LetterAgent
Mail physical letters by just asking your AI assistant.
Home > Guides > Online vs post office
It depends on what you're mailing. The post office wins for packages, postmarks, paying cash, and in-person registered services, and a First-Class stamp costs 82¢ as of July 2026. Online mailing wins when you have no printer, no time to go, or it's late at night: describe the letter, approve the quoted price, and it's printed and mailed.
The counter wins on price for the simplest case: if you already own stamps, envelopes, and a printer, a one-page letter costs you the 82¢ stamp and a trip. It also wins in situations no online service can touch:
| Situation | Why the counter wins |
|---|---|
| You need a same-day postmark | A clerk cancels your mail with today's date on the spot. Online services print and mail on their own schedule: they can't backdate proof of a mailing date. |
| Packages | Online letter services handle letters only; the counter takes boxes, tubes, and padded mailers. |
| Paying cash | The counter takes cash and sells money orders. Online checkout needs a card. |
| Registered or certified in person | You hand over the letter, get the tracking receipt and the return-receipt process started immediately, in your hands. |
| Odd-shaped or heavy items | Nonmachinable letters, large envelopes, and anything over 3.5 ounces get weighed and priced correctly at the counter. |
Online wins the moment the trip itself is the obstacle. No printer, no envelopes, no stamps in the drawer: online services bundle all of that into one quoted price. No drive, no parking, no line. Post offices keep daytime hours; an online service takes your letter at 11:40 PM on a Sunday or from a hotel room in another country. If you mail rarely, the per-letter quote beats keeping a printer stocked with ink for the two letters a year you actually send.
One wrinkle in the post office's favor: many USPS lobbies have self-service kiosks that stay open after hours, so "it's midnight" doesn't always force you online, but the kiosk still needs you to have the letter printed, addressed, and in hand.
| Cost | Post office counter | Online (LetterAgent) |
|---|---|---|
| Postage | 82¢ First-Class stamp (July 2026 rate) | Included in the quoted price |
| Printing | Your printer, your ink | Included in the quoted price |
| Envelope | Yours, if you have one | Double-window business envelope included |
| Addressing | You hand-write or print the addresses | Addresses print through the envelope windows: no handwriting |
| The trip | Your gas, parking, and 20–40 minutes | None |
| Payment | Cash, card, or check at the counter | One-time Stripe Checkout link per letter |
The honest math: for a single plain letter with supplies on hand, the counter is unbeatable: 82¢ plus your time. Online earns its keep when the supplies or the trip are missing, when it's outside counter hours, or when you'd rather describe the letter to your AI assistant than wrestle with a printer.
Ready to mail it? Send your letter with LetterAgent: describe it to your AI assistant, approve the exact quoted price, and it's printed and mailed.
LetterAgent is a working name. Prices include print, postage, and our service fee. US prices in USD, Canadian prices in CAD (Canadian prices exclude applicable sales tax, added at checkout). Currently in private testing.
Need help? Ask your assistant: it can check a job's status any time. If it ever can't handle something: hello@getletteragent.com