“what are usps flat rate boxes?” is a question that comes up often in the world of shipping. and, to be honest, it’s a great question. USPS Flat Rate Boxes are not only a USPS Priority Mail offer, but there are different box sizes and options to choose from and discuss. To give you the complete information on USPS flat rate boxes, we’ll give you a breakdown of the service itself, regional rate boxes, and some guidelines (as well as a table of contents to keep everything easily accessible).
table of contents
- what is usps priority mail® flat rate?
- what are usps priority mail® flat rate boxes?
- do mail envelopes usps priority mail® flat rate?</li
- usps priority mail® flat rate small box
- usps priority mail® flat rate medium box
- usps priority mail® flat rate big box
- usps priority mail® apo/fpo/dpo big box flat rate do flat rate shipments come with a tracking number?
- how shippingeasy can help you automate my packaging options?
what is the usps priority mail® flat rate?
USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate is one of the most widely used services because you pay one shipping fee for your package, regardless of its destination, up to 70 pounds. Yes, you read it right. Whether you’re sending a £20 package across town or across the country, your rate will be the same.
This type of service is offered for both standard priority mail shipping and urgent express mail. both also include standard tracking, up to $50 in insurance, and typically ship in 1-3 days (including Saturday at no extra charge). you can even schedule pickups, so you don’t have to drive to the local post office.
There are three main flat rate box sizes, including:
- small box flat rate
- medium box flat rate 1
- medium box flat rate 2
- large box flat rate
one of the biggest advantages of the usps flat rate package is that you can order these shipping supplies from usps for free and they will be delivered directly to your home or office. Plus, if you use ShippingEasy, you’ll get USPS Commercial shipping rates (also known as discounts). Take a look at the discounts on standard priority mail flat rates below:
did you know you can order some free usps supplies from your shippingeasy account? Find out how on our blog!
what are usps priority mail® flat rate boxes?
The only real downside to the USPS flat rate is that you have to use USPS-branded boxes to use the service; you cannot use usps flat rate shipping in a plain brown box or your own brand packaging. Plus, everything should fit snugly inside your USPS Priority Mail boxes and not bulk up or distort the box.
As the weight of your package or the distance traveled increases, so does the benefit of using the various USPS flat rate boxes. Let’s dive into what USPS flat rate packages are available to use and how each can benefit your business.
as the weight of your package increases or the distance it travels, so does the benefit of using the various usps flat rate boxes. Let’s dive into the USPS flat rate packages available and how each can benefit your small business.
USPS® Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelopes
there are three types of envelopes available in usps flat rate shipping, and each of their dimensions are:
- Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope: 12 ½” (L) x 9 ½” (W)
- Priority Mail Flat Rate Legal Envelope: 15” (L) x 9 ½” (width) )
- priority mail flat rate padded envelope 9 ½” (length) x 12 ½” (width)
All Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelopes are also available with Express Priority Mail Flat Rate. These envelopes are perfect for documents, tickets, art, jewelry, and other non-bulky items. aside from some cases of shipping to closer areas, these envelopes will likely save you compared to weight-based priority mail shipping options.
learn more about usps zones in our blog: what are usps zones and & how do they affect my shipments?
uss priority mail® small flat rate box
For smaller items, especially small dense/heavy items that won’t fit in envelopes, the USPS Priority Mail Small Flat Rate Box is a great option. The dimensions of the small USPS flat rate boxes are:
- outside: 8 11/16″ x 5 7/16″ x 1 3/4″
- iinside: 8 5/8″ x 5 3/8″ x 1 5/8″
usps describes the box size as about the same as three stacked dvd boxes (imagine your three favorite movies to bring this example home). For example, our customer Furls FiberArts uses small flat-rate boxes to ship their custom crochet and knitting needles. the boxes have self-adhesive flaps, and these folds must be able to close completely. this type of box is ideal for bulkier jewelry, small electronics, and more. This all goes back to the no bulge rule we mentioned earlier, and that will be the case for the rest of the boxes we discuss in this blog as well.
Join furls fiberarts and make shipping easy starting today.
uss priority mail® medium flat rate box
next we have the usps flat rate medium boxes. The big difference between these boxes and the small USPS flat rate boxes is that there are two different versions of the latter. USPS flat-rate medium boxes come in a side-loading version, which is a bit narrower, and a top-loading version, which offers a bit more interior space.
usps flat rate mid-1 box (top load) specifications:
- outside: 11 1/4″ x 8 3/4″ x 6″
- inside: 11″ x 8 1 /2″ x 5 1/2″
usps flat rate medium box-2 specifications (side loading):
- outside: 14″ x 12″ x 3 1/2″
- inside: 13 5/8″ x 11 7 /8″ x 3 3/8″
as you can see, each box can be loaned for different types of products, but shipping costs the same. for example, box 1 could be used to ship shoes, and box 2 is what we use when shipping dozens of print versions of e-books to our partners.
As you begin to move through the different flat rate box sizes, we recommend that you continue to compare your costs with other shipping options based on weight. There are still some cases where weight-based shipping would be cheaper than flat-rate shipping based on weight and destination. don’t be afraid to use their easy shipping rate calculator!
To learn more about Priority Mail, you can read USPS Priority Mail: A Full Breakdown!
usps priority mail flat rate large box
The USPS Large Flat Rate Box will really come in handy when shipping larger, heavier packages; It will be cheaper than weight-based options for packages over 25 pounds in most areas, even when it comes to other areas. At scale, these boxes could be used to ship larger electronic devices such as computers and laptops.
usps flat rate box sizes – large
- outside: 12 1/4″ x 12 1/4″ x 6″
- inside: 12″ x 12″ x 5 1/2″
One benefit of using a technology like shippingeasy is that you can set rules for assigning shipping selections. If you have larger items that travel varying distances, you can set rules to select the USPS Flat Rate Big Box or USPS Priority Mail service to automate making the best decision based on weight and distance traveled.
shippingeasy makes automation easy. find out how with your 30-day free trial today!
usps priority mail apo/fpo/dpo large flat rate box
This type of package is used specifically to ship items to troops and military personnel stationed abroad. It has the same dimensions and 70-pound limit as the USPS Flat Rate Large Box, but includes a message of support for military troops and offers a discounted postage rate for shipping service. Shipping abroad can be expensive, so this flat-rate shipping option makes it much easier to ship items to your loved ones.
usps flat rate box sizes – apo/fpo/dpo
- outside: 12 1/4″ x 12 1/4″ x 6″
- inside: 12″ x 12″ x 5 1/2″
what is usps regional rate shipping?
the usps regional rate is a variation of the usps priority mail flat rate and gives you a flat rate of up to 15 or 20 pounds, depending on which of the two box options you use. The difference between this shipping method and the USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate is that the regional rate still takes into account the distance traveled, while the USPS Flat Rate does not.
if you compare the regional rate to standard priority mail weight-based methods and other priority mail flat rate services, there are advantages and disadvantages. however, the savings can be substantial when you win, so it’s worth doing the comparison shopping.
for example, if you compare the regional rate chart to the average & large flat rate boxes, the box to win for almost all areas (up to 15 pounds).
comparing regional rate chart b with the mean & large flat rate boxes up to 20 pounds, the b box regional rate wins from zones 1-5, but 6-7 wins the medium flat rate, and for zones 8-9 the large flat rate wins.
Like the USPS Priority Mail Medium Flat Rate Boxes, there are two different versions of the Regional Rate Shipping Boxes for sizes A and B.
usps priority mail a1 regional rate:
- outside: 10-1/8″(L) x 7-1/8″(W) x 5″(H)
- inside: 10″(L) x 7″ (width) x 4-3/4″(height)
- opens from top
usps priority mail regional rate a2 dimensions:
- exterior dimensions 13-1/16″(length) x 11-1/16″(width) x 2-1/2″(height)
- interior dimensions 12-13/ 16″(L) x 10-15/16″(W) x 2-3/8″(H)
- opens from the top
usps priority mail regional rate b1 dimensions:
- outside: 12-1/4″(length) x 10-1/2″(width) x 5-1/2″(height)
- inside: 12-1/ 8″(L) x 10-3/8″(W) x 5-1/4″(H)
- opens from top
usps priority mail regional rate b2 dimensions:
- outside: 15″(length) x 12″(width) x 3″(height)
- inside: 14 3 /4″(L) x 11 7/8″(W) x 2 7/8″(H)
- opens from top
Unravel the mystery of regional fare boxes on our blog.
when should I use flat rate shipping?
There are times when one method will be cheaper than another, so it’s worth comparing your flat rate options with other USPS services to get the best rate for your small business. As we mentioned above, don’t be afraid to use the rate calculator in your easy shipping account. it is there to be used!
do usps flat rate shipments come with a tracking number?
When you print a flat rate shipping label, it comes with USPS tracking which traditionally includes USPS Priority Mail and USPS Priority Mail Expedited Packages. the tracking number can also be automatically sent to your customer, so you can both track your shipment in transit. Our free brand tracking also allows you to personalize the experience (emails, SMS updates, and a branded landing page) for your customers, instead of sending them to a provider’s website for package updates.
how can shippingeasy help automate my packaging options?
Would you like to be able to assign specific packaging to your orders automatically? well, you’re in luck! Through custom package options and shipping rules, you can automate your shipping process so your preferred services and packaging are automatically applied to your orders. very good, huh?