Virtual printing vs franking machines: Which is right for your business?

If you've ever wondered how businesses send large volumes of mail without queuing at the post office, franking machines are likely the answer. But in 2026, is this traditional approach still the best option for your business?

Let's explore what franking machines do, how they work, and why modern alternatives like virtual printing might be a better fit.

What is a franking machine?

A franking machine is a physical device that prints postage directly onto envelopes or labels, eliminating the need for stamps. Businesses lease these machines from Royal Mail-approved suppliers and pre-load them with credit to pay for postage. The machine stamps each piece of mail with the correct postage amount, date, and a unique franking mark.

Think of it as having a mini post office in your workplace. Instead of buying stamps or visiting the post office, you feed envelopes through the machine, and it handles the postage calculation and printing automatically.

What are franking machines used for?

Businesses primarily use franking machines for high-volume correspondence. Estate agents sending property details, accountancy firms mailing financial statements, and marketing teams dispatching promotional materials all benefit from franking machines.

The key advantage is efficiency. If you're sending 100 letters, feeding them through a franking machine takes far less time than applying 100 stamps or making trips to the post office. You also get detailed reporting on postage spending, helping with budget management and accounting.

What is virtual printing, and how does it compare?

Virtual printing takes a completely different approach. Instead of physically handling mail in your office, you send print jobs digitally to a service like Stannp.com, which handles printing, enveloping, and posting automatically.

Here's how it works at Stannp.com

1. You create your mail merge letters in your preferred software and export as a pdf.
2. You upload the pdf and mailing list through an API or our platform interface.
3. We then print your letters, insert them into envelopes, and post them on your behalf.

This approach is particularly powerful for transactional mail; invoices, statements, receipts, and notifications that need to be sent in response to customer actions. With an API or integration in place, this entire process can be fully automated.

Franking machines vs virtual printing: Key differences.

Up-front costs and commitment

Franking machines require a lease agreement, typically 3-5 years, with quarterly rental fees ranging from £20 to £100+, depending on the model. You'll also need to maintain credit in the machine and potentially pay for maintenance and servicing.

Virtual printing platforms like Stannp.com work on a pay-as-you-go basis with no minimums, no lease commitments, and no up-front costs. You pay only for what you send, whether that's one piece or one million.

Physical infrastructure

Franking machines require physical space in your office, plus someone to operate them. You'll need to stock envelopes, paper, and maintain the equipment. If the machine breaks down, your mail operation stops until it's repaired.

Virtual printing requires no physical equipment whatsoever. Everything happens in the cloud, accessible from anywhere. Your team can trigger mail campaigns from home, the office, or on the go.

Automation capabilities

While franking machines automate the postage application, they don't automate the broader mailing process. Someone still needs to print documents, stuff envelopes, feed them through the machine, and take them to a post box.

Virtual printing automates the entire workflow. Connect Stannp.com to your CRM, e-commerce platform, or business system, and letters are sent automatically based on triggers you define. When a customer places an order, an invoice can be printed and posted without any manual intervention.

Scalability and flexibility

Franking machines work well for consistent, predictable volumes. But if your mailing needs fluctuate, you're still paying the lease fee regardless of usage.

Virtual printing scales instantly with your needs. Send 5 pieces one month and 5,000 the next, only paying for what you use. There's no capacity limit and no need to upgrade equipment as you grow.

Which approach is right for your business?

If you're sending hundreds of letters daily from a single location with staff dedicated to mail operations, a franking machine might still serve you well.

But if you value automation, flexibility, and eliminating physical infrastructure, virtual printing offers a modern alternative. You can trigger mail automatically from your existing business systems, scale instantly with demand, and eliminate the overhead of managing physical equipment.

Ready to explore virtual printing? Stannp.com offers automated letter sending with no minimums and no long-term commitments.

Create your free account and see how easily you can automate your business correspondence.