What is a virtual mailbox and do you need one?
Virtual mailbox & business address providers help companies manage their physical mail without being physically present. These services give you a physical mailing address and digitise your mail so you can access and respond to your mail without being tied to a single location.
Virtual Mailbox Services include:
- Online mail notifications (usually same day)
- Online viewing of envelopes & packages
- Opening and scanning contents of mail
- Mail forwarding service
- Shredding, disposing, or recycling of mail
- Package storage and shipping
- Check deposit service
With the rise of the COVID pandemic, an increasing number of startups are relying on virtual mailboxes. If you've pondered whether you need one or not, if any of the following applies to you - it's a fair assumption that a virtual mailbox will simplify your life.
Why you need a virtual mailbox?
You have a virtual office. Registering your business needs an office address but you don't need to rent out a space, set it up, and hire a secretary just for this reason. Choose one of the addresses these virtual mailbox providers offer and keep your office virtual. Given the COVID pandemic, you have the option to view and respond to your mail and packages through your smartphone and laptop vs. paying a visit to the post office.
You have multiple office locations. As you grow your company and add more office locations, managing your physical mail across these locations can be a nightmare. Having a virtual mailbox gives you a stable permanent address that doesn't require constant updates.
You travel frequently. This may be on pause during the pandemic but if you are usually required to travel for work, missing physical mail can send added stress to your life. Most virtual mailboxes update mail on receipt online on the same day so you can access your mail from anywhere.
You prefer your mail digitized and organized. A virtual mailbox provider scans, digitizes, and organizes your mail into high resolution PDFs so you can store it the way you need to. With shredding services and HIPAA certified technicians, your paperwork is secure and accessible per your control.
You'd like to avoid frequent bank visits. One of the best features that some virtual mailbox providers offer is taking care of check deposits. Users can request to have their checks deposited into their bank accounts for convenience without going into the bank.
Top 10 Digital Mail Providers Going Into 2021
#1 Earth Class Mail
- Pricing: Mailbox Plans: $19 (Personal)/ $29 (Shared) / $79 (Premium) per month, Mailroom Plans: $139 (Startup)/ $229 (Business)/ $1,029 (Enterprise) per month
- Free Demo: Yes
- Mail/Parcel Forwarding: Yes
- Document Scanning: Yes
- Document Shredding: Yes
- Check Deposit: Yes
- Storage: Letters - free for first 30 days then $1.50 per month; Packages - free for first 10 days then $15 per pound/month
Noteworthy Features:
- Real Business Addresses: Users can get a mailing address and use it instead of a home address to protect their business’ privacy, establish a local presence and register their business with the state.
- Secure Handling and Shredding: All mail is processed in monitored facilities by employees that have completed extensive background checks - this includes HIPAA certification. Everything digital is secured with a 256-bit encryption, and if users want to keep their confidential information safe, they can choose to securely shred everything.
- Storage: Cloud storage is free and unlimited. Users can also integrate directly with Quickbooks, Xero, Bill.com, Dropbox, Box and Google Drive to backup and share their documents. The first 30 days of physical mail storage is always free, which starts from the day the mail is received.
- Automated Check Deposit Service: Checkstream automates the receivables process, dramatically improves cash flow, and makes recording transactions to user’s accounting software a breeze.
Pros:
- Ideal for startups and small companies
- Users praise check deposit feature
- Subscription automatically includes 30 days of free storage for mail and 10 days of free storage for packages.
- Great customer service with reps being knowledgeable and trained to solve issues quickly
Cons:
- Platform has limited major feature updates
- Price is on the higher side compared to other virtual mailbox providers
#2 US Global Mail
- Pricing: Basic: $10/month (1 name on the account), Plus: $15/month (multiple family members), Business: $25/month (multiple companies and family members)
- Free Trial: Yes
- Mail/Parcel Forwarding: Yes
- Document Scanning: Yes
- Document Shredding: Yes
- Check Deposit: Yes
- Storage: Letters - free for first 180 days then $0.10/letter/month; Packages – free for first 30 days then $1 per pound/month
Noteworthy Features:
- Real Business Addresses: Users are provided with physical US street address
- Mail Handling: As new mail arrives, a scan of the envelope is uploaded to the customer’s virtual mailbox where the sender’s info (from whom and where it’s from) is accessible
- Open & Scans: If the customer wishes to inspect the contents inside the envelope, an 'Open & Scan' can be requested which is subsequently sent to the virtual mailbox.
- Consolidation & Repackaging: US Global Mail also offers package consolidation, where a bunch of mails or packages are taken and repackaged into one big package.
- Free Check Deposits: Users can have their checks securely deposited into their bank accounts right away for free.
- Multiple Shipping Options: DHL, Aramex, UPS, FedEx, and USPS
Pros:
- Stands out for its great customer service
- Users satisfied with free services such as shredding of junk mail, letter and package storage for a limited period of time
Cons:
- Only one physical address available which is in Houston, Texas
- Users complain the shipping costs for larger packages are expensive compared to alternatives
#3 Anytime Mailbox
- Pricing: Varies by location from $6.99/mo up to $99/mo
- Free Trial: No
- Mail/Parcel Forwarding: Yes
- Document Scanning: Yes
- Document Shredding: Yes
- Check Deposit: Yes, but varies by location and plan
- Storage: depends on location and plan
Noteworthy Features:
- Large variety of mailing addresses: Offers 786 mailing addresses to choose from
- Access from any device: PC, Mac, smartphone or tablet. Handy mobile app available for both iPhone and android
- International mail forwarding: Simplifies and enables forwarding domestically and internationally
- Consolidation & Repackaging: Enables package and mail consolidation to be sent as a single package
Pros:
- Great support and service from the operations team
- International addresses available including in Asia, Europe and Middle East
Cons:
- Anytime Mailbox has a partner network to offer the variety of addresses they do. Because of that, users’ virtual mailbox accounts may get closed permanently and unexpectedly by the mailbox operator. It is important for the user to research the specific mailbox partner chosen for info on fees and changes.
#4 iPostal1
- Pricing: Virtual Mailing Address: starts at $9.99/month, Virtual Business Address: starts at $9.99/month, Virtual Office: starts at $39.99/month
- Free Trial: Yes
- Mail/Parcel Forwarding: Yes
- Document Scanning: Yes
- Document Shredding: Yes, $2.25 for up to 10 pages, then $.25 per page
- Check Deposit: Yes
- Storage: Letters - free for first 30 days; Packages – free for 5-30 days depending on weight and dimensions
Noteworthy Features:
- Large variety of mailing addresses: 900 digital mailbox locations across the U.S. and the countries: China, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Switzerland and Singapore.
- BBB accredited with an A+ rating: iPostal1 operates with the highest standards of trust and good faith in solving customer issues.
- Real addresses: Get a real street address with a personal or company mailbox number which is fully functional for banking, credit cards, and all personal or business use.
- Local or toll-free phone numbers: Virtual Office Plans include company phone numbers with personalized greeting, domestic and international phone forwarding, digital voice mail. Dedicated electronic fax.
- Unlimited online address book: Ability to save unlimited shipping addresses and contact information.
- Unlimited forwarding: Forward mail and packages to as many different addresses anywhere in the world. Users have an ability to see real-time shipping cost comparisons for different carriers and service levels.
- Consolidation & Repackaging: Consolidate packages into one box to save on shipping. Also works for letters to save on forwarding.
Pros:
- Reasonable fees
- Virtual office is easy and convenient to use
Cons:
- Some users say that they have been treated poorly by the customer service
#5 PostScanMail
- Pricing: Starter: starts at $9.95/month, Standard: starts at $14.95/month, Premium: starts at $24.95/month
- Free Trial: Yes
- Mail/Parcel Forwarding: Yes
- Document Scanning: Yes
- Document Shredding: Yes
- Check Deposit: No
- Storage: Letters – free for first 30 days then $.05 per envelope per day; Packages - free for first 7 days, $0.10 per pound per day
Noteworthy Features:
- Virtual Mailbox: PostScan Mail gives complete control over mail deliveries online. Users can manage their mails remotely from any location with complete security.
- Mail archiving: This is an automatic feature that stores scanned images of envelopes, documents and paperwork into the user’s account. PostScan Mail also offers organizational features such as sorting documents into folders, categorizing them into features, attaching them to emails or downloading them.
- Multiple users: Users can add multiple users, provided they’ve been assigned a username and a password. This works well for businesses or organizations with multiple users.
- Automatic filters: Users can request for automated operations that will handle all activities such as scanning, shredding, recycling and transferring to a sub-account.
Pros:
- Plans are easy to understand and applicable for different types of customers
- Apps are available on the Apple app store and Google Play
- Timely and knowledgeable customer service
Cons:
- Some users complain of delay in receiving and forwarding mail and packages
#6 Virtual Post Mail
- Pricing: Starter: $20/mo, Plus: $35/mo, Business: $60/mo, Premium: $90/mo
- Free Trial: Yes
- Mail/Parcel Forwarding: Yes
- Document Scanning: Yes
- Document Shredding: Yes, free
- Check Deposit: Yes
- Storage: Free for the first 60 days
Noteworthy Features:
- Physical address: Physical address provided to set up a US bank account.
- Open & Scans: Users can request for an Open & Scan, where a scan of the contents inside the envelope will be sent to the virtual mailbox.
- Free Registered Agent Services: VirtualPostMail offers free Registered Agent services with some of their plans (currently only available to businesses of California, Delaware, and Nevada). LLCs (Limited Liability Company), corporations, and LPs (Limited Partnership) are not only required to have a physical location but they also need to be consistently available during business hours to receive and process legal notices.
- Automated Filters: Their automated filters give options to shred, forward, or scan certain incoming mail automatically.
- Unlimited Cloud Storage: Unlimited storage comes with the paid plans
- Secure Shredding: If mail is uploaded and the user considers it as junk, it will be shredded for free and the item will not be counted towards the user’s monthly volume limit.
Pros:
- Virtual Post Mail operates all of their locations without using any address partners which ensures absolute control over the proper handling of the user’s mail
- Users appreciate the free registered agent service
- Customer service is prompt and knowledgeable
Cons:
- Some users complain of slow speed of scanning
#7 Traveling Mailbox
- Pricing: Basic: $15/mo, Extended: $25/mo, Small Business Plan: $55/mo
- Free Trial: No
- Mail/Parcel Forwarding: Yes
- Document Scanning: Yes
- Document Shredding: Yes, free
- Check Deposit: Yes
- Storage: Mail - free for first 30 days then $1 per envelope per month
Noteworthy Features:
- Authorized by USPS: Traveling Mailbox is authorized by the United States Postal Service to receive your postal mail. They work closely with the USPS to ensure that all mail is handled securely.
- High security: Traveling Mailbox has worked extensively on setting up a secure facility and online programs with regular backups of your data and constant monitoring to ensure data security. Additionally, there are available multi factor authentication options such as via SMS or an authentication app.
- Trackability: Postal mail is given a unique barcode for identification and tracking purposes.
- Confidientiality: Team is trained on HIPAA Compliance protocols to ensure health information is kept confidential. If the user is on the Extended plan or higher, they can also execute a Business Associate Agreement (BAA).
Pros:
- Prompt mail scanning
- Easy to use, online interface for handling forwarding and shredding
- Reliable and functional mobile app
Cons:
- Some users say that they have been receiving hidden charges
- Users also mention they received street addresses that USPS doesn’t accept
- Users complain of customer service being inconsistent
#8 PhysicalAddress
- Pricing: Starts at $7.98/month, varies per location
- Free Trial: Yes
- Mail/Parcel Forwarding: Yes
- Document Scanning: Yes
- Document Shredding: Yes
- Check Deposit: No
- Storage: Mail - free for first 90 days; Packages - free for 7 days then $1/week
Noteworthy Features:
- Guarantee: 30-day money back guarantee in all plans which means users can cancel the services at anytime within a month and get their money back
- Customer Support: Has live support and real-time alerts which allows companies to resolve their queries within a quick time and run the business smoothly
- Intergration with Evernote: Offers integration with Evernote
- International forwarding: Supports easy signup as well as international forwarding to several countries.
- Available as mobile app: Has dedicated android and iPhone apps to supplement their web application. Users can also watch tutorials or videos given on the website.
- Check deposit service: No charges/additional fees for check deposits and offers a multi-user admin console option.
Pros:
- Recognized for its flawless and quick service that works on weekdays and weekends
- Price is more affordable compared to other services.
Cons:
- Some users complain of inconsistent quality of scans
#9 Mailbox Forwarding
- Pricing: Basic - $14.95/mo, Professional: $24.95/mo, Premium: $49.95/mo
- Free Trial: Yes
- Mail/Parcel Forwarding: Yes
- Document Scanning: Yes
- Document Shredding: Yes
- Check Deposit: Yes
- Storage: Mail - free for first 30 days then $0.10/day; Packages - free for the first 30 days then $0.25/lb/day
Noteworthy Features:
- Extensive services: Provides high-quality virtual mailbox services including a virtual mailbox post, mail scanning, mail storage, secure document shredding, and secure check deposit services.
- Monthly billing: Billing takes place on a month-to-month basis with no contract, setup fees, prepayment, or cancellation fees.
- High quality scans: All scans are performed in beautiful full-color 300 dpi and are optimized for maximum readability. Mailbox Forwarding's scanning produces high quality images that can be viewed, saved, and printed.
- Free Toll-free fax numbers: All customers can use a shared toll-free fax number to receive faxes. There is no additional monthly cost - each fax received is treated as a scanned mail piece and simply counts toward the customer’s plan monthly scan limit.
- Scalable pricing plans: Customers can scale usage and move from a lower plan to a higher plan easily.
Pros:
- Uncomplicated and easy to use
- High quality scans that are professional and timely
Cons:
- Limited addresses to choose from
- Some users complain of excessive storage fees without ebing contacted for email forwarding
#10 PO Box Zone
- Pricing: Lowest Cost: $99 per year, Moderate-use: $150 per year, Premium: $250 per year
- Free Trial: Yes
- Mail/Parcel Forwarding: Yes
- Document Scanning: Yes
- Document Shredding: Yes
- Check Deposit: No
- Storage: Mail is stored for up to 6 months then users will be asked to ship or shred the mail
Noteworthy Features:
- Cloud integrations: Easy integrations with Google Drive, OneDrive and Dropbox
- Multiple users: Users can add multiple users to their virtual mailbox
- Mobile app available: Mobile app available on the Apple App Store and Google Play
- Affordable forwarding plans: No mailout and handling fees with their high-use mail-forwarding plan
- Connections with multiple courier companies: Users can accept courier parcels like Fedex, DHL or UPS
Pros:
- Real street addresses provided not PO boxes
- Email summaries sent weekly of all activity
Cons:
- Addresses are limited to Nevada and Wyoming in the US.
We Can Help
Looking for a virtual mailbox provider for your startup? Write to us at hello@abstractops.com to get you set up with a virtual mailbox.
At AbstractOps, we proudly use Earth Class Mail to handle our remote-first business setup. We are an affiliate partner of Earth Class Mail and have successfully set up several startups such as yourself with a virtual mailbox. If you are interested in Earth Class Mail - here's an affiliate link to their services.
At AbstractOps, we help founders like you automate and streamline back office functions so you can focus on what matters.