Cheapest virtual mailbox once you actually open your mail
Entry rent is the teaser. The bill moves when you ask the operator to open an envelope and scan the pages inside (a content scan). Providers price that three different ways: per page, per envelope, or as a monthly allowance. Below we run two realistic months through each published price card so you can see the real number.
Three ways scans get billed
- Per page, small allowance — PhysicalAddress: Plan 30 includes 10 content-scan pages, then $0.20 per extra scan. Cheap if letters are short.
- Page allowance with rollover — Traveling Mailbox: Basic includes 35 page scans (envelope images don’t count), then $0.50/page. Extended and higher roll unused scans over.
- Per envelope — PostScan Mail ($2.00 per envelope up to 10 pages, then $0.25/page) and iPostal1 ($2.25 per envelope up to 10 pages, then $0.25/page, or prepaid bundles). Painful if you open lots of short letters.
Two worked months
Light month: 5 letters opened × 3 pages = 15 pages. Busy LLC month: 15 letters opened × 4 pages = 60 pages. Envelope counts stay under every plan’s limit. Cheapest qualifying plan shown per provider; your location may cost more.
| Provider (plan) | Entry rent | Light month (15 pp) | Busy month (60 pp) | How we got it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PhysicalAddress (Plan 30) | $7.98 | $8.98 | $17.98 | 10 pages free, then $0.20 each (5 extra / 50 extra). Plan 100 ($16.98, 50 pages) lands at $18.98 busy, so Plan 30 still wins. |
| Traveling Mailbox (Basic / Extended) | $15.00 | $15.00 | $25.00 | Basic covers 35 pages; busy month on Basic is $27.50 ($0.50 × 25), so Extended ($25, 80 pages) is cheaper. |
| iPostal1 (Personal 30 items) | $9.99 | $19.99 | $37.99 | Bundles: $10 for 5 opens (light); $18/10 + $10/5 (busy). Business plans start at $14.99, add $5. Prices as of 23 Oct check. |
| PostScan Mail (Starter / Standard) | from $10 | $20.00 | $40.00 | Starter has 0 free opens: 5 × $2 (light). Busy: Starter 15 × $2 = $40, Standard $20 + 10 × $2 = $40, Premium $30 + 5 × $2 = $40. “As low as” varies by address. |
| Anytime Mailbox | from ~$9.99 | Varies by operator | Each center sets its own scan fee (we’ve seen 5 pages then $0.50/page, and ~$2.25/request). Open the exact location card. | |
Quotes
What these totals leave out
- Location premiums — PhysicalAddress “starting at” $7.98 rises in some cities; PostScan and iPostal1 prices vary by address; Traveling Mailbox premium addresses cost more.
- Forwarding and storage — e.g. Traveling Mailbox postage + $2 per shipment; PhysicalAddress parcels $1/week after 1 week. Not in the totals above.
- Junk — Traveling Mailbox says junk you mark doesn’t count toward limits. Others count every envelope image toward the plan’s envelope allowance.
- Annual billing — PostScan and Traveling Mailbox advertise roughly 2 months free on annual. We used monthly list prices.
Could not verify tonight: iPostal1’s live scan FAQ redirected, so its figures are from our 23 Oct 2026 check. Anytime Mailbox has no single national scan price.
Sources
- physicaladdress.com/pricing (checked 26 Oct 2026, NZDT)
- travelingmailbox.com/pricing (checked 26 Oct 2026, NZDT)
- postscanmail.com/pricing (checked 26 Oct 2026, NZDT)
- ipostal1.com plans (checked 23 Oct 2026, NZDT)
- anytimemailbox.com (location cards vary)