Franking Machines​

A franking machine, also referred to as a postage meter or postage machine, will produce a franking impression onto your outgoing mail pieces whilst accurately weighing and applying postage to your mail. Some models even come with the ability to seal your envelopes if required.

To prove postage has been paid for, the franking machine will print a barcode onto your letter, large letter, small parcel or large parcel. You can print postage onto various materials including envelopes and postcards. The latest franking rates and your postage will be downloaded onto your franking machine via a computer or telephone line and this will be used to pay for your postage. No more trips to the Post Office will be needed and keeping piles of stamps will be no more.

Franking machines come in all shapes and sizes – ranging from a small entry level machine to a larger and more advanced high volume machine. The franking process applies to all machines. You will be able to frank hundreds of letters and parcels throughout the life of any franking machine, saving countless pennies! If you would like to find out more about the franking process, view our infographic to find out how a franking machine works.

If your franking machine is Mailmark compliant, it means that it incorporates and uses the latest Royal Mail Mailmark rates and services. A Mailmark franking impression differs to a standard franking impression in the sense that it includes a 2D barcode that Royal Mail systems can read.

Mailmark is a more cost saving method of sending your mail as a discount is applied and savings can be made every time you frank a letter or parcel. Find out more about Mailmark Here.

The main difference between the older models and the new models is the functionality and technologies that are now accessible and available. The latest models come with more automatic functions that help make the entire franking process simpler and faster which helps to increase productivity. Modern franking machines can:

• Automatically seal letters once they have been franked.
• Connect to a LAN or Wi-Fi connection.
• Benefit from the latest Smart Meter & Mailmark Royal Mail technologies.
• Set up cost centres for reporting and mail analytics.
• Apply PIN code password protection to accounts.
• Apply labels to post as and when required.

Operating and using a franking machine is fairly straightforward and easy to complete.

Firstly place your letter or parcel on to the integrated (or seperate) weighing scale. Next, select the size and service you want to use for your mail. If you wish to add a message, this option is also available. Modern franking machines will then determine the price of the item for you.

Next, insert an envelope or franking label into the printer slot on your franking machine so the item can be franked. A franked impression will then be stamped onto the envelope or label. This will include the postage, the date, a company logo (if previously selected) and a 2D barcode.

Now you can pop your mail into a post box (using a late meter posting envelope), a business posting box or at your local Post Office.

For a clear guide, please refer to our Infographic here to see how does franking work.

Franking is the alternative to stamps and comes with many added benefits. See what benefits you can gain below.

• Access to Royal Mail Postage Discounts – All users have access to much lower postage discounts. This makes franking cheaper to use in comparison to stamps. The more mail you send the more money you save. Compare the latest 2020 stamp, standard franking and Mailmark franking rates.
• Promote the Business – Frank a company logo or slogan onto outgoing mail. This can improve the professional image of your mail and will also expand your business name.
• Print the Exact Postage – Eliminate the risk of Royal Mail surcharge payments and never again miss pay. Simply use the integrated weighing scale your machine comes with.
• Simple & Easy to Use – Various one touch buttons and a clear display screen will make franking so easy. Both of these make the franking process quick and easy to complete by all.
• Smart Meter Technology – All modern franking machines come with smart meter technology as standard. Use all VAT services and products whilst franking mail in improved smart blue franking ink. Calculate your VAT much quicker and automatically, as well as automatically calculating your business mail advance service.
• Accounting Abilities – A franking machine will prove very beneficial at tax return time as all franking machines report postage costs. This means you will be able to claim your full tax return on all your postage expenditure.

Using a franking machine to frank your mail is much cheaper than stamps and huge savings can be made almost every time you frank a mail piece. As it currently stands, from 23rd March 2020, a stamp for a 1st class letter up to 100g will cost you 76p, whereas the standard franking price is 69p and the Mailmark franking prices is 65p. This means up to 11p can be saved over a stamp.

Similarly a stamp for a 2nd class letter up to 100g will cost you 65p, whereas the standard franking price is 50p and the Mailmark franking prices is 43p. This means up to 22p can be saved over a stamp.

As with any technical piece of equipment, maintenance and service is required to ensure it is working correctly. Royal Mail terms require that all franking machines are serviced on an annual basis by a approved supplier. Maintenance of franking machines is carried out by one of a few Royal Mail authorised suppliers and maintainers. Fortunately Mailcoms Ltd are one of these authorised suppliers and maintainers. We are authorised by the Royal Mail to maintain and inspect all franking machines in the UK but we are not the only one. View a list of authorised inspectors, maintainers and repairers.

Franked mail items contain something called a franking impression instead of a traditional stamp. This impression is produced by using a franking machine to send your outgoing post. You can print a franking impression directly onto your envelope or franking label rather than applying a stamp. The Royal Mail can process franked mail items faster and more efficiently which is why franked mail items are sent at discounted rates.

You can put your franked mail items in a standard Royal Mail post box, however you are required to use Royal Mail Metered Posting Envelopes (commonly referred to as low volume posting envelopes). These should be readily available from your franking machine supplier. There are also many franked mailboxes located around the UK where franked mail can be posted freely. If you are unsure then the local Post Office is also an option.

Yes, franked mail can be sent both nationally and internationally. An added bonus of sending franked mail abroad is you will pay much less than using the stamp equivalent – saving you money!

Franked mail is read much easier by Royal Mail systems which means it is handled less often. As such, delivery of your franked mail items will usually be quicker than using stamps.

Business Mail Advanced is a Royal Mail service that is strictly available to Mailmark franking machine customers who qualify for the service. If your business qualifies for Business Mail by sending high volumes of 250 or more letters per day, then you can benefit from even further discounts. The more letters you frank on a daily basis, the bigger the discount! Find out more about Business Mail Advanced here.

A recent announcement made by the Royal Mail may have affected the way you frank your mail in the near future. As of 1st January 2023, some franking machine models in the UK are becoming obsolete and will be decertified. As technology has improved, so has the franking industry with the introduction of Mailmark franking – a form of 2D barcode which is the most efficient and accurate way of processing mail. This method of franking is set to replace the standard way of franking mail. To find out if your franking machine is affected please read our blog here -> Decertification of Non-Mailmark Franking Machines.

Your franking machine is licensed to the address where it was originally used and can only be used to process franked mail at this address. If you want to move your franking machine to a new location you need to tell the Royal Mail via your franking equipment supplier / maintainer.

Normally you are not allowed to this but during the recent pandemic the Royal Mail have been more flexible understanding that many customers are now working from home. The Royal Mail have allowed some models to be moved temporarily but before you do move them please check with your franking supplier.

Once funds are downloaded on to your franking machine it essentially becomes an electronic ‘petit cash tin’ for postage where you can then spend the funds on sending letters the same way you would if you use stamps. Because of this any funds downloaded on to your franking machine have to be cleared funds either by an advance ‘Pre pay’ system (like a mobile phone top up) or an automatic DD which tops up once funds are downloaded. If you still want to pay in arrears some suppliers offer a credit agreement which is similar to a store card. If you choose a credit agreement then this would usually incur the same transaction charges, interest and late payment fees so be careful if you choose this method.

Due to advancements in technology the market for second hand franking machines is very limited as once a machine is decommissioned it’s very expensive to have it relicensed for use elsewhere (if at all). If you want to dispose of your franking machine and you own it then contact your supplier or an Authorised Inspector and Maintainer (like Mailcoms) to decommission it and notify Royal Mail. If you lease or rent your machine you must contact the original supplier to have them arrange to delicense / decommission. Your franking machine was more than likely connected to your bank account so please be careful and arrange decommissioning via a reputable approved source.