The UPS Store vs. iPostal1

The UPS Store and iPostal1 both offer mailbox services at thousands of address locations, but only iPostal1 offers virtual address services that enable customers to view and manage their mail and packages via an app, from anywhere, 24/7.

iPostal1 provides reviews and comparisons with other services to help you make an informed choice. We hope you find this review of value.

Topline Summary

The UPS Store

The UPS Store offers mailing addresses with mailbox service at over 5,000 locations, all real street addresses. The UPS Store operates as a franchise, so every location sets its own pricing. Physical mailboxes line a wall, and customers get a mailbox key to pick up their mail, with access in most stores 24/7.

Monthly fees for a UPS mailbox generally start at $20.00 or $25.00. If you want to know what mail you have received, or if you want to forward mail, you need to call the store. You must forward all your mail, and only via UPS. All addresses are commercial storefront locations. Mail content scanning and plans with phone and fax are not available. The UPS Store has a rating of 2.0 on Trustpilot and 2.4 on SmartCustomer (formerly Sitejabber).

iPostal1

With iPostal, you get the convenience of a digital mailbox service, so you can view and manage your mail with an app, from anywhere, 24/7. You can select from over 4,250 real street addresses at professional pack & ship stores and co-working spaces in professional office buildings.

All locations offer the same set of service features and benefits, with digital mailbox service pricing starting at just $9.99 per month. Forward only the mail items you want, on demand, and see real-time shipping price quotes for multiple carriers. Select mail content scanning to see a PDF in your digital mailbox in hours. Local customers can pick up their mail. Choose a Virtual Office Plan with local or toll-free phone service for a complete business presence. iPostal1 has a rating of 4.3 on Trustpilot and 4.5 on SmartCustomer (formerly Sitejabber).

Conclusion

iPostal1 uses cutting-edge digital mailbox technology to provide a convenient and reliable way to receive, view, and manage mail and packages 24/7, from anywhere. The UPS Store provides physical mailbox service pretty much as it has existed for decades, with a few enhancements. With iPostal1, you pay less and get an array of digital mailbox features that make life a little easier and save you time.

The UPS Store

United Parcel Service (UPS) founded The UPS Store in 2003 after acquiring 3,000 Mail Boxes Etc. (MBE) stores and rebranding them to The UPS Store. The UPS Store now has over 5,000 locations in the U.S. and Canada. The UPS Store is a wholly owned subsidiary of UPS and operates as a franchisor, meaning each location is independently owned by franchisees who pay royalties to UPS and adhere to brand and business guidelines.

UPS, founded in 1907 in Seattle, is a worldwide carrier with 2025 revenue of $89B. UPS is currently navigating a significant downturn, with falling revenues, shrinking profit margins, and declining package volumes, leading to the layoff of over 40,000 employees.

iPostal1

iPostal1 is the worldwide leader in the digital mailbox industry, introducing digital mailbox technology in 2007 at our own retail pack-and-ship store and continually improving it ever since. Launched in 2015, iPostal1 is now the largest provider network with over 4,250 locations in the U.S. and abroad.

The guiding principle for our business is to offer consistent plans and features across all locations, making it easy to choose the plan and location that best meet your needs. Mail and packages are received, stored, and handled at your selected address. You view and manage your mail and packages with an app for iPhone or Android, or online. With a few clicks, you can request to open and scan, forward, shred, discard, or pick up mail, and even deposit a check.

How iPostal1 is Different vs. The UPS Store

1. Better value The UPS Store pricing is not advertised on their website because each location sets its own pricing, which generally ranges from $20.00 to $25.00 for monthly plans. Businesses pay an additional $5.00 to $10.00 per month for a UPS mailbox. However, The UPS Store does not offer digital mailbox service, so you need to drive to the store to pick up your mail. iPostal1 offers a digital mailbox service starting at $9.99 per month for personal use and $14.99 per month for business use. With iPostal1, you get the same type of commercial address as at The UPS Store, plus the convenience of viewing and managing your mail in an app from anywhere, 24/7.

   Therefore, you don’t have to contact the store, as The UPS Store requires, to know what mail you have received or to forward mail.

2. More mail management features. With iPostal1, you can use the app to tell your mail center location what to do with each item: open and scan the mail content, shred or discard it, or pick it up. When you forward mail, you see real-time shipping prices for multiple carriers and service levels, so you always make an informed decision that best meets your needs and budget. The UPS Store does not scan mail content and will forward all your mail, whether you want it or not. In short, iPostal1 offers a new, better way to manage your mail with cutting-edge technology, while the UPS Store offers standard physical mailboxes that have been around for decades.

3. Easier sign-up at more types of addresses. With iPostal1, you can choose an address anywhere in the U.S. or other countries, and sign up easily online in minutes, whether you want an address near where you live or work, or in a city in another state. You can choose addresses in prestigious office buildings or in co-working spaces. With The UPS Store, you have to sign up in person at your local location. If you want a UPS Store mailbox in another state, you would have to contact that store, determine their remote policy, and email the required documents to the USPS. With iPostal1, remote signup is the primary method, supported by our app, which makes it easy to complete sign-up and upload required documents.

4. Plans with local or toll-free phone service. iPostal1 Virtual Office plans, starting at $39.99 per month, include a digital mailbox plus a local or toll-free phone number, creating a complete virtual office presence in professional locations across the US. Get call forwarding, digital voice mail messaging, and faxes delivered as PDF documents right to your digital mailbox. The UPS Store does not offer anything like this.

   * Virtual Offices currently available in the US only

5. Registered Agent service and other business services. iPostal1 business mailbox customers can add registered agent service from their digital dashboard for only $99 a year, enabling centralized business mail and compliance document management. Additional business services include live call answering, Create & Send digital to physical outgoing mail, check deposit, and mail and package forwarding.

6. Focus and commitment. iPostal1 was founded as a digital mailbox company, dedicated to providing a superior mail management experience to customers worldwide, continually investing in industry-leading technology, and introducing new mailbox features. This is the company's sole focus and reason for being. The UPS Store is a subsidiary of a Fortune 50 company focused on its delivery business, not mailbox management. The UPS Store is a small tail on a very big delivery dog, so it is not a top priority for senior executives.

Feature Comparison: The UPS Store vs. iPostal1

Help Me Decide

If you want a regular mailbox and don’t mind driving to the store to check for mail, whether you have any or not, and if you don’t mind paying an extra $10.00 or $15.00 every month, then The UPS Store could work for you. But if you want to save time by viewing and managing your mail and packages with an app and save money with plans starting at only $9.99 per month, iPostal1 is the smart choice.

iPostal1 has a fully staffed customer service team available by phone, email, or live chat to answer your questions or resolve any issues. iPostal1 also provides business services that help you establish and expand your business. Customers rate iPostal1 as ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot and SmartCustomer (formerly Sitejabber). But don’t take our word for it - check out the reviews yourself.