Top 5 Best Virtual Mailbox Solutions

Want to jump straight to the answer? The best virtual mailbox for most people is iPostal1 or Anytime Mailbox.

A virtual mailbox gives you an online gateway to scan and forward your mail. Whether you’re a digital nomad, startup, or ex-pat, you can use the service to manage your postal mail from anywhere you live.

The Top 5 Best Virtual Mailboxes

Keep reading for detailed reviews of each service to give you a better idea about which tool would be a better fit for you.

Our Favorite Virtual Mailbox Solutions:

iPostal1 – Best for Most Businesses
Anytime Mailbox – Best for Startups and Lean Businesses
PostScan Mail – Best for Multi-User Functionality
Traveling Mailbox – Best for third-party integrations
Earth Class Mail – Best for businesses dealing with sensitive documents

iPostal1 – Best for Most Businesses

iPostal1 has steadily improved its range of services to become one of the leading names in digital mailbox technology today. It has expanded its infrastructure considerably since its launch in 2007 and is now one of the largest networks of digital mailbox locations.

Yep, you read that right. iPostal1 is one of the biggest international virtual mailbox services that gives you over 3,000+ locations to choose from—and this includes virtual offices, office buildings, and workspaces on the global level.

iPostal1 homepage — Never miss an important package or document again with iPostal1’s worldwide virtual mailbox network.

The service works similarly to all good virtual mailbox services and has partnered with DHL, USPS, FedEx, and UPS for delivery. It offers many features like mail scanning and forwarding, check depositing, package forwarding, and a permanent street address. Other than this, you can manage your mails from anywhere and at any time via your phone or online.

You can’t register your business or receive deliveries from carriers when you only have a PO box. It’s why you need a real street address. The good news is iPostal1 offers both a PO Box and a real street address. You can get your mail and packages handled, received, and stored at the mailing address of your choice. In fact, this is a major reason why iPostal1 is perfect for the expanding network of digital nomads across the globe. No permanent address? No problem.

Another perk of iPostal1 is the ability to add locations and addresses with a single click. It works for both business and personal mailboxes, so you can manage both types of mailboxes and multiple locations from a single account.

Choosing how your mail is handled is another interesting feature. You can get it opened, scanned, forwarded, shredded, discarded, or stored for later pick up—whatever you want.

If you opt for a virtual office solution from iPostal1, you’ll even get a phone and digital fax service included with your plan.

iPostal 1 Pricing

iPostal1 offers tons of plans and sub-plans, so you’re sure to find the right match as per your requirements and preferences.

Virtual Mailing Address — Starts at $9.99 per month
Virtual Business Address — Starts at $9.99 per month
Virtual Office — Starts at $39.99 per month

Check out our recommendation for most businesses, iPosatal1, and get started now.

Anytime Mailbox – Best for Startups and Lean Businesses

Anytime Mailbox is a virtual mailbox provider that offers flexible, low-priced services in over 2,000 locations across the United States, North America, Australia, Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Virtual mailbox addresses start at just $5.99 per month. That makes it easy for young companies and cash-strapped businesses to secure digital mailbox services in just about any location.

This affordable rate also works well for expatriated entrepreneurs, digital nomads, and professionals who are constantly traveling.

The process is extremely straightforward. Just select a location, choose your plan, and you’re good to go.

Three steps explaining how Anytime Mailbox works — Getting started with Anytime Mailbox is fast, simple, and affordable.

Depending on your plan and location, you’ll get access to several amazing features, including:

Mail and package forwarding
Open and scanning
Real street address
Unlimited online storage
Digital mail access from any device

You’ll also find plenty that extend additional services like recycling, shredding, local pickup, and even check depositing.

Some locations even allow you to ship items from that address using national mail (such as USPS in the United States or Royal Mail in the United Kingdom), as well as private shippers like FedEx, UPS, and DHL.

All in all, if you have straightforward virtual mailbox needs, you’re likely to find several available addresses that can work for your needs.

Anytime Mailbox is one of the cheapest virtual mailbox services you’ll find. That’s a boon for any organization or solo operator that is mindful of their budget.

Anytime Mailbox Pricing

Anytime Mailbox rates vary from location to location, with some starting at just $5.99 per month. Most U.S.-based addresses are around $9.99 per month.

But that’s just the basic rate. Pricing scales up depending on the number of recipients, mail items, and open-and-scan pages you need to accommodate per month. Some locations also increase the number of mail recipients you can accommodate at an address on higher-priced plans.

It can be a bit overwhelming with the various levels of service and the different price points from region to region, so let’s zoom in on a U.S.-based example.

If you want to rent a virtual mailbox based in Cleveland, Ohio, you can pay $9.99 per month for the entry-level allotment of 30 pieces of mail and five open-and-scan pages.

For those who need more, you can double those allotments for a rate of $14.99 per month. The next tier gets you 125 pieces of mail and 20 open-and-scan pages for $29.99 per month, and the unlimited mail plan allows for 100 monthly open-and-scan pages for $69.99 per month.

Those rates are extremely competitive, and you can save even more by paying for a full year upfront (which basically gives you one month for free compared to month-to-month billing). You can try any location risk-free because of Anytime Mailbox’s 30-day money-back guarantee.

PostScan Mail – Best for Multi-User Functionality

PostScan Mail makes it easy to view, scan, forward, and recycle your mail from anywhere. You can even instruct the service to shred your mail—all without ever touching it yourself.

While the mailbox service is virtual, you still have the option to walk into any PostScan Mail location to pick up your deliveries. Just forward your mail to one of the 600 locations worldwide, and check its status with real-time tracking.

Once your mail has been scanned, you’ll have access to it 24/7/365.

In addition to the web-based dashboard, PostScan Mail even has a user-friendly mobile app that’s available for iOS and Android. This makes it super convenient to view and manage your mail.

PostScan Mail shown on a computer, smartphone, and tablet — Download the PostScan Mail mobile app to manage your virtual mailbox from anywhere.

Our favorite feature of PostScan Mail is its ability to add multiple users to a single account. Each user has their own secured password and individual access. So you’re always in total control of your mail.

All virtual mailbox plans from PostScan Mail include:

A real US street address
Mail consolidation and package forwarding
Automated inbound mail scans
Shipment tracking and delivery updates
Searchable and sortable mail management
PDF mail downloads

PostScan Mail is a great option for both business and personal use. The service accepts mail from all major carriers, including USPS, UPS, and FedEx.

You can also enable email alerts and push notifications to ensure you never miss an important delivery.

Three steps showing how PostScan Mail works. — PostScan Mail gives you total control over your mail and packages from any remote location.

It’s packed with other features like unlimited cloud storage, online mail management, discounted mail receiving, and more. The online platform is secure, but you can get your mail shredded for free after it’s uploaded to add even more protection.

The platform is very responsive from multiple devices. It works great on most smartphones and tablets, and you can control everything from the mobile app—perfect for managing mail remotely.

PostScan Mail Pricing

PostScan Mail offers three membership plans based on incoming mail volume:

Starter — Starts at $10 per month
Standard — Starts at $20 per month
Premium — Starts at $30 per month

There are extra charges if you go over your monthly limits or need something not included in your plan. All PostScan Mail plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, and you can get two months free when you sign up for an annual contract.

Traveling Mailbox – Best for Third-Party Integrations

Traveling Mailbox ticks off most requirements of a good virtual mailbox service. It’s feature-rich, reliable, and enjoys a stellar reputation for its quality mailbox management assistance.

You get an online postal mailbox, addresses, mail forwarding, post mail scanning, mail storage, mail filtering, document shredding, and check deposit services across its 30+ US-based addresses. The service lets you convert your emails, correspondences, invoices, and checks into digital documents to allow remote viewing.

Traveling Mailbox homepage showcasing postal mail scanning services. — Traveling Mailbox scans your mail and uploads it online so you can view it from anywhere worldwide.

All your documents are processed through OCR (optical character recognition) software before being converted into searchable PDF documents. This is one of Traveling Mailbox’s biggest USPs, as not all competing services offer this facility.

There’s also a unique ScanPAK feature, where the service sends you a prepaid envelope to fill in important papers you don’t want to lose. Send the envelope back to the Traveling Mailbox, after which they will scan everything you send and upload it—all within a day of receiving the mail.

Direct integrations with third-party software like Evernote, Dropbox, Bill.com, and Google Drive can make things very convenient by building a more fluid workflow.

It’s also worth noting that Traveling Mailbox prioritizes your security. Facilities are under 24/7 surveillance and use facial-recognition cameras.

Every piece of mail gets its own unique barcode so Traveling Mailbox can track its progress as it moves through different stages. They’ll also shred your mail for free.

Traveling Mailbox landing page about its security features — Traveling Mailbox ensures every piece of mail is securely processed and stored.

If you’re viewing your mail remotely, you can enable two-factor authentication and FaceID through the iOS app—adding even more security to the 256-bit encryption.

Another standout feature of Traveling Mailbox is the flexibility you have over each piece of mail.

They’ll scan the outside of the envelope upon arrival. Then you can decide whether you want your mail to be opened and scanned remotely or forwarded to you.

Traveling Mailbox also gives you total flexibility over your subscription. You can easily upgrade or downgrade your plan at any time directly from the online portal. This is great for the months when you’re expecting more mail or packages—as you won’t be stuck paying more than you need to for an entire year.

Similarly, you can include additional recipients to your virtual mailbox at any time. Whether it’s your spouse, kids, family, friends, or employees, Traveling Mailbox makes this super simple.

Best of all, junk mail doesn’t count toward your plan limits!

Traveling Mailbox Pricing

Traveling Mailbox’s pricing tiers are largely dependent on your quota amounts, but it’s definitely on the expensive side. Currently, you can choose from three membership plans:

Basic Plan — $15 per month
Extended Plan — $25 per month
Small Business Plan — $55 per month

If you sign up for the Extended or Small Business packages, Traveling Mailbox will roll over your unused envelope and page scans to the next month.

To lock in the best deal, you’ll get two months for free when you sign up for annual billing. Active duty and military veterans are eligible for a 10% discount.

Enterprise plans are also available starting from $99 per month if you’re looking for customized solutions to handle higher mail volumes. However, it doesn’t offer users a free service or trial.

Earth Class Mail – Best for Businesses Dealing With Sensitive Documents

Earth Class Mail is a safe alternative to traditional PO boxes. With over 21 million pieces of mail and over $3.1 billion in checks processed, this service is one of the most highly regarded options in the industry.

Earth Class Mail home page — Earth Class Mail Receives Mail On Your Behalf and Forwards It To Your INBOX.

The service comes with all of the standard features you’d expect from an online mailbox, including:

Mail forwarding services
Content scan
Secure document shredding

We strongly recommend Earth Class Mail to anyone getting sensitive or confidential data sent through the mail. That’s because this virtual mailbox ensures all your mail is received, organized, and stored safely by the company’s HIPAA-certified professionals.

All of the mail is scanned in high resolution. From there, it’s processed using OCR software to ensure it’s readable and searchable within the application.

Earth Class Mail also adds an extra layer of security to this process. You must be logged into the website if you want to download, recycle, delete, or forward your mail to another person.

One standout feature of Earth Class Mail is its check depositing service. This lets you automate your check deposit system in a secure way and saves time.

Earth Class Mail check deposit process — Earth Class Mail Will Scan and DePosit Checks For Your Business.

The platform also integrates with tools like QuickBooks, Xero, Bill.com, Box, Google Drive, and more. These integrations can make your life easier and accommodate the workflows that you prefer.

Earth Class Mail has more than 80 U.S. addresses on its list, but if you’re looking for a service that works outside of the country, this isn’t it.

Earth Class Mail Pricing

Earth Class Mail’s plans are priced higher than its competitors. They’re divided into two categories: MailBox Plans and MailRoom Plans. The Mailboxes are designed for individuals and families, whereas the MailRooms are built for small businesses and offices.

MailBox Plans

Starter MailBox — $29 per month for two recipients
Essentials MailBox — $29 per month for five recipients
Premium MailBox — $79 per month for 20 recipients

MailRoom Plans

Startup MailRoom — $139 per month for 100 pieces of mail
Business MailRoom — $229 per month for 250 pieces of mail

A free Earth Class Mail trial is also available to test drive its features.

How to Find the Best Virtual Mailbox For You

Now that we’ve covered our top virtual mailbox recommendations, let’s take a look at how you can decide between them based on your needs.

Here’s what you need to focus on as you’re evaluating different options:

Service Actions

You should have the option to try out a product demo. Any good virtual mailbox service should offer this to give you a better idea about their scope of functionalities.

How does the company handle packages and checks?
In what format will you receive the mail?
What are your available options for organizing your information?
Is it possible to export this information to other applications?
Can you add multiple users to your virtual mailbox account?
Can you easily search for documents within the service’s platform?

Make sure you ask these questions to qualify your top candidates.

Locations and Addresses

What locations and addresses fall under the purview of the virtual mailbox?

Depending on your requirements, you’ll need different virtual addresses. For instance, if you’re a freelancer, you’ll want a street address that can then be used to register your business. On the other hand, having a PO Box is more than enough for an ex-pat.

The good news is there are plenty of options. Your job is only to ensure you sign up for a service that operates in all the locations you desire—nationwide and internationally.

Security

This is crucial and should be at the top of your to-do list. Ask the provider what security measures they take to safeguard their customers’ private information.

Does the company hire trained people on their team to manage your mail? You want to make sure the staff knows how to handle things like confidential health and financial information securely.

Some companies have independent operations, while others rely on local partners. While local partners give you more local pickup options, they also reduce your mail’s security.

Inquire about any backend security measures being used to keep your data safe. What types of security stems do they have to manage and store your mail?

Features

In addition to knowing how much you’re paying, you should also know exactly what you’re paying for.

Make a list of all the features you need (forwarding, document shredding, mail storage, and so on) from a virtual mailbox, and cross-check whether your selected prospects offer them. Follow this up by understanding the pricing structures associated with these plans and features.

Be sure you proceed with only those companies that provide the services—basic and additional—you need.

Ease of Access

The whole point of signing up with a digital mail and document solution is to access information quickly and on the go, preferably in usable formats.

To make the right choice, you should think about how long it takes for the service to give you your mail contents once you request them to be scanned. Other considerations include how long mail forwarding takes and whether there’s an option to automatically scan all the content.

In our experience, it’s best to choose virtual mailboxes that let you access your mail on a mobile device. It’s much more convenient.

Virtual Office

If you’re looking for more than just a place to get mail, many virtual mailbox services double as virtual offices.

This feature is primarily for business use and is unnecessary to consider if you’re seeking a virtual mailbox for personal use. With that said, a virtual office can be useful for entrepreneurs looking to separate their home address from business mail.

Beyond mail scanning and forwarding, it’s common for virtual offices to provide additional business services, such as receptionist services, call forwarding, and virtual answering services.

Expect the price for your virtual office solution to be higher than a standalone virtual mailbox. But it’s common for a virtual mailbox to be included with virtual office plans.

For example, iPostal1 has a Virtual Office plan that includes everything in its Virtual Business package, plus local or toll-free phone, virtual fax, call forwarding, and voicemail.

Best Virtual Mailbox Solutions: Your Top Questions Answered

What’s the best virtual mailbox for digital nomads?

With over 3,000+ locations worldwide, iPostal1 is the best virtual mailbox for digital nomads. Depending on your needs, you can use it to get a real street address or PO box.

In addition to virtual mailbox services, iPostal1 also provides virtual office solutions. So if you’re working remotely while traveling as a digital nomad, you can take advantage of office services like access to a conference room, desk, or an office at a coworking space.

What’s the best site to get a virtual address?

iPostal1 and Anytime Mailbox are the two best sites for getting a virtual address. Both provide excellent mail services, including package forwarding, to thousands of locations worldwide. These are great options to consider for personal use and business services alike.

We recommend iPostal1 as the best site for people looking for a simple and affordable virtual mailbox. Anytime Mailbox is better suited for foreign businesses looking for a domestic address and the ability to accept and forward packages.

Can I use a virtual mailbox as my permanent address?

You can use a virtual mailbox as a permanent address for opening a bank account, registering a business, and receiving both mail and packages. Check deposits and even legal correspondence and tax filing can all be handled through a virtual mailbox. However, you cannot use a virtual mailbox to establish residency in a particular state or country.

What’s the difference between a virtual mailbox and a virtual office?

A virtual mailbox typically provides a mailing address, mail scanning, package storage, and mail forwarding services. Virtual offices are physical addresses given to businesses without the requirement of a long-term lease. Many virtual offices provide mailbox services, like storing and forwarding mail. But virtual offices also provide things like phone services, meeting rooms, live receptionists, and virtual assistants.

If you need more than a virtual mailbox, check out our reviews of the best virtual offices.

Why do people use virtual mailboxes?

People use virtual mailboxes to safely receive and store mail and postal items at secure locations. Virtual mailbox services scan and upload documents to the cloud, making it easy for people to view a digital copy of their mail from anywhere. Using a virtual mailbox can help keep your home address private and helps eliminate clutter and junk mail from your mailbox.

Virtual mailboxes can also be used by businesses without a physical office presence and by people who travel frequently.

Are virtual mailboxes safe?

Virtual mailboxes are safe. While the security standards vary from service to service, most of the best virtual mailboxes use encryption and robust security technology to ensure your mail is safely uploaded and stored in the cloud. Depending on the provider, you can also get your mail shredded after it’s uploaded.

If multiple people are getting mail to the same virtual address, you can set it up so each person has their own password and can only access their own mail. Just be aware that an employee at the virtual mailbox service has to open your mail to process and scan it.

How much does a virtual mailbox cost?

A virtual mailbox costs between $10 to $20 per month. Some plans start around $6 on the low end and range to $50 or more on the high end.

The cost of your virtual mailbox depends on how it’s being used and the types of services you need. For example, if you just need a place for your mail to get delivered and scanned, it’s going to be much cheaper than a business mailroom package with a virtual office solution. Some virtual mailbox services, like package forwarding and check deposits, cost extra and get billed per use.

What’s the difference between a virtual mailbox and a PO box?

The main difference between a virtual mailbox and a PO box is the way you can access mail. A PO box requires you to physically pick up your mail and packages at your local post office, but virtual mailbox services open and scan your mail so you can access it from anywhere.

Virtual mailboxes also provide services like document shredding, check deposits, virtual offices, and more. These types of services are not available when you get a PO box from the USPS.

Can you receive mail at a virtual mailbox?

Yes, you can receive mail at a virtual mailbox. The “virtual” aspect of a virtual mailbox simply refers to the way you can read, view, and manage your mail. But physical letters, envelopes, and packages can still be delivered to a real address that’s managed by your virtual mailbox service.

The Top Virtual Mailbox in Summary

Anytime Mailbox and iPostal1 are the two best virtual mailbox solutions on the market today. They rank high on our list due to their extensive capabilities at an affordable price point for a wide range of use cases.

For mail forwarding, mail scanning, virtual mailing addresses, and other top features follow the recommendations and considerations in this guide.

Top 5 Best Virtual Mailbox Solutions – In-Depth Review