Franked mail costs up to 40p less for a large business envelope. That can be a big deal for small business owners trying to save on every cost.
Still, with the cost of franking machines, you’ll want to shop around, compare rates as much as possible, and get the best possible price on your franking machine.
In addition, with three franking machine manufacturers in the UK, you’ll have a selection of different low-volume franking machines to choose from.
In this guide, we compare the top franking machine models for small business, with prices, capabilities, and offerings included.
Top 10 Franking Machine Models For Small Businesses
With 3 different manufacturers on the UK market, you get a choice of 10 great low-volume franking machines for small businesses.
These range from small desktop models to small mailroom models, so you can still choose a franking machine that’s right for your business.
1. Quadient iX-1 Series Franking Machine
The Quadient iX-1 is the cheapest franking machine on the market. At just £1,790 for a new machine, you won’t find a better deal.
However, with a maximum speed of 18 letters per minute, limited upgrade options, and a maximum letter thickness of 7.93mm, it’s not for everyone.
Still, this model offers plenty of versatility, including options to pay for more premium software to upgrade accounts, custom slogan printing, etc.
2. Quadient iS-290i Mailmark Franking Machine
The Quadient iS-290i is another budget franking machine that is the best fit for office use. At 18 letters per minute, it will keep up with most offices. In addition, you can customize printing and slogans, add logos, and some other extras.
Like other Quadient models, getting those extras may require paying per month for software capability. However, with a base price of £1,798, it’s a hard rate to beat.
This model only has a 3kg integrated scale, so you’ll have to upgrade to an external one for most parcel posts.
3. Quadient IS-280C Desktop Mailmark Franking Machine
The Quadient IS-280C is a desktop franking machine designed for small businesses. The compact model offers an integrated scale, online recrediting, and a simple LCD screen. You also get personalized messaging and printing.
The IS-280C comes with one department standard, however, you can add up to 10 with an account upgrade. At £1,890, it’s still one of the cheapest models on this list.
4. Quadient iX-3 Mailmark Franking Machine
The Quadient iX-3 is a small business mailroom franking machine capable of printing up to 45 letters per minute. It also supports envelope thicknesses of up to 10mm, making it a better fit for large envelopes and advertising material.
In addition, you can add a scale of up to 35kg. The base software supports up to 100 accounts or departments for easy rate switching. At £3,085, it’s also the cheapest franking machine on the market with this capacity.
5. FP PostBase Mini
The FP PostBase Mini is the smallest and cheapest franking machine offered by FP Mailing. Unlike many entry-level franking machines, this one also comes with a 10mm thick envelope feed. You can process up to 24 letters per minute.
The model also features a 2kg integrated scale. You can also connect to Wi-Fi in addition to a LAN cable, customize print features with logos and slogans, and add credit with the app.
6. FP PostBase Fusion Semi-Auto
The Fusion Semi-Auto is a small-to-medium volume franking machine.
At 50 letters per minute, it’s ideal for offices that handle a lot of post. You also get a touchscreen to update rates and credit, to select departments, and to select from a print library or to add your own.
The integrated scale goes up to 7kg and you can add an external one for up to 35kg parcels. It’s also the only model on the market with an integrated QR code generator and printer, perfect for advertising mail.
7. Pitney Bowes SendPro Mailstation
Pitney Bowes’ SendPro Mailstation is the smallest franking machine offered by Pitney Bowes. It’s also the cheapest franking machine option available if you want a digital touchscreen.
At the full price of £2,037, the machine is only slightly more expensive than budget models from Quadient. However, you get an integrated 2.3kg scale, a companion app, programmable letter rates, up to 100 accounts, and access from 10 devices.
It processes letters at up to 16 per minute, perfect for small business and office use.
8. Pitney Bowes SendPro Mailstation C
For £2,586, you get a small business franking machine with a 7” digital screen and capable of processing up to 50 letters per minute. That’s ideal for mailrooms and busy offices.
In addition, you can add an external scale up to 15kg and an envelope sealer. If you buy from Pitney Bowes, your all inclusive contract includes automatic ink resupply, with ink shipped as soon as your machine starts to run low.
9. Pitney Bowes SendPro MailStation+
The Pitney Bowes SendPro MailStation+ increases mail capacity to 65 letters per minute, making it the highest volume franking machine on this list.
It also costs £5,000, making it the most expensive. Still, it’s a great fit if you’re in between low and mid-volume franking. In addition, you get more features like an automatic feed, envelope sealer, and custom label printing for international mail.
It’s also one of the only small business options with an automatic feed, which can save you hours per week.
10. Pitney Bowes DM60i
If you want a budget franking machine but still want to go with a premium brand like Pitney Bowes, the refurbished DM60i is the way to go.
This model supports up to 35 letters per minute, includes an internal scale or an up to 35kg external scale, and has presets for up to 5 accounts. You also pay just £1,335 full price to buy the machine outright.
The Top 10 Small Business Franking Machines Compared
If you’d like a faster look at how those machines compare, here’s everything laid out with prices, basic capacity, and extras included.
| Model | Letters per Minute | Digital Screen | Purchase Cost | Max Envelope Size | Presets | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quadient iX-1 | 18 letters per minute | No | £1,790 | 7.93 thick to 304x381mm | 10 accounts, 6 rate shortcut keys, 9 job imprint memories | Detachable 5kg scale, RateWizard, 9 shortcuts, 8 custom images, 18 personalized text messages |
| Quadient iS-290i | 18 letters per minute | No | £1,798 | 7.95 mm thick x 305x383mm | 6 shortcut keys, 18 custom text messages, 10 departments | 3kg integrated scale, Rate Wizard |
| Quadient IS-280C | 18 letters per minute | No | £1,890 | 7.95 mm thick x 305x383mm | 1 department (up to 10 optional), up to 10 accounts (premium), automatic class printing | 3kg integrated scale, rate wizard, personalized messaging |
| Quadient ix-3 | 45 letters per minute | No | £3,085 | 10mm thick, 229 x 324 mm | 5 rate shortcut keys, 9 job imprint keys, 100 accounts/departments | 3kg integrated scale, up to 35kg external scale, custom printing |
| FP PostBase Mini | 24 letters per minute | 3.5” colour | £3,000 | 10mm thick, 254x356mm | App | 2kg integrated scale, 10 customizable advertising slogans |
| FP PostBase Fusion Semi-Auto | 50 letters per minute | 127mm colour | NA | 10mm thick, 254x356mm | 10 quick select short rates, 250 cost accounts | 7kg integrated scale, up to 35kg external scale, 18,000 imprint ink cartridge, automatic envelope feeder, manual sealer, 30 custom messages, QR code generator |
| Pitney Bowes SendPro Mailstation | 16 letters per minute | 4.3” colour | £2,037 | 9.5mm thick up to 330x381mm | 2 standard letter, 4 classes, 100 accounts and 10 devices | AutoInk resupply, 2.5kg integrated scale, companion app |
| Pitney Bowes SendPro Mailstation C | 50 letters per minute | 7” colour | £2,586 | 9.5mm thick up to 330x381mm | 2 standard letter, 4 classes, 100 accounts and 10 devices | 7kg integrated scale, AutoInk resupply, external scale up to 15kg, envelope sealing |
| Pitney Bowes SendPro Mailstation+ | 65 letters per minute | 7” colour | £5,000 | 9.5mm thick up to 330x381mm | 2 standard letter, 4 classes, 100 accounts and 10 devices | Extra shipping label printer for international mail, semi-automatic feeding, envelope sealing |
| Pitney Bowes DM60i | 35 letters per minute | No | £1,335 (Refurbished only) | 9.25mm thick up to 381x350mm | Optional presets, up to 5 accounts | 2.5kg integrated scale, external scale up to 35kg |
Getting The Best Deal On Your Low-Volume Franking Machine
Most small business franking machines include low-volume models designed for desktop or mailroom use.
The first step is to decide what you need from your franking machine. From there, you can request quotes from suppliers and manufacturers, compare what you’re getting, and select the best deal.
Here, it’s a great idea to look at extras like ink resupply costs, maintenance costs, annual inspection costs, and software update costs as well.
In addition, models that look cheaper like Quadient can eventually cost more because of software upgrade requirements to access certain features. So, you’ll really want to look around and compare your options.
If you want help, use the form below and we’ll request those quotes on your behalf. Just let us know what you need, and we’ll request competitive quotes from top suppliers in your area.