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In a word: no. Since the US Postal Service already offers such a huge discount on Media Mail service, you won’t be able to find any additional savings on Media Mail Rates. Sorry!
How Much Does Media Mail Cost?
USPS Media Mail rates are only based on weight, and the distance your package needs to travel doesn’t affect it. That’s why Rates for Media Mail start at $2.80 for a 1 pound package. After 1 pound, the cost increases by only $0.53 per pound for (for example, a 2 pound package costs $3.33, and a 3-pound package costs $3.86).
For a more comprehensive Media Mail rate sheet up to 30 pounds, check out our guide How Much Does USPS Media Mail Cost?
What Kinds of Items Qualify?
USPS is very strict about what kinds of items qualify for Media Mail service. According to the list on USPS’ website, the following are items that qualify:
- Books that contain at least 8 pages
- CDs, DVDs, records, tapes, or other audio and video recordings
- Scripts for plays, books, periodicals, and musicals
- Printed sheet music Computer-readable media containing prerecorded information and guides or scripts prepared solely for use with such media
- Sixteen millimeter or narrower width films
- Printed objective test materials and their accessories
- Printed educational reference charts
- Loose-leaf pages and their binders consisting of medical information for distribution to doctors, hospitals, medical schools, and medical students
Keep in mind that USPS reserves the right to inspect packages sent Media Mail service. If USPS inspects your package and finds out that you’re attempting to send items that don’t qualify, they’ll nix your Media Mail rates and hit you with Priority Mail!
Our suggestion? Make sure your items qualify for Media Mail before you pay for that kind of postage. Getting charged for Priority Mail kind of makes the hunt for cheaper rates than Media Mail a bit pointless.
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