail and are not affiliated with Royal Mail. "Royal Mail franking" is used here in an informational sense only.
What to ask suppliers
- Do we send enough business mail to justify a machine?
- Do we want Mailmark support from day one?
- Which supplier offers the best all-in monthly cost?
- How is postage credit topped up?
Frequently asked questions
Related guides
MailFranking.com is an independent B2B comparison platform and is not affiliated with Royal Mail.