8 Best Virtual Mailboxes – Best Wallet Hacks
Virtual mailbox services provide users with a real street address where they can receive mail. They also offer a variety of other services geared to small businesses. They are popular with digital nomads who may lack a fixed address, or self-employed individuals who work from home and would rather not use a P.O. Box or home address for business purposes.
We explore 8 of the best virtual mailbox services in the U.S, including their key features, pricing, and pros and cons.
Best For: Physical addresses anywhere
iPostal1 is an excellent option for digital nomads as it offers physical addresses in all 50 states, U.S. territories, and several countries. Personal mail scanning plans start at $9.99 monthly, including free handling of up to 30 mail items. Up to 30 days of storage is complimentary.
You can also purchase virtual office plans that include a local or toll-free number and 250 free voicemail minutes monthly. These plans allow you to add the names of up to six recipients while paying a flat monthly fee.
Businesses can add their company name, too.
Several cities have multiple locations, such as mail centers, workspaces, or office buildings. If that’s the case for your desired city, it’s worth comparing prices as high-end spaces with more services may charge a higher monthly fee, such as $39.99 per month instead of $9.99 with locations a few miles apart.
For more information, check out our iPostal1 review.
Best For: Unlimited incoming mail
Get Started With Anytime Mailbox
Anytime Mailbox has over 2,000 locations in the United States and 47 foreign destinations. Most locations offer an “Unlimited” plan offering unlimited incoming mail with up to 30- days of free storage, 100 pages of Open & Scan, plus unlimited shredding and recycling.
You can opt for a bronze, silver, and gold plan with preset incoming mail limits starting at $5 monthly with unlimited online storage. Still, plan pricing and the number of mailbox recipients differ by location. There are no non-mail ancillary services like phone, fax, and website bundles to speak of that competitors may offer.
Get Started With Anytime Mailbox
Best For: Mail forwarding
PostScan Mail offers budget-friendly mail forwarding services starting at $2 for the first item, then $0.50 per additional piece plus shipping. In comparison, others may charge a bundle fee—such as $5 per bundle and shipping—which can become pricey with small batches.
The virtual mailbox offers fixed-rate pricing of either $10, $20, or $30 for each plan tier across the United States and the District of Columbia. This price transparency means you won’t have to spend time comparing packages from various locations. New customers can also enjoy a charitable 30-day guarantee period to try out PostScan Mail and receive a full refund due to dissatisfaction.
Unfortunately, the highest plan tier only offers up to 120 of free incoming letters or packages and up to seven days of package stores (30 days for letters similar to the competitors). Further, the entry-level Starter plan doesn’t have an open and scan allowance, which can result in a frustrating open-ended cost if you urgently need to see several mailers’ interior contents.
Best For: Registered agent and LLC formation
Get Started With Northwest Registered Agent
Northwest Registered Agent can double as your registered agent to receive official documents. This double feature is helpful when you want all business correspondence to go to the same address.
All registered agent plans cost $125 annually and include free limited mail forwarding of up to five free documents annually. Unlimited forwarding is available in select states, costing $20 monthly. Additionally, this plan automatically scans all documents received at no extra cost, and the service owns its buildings instead of contracting with third parties for more peace of mind.
It can also help you form an LLC, corporation, or non-profit when you’re ready to make the leap from sole proprietorship. Enjoy one year of free registered agent service when you start your business using Northwest.
Additional services include a virtual office, phone number, business identity packages (website and email), and trademark applications.
For more details, check out our Northwest Registered Agent review.
Get Started With Northwest Registered Agent
Best For: Unlimited scans
Get Started With Business Anywhere
Consider BusinessAnwhere to receive unlimited document scans to view your letters within two business days. It doesn’t have hidden fees regarding excess incoming mail, page scans, or storage. The local concierge team can also forward mail and packages domestically or internationally for a nominal fee.
All plans include unlimited mail scans and identical features. The distinguishing difference is the number of recipients. The per-month costs are $20 for two recipients, $30 for five, and $65 for 20 recipients.
Get Started With Business Anywhere
Best For: Unlimited mail recipients
Get Started With PhysicalAddress.com
PhysicalAddress.com can be an excellent choice for startups and companies with multiple users as the platform offers unlimited mail recipients. Monthly plans start as low as $7.98 for 30 incoming pieces. However, the same plan can run as high as $29.98 for a Wall Street mailing address in the heart of the nation’s financial district.
Four monthly plans are available and the highest tier provides 200 envelope scans and 100 contact scans each month.
Other unique perks include a free registered agent and check deposits. Unlike most virtual mailboxes, PhysicalAddress.com manages its own properties and doesn’t contract third-party employees. This policy makes providing hands-on service and data protection easier, although mail centers are only in eight major metros.
Get Started With PhysicalAddress.com
Best For: Travelers and expatriates
Get Started With VirtualPostMail
VirtualPostMail (VPM) goes beyond the traditional virtual mailbox experience for businesses by offering a luxury U.S. home address. This Las Vegas residential address can make it easier to prove residency status and obtain necessary legal documents. A TruLease business address is also available for digital companies needing proof of a lease agreement and utility bill.
Business addresses are available in five states and cost $20 to $90 monthly. All but the entry-level plan (25 free exterior scans) support unlimited mail envelope scans. The mail content scanning limit is from 10 to 150 per month with a 10-page allowance (then $0.25 per excess page and $1 per excess scan).
Another notable feature is 60 days of free physical storage, in contrast to the industry standard of 30 days. Finally, all mailbox plans include free registered agent access. This service is currently available in California, Delaware, Florida, and Nevada.
Get Started With VirtualPostMail
Best For: Free virtual mailbox
USA2Me offers one free and three paid digital mailboxes that include various perks. The free Basic plan is good for infrequent users who prefer a pay-as-you-go method instead of paying a plan fee. You pay a one-time $23 setup fee plus add-on fees for page scans, mail forwarding, and junk mail discarding. This option includes 30 days of free storage.
The paid plans charge a one-time $15 setup fee and a monthly fee of either $10, $35, or $60. Depending on your plan, you receive up to one free shipment of up to $60 per month and from 45 to 90 days of free storage.
A virtual mailbox provides a personal or business physical street address to receive mail and packages to avoid using your residential mailing address or a P.O. box, which can have shipping restrictions or put your personal identity at risk.
The on-site staff scans the exterior image of each envelope and package, which can be stored free of charge for as long as 30 days. This service is available in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and many international countries.
Additional fees apply to scan the interior contents, forward items, or extend the storage period. You may receive discounted or limited complimentary amenities when choosing a pricier plan. Some platforms offer non-mail perks, such as a registered agent or LLC formation.
Related: How Much Does A Post Office Box Cost?
With most virtual mailbox providers, entry-level plans cost between $5 and $20 per month and include up to 30 incoming letters and parcels. Premium plans range from $25 to $90 but will likely include unlimited incoming mail scans, content scan allowances, and mail forwarding discounts.
Pricing varies by provider, plan level, and mailbox location. Sometimes, a mailbox provider may have several partners in the same town. In this situation, the minimum price for the same plan tier varies by location. While more expensive mail centers may offer more optional services, you should compare costs to find the most affordable base plan fee.
Keep in mind that optional service fees may apply. Some of the most common on-demand services cost the following amount:
Many services offer an annual discount of 20% off or two months for free when purchasing a 12-month membership. A 30-day refund period is usually available to test out the service.
Related: Best Banks for Digital Nomads
Consider the following factors when choosing a virtual mailbox:
Disadvantages of digital mailboxes can include the cost, as well as potential limitations placed on storage by the mailbox provider. It’s important to make sure the services you are paying for are worth the cost, and that the plan you choose will serve your needs
Most banks will accept a virtual mailbox address. However, before opening a business bank account, check with the bank to ensure its policies support a virtual address.
Virtual mailbox services like the one’s we’ve covered offer a secure way to scan and review mail. However, when opening an account, it’s essential that you create a secure password, and change it periodically. Also, don’t ignore your mail. Log into your account on a regular basis to action any mail you’ve received.
If you’re a digital nomad, freelancer, or other small business owner, there are many virtual mailboxes to choose from. And the benefits go far beyond having a business address you can use to receive mail. Many of the providers on our list offer additional services, including virtual offices, phone, email, and fax services, and LLC formation and registered agent services. By taking time to do the proper research, you find the best mailbox for your business, at the right price point.
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