Whichever carrier row you pick, the file that comes out is a 4 by 6 label ready for thermal stock or plain paper.
Same label, priced live on 2026-07-27: Los Angeles, CA 90011 to New York, NY 10001
Rates below are for a 12 × 10 × 6 inch box at 2 lb, quoted through the calculator on 2026-07-27. Printing choices come later and never touch these numbers.
| Carrier | Service | Price | Delivery window |
|---|---|---|---|
| USPS | Ground Advantage | $11.04 | 6-7 business days |
| UPS | Ground Saver | $13.29 | 6 business days |
| UPS | Ground | $13.69 | 6-7 business days |
| UPS | 3 Day Select | $17.96 | 3-4 business days |
| USPS | Priority Mail | $22.34 | 2-3 business days |
Coast to coast at 2 lb, the Post Office undercut everything else by a couple of dollars, with the UPS economy tier close behind. Label format has zero effect on any of it; a taped paper printout and a thermal sticker cost identical money to ship.
Why 4 by 6 became the norm
It matches the thermal roll stock used across warehouses and carrier counters, and it fits the addresses, the routing barcode and the postage block at a size scanners read reliably. Print smaller and the barcode is the first casualty.
Letter paper, done right
Print at 100 percent scale, never shrunk to fit, then cut around the label. Tape it by its edges only; FedEx’s packing guidance says to avoid taping over the label or covering it up, per fedex.com, checked 2026-07-27, and every scanner in the chain agrees with the sentiment.
When a thermal printer earns its keep
Shipping a few times a month, paper plus tape is plenty. Shipping daily, a 4 by 6 thermal unit repays itself in ink you stop buying and labels you stop trimming, since it outputs the exact format carriers expect. It upgrades convenience, not price.
Label size questions
Can I print a shipping label on regular paper?
Yes. Print the PDF at actual size on letter paper, cut the label out, and tape it flat by the edges while leaving the barcode bare. Carriers scan taped paper labels all day long.
Do I need a 4 by 6 thermal printer?
No. The 4 by 6 layout is a convention rather than a hardware requirement, and an inkjet or laser print of the same PDF is just as acceptable so long as it stays sharp and uncovered.
Can the label be smaller than 4 by 6?
Avoid scaling it down. A shrunken barcode risks failed scans, and a failed scan means manual handling or delay. On a tiny box, keep the label full size on the largest face and see our placement guide for the edge cases.
Does label size change what I pay?
No. Pricing comes from the box, the weight, the route and the service. The label is paperwork, and the same 4 by 6 PDF ships at the same price from any printer that renders it cleanly.