You’re standing at the kiosk, or maybe you’re digging through that "everything" drawer in your kitchen, wondering if that random flag stamp from three years ago still works. It’s a valid question. The United States Postal Service has been on a bit of a tear lately with price hikes. Honestly, if you feel like the cost of mailing a birthday card changes every time you look at a calendar, you aren’t imagining it.
So, what is the price of stamps today? Right now, as we sit in early 2026, a standard First-Class Mail Forever stamp costs 78 cents.
That price went into effect back in July 2025. Here is the weird part, though: while the cost of shipping a package is jumping up today (January 18, 2026), the price of a regular old stamp is actually staying put for a little while longer. The USPS decided to hit the pause button on "Market Dominant" products—that’s postal-speak for letters and postcards—for the start of this year.
The Price of Stamps Today and Other Mailing Costs
It’s easy to get tunnel vision on the 78-cent stamp, but the post office has a whole menu of prices that might catch you off guard if you haven’t visited a counter in a while.
If you’re sending a postcard to your grandma, you’re looking at 61 cents. Sending a letter to a friend in another country? That’ll be $1.70 for a Global Forever stamp.
Then there’s the "extra ounce" rule. If your wedding invitation is a little chunky because of the heavy cardstock and the RSVP envelope, you have to add 29 cents for every ounce over the first one.
Current 2026 Rates at a Glance
- First-Class Forever Stamp (1 oz): 78 cents
- Postcard Stamp: 61 cents
- International (Global Forever): $1.70
- Additional Ounce: 29 cents
- Metered Mail (1 oz): 74 cents (a small win for businesses)
You might notice that "Metered Mail" is a few cents cheaper. Basically, if you use a postage machine at an office instead of buying individual stamps, the USPS gives you a four-cent discount. It doesn’t sound like much, but for a small business sending out hundreds of invoices, it's real money.
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Why Do Prices Keep Going Up?
It feels like we just did this. Because we did.
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has been pushing a 10-year plan called "Delivering for America." The goal is to make the USPS self-sufficient because, frankly, they’ve been losing billions of dollars for years. In 2025 alone, the agency reported a $9 billion loss.
To fix that, they’ve moved to a schedule of twice-yearly price adjustments. Usually, they announce changes in January and July.
Mail volume is also tanking. People just don't send letters like they used to. Since 2007, the total volume of mail has dropped by nearly 70%. When there are fewer letters in the system but the mail carrier still has to drive to every single house in America six days a week, the "per-letter" cost sky-rockets.
The Forever Stamp Loophole
The best thing the USPS ever did was introduce the Forever Stamp in 2007. Back then, they cost 41 cents.
If you have a sheet of those 41-cent stamps from 2007 in a box somewhere, they are still valid for a 1-ounce letter today. You don't have to add 37 cents of extra postage to make up the difference. They are "Forever" for a reason.
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This is why a lot of people go out and buy several "coils" (those rolls of 100 stamps) right before a price hike. If you know you’re going to send out Christmas cards or business mailings, buying them at today’s 78-cent rate protects you against whatever the price becomes in July 2026.
What’s Changing Today (January 18, 2026)
If you walked into the post office today to mail a box, you probably noticed the price was higher than it was yesterday.
While the price of stamps today for letters stayed at 78 cents, "Shipping Services" just got a significant bump.
- USPS Ground Advantage (the most common way people ship small packages) went up by an average of 7.8%.
- Priority Mail is up about 6.6%.
- Priority Mail Express (the overnight stuff) increased by 5.1%.
The USPS says these rates are "competitive" and based on "market conditions." Translation: FedEx and UPS raised their rates, so the post office did, too.
Looking Ahead: Will Stamps Hit a Dollar?
Honestly? Probably.
Some analysts at groups like the Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers have been vocal about the "vicious cycle" of price hikes. They argue that every time the USPS raises the price of a stamp, more people stop sending mail, which leads to more losses, which leads to... another price hike.
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If the current trend of 5-cent increases twice a year continues, we could see a $1.00 stamp by the end of 2028 or early 2029.
The next window for a price change is July 2026. While nothing is official yet, the USPS usually files its notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) about 90 days in advance. Most experts expect another few cents to be added to the Forever stamp mid-summer.
How to Save on Postage Right Now
You can't really "coupon" for stamps at the post office counter, but there are a few ways to keep costs down.
First, check the weight. A standard sheet of paper in a standard envelope is well under one ounce. But if you're adding photos or a gift card, you might tip over the limit. Using a kitchen scale at home can save you from having a letter "Returned for Postage" two weeks later.
Second, use postcards when possible. At 61 cents, they are significantly cheaper than a full letter, and they’re great for quick "thinking of you" notes or thank-you cards.
Third, look into commercial platforms if you run a side hustle. Sites like Stamps.com or Pirate Ship can offer "Commercial Pricing" on things like Ground Advantage and Priority Mail, which is often 10% to 30% cheaper than the "Retail" price you pay at the window.
Actionable Steps for Today
- Check Your Stash: Look for any stamps you already own. If they say "Forever" on them, they are worth 78 cents today, regardless of what you paid for them.
- Stock Up Now: Since the USPS has hinted at more hikes later in 2026, buying a few books of stamps now at the 78-cent rate is essentially an investment that pays a 5-10% return when the price goes up again.
- Download a Shipping App: If you're shipping a package today, don't just pay the retail rate at the counter. Use a shipping app to buy a label at the commercial rate and drop it in the bin; you'll likely save several dollars per box.