Here is something that confuses almost everyone at first. When people search for a virtual PO box, they are usually not looking for a USPS PO Box at all. They want an address they can use from anywhere, with mail they can see online, for as little money as possible.
I get why the name stuck. “PO Box” is the phrase everyone knows for “a mailing address that is not my house”. But USPS does not sell a product called a virtual PO box. What you actually buy is a virtual mailbox at a real street address, run by a private company, with scanning and forwarding built in.
I have handled the US mail for my Wyoming LLC from Bali since 2019, so I have spent more time than I would like thinking about cheap, reliable addresses. In this guide I will explain what a virtual PO box really is, why a street address beats a PO Box address for most people, and which options are the cheapest as of November 2026. I will also show you where the cheap plans get expensive, because that is where most people get burned.
Everything here is research-led. Prices come from each provider’s own pricing pages, and the USPS rules come from the USPS website and the Domestic Mail Manual.
What is a virtual PO box?
A virtual PO box is the everyday name for a virtual mailbox. It is a mail receiving service that gives you an address, accepts your mail, scans the outside of every envelope, and lets you manage it all online.
The difference from a real PO Box is simple. A real USPS PO Box is a locked box inside a Post Office that you visit in person. A virtual PO box is a street address at a private mail center, and you never have to visit it.
Most of these businesses are registered with USPS as a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency, or CMRA. The Domestic Mail Manual section 508 sets the rules for CMRAs, including how your address must be written and the paperwork you sign.
If you want the full explanation of how these services work, my virtual mailbox guide is the place to start. This article focuses on the “PO box” angle and on price.
Street address vs PO box address: why it matters
This is the most important thing to understand before you buy.
A PO box address
A regular PO Box address looks like “PO Box 1234, City, State, ZIP”. Everyone recognizes it. It works fine for letters from USPS. But private carriers like UPS and FedEx generally will not deliver to a plain PO Box, and many online forms ask for a physical street address instead.
USPS does offer a fix at some Post Offices called Street Addressing. According to USPS’s Premium PO Box Service page, it lets you use the Post Office’s street address followed by a pound sign and your box number. That lets private carriers like UPS, FedEx, DHL and Amazon deliver. It is only available at select locations, so you need to ask.
A street address from a virtual PO box
A virtual PO box gives you a real street address, like “123 Main St #4567”. USPS requires the CMRA to show your unit as either “PMB” or with the pound sign. Every carrier can deliver there, and it works on more forms than a PO Box address does.
There is one catch. A CMRA address is still a CMRA address. Some banks, states, marketplaces and Google Business Profile treat it differently from an office or home. It looks like a street address, but anyone who checks can see what it is. I always tell people to confirm with the specific institution before relying on it.
For a deeper look at the 2 options, read my virtual mailbox vs PO Box comparison.
How a virtual PO box works
The process is the same at nearly every provider.
- Pick a location and plan online.
- Complete USPS PS Form 1583 with 2 forms of ID. One has to be a government-issued photo ID. The other has to prove your address.
- Sign the form in front of the provider’s agent, often over a live video call, or in front of a notary.
- Start using your new address.
- When mail arrives, you get a notification with a photo of the envelope.
- Choose to open and scan, forward, shred, hold or (at some providers) deposit a check.
My USPS Form 1583 guide covers step 2 and 3 in detail, including what to do if you live outside the US.
Cheapest virtual PO box options in 2026
Now the part most of you came for. Here are the lowest starting prices I could verify on each provider’s own website in November 2026. I have converted annual prices to a monthly figure so you can compare.
| Provider | Lowest starting price | About per month | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PO Box Zone | $99/year (Lowest cost plan) | $8.25 | Street address in Nevada or Wyoming, billed yearly |
| PostScan Mail | $100/year or $10/month (Starter) | $8.33 to $10 | 30 items per month, content scans billed per request |
| iPostal1 | $9.99/month (Virtual Mailing Address) | $9.99 | Personal use, Standard locations, more in premium cities |
| Anytime Mailbox | Plans start at $9.99 | From $9.99 | Prices vary by location |
| Traveling Mailbox | $15/month (Basic) | $12.50 with annual billing | 40 envelopes and 35 page scans included |
| Northwest Registered Agent | $49/year mail forwarding | About $4 | 15 scans included, aimed at LLC owners |
A quick word on how to read this. The “about per month” column only reflects the advertised starting price. It does not include the fees you will pay for content scans, forwarding or extra storage. More on that below.
PO Box Zone
PO Box Zone is the cheapest classic option I found for low-volume mail. Its plans are billed annually. As of November 2026 the pricing page lists 3 tiers.
- Lowest cost: $99 per year, with a $5.50 mailout fee each time it forwards (plus postage)
- Moderate use: $150 per year, with a $2.50 mailout fee
- High use: $250 per year, with no mailout or handling fees for weekly mailouts (you still pay postage)
Every plan includes up to 6 names on the box, unlimited letter processing, a mobile app, and letter scanning at $1 per letter for up to 10 pages. It also says its address is a physical street address that accepts FedEx, UPS and DHL. Locations are Nevada and Wyoming, which suits people with LLCs in either state. If you get a handful of letters a month and mostly want them scanned, PO Box Zone’s $99 plan is hard to beat on price.
PostScan Mail
PostScan Mail’s Starter plan starts at $10 per month, or $100 per year billed annually, for 30 items per month. The page lists starting prices as a range because the cost depends on the address you pick.
The trade-off is in the extras. As of November 2026, an open and scan costs $2 per envelope for up to 10 pages, shredding is $1 per item, and forwarding is $2 for the first item plus $0.50 for each additional item, plus shipping. Its help center also says it does not offer check deposit. So it is cheap if you mostly want to see envelopes and rarely open anything.
iPostal1
iPostal1 starts at $9.99 per month for its Virtual Mailing Address plan, which is for personal use. If you want to receive mail for a business name or use the address for a business registration, its FAQ says you need the Virtual Business Address plan at $14.99 per month.
Prices go up in nicer locations. iPostal1 groups addresses into Standard, Select, Premium and Prestige tiers that add $10, $20 or $30 a month. It says about 90% of its locations are Standard. Paying yearly gets you 2 months free.
Anytime Mailbox
Anytime Mailbox is a network of independent mail centers, and each location sets its own plans and prices. Its landing page says plans start at $9.99. It lists more than 2,000 locations, so this is a good choice if you want a cheap address in a specific city. Just check the exact plan for that location before you sign, since inclusions and fees vary.
Traveling Mailbox
Traveling Mailbox is not the cheapest on day 1, but it can be one of the cheapest once you add scans. The Basic plan is $15 per month and includes 40 envelopes and 35 page scans. Annual plans give you 2 months free. Shredding is free and junk mail does not count toward your limits. Check deposit is $4.95 per check plus postage. If you actually read your mail, compare it against a $10 plan that charges $2 per opened envelope.
Northwest Registered Agent mail forwarding
This is a different kind of cheap. Northwest sells registered agent service for LLCs and corporations, and it offers mail forwarding from $49 per year with 15 scans included as of November 2026. A $99 per year plan adds more scans and an office lease. It is a commercial street address with a suite number. Northwest itself notes that its address is not accepted for Amazon verification cards. For an LLC owner who gets very little mail, it can be the cheapest way to keep a business address separate from home. Check Northwest’s mail forwarding plans if that sounds like you.
What a cheap virtual PO box really costs
Here is where the starting price stops telling the truth. Say you get 25 letters a month and want 6 of them opened and scanned.
- On a $10 plan that charges $2 per opened envelope, you pay about $10 plus $12, so around $22 before forwarding or shredding.
- On a $15 plan with 35 page scans included, 6 short letters probably fit inside your allowance, so you pay about $15.
The cheaper sticker price lost. That is why I always tell people to start from their own mail habits, not from the lowest number on a pricing page. My virtual mailbox pricing guide walks through more examples, including forwarding, storage, check deposits and the Form 1583 notary fee.
Who should get a virtual PO box
From what I have seen, these are the people who get the most from one.
- Online business owners who want a business address that is not their home. See virtual mailbox for business.
- LLC owners who need a mailing address for state and bank mail. See virtual mailbox for LLC.
- Travelers, RVers and expats who need a permanent US address while moving around. See virtual mailbox for expats.
- Anyone who wants to keep their home address private. See virtual mailbox privacy.
If you live next door to your Post Office and get little mail, a real USPS PO Box might be enough. I cover that option in my USPS virtual mailbox guide.
What a virtual PO box cannot do
Being honest here saves you headaches later.
It is not a legal residence
A CMRA address is a mailing address only. It does not make you a resident of that state for things like a driver’s license, voting or state income tax. Those rules are set by each state and are based on where you actually live.
It will not pass every verification
Banks run identity and address checks. Some accept a CMRA address for business mailing but want a physical location too. Marketplaces like Amazon run their own seller verification, and Northwest says outright that its address will not work for Amazon verification cards. Google Business Profile has its own rules. Check with each institution first. My Amazon sellers guide covers that marketplace in detail.
It does not stop mail on its own
When you leave a provider, USPS rules require the CMRA to keep remailing your mail for at least 6 months after the agreement ends. You still need to update your address with banks, agencies and the IRS, which uses Form 8822-B for business address changes. Do that before you cancel.
How to pick the cheapest one for you
Here is my quick process.
- Count your mail for a month. Letters, packages, and how many you actually need opened.
- Decide if you need a business plan. If the address goes on an LLC filing or receives mail for a company name, budget for a business tier.
- Pick a location type. A Standard location is fine for most people. Pay more only if a specific city matters.
- Add up the extras for your real usage. Scans, forwarding, storage and check deposits.
- Look at annual billing. Several providers give 2 months free on yearly plans.
Then compare 2 or 3 options side by side. My best virtual mailbox roundup is a good shortlist to start from.
Questions to ask before you pay
Pricing pages are written to sell. Before I would hand over a card, I would want clear answers to these. Most are in each provider’s help center if you dig.
How long do they store mail and packages for free?
Free storage windows range a lot. iPostal1’s FAQ lists 30 days free for letters and small to medium packages. PostScan Mail lists 14 days for mail on monthly plans and 30 on annual. After that, daily or monthly storage fees kick in. If you travel for long stretches, this matters more than the monthly price.
What does forwarding really cost?
Every provider charges postage plus some kind of handling fee. Some charge per shipment, some per item. Traveling Mailbox charges $2 per shipment, not per item, which adds up to real savings if you batch your forwards.
Is the address on a business plan or a personal plan?
If you plan to use the address for a company, make sure the plan allows it. Using a personal plan for business mail can cause problems with your Form 1583, since the form asks whether the box is for business or personal use.
What happens when I cancel?
Read the cancellation terms. Prepaid annual plans are often non-refundable after a short window. iPostal1, for example, says prepaid yearly plans are non-refundable after the first 30 days.
Frequently asked questions
Is a virtual PO box a real PO Box?
No. It is a virtual mailbox at a street address run by a private company, usually a CMRA. A real PO Box is rented from USPS at a Post Office.
What is the cheapest virtual PO box?
On sticker price, the cheapest I verified in November 2026 were PO Box Zone at $99 per year and PostScan Mail at $100 per year on its Starter plan. Northwest’s mail forwarding add-on starts at $49 per year but includes only 15 scans. The cheapest overall depends on how many scans and forwards you need.
Can a virtual PO box receive UPS and FedEx packages?
Yes, in most cases. It is a street address, so private carriers can deliver. Package storage limits and fees vary by provider.
Do I need to fill out Form 1583 for a virtual PO box?
Yes. USPS requires PS Form 1583 for anyone receiving mail through a CMRA. You provide 2 IDs and sign in front of the provider’s agent or a notary.
Can I get a virtual PO box if I live outside the US?
Yes. Plenty of expats and foreign founders use one. You still complete PS Form 1583 with 2 IDs, and a passport counts as photo ID. Some providers have extra verification steps for non-US customers, so read their help pages first.
Can I use a virtual PO box for my business?
Usually yes as a mailing address, and many people use one on their website and invoices. Banks, states and platforms have their own rules for CMRA addresses, so check with each one.
Related articles
- Virtual mailbox: the complete guide
- Virtual mailbox vs PO Box
- Virtual mailbox pricing and hidden fees
- Virtual business address guide
- More Mailbox Basics guides
Trevor Fenner is an ecommerce entrepreneur and digital nomad. At Mailbox Paradise, he covers virtual mailboxes, business addresses and remote mail handling through provider research and practical comparisons.