How much does certified mail cost?
By Justin Winter · Updated August 22, 2026
At the USPS counter, Certified Mail costs $6.37 in postage and fees ($0.82 postage + $5.55 Certified fee), or $9.28 with the electronic Return Receipt — before you've paid for printing, an envelope, or the trip. paperplane bundles all of that into $12.99 or $14.99 all-in, mailed from your phone.
Certified Mail pricing has two layers that are easy to conflate: what USPS itself charges, and what a service charges you to handle the printing, the envelope, and the trip to the post office. Here is both, broken all the way down.
USPS's own fees (2026 rates)
| Fee | Cost |
|---|---|
| First-Class postage | $0.82 |
| Certified Mail fee | $5.55 |
| Electronic Return Receipt (optional) | $2.91 |
| Certified Mail total (USPS-only) | $6.37 – $9.28 |
What every mail class actually costs, all-in
| Service | All-in price | Speed |
|---|---|---|
| First-Class | $1.99 | 3–5 business days, no tracking by default (+$0.99 to add it) |
| Certified | $12.99 | 3–5 business days, tracked, proof of mailing |
| Certified + electronic Return Receipt | $14.99 | 3–5 business days, tracked, signed proof of delivery |
| Priority | $24.99 | 1–3 business days, tracked |
Every price above is all-in: printing, the envelope, postage and the Certified fee. If you find it genuinely cheaper elsewhere for the same service, we would like to know.
Related: how Certified Mail tracking works, what Certified Mail actually is, Certificate of Mailing vs. Certified Mail, or send Certified Mail now.
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Common questions
Why do other online mail services charge $20-$24 for Certified Mail?
Most price Certified Mail as a premium service. We price it as a letter with a USPS extra service on top: $12.99, or $14.99 with the electronic Return Receipt, printing and envelope included, with no account and nothing to subscribe to.
Does the price change based on how many pages I send?
Yes — each additional page (beyond the first) adds $0.25, and color adds $0.50/page. A one-page black-and-white letter is the base price shown here.
Is it cheaper to go to the post office myself?
Sometimes, if your time is free. The counter fees are the same whoever hands the letter to USPS; what you add at the post office is the printing, the envelope, the form and the trip. The all-in price here covers all of that, and the letter goes out the next business day without you leaving your desk.
What does USPS charge for Priority Mail?
USPS Priority Mail flat-rate postage runs around $11.10. We sell Priority at $24.99 all-in, which includes printing, the envelope, and delivery in 1–3 business days instead of Certified's 3–5.