USPS Commercial Plus Pricing: How to Qualify

Introduction

USPS offers various pricing tiers for shipping, and at the pinnacle of these tiers is Commercial Plus Pricing — the most substantial standard discount available to business shippers. Compared to retail Post Office counter rates, Commercial Plus can save you between 20% and 40%, and it offers meaningful savings even over the standard Commercial Base pricing.

For small businesses and e-commerce sellers, accessing Commercial Plus Pricing can be a game-changer for your bottom line. Fortunately, as of 2026, qualifying for Commercial Plus is more accessible than ever. You no longer need to ship thousands of packages per month or secure a special contract with USPS. This guide walks you through how to achieve Commercial Plus Pricing and maximize your shipping savings.

Understanding USPS Pricing Tiers

USPS organizes its pricing into three main tiers for most services:

Pricing Tier Overview

Retail: Available to walk-in customers, this is the base price accessible at the Post Office counter, kiosks, or online at USPS.com. There are no discounts applied at this level.
Commercial Base (CB): Designed for online shippers, this tier offers a discount of 5-15% off retail rates. You can access it via USPS.com Click-N-Ship or certain shipping platforms.
Commercial Plus (CP): Tailored for volume shippers and users of approved shipping platforms, this tier offers the deepest discounts, ranging from 15-40% off retail prices.

Pricing Examples: All Three Tiers (Priority Mail, 5 lbs, Zone 5)

To understand the financial impact of each pricing tier, consider the cost of sending a 5-pound Priority Mail package to Zone 5:

Retail: $18.50
Commercial Base: $14.35, saving $4.15 (22%)
Commercial Plus: $12.70, saving $5.80 (31%)

While the savings per package between Commercial Base and Commercial Plus may seem small, they can accumulate significantly over time, especially for businesses shipping in volume.

What Makes Commercial Plus Different

Service-by-Service Savings

Commercial Plus Pricing is applicable to most USPS services, offering substantial savings across the board. For example:

Priority Mail: A 5-pound package to Zone 5 costs $12.70 under CP, compared to $18.50 at retail, resulting in a 31% savings.
Priority Mail Express: A 2-pound package to Zone 5 is $41.80 with CP, saving 14% compared to retail.
Ground Advantage: A 3-pound package to Zone 5 drops to $8.30 under CP, a 27% savings.

Exclusive CP-Only Pricing

Certain pricing programs are exclusive to Commercial Plus customers:

Cubic Pricing: Offers volume-based pricing for small, heavy packages, potentially saving up to 50%.
Parcel Select Lightweight: Provides ultra-low rates for packages under 1 pound.
Parcel Select Ground (enhanced): Delivers better rates for high-volume ground shipments.
International Commercial Plus: Offers deeper discounts on international services.
First-Class Package (enhanced tiers): Provides additional discounts based on the weight of the package.

Cubic Pricing, in particular, can be a significant money-saver, reducing costs by thousands of dollars per year for businesses.

How to Qualify for Commercial Plus Pricing

Traditional Path: Volume Requirements

Historically, accessing Commercial Plus Pricing required meeting certain volume thresholds directly with USPS, often through a Negotiated Service Agreement (NSA) or by demonstrating consistent shipping volume. The tiers were as follows:

Low volume: Under 5,000 packages per year typically only qualifies for Commercial Base.
Medium volume: Shipping 5,000-50,000 packages annually could access Commercial Plus through specific platforms.
High volume: 50,000+ packages per year could qualify for Commercial Plus and potentially negotiate an NSA.
Enterprise: 500,000+ packages per year often required an NSA with custom discounts.

Modern Path: Through Shipping Platforms (Easiest)

The simplest way to achieve Commercial Plus Pricing today is through approved shipping platforms that have pre-negotiated USPS rates. These platforms pool shipping volume across many shippers to qualify for the best discounts and pass those savings on to individual users.

Platforms like atoship, Pirate Ship, and Stamps.com offer Commercial Plus Pricing with no minimum volume requirements. This means even a shipper sending just 10 packages per month can access the same rates as a larger shipper sending 10,000 packages per month.

Direct Path: USPS Business Account

For high-volume shippers, establishing a direct relationship with USPS is another way to access Commercial Plus Pricing:

Register for a USPS Business Account at the Business Customer Gateway.

Apply for Commercial Plus access via the eVS or CAPS account.

Meet volume requirements as specified by your local USPS Business Mail Entry Unit.

Negotiate additional rates for further discounts if your volume warrants it.

This path is generally suited for very high-volume shippers (50,000+ packages/year) who are interested in negotiating beyond standard Commercial Plus rates.

Detailed Pricing Comparison: CB vs CP

To appreciate the practical impact, consider these comprehensive pricing tables for popular USPS services in 2026.

Priority Mail: Commercial Base vs Commercial Plus

1 lb, Zone 3: CB $8.35, CP $7.90, saving $0.45
3 lbs, Zone 5: CB $11.60, CP $10.90, saving $0.70
5 lbs, Zone 8: CB $19.40, CP $18.15, saving $1.25
10 lbs, Zone 5: CB $22.30, CP $20.85, saving $1.45

Ground Advantage: Commercial Base vs Commercial Plus

8 oz, Zone 3: CB $3.95, CP $3.70, saving $0.25
1 lb, Zone 8: CB $7.70, CP $7.20, saving $0.50
3 lbs, Zone 5: CB $8.70, CP $8.15, saving $0.55

Flat Rate: Commercial Base vs Commercial Plus

Flat Rate Envelope: CB $8.15, CP $7.80, saving $0.35
Medium Flat Rate Box: CB $14.45, CP $13.95, saving $0.50
Large Flat Rate Box: CB $19.80, CP $19.10, saving $0.70

Annual Savings Calculator

Small Business (200 packages/month)

Priority Mail (avg 5 lbs, Zone 5): CB $17,220, CP $16,140, saving $1,080 annually
Ground Advantage (avg 1 lb, Zone 5): CB $3,840, CP $3,600, saving $240 annually
Flat Rate Medium: CB $8,670, CP $8,370, saving $300 annually
Total Savings: $1,620 annually

Medium Business (1,000 packages/month)

Priority Mail (avg 5 lbs, Zone 5): CB $86,100, CP $80,700, saving $5,400 annually
Ground Advantage (avg 2 lbs, Zone 5): CB $27,180, CP $25,560, saving $1,620 annually
Flat Rate Medium: CB $34,680, CP $33,480, saving $1,200 annually
Total Savings: $8,220 annually

Large Business (5,000 packages/month)

Priority Mail: CB $430,500, CP $403,500, saving $27,000 annually
Ground Advantage: CB $135,900, CP $127,800, saving $8,100 annually
Flat Rate (mixed): CB $180,000, CP $174,000, saving $6,000 annually
Total Savings: $41,100 annually

For large e-commerce businesses, the difference between Commercial Base and Commercial Plus savings can exceed $40,000 per year.

Beyond Commercial Plus: Negotiated Service Agreements

For the highest volume shippers, USPS offers Negotiated Service Agreements (NSAs) that provide custom pricing beyond Commercial Plus rates.

What Is an NSA?

An NSA is a contract between USPS and a high-volume mailer, offering customized pricing based on the mailer's volume and service mix. NSA rates can be 5-15% lower than published Commercial Plus rates.

NSA Qualification Requirements

Annual package volume: 50,000+ packages
Annual postage spend: $500,000+
Consistent volume commitment: Multi-year agreement
Service diversity: Usage of multiple USPS services

How to Pursue an NSA

Contact your local USPS Business Mail Entry Unit and express interest in an NSA.

Provide your shipping data: volume, service mix, and growth projections.

USPS reviews your profile to determine eligibility.

Negotiate terms: pricing, volume commitments, and agreement duration.

Sign the agreement: NSAs typically run for 1-3 years.

Implement the rates: Configure your shipping platform with your custom NSA pricing.

NSA Savings Examples

Priority Mail, 5 lbs, Zone 5: CP $13.45, NSA $12.10, saving $1.35 (10%)
Ground Advantage, 1 lb, Zone 5: CP $6.00, NSA $5.40, saving $0.60 (10%)
Medium Flat Rate: CP $13.95, NSA $12.55, saving $1.40 (10%)

For a business shipping 100,000 packages annually, an NSA can offer $100,000 in additional savings beyond Commercial Plus.

Maximizing Your Commercial Plus Savings

Strategy 1: Use the Right Service for Each Package

Commercial Plus unlocks Cubic Pricing, often the cheapest for small, heavy items. Always compare:

Cubic Pricing: For small, heavy packages under 20 lbs and 0.5 cubic feet.
Flat Rate: For heavy packages to distant zones.
Regional Rate: For heavy packages to nearby zones.
Standard Priority Mail: For lightweight packages to nearby zones.
Ground Advantage: When speed isn't critical.

Strategy 2: Optimize Packaging

Since Cubic Pricing is volume-based, smaller packaging reduces costs. Invest in right-sized packaging:

Reduce box size: Even a 1" reduction can drop a Cubic tier, saving $0.50-$2.00 per package.
Switch to poly mailers: Significantly reduces cubic volume.
Use custom-sized boxes: Eliminates wasted space.
Remove excessive void fill: Reduces overall package dimensions.

Strategy 3: Consolidate Shipments

Combine multiple items into a single shipment when possible:

Two 1-pound packages to the same address cost ~$12-16 via Ground Advantage.
One 2-pound package to the same address costs ~$6-8 via Ground Advantage.
Savings: $6-8 per combined order.

Strategy 4: Zone Management

If flexible, consider:

Multiple fulfillment locations: Ship from the nearest warehouse to the customer to reduce zones.
Zone-skip consolidation: For high-volume, presort packages to skip zones.
Strategic inventory placement: Stock bestsellers in multiple locations.

Strategy 5: Use Automated Rate Shopping

Platforms like atoship automatically compare all available USPS services and pricing tiers for each shipment, selecting the cheapest option. This eliminates human error and ensures you never overpay.

Common Questions About Commercial Plus

Can individuals (non-businesses) get Commercial Plus Pricing?

Yes. Individuals can access Commercial Plus Pricing through platforms like Pirate Ship and atoship without business registration requirements.

Do I need to commit to a minimum volume?

Not through shipping platforms. You receive Commercial Plus rates from your first package, although direct USPS accounts may have volume requirements.

Can I switch between platforms and keep Commercial Plus?

Yes. Commercial Plus Pricing is available through any approved platform, allowing you to switch without losing access. Rates may vary slightly between platforms based on their USPS agreements.

Is Commercial Plus available for international shipping?

Yes. Commercial Plus rates apply to Priority Mail International, Priority Mail Express International, and First-Class Package International, offering typical savings of 10-20% off retail international rates.

Do Commercial Plus rates change with USPS rate increases?

Yes. USPS adjusts all pricing tiers during rate increases, typically in January and July each year. However, the percentage relationship between tiers generally remains stable.

Can I use Commercial Plus at the Post Office counter?

No. Commercial Plus Pricing is only available when labels are printed through an approved shipping platform or API. Counter purchases are always at Retail rates.

What happens if a platform loses its Commercial Plus agreement?

While rare, if a platform's USPS agreement changes, your rates revert to whatever tier the platform can offer. It's wise to use established platforms with long-standing USPS relationships.

Getting Started with Commercial Plus

For New Shippers

Sign up for a shipping platform offering Commercial Plus rates (atoship, Pirate Ship, etc.).

Connect your USPS account or create one through the platform.

Start printing labels — Commercial Plus pricing applies automatically.

Compare services for each shipment to find the cheapest option.

Track your savings against retail pricing.

For Existing Shippers on Commercial Base

Evaluate your current platform — does it offer Commercial Plus?

If not, switch to a CP platform — the migration is usually easy.

Recalculate your costs — identify where CP savings are greatest.

Explore Cubic Pricing — this CP-exclusive program may reduce costs significantly.

Audit your shipping monthly — ensure every label uses CP pricing.

For High-Volume Shippers

Access Commercial Plus through your preferred platform.

Analyze your zone and weight distribution to optimize service selection.

Explore NSA eligibility if you ship 50,000+ packages annually.

Contact your local USPS Business Mail Entry Unit to discuss NSAs.

Consider presort and drop ship programs for additional discounts.

USPS Commercial Plus Pricing is integral to cost-effective shipping in 2026. Whether shipping 10 or 10,000 packages monthly, accessing Commercial Plus rates via a shipping platform is one of the simplest and most impactful ways to cut shipping costs. With savings of 15-40% off retail rates and exclusive access to Cubic Pricing and enhanced international rates, Commercial Plus is essential for any business shipping with USPS. Best of all, qualification is easier than ever — simply sign up with an approved shipping platform and start saving with your first label.