✓ Royal Mail Authorised Inspector since 2008 | Trading since 2005
For most businesses, a franking machine is the better choice than Click & Drop. Royal Mail prices franked mail below stamp prices, while 1st and 2nd Class letters bought online through Click & Drop cost exactly the same as stamps. A franking machine also handles letters, large letters, parcels and Special Delivery from one desk, in seconds per item, with your logo on every envelope.
Key takeaways
- Franking is Royal Mail’s in-house, pre-paid postage option, and Royal Mail describes it as cheaper than stamps.
- Click & Drop is Royal Mail’s online label tool. For 1st and 2nd Class letters, its online price is the same as the branch price, so there is no postage saving on everyday letters.
- A franking machine weighs, prices and prints postage in one step, so there is no typing in each item’s details.
- Franking covers letters, parcels, Signed For, Special Delivery Guaranteed and international mail from one machine.
- Every franked item can carry your company logo, which a standard online label cannot.
What is the difference between franking and Click & Drop?
Both are Royal Mail approved ways to pay for postage without buying stamps, but they work very differently day to day.
- A franking machine sits on your desk. You top up postage credit in advance, place each item on the scales, choose the service and the machine prints a Royal Mail franking impression straight onto the envelope, or onto a label for thicker items and parcels.
- Click & Drop is a website and app. You enter each item’s size, weight and destination, pay for it online, then print a label at home or at a drop off point.
One is built for getting a whole day’s post out quickly and cheaply. The other is built around buying postage one item at a time.
Franking vs Click & Drop at a glance
| Feature | Franking machine | Click & Drop |
|---|---|---|
| Letter postage | Franking prices, which Royal Mail sets below stamp prices | Same price as stamps for 1st and 2nd Class letters |
| Speed for a pile of post | Seconds per item, weigh and print in one step | Each item’s details entered or imported one by one |
| Weighing | Scales built in or connected, so the price matches the item | You weigh and measure separately, then type it in |
| Services | 1st and 2nd Class, Signed For, Special Delivery Guaranteed, international | A range of online services, but Special Delivery Guaranteed by 9am cannot be bought online |
| Branding | Optional company logo on every item | Standard Royal Mail label |
| Printing | Prints directly onto envelopes or franking labels | Needs a printer, or a trip to a print point |
| Spend control | Pre-paid credit with self-service spend management | Paid item by item |
Why is franking cheaper for letters?
Royal Mail describes franking as its “pre-paid, in-house postage option that’s cheaper than stamps”, and that saving applies to every franked letter and large letter you send.
Click & Drop does not give you that advantage. Royal Mail’s own UK services page shows that for 1st Class, 2nd Class and Signed For letters, the online price is identical to the branch price. You avoid the queue, but you pay the same as you would with stamps.
If your business sends invoices, statements, appointment letters, cards or marketing mail, those savings build up quickly over a year. You can see the current figures in our guide to Royal Mail franking postage rates for 2026.
Can a franking machine handle parcels too?
Yes. Items too thick to go through the machine are franked onto a self-adhesive label, so you can send letters and parcels from the same desk with one system and one postage account. Many machines print onto single cut franking labels or franking label rolls, and Special Delivery items can be sent using Special Delivery franking labels.
Because the scales are part of the process, each parcel is priced on its real weight. That helps you avoid the underpayment surcharges that come from guessing, and it keeps each item in the right size band. A Small Parcel can be up to 45 x 35 x 16cm and 2kg, and a Medium Parcel up to 61 x 46 x 46cm and 20kg. Our Royal Mail size guide explains where each format starts and stops.
Which is quicker on a busy day?
Franking, by a distance, once you have more than a handful of items. With a franking machine you place the item on the scales, pick the service and feed it through. A batch of letters is done in minutes, with no logging in and no typing.
With Click & Drop, every item needs its details entered unless it comes in from a connected online shop. For an office post room, that adds up to a lot of screen time. Our post on whether your mailing process is slowing your business down looks at where that time goes.
Does franked mail look more professional?
It does. A franking impression can include your company logo or a short message, so every envelope reinforces your brand before it is even opened. A standard printed label does the job, but it does not do any marketing for you.
Is there anything Click & Drop does well?
To be fair to it, Click & Drop is free to use and can pull orders in from marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay and Etsy, which suits a seller who only ships online orders. But for a business that sends a steady mix of letters and parcels, it means paying stamp prices on letters and keying in items one by one. That is why many businesses that start on Click & Drop move to franking as their post grows. If that sounds familiar, our article on the signs your business has outgrown stamps is worth a read.
How to tell if franking is right for you
- Count a typical week’s post. Note how many letters, large letters and parcels you send, and which services you use.
- Look at your letters. If you send letters most days, franking prices will save you money on every one compared with stamps or Click & Drop.
- Time the job. Note how long it takes to prepare postage each day. A franking machine usually cuts that to minutes.
- Think about presentation. If branded envelopes matter to you, franking adds your logo at no extra effort.
- Talk to us about volumes. We will recommend a machine sized to what you actually send, not more than you need.
Getting started with franking
You need a Royal Mail approved Mailmark franking machine, postage credit, ink and labels. Mailcoms has supplied franking machines since 2005 and has been a Royal Mail Authorised Inspector since 2008, so we can help you choose a machine and keep it running. If you are weighing up how to get one, read our guide to renting vs buying a franking machine.
Need help?
Want to know how much franking could save you compared with stamps or Click & Drop? Call our team on 01543 572 776 and tell us roughly what you send each week, or browse our franking machines.
Frequently asked questions
Is franking cheaper than Click and Drop?
For letters and large letters, yes. Royal Mail sets franking prices below stamp prices, while 1st and 2nd Class letters bought through Click & Drop cost the same as stamps.
Does Click and Drop save money on letters?
No. Royal Mail charges the same online price as the branch price for 1st Class, 2nd Class and Signed For letters, so Click & Drop does not reduce the cost of everyday letters.
Is a franking machine worth it for a small business?
If you send letters most days, usually yes. Every franked item costs less than a stamp, postage is weighed and printed in one step, and you can add your logo to every envelope.
Can I send parcels with a franking machine?
Yes. Items too thick for the machine are franked onto a self-adhesive franking label, so letters and parcels can all go out from the same desk.
Can franked mail carry my company logo?
Yes. Most franking machines let you add your company logo or a short message alongside the postage impression on every item.