USPS Shipping Calculator — Postage Rates by Weight & Zone
Know the postage before you reach the counter. Enter your package weight, pick its USPS zone, and compare Ground Advantage, Priority Mail and Flat Rate prices side by side — all at 2026 retail rates.
Your package
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Your postage
What your package costs in every zone
Your selected service at your weight, priced for all nine zones. The coral bar is the zone you picked — watch how the price climbs with distance.
- USPS weight-based pricing is a lookup, not a formula: your weight picks the tier — part-pounds above 1 lb round up to the next whole pound — and your zone picks the column.
- At the defaults, a 2 lb package to Zone 5 compares Ground Advantage, Priority Mail and Flat Rate side by side at 2026 retail rates, before you reach the counter.
- Flat Rate ignores weight and zone alike — heavy for its size often wins there — and the table prices your package in every zone so the distance spread is visible.
Keep exploring
Three companion tools for trips and shipping math.
How it works
Three steps from bathroom scale to cheapest postage.
Weigh the packed box
Weight sets your tier: up to 8 oz, up to 1 lb, then whole pounds rounded up — a 2.3 lb package prices as 3 lb, up to the 5 lb quick table here.
Pick the zone
The zone is the distance band between your ZIP and the destination. Further zones cost more on weight-based services — and nothing extra on Flat Rate.
Compare all three ways
Ground Advantage, Priority Mail and the Flat Rate boxes, priced side by side. The verdict line names the cheapest way to send your package.
The math behind USPS pricing
Weight-based USPS postage is not a formula so much as a lookup table: your weight picks the row (the tier), your zone picks the column, and the price sits where they cross. Two wrinkles matter. First, part-pounds round up to the next whole pound above 1 lb. Second, Priority Mail has no under-1-lb tier here — light packages use its 1 lb row. Flat Rate removes the zone from the math entirely: one price, any distance, up to 70 lb, if the item fits.
Worked examples:
| Scenario | How it prices | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2 lb to Zone 5, Ground Advantage | 2 lb tier, Zone 5 column | $14.10 |
| 8 oz (0.5 lb) to Zone 9, Priority Mail | Under 1 lb uses the 1 lb row, Zone 9 | $34.25 |
| 4 oz to Zone 2, Ground Advantage | Tier A (up to 8 oz), Zone 2 | $8.05 |
| 7 lb package, any zone | Beyond the 5 lb quick table — Small Flat Rate Box if it fits | $13.65 |
Go deeper
The two choices every shipper weighs up.
Both services include tracking and delivery to every US address — the differences are speed, price shape, and what happens at Zone 9:
- Speed: Ground Advantage runs 2–5 business days; Priority Mail runs 2–3 business days. Both are estimates, not guarantees.
- Price shape: Ground Advantage is cheaper for light packages and near zones, and its Zone 9 price matches Zone 8 in this table.
- The Zone 9 jump: Priority Mail prices leap at Zone 9 — a 2 lb package is $21.55 to Zone 8 but $42.40 to Zone 9. For far-flung destinations, compare Flat Rate before you pay it.
- Weight ceiling: both services carry up to 70 lb, but this quick checker tabulates the first 5 lb; the full USPS table prices the rest.
Flat Rate ignores weight and zone, so it wins exactly when those two things are working against you:
- Heavy, small, far: dense items (books, tools, canned goods) shipped cross-country are the classic Flat Rate win.
- The if-it-fits rule: the item must fit inside the box with the flaps closed normally — and it can weigh up to 70 lb.
- The envelope: at $12.90 the Flat Rate Envelope is the cheapest line on this page, but it is built for documents and thin, flat items.
- When it loses: a light package to a near zone almost always costs less by weight — a 4 oz package to Zone 2 is $8.05 by Ground Advantage.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about USPS postage.
How much does it cost to ship a 2 lb package with USPS?
It depends on the zone. To Zone 5, a 2 lb package costs $14.10 by Ground Advantage or $16.85 by Priority Mail at 2026 retail rates. If it fits in a Small Flat Rate Box, the same package ships to any zone for $13.65.
What is the cheapest way to ship a package with USPS?
For light packages going a short distance, Ground Advantage by weight is usually cheapest — as low as $7.90. For heavy or far-away packages, a Flat Rate box usually wins, because its price ignores weight and zone: $13.65 for the Small Box, up to 70 lb, if the item fits.
What are USPS zones?
Zones are distance bands from 1 to 9, measured between the ZIP code you ship from and the destination. Zone 1 is local and Zone 9 is the farthest. The same destination can be a different zone from a different origin, because zones are relative to where the package starts.
What is the difference between Ground Advantage and Priority Mail?
Priority Mail is faster — typically 2–3 business days against 2–5 for Ground Advantage — and usually costs more. Ground Advantage is the budget option for packages that are not in a hurry. Both include tracking, and neither delivery time is guaranteed.
How much weight can a Flat Rate box hold?
Up to 70 lb, for one price to any US zone — the deal is “if it fits, it ships”. The item has to fit inside with the box closed normally. Prices: Envelope $12.90, Small Box $13.65, Medium Box $24.80, Large Box $34.00.
Are these USPS prices current?
The prices here are the 2026 USPS retail (post-office counter) rates. USPS changes prices during the year, so confirm at usps.com before you ship. Rates bought online through commercial platforms are usually lower than retail counter prices.
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Disclaimer
This calculator is for information only. Prices shown are 2026 USPS retail (post-office counter) rates — USPS changes prices during the year; confirm at usps.com before shipping. Online and commercial rates differ, extra services (insurance, signature confirmation) cost more, and delivery times are estimates, not guarantees.