Royal Mail Parcel Prices Are Rising: Could You Pay Less Online?

By Al Baker | Founder & Editor, The Penny Pincher - Last checked: the 30th of September 2026.

Royal Mail parcel prices are going up on the 5th of October, but the amount you pay will still depend on which service you choose and where you buy your postage. For example, sending a small parcel by 2nd Class will cost £4.60 at a Post Office branch, while buying Tracked 48 online will cost £3.75 before collection or any other checkout charges.

That’s worth checking before you pay, especially if you’re sending several parcels or selling things online, as choosing the familiar 1st or 2nd Class option won’t necessarily get you the best deal.

How much is the Royal Mail small parcel price increasing?

Royal Mail has separate prices for postage bought online and postage bought at a Post Office branch, so two people sending the same parcel can pay different amounts. The October changes affect standard 1st and 2nd Class parcels, Tracked services, Signed For parcels, Special Delivery Guaranteed and Parcel Collect.

This guide compares the personal-customer prices, including those used by people buying retail postage to sell through online marketplaces; business account prices have separate terms.

The table compares Royal Mail’s April and October guides for a small parcel weighing up to 2kg. The packed parcel must also fit within 45cm × 35cm × 16cm, so weight alone doesn’t decide the price. These are postage-only amounts, with VAT included where it applies, and home collection charged separately.

The figures come from Royal Mail’s October Post Office price guide and October online price guide. Larger parcels are affected too: a medium parcel up to 2kg bought at a branch rises from £6.95 to £7.50 for 2nd Class, or from £8.05 to £8.70 for 1st Class. If you regularly sell online, perhaps on sites such as Ebay, check that the postage you charge buyers will still cover your chosen service after the increase.

Check Royal Mail online postage prices before paying at the counter

Buying a standard small-parcel label online saves 20p compared with buying the same service at a branch after the change. Online 2nd Class costs £4.40 instead of £4.60, while online 1st Class costs £5.70 instead of £5.90. Those savings are small for a single parcel, but there’s a bigger difference if a Tracked service suits what you’re sending.

The Royal Mail Tracked 48 price for a small parcel bought online will be £3.75, which is 65p less than online 2nd Class and 85p less than 2nd Class bought at a branch. Tracked 48 lets you follow the parcel’s progress and aims to deliver in two to three working days, although some postcode areas have different arrangements. It isn’t a guaranteed delivery deadline, so don’t choose it solely because the name sounds like a promise that your parcel will arrive within 48 hours.

You don’t always need a printer to get the online price. Royal Mail’s Tracked 48 service information explains the option to take a QR code to a Post Office branch or Royal Mail Shop for eligible parcel labels to be printed, as well as the option for the postie to bring a label when collecting. Choose your label and handover method before paying, and check the full checkout amount rather than assuming every option costs the same.

Royal Mail collection from home will cost 50p per item

Parcel Collect is Royal Mail’s service for picking up items you’re sending from your home, saving you a trip to hand them over yourself. Its standard charge rises from 30p to 50p per item on the 5th of October, as shown in the online price guides. That’s a charge for each parcel, so collecting 4 parcels will cost £2 on top of the postage, rather than 50p for the whole visit.

For a small parcel sent by online Tracked 48, the new total with collection is £4.25: £3.75 for postage plus 50p for collection. Before the change, the same combination costs £3.95, made up of £3.65 postage and 30p collection. That means this particular total rises by 30p, even though the postage itself only goes up by 10p.

Adding collection changes which option works out cheapest.

Online Tracked 48 with collection costs 35p less than buying 2nd Class at a branch, but online 2nd Class with collection costs 30p more than buying 2nd Class at a branch. A collection might still be worth paying for if it saves you a bus fare, parking charge or a difficult journey, so compare the option you’ll actually use.

Ordinary letter stamp prices aren’t rising in this change

The October guides keep an ordinary letter up to 100g at £1.80 for 1st Class or 91p for 2nd Class. At a Post Office branch, an ordinary large letter up to 100g stays at £3.30 for 1st Class or £1.55 for 2nd Class; the equivalent online 1st Class price is £3.20. These are standard letter services, so don’t assume that every product with “letter” in its name is unchanged, particularly if you’re buying a Tracked or guaranteed service.

If you’re planning to send Christmas cards as well as parcels, our Royal Mail stamp price guide covers the ordinary letter rates and the earlier April increase. Check the size and thickness of the finished envelope, as a bulky card can need large-letter postage.

There’s no ordinary letter stamp increase on the 5th of October that means you need to rush out and buy more stamps because of this announcement.

Check the parcel size, compensation and total cost

Weigh and measure the parcel after packing it, including the box, wrapping and anything you’ve added to protect the contents. A box that’s over the small-parcel size limit can move into a more expensive category even if it weighs less than 2kg. Using a smaller suitable box could reduce the postage cost, but don’t remove protection the item needs just to squeeze it into a cheaper size band.

Standard 1st and 2nd Class parcels include compensation of up to £20, while Tracked 24 and Tracked 48 bought directly from Royal Mail include up to £75. That doesn’t mean every item is covered or that you’ll automatically receive the maximum: the item’s value, packaging, evidence and service conditions matter.

For example, Royal Mail excludes compensation for valuables such as money and jewellery under Tracked 48 and points senders towards Special Delivery Guaranteed, so check the service’s terms before posting anything valuable.

It’s also worth comparing another courier if its delivery options suit the parcel and the person receiving it. Compare the final price including VAT, collection and any extra cover, and check whether delivery is to their home or somewhere they’ll need to collect it. A courier comparison website can help you check different prices, but buying through one can come with different compensation and claims arrangements from booking directly.

If you’re considering a booking website such as Parcel2Go, check for an eligible offer through TopCashback or Quidco before paying, as both list Parcel2Go. You normally start on the cashback website and follow its link to make your booking, but read the current terms: TopCashback’s Parcel2Go listing says purchases need a missing-cashback claim because they won’t track automatically. Cashback isn’t guaranteed, so don’t choose a more expensive or unsuitable delivery service just because you might get money back later.

What I’d check before sending the next parcel

I’d start with the packed parcel’s measurements and weight, then compare the total price for the services that offer enough protection and a suitable delivery time. For a small parcel, online Tracked 48 is worth checking before automatically paying for standard 2nd Class, particularly if you’d find tracking useful.

If you’re posting Christmas gifts later in the year, check the service’s last posting dates nearer the time too, as a cheaper label is no help if the parcel won’t arrive when you need it to.

Frequently asked questions

When are Royal Mail parcel prices going up?

The new prices for personal customers and marketplace sellers take effect on the 5th of October 2026. The changes include standard 1st and 2nd Class parcels, Tracked services, Signed For parcels, Special Delivery Guaranteed and Parcel Collect.

How much will a Royal Mail 2nd Class small parcel cost?

From the 5th of October, a 2nd Class small parcel costs £4.60 when postage is bought at a Post Office branch or £4.40 online, before collection or any other checkout charges. It must weigh no more than 2kg and measure no more than 45cm × 35cm × 16cm, including its packaging.

Is Royal Mail Tracked 48 cheaper than 2nd Class?

For a small parcel up to 2kg, online Tracked 48 costs £3.75 from the 5th of October, compared with £4.40 for online 2nd Class. That’s a 65p difference before collection or any other checkout charges; check the delivery aim, compensation and exclusions before choosing.

Is Royal Mail collection from home still free?

Royal Mail’s standard collection charge is 30p per item before the October change and rises to 50p per item on the 5th of October. The new total for an online Tracked 48 small parcel with collection is £4.25, consisting of £3.75 postage and 50p collection.

Are 1st and 2nd Class letter stamps going up too?

The October guides keep standard letters up to 100g at £1.80 for 1st Class and 91p for 2nd Class. Ordinary large-letter rates also stay at their April levels, although the price depends on weight and whether you buy online or at a branch.

Do I need a printer to buy Royal Mail postage online?

You don’t always need a printer, as Royal Mail offers label printing for eligible parcels using a QR code at a Post Office branch or Royal Mail Shop. You can also choose the bring-my-label option when booking an eligible collection, so check the available options before paying.