Print a shipping label online

Buy a shipping label online — yes, it works

You can create a shipping label online, pay for postage digitally, and print the label yourself. That is how millions of marketplace sellers and home shippers avoid counter lines. The flow is straightforward:

1. Sender and recipient U.S. addresses
2. Package weight and dimensions (estimate or measured)
3. Carrier service selection (USPS or UPS)
4. Payment for postage plus any platform fee
5. Downloadable label file with barcode and paid postage

Oshippy handles U.S. domestic USPS and UPS labels only. International addresses are not supported yet. For a product walkthrough see how Oshippy works; for cheaper postage tiers see cheap USPS shipping labels.

Print postage at home: letter PDF vs 4×6

When people search “print postage at home” or “online postage printing,” they usually want to know what paper and printer to use. Oshippy offers formats at checkout:

• Letter PDF (8.5×11)

  The label prints on a full sheet with instructions. Use any home inkjet or laser printer and plain paper. Cut around the label if needed and tape it flat on the box. This is the easiest option if you ship occasionally.

• Thermal 4×6 PDF

  Sized for common thermal label printers (Rollo, Zebra-compatible workflows, and similar). If you ship weekly, a $100–200 thermal printer plus 4×6 labels saves tape and looks professional — but it is optional, not required.

• ZPL and PNG

  Additional formats for compatible printers and workflows. Pick what matches your hardware at checkout.

Tip: tape the label so the barcode is flat and fully visible. Wrinkled or covered barcodes slow scanning at drop-off.

Print a mailing label or package label

Search engines treat “print mailing label,” “print package label,” and “print shipping label” as the same job: put paid postage and a scannable barcode on your parcel. A handwritten address alone is not enough — carriers need the official label generated after you buy postage.

Oshippy labels include sender and recipient addresses, service indicators, tracking barcode, and the postage payment proof USPS or UPS expects. After printing, attach the label to the top of the box or largest flat side of the mailer.

Phone vs computer: where to start

Oshippy is optimized for starting on your phone — photograph the item, autocomplete addresses, compare rates on the couch. Printing often happens on a device connected to your printer:

• Phone → AirPrint if your printer supports it.
• Phone → email yourself the PDF, open on laptop, print.
• Computer browser for the whole flow if you prefer a keyboard for addresses.

The label file and tracking number stay in your Oshippy dashboard for reprints if you smudge the first print.

How it works step by step

1. Start on your phone or computer. Open Oshippy, add sender and recipient addresses, and describe what you are shipping — photo optional if you already know size and weight.
2. Compare USPS and UPS rates. See live carrier options side by side. Pick the cheapest or fastest service that fits your package. Compare carriers: USPS vs UPS.
3. Pay and download your label. Checkout shows postage plus a small Oshippy fee. Choose letter PDF, thermal 4×6, ZPL, or PNG — then download.
4. Print and drop off. Attach the label, drop at any USPS or UPS location that accepts that carrier. Keep the tracking number from your confirmation screen.

Print online without a scale

You do not need a postal scale to print a shipping label online for many everyday packages. Oshippy suggests weight from package presets and an item photo — you review and edit before paying. Your phone cannot weigh a box; estimates are a starting point you approve.

For light clothing, books, and typical marketplace smalls, confirmed estimates work well. For heavy tools, dense parts, or expensive postage brackets, get a real weight at a free USPS or UPS counter or use a cheap home scale. Read how photo package weight works for the honest limits.

What you pay before you print

Online label printing is not free — you pay carrier postage plus Oshippy's small per-label fee. There is no monthly subscription required. The checkout total is always shown before payment. Details on pricing.

Printing at home saves the trip to the counter, and online postage is often cheaper than walk-up retail rates for the same service — see cheap USPS labels online.

After you print

• Tape the label flat — do not cover the barcode.
• Drop off at a location that accepts your carrier (USPS vs UPS).
• Save or screenshot the tracking number from your dashboard.
• Reprint from the dashboard if the first print smudges.

Marketplace sellers shipping often: see eBay shipping labels and Oshippy for sellers.