The 5 Best Postal Mail Scanning Services (Best Virtual Mailboxes)

The 21st century has changed the way people socialize, shop, work, play, and interact with each other. The new era has transformed our society into a global village, but the importance of the physical address has remained the same. Physical mail needs a physical address, but what to do when you move across the globe. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a facility that can provide you with your mail regardless of your location?

Postal mail scanning service or virtual mailbox is a modern-day facility that has become a necessity for individuals, digital nomads, travelers, and businesses. A virtual mailbox service provides you with a permanent virtual mailing address to receive mail and packages. The best postal mail scanning services also offer you mail scanning, mail management, and mail forwarding to your current location.

The postal mail scanning services offer different packages to cater to different needs of people. In this article, I will discuss the features and services offered by various mail scanning services. After going through this article, you will be able to identify which company is best for you and which package you need.

The 5 Best Postal Mail Scanning Services (Best Virtual Mailboxes)

1. iPostal1

iPostal1 is one of the topmost virtual mailbox service providers. It was established in 2007 and is one of the few companies that helped revolutionize the traditional mailing industry.

iPostal1 offers more than 2000 mailing addresses to receive mail and packages. Moreover, you can also view and manage your mail on the go or from a computer.

It offers three packages. You can choose a virtual mailing address, business address, or a virtual office. The details of the packages can be seen here. Its virtual office plan is the best and offers the best facilities.

Pricing Plans

The pricing range is versatile. iPostal1 has ensured that its pricing plans have something for every customer. Pricing details for virtual mailing addresses and virtual business addresses are given below.

Virtual Mailing Address & Virtual Business Address Pricing

• Green: $9.99/Month – $99.00/Year (30 mail items per month)
• Blue: $14.99/Month – $149.00/Year (60 mail items per month)
• Silver: $24.99/Month – $249.00/Year (120 mail items per month)
• Gold: $39.99/Month – $399.00/Year (240 mail items per month)

Virtual Office Pricing

• Office 60: $39.99/Month – $399.00/Year (60 mail items per month with phone, voice mail, personal greeting, and fax)
• Office 120: $49.99/Month – $499.00/Year (120 mail items per month with phone, voice mail, personal greeting, and fax)
• Office 120 Toll-Free: $59.99/Month – $599.00/Year (120 mail items per month with toll-free phone, voice mail, personal greeting, and toll-free fax)
• Office 240 Toll-Free: $69.99/Month – $699.00/Year (240 mail items per month with toll-free phone, voice mail, personal greeting, and toll-free fax)

The plan pricing varies by Standard, Select, Premium, or Prestige mailbox locations.

Please note that plan will renew unless canceled before the billing date. You get a full refund within the first 30 days upon request.

The mail items include postcards, envelopes, large envelopes, letter packs, magazines, and packages. Junk mail is not included. It is recycled or discarded for free.

Pros

• Excellent customer service
• Fast processing
• Superior virtual mailbox service

Cons

• Expensive plans

2. US Global Mail

US Global Mail is another top-of-the-line mail scanning service for ex-pats, digital nomads, oversees, retirees, and businesses who want a US address so that they can work and live anywhere around the world.

US Global Mail takes pride in serving its 80,000+ customers. The company offers the convenience of checking your mail anytime and anywhere. You get a real physical address, but your mailbox is in your smartphone or on your PC.

The company also offers multiple homes and/or businesses options to one virtual address. All your mailing addresses are organized at the palm of your hands. With a virtual mailbox, you also get the safety of your important mail like tax notices, DL/passport renewals, credit/debit cards, insurance paperwork, INS info, bills, and checks.

US Global Mail offers mail forwarding, virtual mailbox, virtual address, and enterprise mail services. You can check the detail of all the services here.

Pricing Plans

The pricing plans are divided into two categories; personal and business. US Global Mail pricing is highly affordable compared to iPostal1, which is why it is more popular. However, its services are not as advanced as iPostal1.

Let’s check out the pricing!

Personal Pricing Plans

• Basic: $9.95 per month, billed annually. $14.99 billed monthly (1 name on account, free check deposit, 45-days free mail storage)
• Plus: $14.95 per month, billed annually. $19.99 billed monthly (Add multiple family members, up to 80% off on shipping rates, free check deposit, 90-days free mail storage)
• Business: $29.95 per month, billed annually. $34.99 billed monthly (Add multiple family members, add companies, unlimited mail send/receive, 180-days free mail storage, ship physical mail)

US Global Mail is trusted by big names such as Netflix, Google, Walt Disney, Shell, and Chubb.

Pros

• Affordable packages
• Good customer service
• No hidden charges

Cons

• Random shipping issues

3. PostScan Mail

 

PostScan mail is the third best virtual mailbox company on my best mail scanning services list. It gives you the convenience of viewing your mail from anywhere in the world. One thing I like about this company is the instant email and push notification so that you never miss a virtual mail delivery.

The online mailbox provides you complete control through a virtual mailbox with an option to scan, open and forward, recycle, or shred your unwanted junk mail. Another mentionable feature is the local pickup. Mail and package deliveries are stored locally. You can just walk into any of PostScan office to pick up your mail items.

You can see the detailed features here.

Pricing Plans

The pricing plans are simple. A common man without much knowledge about mail scanning services can easily opt for a plan and digitalize the traditional mailing service. The pricing plans are given below.

• Starter: $15/month (Incoming mail: 30 items, Open and Scan: 5 items, Recipients: 1)
• Standard: $20/month (Incoming mail: 120 items, Open and Scan: 10 items, Recipients: 2)
• Premium: $30/month (Incoming mail: 120 items, Open and Scan: 20 items, Recipients: 6)

Please note that each open and scan item will be charged .25 cents per additional page after 10 pages.

All plans include a variety of services. You can check these services here.

Pros

• Easy and affordable packages
• Variety of included services

Cons

• No check handling

4.Traveling Mailbox

Traveling Mailbox is best for travelers as its services are inclined towards facilitating travelers and businesses that need a US address but operate globally. The highlighted features include scanning and the choice of opening/shredding the mail, physical street address, global access, check deposit, parcel forwarding, virtual office, email notification, and unlimited cloud storage.

You have complete control over your physical mailbox through a smartphone application, folder-wise management, and instant email notification.

Pricing Plans

Its pricing plan is also simple. All the details are mentioned, and there are no hidden charges. The price plans are given as follows.

• Basic Plan: $15/Month (40 incoming envelopes, 35 page scans, 3 mailbox recipients, free mail shredding)
• Extended Plan: $35/Month (100 incoming envelopes, 80 page scans, 5 mailbox recipients, free mail shredding)
• Small Business Plan: $55/Month (200 incoming envelopes, 180 page scans, 10 mailbox recipients, free mail shredding)

You can see more details here.

Pros

• Convenient scanning and mail forwarding
• Option to view the mail after scanned outside
• A large number of address options are available

Cons

• No pickup available
• Limited cloud storage

5. Earth Class Mail

Earth Class Mail is best for businesses dealing with sensitive documents. The highlighted features include mail scanning services, mail forwarding, mail shredding, and secure document shredding. It also offers the CheckStream feature that lets you securely automate your check deposit to improve your workflow and save time.

One thing I like about this company is its highly trained and professional staff. The company’s HIPAA-certified professionals ensure that your sensitive data is safe and secure. You can access your mail through a mobile phone application or web login.

Pricing Plans

Earth Class has divided its plans into two categories. You can pick from the best Mailbox Plans option for individuals and small offices, or you can choose MailRoom Plans for businesses and enterprises. The pricing plans are given below.

MailBox Plans (For individuals and small offices)

• Personal Mailbox: $19/Month (for ex-pats and remote professionals, for 1 recipient)
• Shared Mailbox: $29/Month (for families and groups of travelers, for 5 recipients)
• Premium Mailbox: $79/Month (for small organizations and offices, for 20 recipients)

MailRoom Plans (for businesses and enterprises)

• Startup MailRoom: $139/ month (virtual mail for small businesses, for 100 pieces of mail)
• Business MailRoom: $229/ month (high-volume mail scanning for medium to large businesses, for 250 pieces of mail)

A detail of all the packages is given here.

Pros

• Best for businesses
• 100% secure operation
• Highly trained staff

Cons

• Costly

Picking the Best Mail Scanning Service/Virtual Mailbox

Have a look at the features that you must check before subscribing to a postal mail scanning service.

Product Demo: It would be great to try out the package before subscription. An 8-10 day free trial will go a long way in helping you choose a suitable plan from the best postal mail scanning service.

Package and Check Handling: If you receive small packages and checks on your virtual address or company’s address, get information on how the company handles these things.

Information Organization: How the smartphone application or web portal lets you organize your mail. Does it offer folders, tags, and permission to export information to other applications? Don’t forget to check the search option.

User Management: Pick a plan that can accommodate users as per your need. Businesses often require more than one user to log in and access mails in virtual mailboxes.

Location and Addresses: Virtual mailbox companies offer different street and virtual addresses. You can use these addresses to register your business. However, some companies don’t offer physical street addresses. So make sure that you check it before subscribing.

Security: Don’t sign up for mail scanning services unless you know what security measures are put in place to safeguard your privacy. Check the team’s credentials, servers integrity, IP management, and what permissions they ask from you at the time of sing up.

Features: What features are being offered in the plans? Do they meet your need, and how much will you be charged if you exceed the maximum usage limit? Don’t forget to read out the usage policy before signing up.

FAQs

Is a virtual mailbox legal?

Yes. Virtual mailbox and mail scanning services are 100% legal. However, you must check the company you are choosing is registered with USPS and Commercial Mail Receiving Agencies (CMRA). USPS keeps a strict check on all private mail scanning services, and these companies have to face the consequences if they fail to keep users’ information safe.

How does a virtual mailbox work?

A virtual mailbox or postal mail scanning service works like your home post service. The mail arrives at the address. The company scans the envelopes, uploads them to its servers that you can access through mobile phone applications or websites.

Some postal scanning companies offer a virtual address, while others have a physical address. Virtual mailbox companies have provided businesses and individuals an opportunity to have a US mailing address while they live or work in other parts of the world.

Can I use a postal mail scanning service if my mail comes to a PO Box?

Yes. Some mail scanning services offer virtual mailbox services if your mail comes to a PO Box.

Do mail scanning companies handle bank checks?

Yes. Some companies handle bank checks for you as well. These companies are best for businesses and individuals who receive payments in their mail.

What documents do I need to avail the postal scanning service?

The document requirement varies from one service to another. However, all companies will require some ID proof, such as a driver’s license or passport. You will also need to fill in some registration forms online.

How much does a mail scanning service cost?

You can get a basic plan as low as $15, and high-end packages may go up to $500. You must choose the plan according to your needs and not go for fancy features.

Who can benefit from a virtual mailbox?

Virtual mailboxes are best for long-term travelers, online businesses, digital nomads, RVers, campers, ex-pats, and people requiring a virtual mailing address.

How can I pick my forwarded mail while traveling?

You can pick your forwarded mail at some nearby address like a hotel, co-working space, local post office. However, you need to check that these places allow you to receive mail.

Some Tips for Using Virtual Mailboxes and Postal Scanning Services

• Go for paperless billing when choosing a virtual mailbox. Paperless billing is free of cost and environment-friendly.
• Many businesses and financial institutions require a physical mailing address instead of a virtual address. Keep this in mind while picking your plan.
• Before finalizing one, go through the plan details, limitations, and features in detail. I don’t want you to pick the wrong plan then convert it to another one.