Send Letters OnlinePost Office & Royal Mail Online alternative
The best alternative to queuing at the Post Office
No printer, no stamps, no envelopes, no branch opening hours. Type or upload your letter, and we print, fold, frank and post it via Royal Mail - from your phone, any time of day.
From £2.99, fully posted. Same-day despatch on orders before 2:30pm UK time on working days.
Why people search for a Post Office alternative
A trip to the Post Office usually means fitting a queue into a working day, and Royal Mail's own website only solves half the problem.
Limited opening hours
Most branches close by 5:30pm and are shut on Sundays and bank holidays.
Queues and travel time
Finding a branch, parking and waiting in line can take longer than writing the letter itself.
No printer at home
Royal Mail's own site still expects you to print a label and prepare the letter yourself.
Nothing built for mobile
Composing and posting a full letter from a phone, with no app to install, isn't something either option offers.
Send Letters Online vs. the Post Office vs. Royal Mail Online
A like-for-like comparison of posting a standard letter each way.
| Feature | Send Letters Online | Post Office counter | Royal Mail Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening hours | 24/7, online | Typically 9am-5:30pm, closed Sundays | 24/7 for postage labels only |
| Queuing required | No | Yes | No |
| Need a printer at home | No | No | Yes |
| Need stamps or envelopes | No | Yes | Yes |
| We write, print & fold the letter for you | Yes | No | No |
| Works from a phone, no app install | Yes | No | Limited |
| Proof of postage | Yes | Yes | Varies |
| Online order tracking dashboard | Yes | No | Yes |
| 2nd Class letter, fully posted | £2.99 | 91p stamp only - you still print, fold & post it | 91p label only - you still print, fold & post it |
Prices correct at time of publishing. Royal Mail stamp price is postage only and excludes paper, envelope and printing. See full pricing.
How it works instead
Type or upload
Write your letter in our editor or upload a PDF or Word document - no printer needed.
Choose a service & pay
Enter the recipient's address, pick a Royal Mail service - First Class, Tracked, Special Delivery and more - and pay online.
We print, fold & post it
Your letter is printed, folded, sealed, franked and handed to Royal Mail from our UK facility - usually the same working day.
Authorised Royal Mail Wholesale customer
Every letter travels on the same national Royal Mail network.
Same-day despatch
Order before 2:30pm UK time on a working day and we post it the same day.
200+ countries
UK and international letters, all from the same online form.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to the Post Office for posting a letter?
Send Letters Online is a UK-based online postal service that replaces a Post Office visit entirely. You type or upload your letter on the website, enter the recipient's address, choose a Royal Mail service and pay. We print the letter, fold it, seal it in an envelope, frank it with the correct postage and hand it to Royal Mail - usually the same working day. There is no queue, no opening hours to work around, and no need for a printer, envelope or stamp at home.
Is Send Letters Online cheaper than going to the Post Office?
A Royal Mail stamp bought over the counter is cheaper on its own, but it only covers postage - you still need paper, an envelope, a printer and the time to queue. Send Letters Online charges one price that includes printing, folding, the envelope, postage and same-day despatch, from £2.99 for UK Second Class. For most people the true cost of a Post Office trip - printer ink, envelopes, stamps and time off their day - works out similar or higher once everything is accounted for.
How is this different from Royal Mail's own website or Click & Drop?
Royal Mail Online and Click & Drop let you buy and print a postage label, but you still need a printer, you still need to physically prepare and fold the letter yourself, and you still need to drop it in a postbox or priority locker. Send Letters Online removes every one of those steps: you never touch a printer, an envelope or a stamp. We do the printing, folding and franking at our own UK facility and hand the finished letter directly to Royal Mail.
Do I need a printer or any special software?
No. Everything happens in your browser. You can type your letter directly into our editor, or upload an existing PDF or Word document from your phone or computer. No printer, no scanner and no software installation is required at any point.
Can I send a letter outside of Post Office opening hours?
Yes. Send Letters Online is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays. Orders placed before 2:30pm UK time on a working day are despatched the same day; anything placed at or after that cutoff, or over a weekend or bank holiday, goes out on the next working day.
Does my letter still go by Royal Mail?
Yes. We are an authorised Royal Mail Wholesale customer. Every letter is still delivered by Royal Mail using the same national network as a stamped letter posted at a Post Office counter - we simply handle the printing, folding, franking and drop-off on your behalf.
Can I track my letter or get proof it was sent?
Yes. Every order includes a proof of postage and an online tracking link. If you choose a Tracked, Signed For or Special Delivery service, you can follow its progress right through to delivery from your account dashboard.
Can I send letters internationally without visiting a Post Office?
Yes. Send Letters Online posts to over 200 countries via Royal Mail International, with Standard, Tracked, and Tracked & Signed options - all bookable from the same online form used for UK letters.
Skip the Post Office queue today
Compose your letter in minutes and we'll take care of printing, folding, franking and posting it via Royal Mail - from £2.99.
Send a letter now