Royal Mail parcel prices start at £3.75 for a Small Parcel sent online with Tracked 48, or £4.40 by 2nd Class, as of October 2026. What you pay depends on the parcel’s size, its weight, the service you pick, and whether you buy postage online or at a Post Office counter.
This guide has the full price tables for every Royal Mail parcel service, the size limits that decide which price you pay, and the cheapest way to send. All figures are the current online prices, checked against royalmail.com.
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Royal Mail parcel prices: key takeaways
- The cheapest tracked option is a Small Parcel on Tracked 48, at £3.75 online.
- The cheapest standard option is a Small Parcel on 2nd Class, at £4.40 online.
- A Small Parcel is up to 45 x 35 x 16 cm and 2kg. A Medium Parcel is up to 61 x 46 x 46 cm and 20kg.
- Buying postage online is cheaper than paying at a Post Office counter.
- Prices checked on 3 November 2026 against royalmail.com. Royal Mail last changed its prices on 5 October 2026.
How much does it cost to send a parcel with Royal Mail?
The cheapest way to send a standard parcel with Royal Mail is a Small Parcel, at £4.40 by 2nd Class or £5.70 by 1st Class online. If you want tracking, Tracked 48 is actually cheaper than 2nd Class, at £3.75 for the same Small Parcel. Larger items go as a Medium Parcel, which starts at £7.00 by 2nd Class.
Royal Mail parcel prices for 2026 at a glance
| Service | Small Parcel (up to 2kg) | Tracked? |
|---|---|---|
| Tracked 48 | £3.75 | Yes |
| 2nd Class | £4.40 | No |
| Tracked 24 | £4.80 | Yes |
| 1st Class | £5.70 | No |
| 2nd Class Signed For | £6.00 | Signature only |
| Special Delivery by 1pm | from £9.85 | Yes, guaranteed |
In short, a Small Parcel up to 2kg costs £3.75 on Tracked 48, £4.40 on 2nd Class, £4.80 on Tracked 24, and £5.70 on 1st Class, all at online prices as of October 2026.
What most people get wrong: 2nd Class is not the cheapest parcel service. A Small Parcel costs £4.40 by 2nd Class but only £3.75 on Tracked 48 online, and Tracked 48 adds full tracking plus £75 of compensation.
Royal Mail parcel sizes and prices
Royal Mail works out the price from the parcel’s size first, then its weight. The two parcel formats are Small Parcel and Medium Parcel. Anything thin enough to fit a Large Letter, up to 2.5 cm thick, is cheaper still.
| Format | Maximum size | Maximum weight |
|---|---|---|
| Letter | 24 x 16.5 x 0.5 cm | 100g |
| Large Letter | 35.3 x 25 x 2.5 cm | 750g |
| Small Parcel | 45 x 35 x 16 cm | 2kg |
| Medium Parcel | 61 x 46 x 46 cm | 20kg |
A Small Parcel must be no larger than 45 x 35 x 16 cm and weigh up to 2kg. A Medium Parcel can be up to 61 x 46 x 46 cm and 20kg. If your item is thin and light, a Large Letter costs from £1.55.
Pro tip: measure the box, do not guess. If a parcel is even slightly over a size limit, Royal Mail charges the next price up, and an underpaid item can be held for a surcharge.
Royal Mail 2nd Class and 1st Class parcel prices
Standard 1st and 2nd Class are the everyday parcel services. 2nd Class aims to deliver in two to three working days, 1st Class in one to two. Neither includes tracking, only proof of posting if you ask at the counter.
| Size and weight | 2nd Class | 1st Class |
|---|---|---|
| Small Parcel up to 2kg | £4.40 | £5.70 |
| Medium Parcel up to 2kg | £7.00 | £8.20 |
| Medium Parcel up to 10kg | £9.00 | £10.40 |
| Medium Parcel up to 20kg | £13.70 | £16.40 |
A 2nd Class Small Parcel up to 2kg costs £4.40, and a 1st Class Small Parcel costs £5.70. A 2nd Class Medium Parcel up to 2kg costs £7.00, rising to £13.70 at 20kg.
Royal Mail Tracked 24 and Tracked 48 prices
Tracked 24 and Tracked 48 include full tracking, so you and the person receiving the parcel can follow it to the door. Tracked 48 aims for two to three working days, Tracked 24 for the next working day. Both come with £75 of compensation.
| Size and weight | Tracked 48 | Tracked 24 |
|---|---|---|
| Small Parcel up to 2kg | £3.75 | £4.80 |
| Medium Parcel up to 2kg | £5.70 | £6.75 |
| Medium Parcel up to 10kg | £7.55 | £8.80 |
| Medium Parcel up to 20kg | £12.25 | £14.30 |
A Tracked 48 Small Parcel up to 2kg costs £3.75, and Tracked 24 costs £4.80. A Tracked 48 Medium Parcel starts at £5.70.
Once your parcel is on its way, follow every scan with our Royal Mail tracking guide, or add the reference to Package Tracker for a push when it moves. If an update stalls, see what in transit means for a package, or why a tracking number is not working.
Worked example: sending a 1.5kg jumper as a Small Parcel costs £4.40 by 2nd Class with no tracking, or £3.75 on Tracked 48 with tracking and £75 of cover. Tracked 48 is both cheaper and safer here.
Royal Mail Signed For and Special Delivery prices
Signed For adds a signature on delivery and £20 of compensation to 1st or 2nd Class. Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm is the premium option, with a time guarantee and compensation up to £2,500.
| Size and weight | 2nd Class Signed For | 1st Class Signed For |
|---|---|---|
| Small Parcel up to 2kg | £6.00 | £7.30 |
| Medium Parcel up to 2kg | £8.60 | £9.80 |
| Medium Parcel up to 10kg | £10.60 | £12.00 |
| Medium Parcel up to 20kg | £15.30 | £18.00 |
| Special Delivery by 1pm (weight) | Price (up to £750 cover) |
|---|---|
| Up to 100g | £9.85 |
| Up to 500g | £10.85 |
| Up to 1kg | £11.95 |
| Up to 2kg | £16.05 |
| Up to 10kg | £22.95 |
| Up to 20kg | £27.95 |
A 2nd Class Signed For Small Parcel costs £6.00, and 1st Class Signed For costs £7.30. Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm starts at £9.85 for items up to 100g and £16.05 up to 2kg. For anything heavier than 20kg, Royal Mail passes you to its sister service, which we cover in our Parcelforce tracking guide.
What is the cheapest way to send a parcel with Royal Mail?
The cheapest way to send a tracked parcel with Royal Mail is a Small Parcel on Tracked 48, at £3.75 online. The cheapest untracked option is 2nd Class at £4.40, but it saves only pennies and gives up tracking. For most people, Tracked 48 online is the best value.
- Buy postage online through Click & Drop or a partner site, which is cheaper than the Post Office counter.
- Drop the parcel off rather than booking a collection, which adds a 50p per item charge.
- Fit the item into a Small Parcel or a Large Letter where you can, because each size up costs more.
- Compare couriers before you buy, because Evri or DPD can be cheaper at some weights.
We compare the main UK couriers in Evri vs Royal Mail and Evri vs DPD, and cover DPD prices and tracking separately. Whichever you choose, you can follow the parcel in one place, even if you only have the order details and no tracking number yet.
Do Royal Mail prices change, and are they going up?
Yes. Royal Mail updates its prices at key points in the year, and the current prices took effect on 5 October 2026. Earlier 2026 rises landed in January and April, so a price you saw a few months ago may be out of date.
All the prices here are the online prices from royalmail.com, checked on 3 November 2026. Post Office counter prices are higher, and VAT applies to a few services such as Tracked with Signature. Confirm the exact price for your item with the Royal Mail price finder before you buy.
Watch out: a Royal Mail price guide dated April 2026 still ranks highly in search, but it is now out of date. Use the October 2026 prices above.
Sources and price checks
- Royal Mail Online Price Guide, valid from 5 October 2026, royalmail.com. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Royal Mail current postage prices, royalmail.com/current-postage-prices. Checked 3 November 2026.
We track more than 1,700 carriers, including Royal Mail, so we see exactly where parcels slow down and stall. We are not Royal Mail, and prices can change, so always confirm the cost for your own item at the official Royal Mail price finder before you buy postage.
A Small Parcel up to 2kg costs 4.40 pounds by 2nd Class or 5.70 pounds by 1st Class online, as of October 2026. Tracked 48 is cheaper still at 3.75 pounds. A Medium Parcel starts at 7.00 pounds by 2nd Class.
The cheapest tracked option is a Small Parcel on Tracked 48 at 3.75 pounds online. The cheapest untracked option is 2nd Class at 4.40 pounds. Buying online and dropping off, rather than booking a collection, keeps the price down.
A Small Parcel can be up to 45 x 35 x 16 cm and weigh up to 2kg. Anything larger is priced as a Medium Parcel.
A Medium Parcel can be up to 61 x 46 x 46 cm and weigh up to 20kg. For heavier items, Royal Mail uses its Parcelforce service.
A 2nd Class Small Parcel up to 2kg costs 4.40 pounds online. A 2nd Class Medium Parcel up to 2kg costs 7.00 pounds.
A 1st Class Small Parcel up to 2kg costs 5.70 pounds online, and a Medium Parcel up to 2kg costs 8.20 pounds. 1st Class aims to deliver in one to two working days.
Tracked 48 costs 3.75 pounds for a Small Parcel and 5.70 pounds for a Medium Parcel up to 2kg online. It includes full tracking and 75 pounds of compensation.
No. Standard 1st and 2nd Class do not include tracking, only proof of posting on request. For tracking, choose Tracked 48, which is actually cheaper than 2nd Class for a Small Parcel.
Online is cheaper. The prices in this guide are online prices bought through Click and Drop or a partner site. Post Office counter prices are higher for the same service.
Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm starts at 9.85 pounds for items up to 100g and 16.05 pounds up to 2kg, with compensation up to 2,500 pounds. It is the fastest and most secure Royal Mail option.
Tracked 24, Tracked 48, Signed For and Special Delivery each give you a reference number. Enter it on Royal Mail’s site, or add it to Package Tracker to follow it alongside other carriers. Standard 1st and 2nd Class are not tracked.
Royal Mail last changed its prices on 5 October 2026, following earlier rises in January and April 2026. The prices in this guide reflect that October 2026 update.
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