If you’ve got a bunch of stamps laying around and a package to send, then you might be wondering how many stamps you’ll need to cover the cost of postage. In this article, we’ve done the math for you.
What’s more, we explore other options you can use to pay for postage that are much easier than pulling off a bunch of stamps. With that in mind, read on to learn how many stamps you need per pound!
How Many Stamps Do I Need Per Pound for USPS In [currentyear]?
A 1 pound USPS package would require 47 Forever Stamps at the current USPS postage rate. While stamps can be used for heavy postage, using dedicated shipping labels is easier and cheaper in [currentyear].
If you’d like to know even more about paying for heavier postage using stamps, then make sure to read our guide for more useful facts!
How Many Stamps Do I Need for a 1 Pound Package?
It’s possible to use stamps when shipping 1-pound packages, but given the cost of shipping, this method may not be in your best interest. Let’s see why.
When mailing packages that weigh 1 pound (or more), you have your choice of 3 mailing services- Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, or Media Mail.*
As its name suggests, Priority Mail Express is USPS’ fastest domestic service, and promises delivery in 1-2 days, depending on distance.
Pricing starts at $26.95. At the current Forever Stamp rate, you’d need a whopping 47 Forever Stamps to cover postage.
An easier option is using USPS’ dedicated Priority Mail Express stamps (priced at $26.95). One of these is all you need to cover express postage.
Priority Mail pricing starts at $8.70. Even though it’s significantly cheaper than Express, you’d still need 15 Forever Stamps to cover postage.
That being said, USPS does offer a special stamp just for Priority Mail. It costs $8.95, and one covers postage for flat-rate envelopes.
Media Mail weighing 1 pound costs $3.19, and requires 6 Forever Stamps to pay for postage.
Given the huge number of stamps required for postage, we don’t recommend using them to pay for packages.
We’ll go into more detail about why prepaid shipping labels are a better option in a later section.
*Available only for books, pamphlets, and other educational materials.
How Many Stamps Do I Need for a 2 Pound Package?
Both Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail offer flat-rate services, meaning that you pay the same amount regardless of how heavy your package is.
In other words, your 2-pound package costs the same amount as your 1-pound package when using these services.
Media Mail, on the other hand, increases in price the heavier your item is. A 2-pound Media Mail package costs $3.82.
Overall, you would need 7 Forever Stamps to cover postage.
Why Is It Bad to Use Stamps to Pay for Packages Over 1 Pound?
While it is possible to mail packages using Forever Mail stamps, there are a few reasons why its not reccomended.
One reason is that it uses up a lot of stamps. There are fast and easier ways to pay for postage that don’t require you to peel and stick stamps onto your box.
Next, using Forever Stamps on your package often means paying more for postage than you need to. Let’s look at some examples to see how this works out.
In the case of Priority Mail Express, you need to attach 47 Forever Stamps. At the current Forever Stamp rate, that means you’ll be paying $27.26.
Remember that Priority Mail Express Starts at $26.95. That means you’ll be overpaying by $0.31.
One pound Media Mail packages cost $3.19, and you’ll use 6 Forever Stamps. That works out to $3.48, or $0.29 more than you need to pay.
Lastly, using stamps to pay for packages simply makes no sense if your goal is to save time.
Due to USPS regulations, packages weighing more than 13 ounces that use stamps to cover postage must be presented to a postal clerk for contents verification.
Put another way, you’re not allowed to stick a bunch of stamps to your package and leave it outside for pickup. You’ll still have to make a trip to the post office to mail your item.
Therefore, since you’ll already be at the post office, it makes more sense to buy a prepaid shipping label.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on how many stamps for a letter to Canada, what are special delivery stamps, and what are Forever stamps.
Conclusion
When it comes to mailing packages that weigh a pound or more, you can use stamps to pay for postage, but it isn’t recommended.
Not only will you waste a bunch of time counting stamps and attaching them to your item, but you’re also liable to overpay.
What’s more, USPS views packages paid for with stamps as suspicious, so you’ll have to go to the post office anyway.
In order to avoid all of these hassles, we recommend using dedicated mailing services like Priority Mail, and paying for a shipping label rather than using stamps.
