USPS Media Mail
What USPS Media Mail is, what you can (and can't) ship, and how much it costs.
What Is USPS Media Mail?
Media Mail was created to promote the distribution of educational materials by offering deeply discounted postage rates. A 5 lb package of books might cost $5-6 via Media Mail versus $10-15 via Ground Advantage. However, Media Mail has strict content restrictions -- it cannot contain advertising, non-educational computer media, or items that don't qualify as 'media.' USPS reserves the right to inspect Media Mail packages, and items shipped in violation of the rules may be returned or charged at the full rate. Media Mail also has the slowest delivery window of any USPS service, typically taking 2-8 business days but sometimes longer during peak seasons.
Example
Shipping a 3 lb box of books from Chicago to Miami via Media Mail costs approximately $4.63, compared to $8-12 via Ground Advantage for the same weight and distance.
Why It Matters
How Each Carrier Handles USPS Media Mail
USPS
Media Mail is a USPS-exclusive service. Rates start at $4.13 for the first pound and increase incrementally per pound. Maximum weight is 70 lbs. Tracking is included. No insurance is included by default, but it can be added. Delivery takes 2-8 business days.
FedEx
FedEx does not offer a Media Mail equivalent. The closest option is FedEx Ground, which costs significantly more but delivers faster.
UPS
UPS does not offer a Media Mail equivalent. The closest option is UPS Ground, which costs significantly more but offers faster and more predictable delivery times.
Tips
Related Terms
Ground Advantage • Flat Rate Shipping • Shipping Label
Frequently Asked Questions
Qualifying items include: books (at least 8 pages), CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, vinyl records, printed music and sheet music, educational charts, medical loose-leaf pages, and computer-readable media with educational content. The items must not contain advertising (except incidental book jacket ads).
No. Video games are not considered educational media and do not qualify for Media Mail rates. If caught, USPS will charge the full Ground Advantage rate to the recipient, which creates a bad customer experience.
USPS quotes 2-8 business days for Media Mail delivery. In practice, most Media Mail packages arrive in 5-10 days, and during peak holiday seasons, delivery can take up to 2 weeks. Media Mail is given the lowest priority in the USPS network.
Yes. USPS reserves the right to inspect the contents of any Media Mail package to verify it contains only qualifying media. If non-qualifying items are found, the package may be returned to sender or the recipient may be charged the difference in postage.
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