LetterAgent

Mail physical letters by just asking your AI assistant.


Status: LetterAgent is currently in private testing ahead of public launch. Everything on this page describes the service as it works today.

Home > Guides > Ship without a printer

How do I ship a package if I don't have a printer?

You don't need a printer to ship. Most carriers let you check in with a QR code on your phone instead of a printed label, and any post office or carrier counter can print the label from the email or code. If those aren't handy, libraries and office-supply stores print single pages for a small fee.

How does the QR-code option work?

When you buy a label online, many carriers offer a QR code instead of (or alongside) the printable label. At the counter or drop-off point, staff scan the code on your phone and print the label themselves. Your phone never becomes the label: it's just the key that lets staff print at their end. Save the code to your phone before you leave home: counter Wi-Fi is not something to rely on.

Will the counter print my label for me?

Usually yes. Post office and carrier counters can look up your shipment from the confirmation email or booking reference and print the label on the spot. This is the simplest no-printer path: buy the label online, show up with your phone, hand over the parcel. One caution: during holiday rushes, counters are slower, so this adds wait time.

Where else can you print a label cheaply?

OptionWhat you needCatch
Public libraryThe label PDF on your phone or a USB driveSmall per-page fee; check the hours
Office-supply storeEmail the file to yourself or bring a USB driveSelf-serve printers; staff can help
A friend's printerThe PDFYou're spending social capital
Buy the label at the counterJust the parcel and the addressCounter rates are usually higher than online

Do you need a special printer for shipping labels?

No, and this trips people up. A regular inkjet or laser printer on plain paper is accepted everywhere: thermal printers are a convenience for high-volume shippers, not a requirement. What matters is barcode quality. Print with fresh ink, keep the label flat on one face of the box, never wrap it around an edge, and don't tape over the barcode. Grey, streaky bars are a top cause of lost tracking scans: if the barcode looks faint, reprint it. Tape over the barcode is worse than a faint print: the glare defeats scanners completely.

LetterAgent shipping labels arrive as PDFs, so any of these options works: show the code or email at the counter, or print the PDF at a library. Labels are Canada Post Xpresspost, Canada-only, 5 kg max, quoted up front per label.

Related guides

Ready to ship it? Get a shipping label with LetterAgent: describe it to your AI assistant, approve the exact quoted price, and get your label.


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

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