Outlook Spotlight

Best Virtual Mailboxes Of 2023

Our testing team has reviewed 10+ virtual mailboxes to determine which are the best and most affordable mailbox services for business owners. This article has been fact-checked by a separate team of reviewers to confirm all the data is 100% correct.

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IPostal1
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Finding the best virtual mailbox can feel like a daunting task, given how many digital mailboxes are available on the market. Whether you want to receive mail while you travel, open a new business address, or pay invoices remotely, choosing the right virtual mailbox is crucial.

To assist you in finding the best virtual mailbox, we’ve reviewed and compared the top mailbox providers on the market. Our rankings of the best virtual mailboxes are based on a variety of factors, including features, shipping times, security, user reviews, and price.

Best Virtual Mailboxes

  1. iPostal1 : Best virtual mailbox overall
  2. Anytime Mailbox : Best virtual mailbox for international businesses
  3. PostScan Mail : Best virtual mailbox for cloud storage

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#1. iPostal1 : Best Virtual Mailbox Overall

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iPostal1

iPostal1 is the best virtual mailing address on the market due to its 2,500+ addresses and excellent overall value. Whether you’re a sole proprietor or an established business looking for a real street address, iPostal1 will elevate your professional image, safeguard your family's privacy, and provide the features needed to grow your business.

iPostal1 offers the same pricing plan across its 2,500+ locations, making the customer experience predictable and smooth. Its plans start at just $9.99/month ($99/year), making it the most cost-effective virtual mailbox for most businesses today.

iPostal1 will consolidate your mail and packages into a single shipment to save you on shipping fees. It will open and scan your mail upon your request, and offers deep discounts on international shipping if you prefer to have mail and documents forwarded on to you.

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iPostal1 makes it easy to get a real street address to register your business and protect your personal privacy. Users also have the option to upgrade to virtual office plans that include phone and fax, which offer even more powerful features like a personalized voicemail greeting, phone forwarding (domestically and internationally), and a dedicated local or toll-free phone number in any U.S. city.

iPostal1 also offers tax-free locations in New Hampshire, Oregon, Delaware, Montana, and Alaska, and mail storage is free at all locations for 30 days.

iPostal1 Features

  • 2,500+ locations across all 50 states plus Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, and the rest of the world
  • Tax-free warehouses in New Hampshire, Oregon, Delaware, Montana, and Alaska
  • Significant discounts on international shipping
  • Locations available in office buildings and co-working spaces
  • Consolidation of letters and packages
  • Mail forwarding anywhere in the world
  • Free storage on letters for 30 days
  • Local mail pickup
  • Mail discarding/shredding
  • Open and scan mail content ($1.50 for up to 10 pages)
  • Check deposits available at many locations
  • Virtual office plans available with phone and fax from $39.99/month

iPostal1 Pricing

  • Virtual mailbox: $9.99/month - $39.99/month
  • Mail scanning: $1.50 for up to 10 pages
  • Mail forwarding: Cost of postage
  • Storage: 30 days free, then $1.10 per letter per month

2. Anytime Mailbox : Best Virtual Mailbox For International Businesses

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Anytime Mailbox

Anytime Mailbox is a great virtual mailbox for both business owners and online shoppers who frequently buy items from retailers around the world. Anytime Mailbox provides all of the standard digital mailbox services, including mail scans and check deposits, as well as a generous 30-day free storage period for all letters and packages.

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Anytime Mailbox has over 2,000 locations scattered across more than 40 countries, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and nearly every country in Europe and Southeast Asia. If you’re looking for a secure business address abroad, Anytime Mailbox is a great way to receive mail and have a local presence in a foreign country without needing a physical office.

Anytime Mailbox’s plans range from $5 to $15 per month. Anytime Mailbox’s plans and the services they provide vary based on location, though you can generally find at least one plan that fits your mailing and budget requirements wherever your mailbox is located.

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Like iPostal1, Anytime Mailbox will also forward your mail anywhere worldwide, which is especially useful for expats and digital nomads living abroad. Also like iPostal1, Anytime Mailbox offers tax-free locations in 5 U.S. states: New Hampshire, Oregon, Delaware, Montana, and Alaska.

Anytime Mailbox Features

  • 2,000+ locations across all 50 states plus 40+ countries, including Canada, Asia, Europe, Africa, South America, and the Middle East
  • Tax-free warehouses in New Hampshire, Oregon, Delaware, Montana, and Alaska
  • 30 days of free storage for all letters and packages
  • Significant discounts with major shipping carriers
  • Check deposit services
  • Mail scanning service at $0.50 per page
  • Secure shredding at $0.10 per page
  • Package forwarding for $5 plus shipping costs
  • Letter and package consolidation
  • Optional local pickup for a fee ($1-$5 per item)

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Anytime Mailbox Pricing

  • Virtual mailbox: $5/month - $15/month
  • Mail scanning: $0.50 per page
  • Mail forwarding: $5 plus shipping costs
  • Storage: Free for the first 30 days, then 5 cents per item per day

3. PostScan Mail : Best For Cloud Storage

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PostScan Mail

PostScan Mail offers a range of convenient features to simplify how you handle your postal mail. It provides a network of over 400 locations across the United States and 20+ other countries, ensuring you can always access your mail conveniently.

The PostScan Mail app allows you to categorize your mail into digital folders, apply filters for easy searching, and manage your correspondence seamlessly from your smartphone or computer. One of PostScan Mail's standout features is its ability to eliminate junk mail before it enters your inbox, saving you time.

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PostScan Mail offers 30 days of free storage for letters, 7 days of free storage for packages, and unlimited cloud storage, allowing you to securely archive and access years' worth of mail on their servers. PostScan Mail users receive real U.S. street addresses, which are especially valuable for businesses or other users who need a physical address to send and receive official correspondences.

PostScan Mail’s monthly fees range from $10 to $30 per month, and additional services like mail scanning and forwarding are available at competitive rates. Like iPostal1 and Anytime Mailbox, PostScan Mail offers tax-free warehouses in Delaware, Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire, and Alaska.

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PostScan Mail Features

  • 400+ locations available across the United States and 20+ other countries
  • Free package storage for up to 7 days
  • Free letter storage for up to 30 days
  • Unlimited cloud storage
  • Tax-free locations in Delaware, Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire, and Alaska
  • Local pickup option available
  • Mail and package consolidation available
  • Real U.S. street addresses

PostScan Mail Pricing

  • Virtual mailbox: $10/month - $30/month
  • Mail scanning: 5-20 free scans per month, then $2 per letter
  • Mail forwarding: $0.85 plus shipping costs
  • Mail storage: Free for the first 30 days, then 5 cents per letter per day
  • Package storage: Free for the first 7 days, then 10 cents per pound per day

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How We Selected The Top Virtual Mailbox Services

We evaluated each virtual mailbox provider above based on these four key factors:

1. Features

All the virtual mailbox services on this list offer more than just basic mail handling. Some advanced features include mail forwarding, secure mail disposal, check deposit services, package consolidation, complimentary storage for mail and packages, registered agent services, and more.

Before deciding on a virtual mailbox service, it's essential to carefully review its specific features to ensure they align with your needs.

When evaluating each virtual mailbox’s features, we considered various factors, including:

  • Pricing of each feature and how it compares to competitors
  • Availability and cost of additional services
  • User-friendly search and filtering options for your mail
  • Possibility of exporting your data in different formats
  • User accounts with various access levels
  • Ease of completing USPS Form 1583

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2. Physical Locations

The number of physical mailbox locations a provider offers can significantly impact your convenience. Even though you won't physically visit these mailboxes (unless they offer local pickups), having an address that suits your business needs is crucial.

For instance, if your primary customer base is in New York, having a New York address is advantageous. Similarly, businesses in the tech sector may benefit from a California address over one in Georgia.

Most businesses prefer physical addresses over P.O. boxes, as P.O. boxes can't receive large packages, and banks and government agencies usually require physical addresses for official documents. If you plan on expanding internationally, consider a virtual mailbox service with international address options for future growth.

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When evaluating each virtual mailbox’s physical locations, we considered various factors, including:

  • The number of physical mailbox locations
  • Where (locally and internationally) the mailboxes are located
  • Physical addresses versus P.O. boxes

3. Storage & Shipping

If you intend to store your mail and packages at a virtual mailbox facility, you should know the storage fees and duration limits before shipping items out. You’ll also want to know how many days of free storage you receive before you need to pay.

When evaluating each virtual mailbox’s storage and shipping policies, we considered various factors, including:

  • Automatic mail and package scanning and processing times
  • Domestic and international mail forwarding
  • How quickly mail is processed and forwarded
  • Duration of free mail and package storage
  • Cost of storage beyond the initial free period
  • Range of shipping options for forwarding packages and any available discounts

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4. Security

Security is a paramount concern when handling personal and business mail, given the dual digital and physical nature of virtual mailboxes. Maintaining a secure operation requires significant effort.

When it comes to physical security, we assessed internal policies and historical security records to identify potential risks from human error and misconduct. On the digital front, encryption and secure data handling are vital, and all the providers listed here follow best practices for data security.

When evaluating each virtual mailbox’s physical and online security, we considered various factors, including:

  • Collaboration with approved Commercial Mail Receiving Agencies (CMRAs)
  • Staff training for handling sensitive mail securely
  • Server security, with a focus on encryption and data transfer protocols
  • Warehouse security, including whether operations are outsourced or in-house

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Our Pick For The Best Virtual Mailbox: iPostal1

Our research into more than a dozen virtual mailboxes gives us confidence that iPostal1 is the best virtual mailbox available today. iPostal1 offers virtual mailbox services for just $9.99/month at 2,500+ locations across the United States and around the world, and it’s built a name for itself as a secure, reliable service provider.

Whether you’re a business looking to build a presence in a new location or an individual seeking an easier way to manage your mail when you travel, iPostal1 is an excellent choice.

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FAQs About Virtual Mailboxes

What is a virtual mailbox?

A virtual mailbox is like having a physical mailing address that accepts your letters, documents, and packages even when you're not home. You can also use it to store your important papers digitally or as an official address for your business, like when you open an LLC.

When mail or packages are delivered to your virtual mailbox address, the service provider scans and uploads images of the items to your online account. You can then view, request mail forwarding, or take other actions from your computer or mobile device.

What are the benefits of using a virtual mailbox?

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There are many benefits of using a virtual mailbox service, including:

  • Access your mail from anywhere with an internet connection.
  • Eliminate the need for a physical mailbox or P.O. box.
  • Receive mail and packages while traveling or living abroad.
  • Enhanced security and privacy for your mail.

Are virtual mailbox services safe and secure?

Yes, virtual mailbox services offer a high level of safety and security. The virtual mailbox services mentioned above operate from highly secure data centers, and they adhere to the latest security standards, including robust measures like 128-bit SSL encryption and comprehensive disk encryption for safeguarding all customer data.

All virtual mailbox services in the United States must also follow strict guidelines set by the United States Postal Service (USPS), and failing to uphold these guidelines can result in severe penalties. Virtual PO boxes are prohibited from disclosing their users' addresses to anyone unless they receive specific instructions. This ensures the confidentiality and protection of your personal information when using these services.

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What is the best virtual mailbox?

The best virtual mailbox overall is iPostal1 due to its affordability and high customer satisfaction. If you’re looking for a trustworthy, highly secure virtual mailbox provider, iPostal1 is an excellent choice.

What's the best virtual mailbox for small businesses?

The top virtual mailbox for small businesses is iPostal1 because it provides real street addresses, ensuring the confidentiality and privacy of your personal and business information. iPostal1 plans start at just $9.99/month but include all the virtual mailbox features you need to scale your growing business.

Does USPS offer a virtual mailbox?

Yes, USPS does offer a virtual PO box service, though USPS PO boxes cannot receive shipments from any other shipping carrier. If you receive mail from more than just USPS, it makes more sense to work with a third-party virtual PO box instead.

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What is the cheapest virtual mailbox?

The cheapest virtual mailbox is iPostal1, whose plans start at just $9.99/month ($99/year). While you can also get a mailbox for as low as $5/month from Anytime Mailbox (depending on the mailbox location and services), some extra costs may be involved that will make it more expensive over the long run. If your top priority is keeping costs to a minimum, we recommend iPostal1.

Are virtual mailboxes worth it?

Virtual mailboxes can be worth it for many individuals and businesses, especially those that value convenience, flexibility, and the ability to manage mail digitally. However, the worthiness of a virtual mailbox depends on your specific circumstances and how you want to interact with the letters and packages you receive.

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What’s the difference between a virtual mailbox and a virtual business address?

Virtual mailboxes typically include both a physical mailing address and a digital interface for managing mail and packages. They’re suitable for personal use and businesses of all sizes.

Virtual business addresses may include the mail management services offered by a virtual mailbox, though they’re more commonly used as professional addresses for branding and other business purposes.

What is the best virtual mail service for an LLC?

The best virtual mailbox service for an LLC is either iPostal1 or Anytime Mailbox. Both providers offer a range of features and options that can cater to your business's needs, though if you have specific requirements, it’s a good idea to review their service offerings before making your final choice.

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What's the best virtual mailbox for expats?

The best virtual mailbox service for expats is either iPostal1 or Anytime Mailbox, though your experience may vary slightly depending on where you are in the world. We recommend reviewing each mailbox provider's locations before signing up if you want a mailbox in a specific country or state.

What other virtual mailboxes are available?

There are plenty of other virtual mailbox services out there, including Traveling Mailbox, USA2Me, Earth Class Mail, and US Global Mail, but there are a few main reasons we’ve chosen the three virtual mailboxes above as the best in the industry:

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  1. Better pricing: Price is an important consideration when choosing a virtual mailbox service, and the three providers we’ve selected offer the lowest and most versatile pricing plans.
  2. Excellent online experience: Using a virtual mailbox means you’ll be interfacing with your mail through an online dashboard or mobile app, so having a smooth, user-friendly online experience is essential.
  3. Higher customer satisfaction: iPostal1, Anytime Mailbox, and PostScan Mail have some of the highest levels of customer satisfaction among all digital mailboxes, ensuring you’ll have a positive experience with them.

Disclaimer: The above is a sponsored post, the views expressed are those of the sponsor/author and do not represent the stand and views of Outlook Editorial.

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