Common Questions
Stamps might be small, but they play a big role in everyday communication. Whether you’re an individual mailing invitations or a business sending out bills, knowing the current cost of stamps is essential for budgeting and planning.
One of the most common questions people ask is: how much does a book of stamps cost? We’ll break down the postage prices for 2025, explain what’s included in a book of stamps, highlight where to buy stamps online, and share a few smart ways to save.
A book of stamps is a small booklet that contains multiple stamps, typically 20, bound together for convenience. In the United States, most stamp books consist of 20 Forever Stamps, which are the most common and versatile stamps.
Forever Stamps were introduced by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) nearly two decades ago. Each stamp covers the cost of mailing a standard one-ounce First-Class letter—forever. That means if the postage prices increase in the future, your stamps remain valid at no additional cost.
Buying a book of stamps is the most common choice for households and small businesses, providing a convenient supply that lasts for months.
As of October 2025, the current stamp cost for a single Forever Stamp is 78 cents. So how much is a book of 20 stamps today? Since a standard book includes 20 stamps, the price for a book of stamps is currently $15.60.
This price applies to a book of Forever Stamps used for standard First-Class Mail letters weighing up to one ounce. Other types of stamps—such as international, postcard, or additional-ounce stamps—have different rates.
Stamp prices have gradually increased over the years. When Forever Stamps were first introduced in 2007, each one cost just 41 cents, so the USPS stamp book price was $8.20. Fast-forward to today, and the price has nearly doubled.
Here are some reasons why postage prices continue to rise:
Because these changes happen regularly—often once or twice a year—it’s wise to keep an eye on the current stamp cost and consider buying early to avoid paying more later.
When you need stamps, you have plenty of options. While many people still purchase stamps at the post office, it’s easier than ever to buy stamps online or print postage on demand.
Here are some of the most common ways to buy a book of stamps:
You can skip the post office entirely using Stamps.com to print stamps and USPS labels from your computer and schedule pickups of your packages from your home or small business.
There are a few smart strategies for saving money on stamps:
By staying informed about the current stamp cost and USPS pricing schedule, you can make smarter purchasing decisions.
At first glance, $15.60 for a book of stamps may not seem like much. But for families mailing holiday cards, nonprofits sending appeals, or small businesses managing invoices, postage adds up quickly.
Understanding the current stamp cost and postage prices helps you budget effectively and avoid last-minute surprises. Buying USPS Forever Stamps before rate increases or buying stamps online can also help you save in the long run.
Whether you’re mailing a birthday card or running a business, stamps remain a simple, reliable way to connect people—and knowing their price keeps your mailing budget on track.
Yes. Our reports show you you activity and total spend by carrier, mail class, shipping service -- so you always know how much you send. You can customize your reports by date and, if you are on our multi-location plan, you can also view activity and spend per location and user.
No. Our negotiated carrier discounts ensure you pay less for First Class Mail® stamps and get up 88% off shipping services from USPS, UPS, and other top carriers. These are discounts you will not find at the Post Office as they are reserved for high volume enterprises. Check stamps.com/carriers for latest on carriers and rates.
Our rate advisor feature helps you calculate exact postage or shipping rate for anything you send. All you need is your item's weight and dimensions -- we do all the math for you and recommend cheapest, fastest, and best rates across all carriers.
Delivery is made by the country's postal service in 3 - 5 business days, depending on the destination.
Generally, it takes Priority Mail International six to ten business days. USPS hands off shipments at the border of the destination country before the local postal service completes the delivery.
While price varies depending on weight and destination, rates for this service begin at $17 dollars.
USPS Priority Mail generally delivers in 2-3 business days. First-Class Mail, while more economical, typically takes 1-5 business days for delivery.
NetStamps are USPS-approved blank labels on which you can print your own stamps. Simply buy postage on Stamps.com, use any printer to print on a NetStamps sheet or roll, and stick the NetStamp to an envelope, postcard, or other First Class Mail.
Nonmachinable envelopes might be non-rectangular, rigid, unevenly thick, or have non-paper closures, meaning they cannot be processed efficiently by USPS's automated sorting equipment, and require special handling, resulting in a surcharge in addition to the standard postage.
Regular, Legal, and Padded
Packages up to 15.999 ounces are priced in 4-ounce increments, while heavier packages are charged by the pound, rounded up. The further the distance, the higher the cost. Additional fees apply to oversized packages. Easily calculate discounted rates anytime at Stamps.com.
USPS Priority Mail typically takes one to three business days, depending on destination, to deliver. You can easily check for a delivery time estimate on USPS’s Priority Mail Delivery Map.
Educational materials like books, music, or videos that never include any products or advertising.
With USPS, Stamps.com customers have access to Commercial Base, Commercial Plus, Cubic Pricing, and Negotiated Service Agreements. Savings include:
With UPS, Stamps.com customers get up to 73% off UPS 2nd Day Air® and up to 77% off UPS® Ground Daily Rates.* Plus, many common surcharges are waived, including the residential surcharge for UPS Ground shipments.
*UPS rates are limited to shipping from the continental U.S. only. These rates and discounts exclude shipment origins from Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Alaska. These rates and any applicable discounts are subject to change at any time without notice.
First-Class Mail International®
Flat Rate Envelopes are ideal for documents or small, dense items weighing 4 lbs or less, as they offer a single price based on the destination country. For items between 4 lbs and 70 lbs, or those that don't fit into the Flat Rate Envelopes, you'll need to ship by weight using your own packaging. It’s more affordable to use Flat Rate boxes if your item is under 20 lbs.
