With a virtual mailbox, you can receive mail and parcels to an address separate from your home and then have them scanned or sent to you. This is perfect for anyone who is moving, has no permanent address, or cannot receive mail at their address for any reason.
Many digital mailbox services aren’t too expensive either, making them a great option for digital nomads, travellers, freelancers, and small businesses.
This article covers the 7 best virtual mailboxes in Canada, how they work, how much they cost, and what services they offer.
Best Virtual Mailbox Services in Canada
Below are the seven best virtual mailboxes in Canada, each with plans for both business and personal use.
| Virtual Mailbox Service | Anytime Mailbox | PostScan Mail | Planet Express | iPostal1 | Canadian Address | eSnail.ca | ForwardingMe |
| Canadian Locations | Limited | Limited | No | Limited | Multiple | Multiple | Multiple |
| Mail Forwarding | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mail Scanning | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Package Receiving | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing Structure | Monthly/Yearly | Monthly/Yearly | Monthly/Yearly | Monthly/Yearly | Monthly/Yearly | Monthly/Yearly | Monthly/Yearly |
| Additional Services | Check Deposit, Shredding, | Check Deposit, Recycle | Shop & Ship | Check Deposit, Shred, Recycle | Business Services; Package Consolidation | Business Services | Fax Services |
| Customer Support | Phone, Email, Chat | Phone, Email | Email, Chat | Phone, Email | Phone, Email | Phone, Email | Phone, Email |
| Virtual Office Services | Limited | Limited | No | Limited | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| Trash/Shred Mail | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| App Availability | iOS, Android | Web-only | Web-only | iOS, Android | Web-only | Web-only | Web-only |
| Prices (Starting From) | $5.99/month | $10/month | $10/month | $9.99/month | $20 one-time fee + per-package costs (CAD) | $19/month (CAD) | $5/month (CAD) |
Anytime Mailbox
Anytime Mailbox has 2,080 locations across the US and internationally. They offer services like Open & Scan, Check Deposit, Forwarding, and Shredding.
Pricing plans vary based on location and the number of packages you will receive. For example, a plan in Birmingham, Alabama, costs $9.99 to $39/month, while a plan in Anaheim, California, ranges from $7.99 to $9.99 per month.
You can view and manage your mail from the website or mobile app. You are notified via text, messaging, or email when mail arrives or when a requested action has been completed.
PostScan Mail
PostScan Mail has over 600 mailing addresses in the US, Canada, and a few other countries; however, most addresses are located in the US. You can access your mail via the mobile app or web mailbox.
Once packages are received at your mailbox, the items are scanned and uploaded to your online account. You can request them to open & scan, forward the mail to you, or recycle unwanted mail. If you’d like to pick up your mail, you can do so at any location.
PostScan Mail has three pricing plans:
Starter – $10/month. Two recipients can receive up to 30 incoming items; however open & scan service is not included.
Standard – $20/month. Three recipients can receive up to 60 incoming items and can open & scan 10 items.
Premium – $30/month. Six recipients can receive up to 120 incoming items and can open & scan 20 items.
Planet Express
Planet Express is a mail forwarding service where you get a US or UK mailing address and can use it for your online purchases. It is mostly used for those who want to shop online, as not every US or UK retailer will ship to your country.
Once your packages come in, you can choose to have each item shipped individually with postage charged for each package or consolidate packages and have them shipped or collect them in the warehouse.
The US address is located in Oregon, so there is no sales tax for online shopping.
Planet Express offers two services.
Free Mailbox – free, $2 handling fee per package, you get 10 days of free storage, and consolidation is not available.
Premium Mailbox – $10/month or $50/year, $2 handling fee per package, you get 45 days of free storage, and consolidation is available and costs $5 + $2 per package.
You can calculate shipping rates on their website.
Related: US to Canada Package Forwarding Services.
iPostal1
iPostal1 is a popular worldwide digital mailbox service with over 2,750 street addresses in the US and internationally. You can view and manage your mailbox anytime with the mobile app or website.
With iPostal1, you can forward, scan, recycle, shred, or pick up your mail. It is a great virtual mailbox for small businesses as well as individuals.
You can choose from four digital mailbox plans. With all plans, you get a real street address and can view and manage mail remotely.
Green – $9.99/month or $99/yearly, 30 mail items per month.
Blue – $14.99/month or $149/yearly, 60 mail items per month.
Silver – $24.99/month or $249/yearly, 120 mail items per month.
Gold – $49.99/month or $399/yearly, 240 mail items per month.
Canadian Address
Canadian Address is a virtual mailbox located in Quebec. You get a Canadian street address for yourself or your business, and you can forward mail to anywhere in the world.
Their services include mail forwarding, package consolidation, scanning, personal shopping, junk mail throwaway, and more.
Canadian Address is one of the cheapest virtual mailboxes, as they don’t charge a monthly fee. They only require a $20 one-time payment, then you pay for forwarding as follows:
- Per package – $10 + postage
- Per letter – $2 + postage
- Per scan (first 3 pages) – $3
- Per fax (first 3 pages) – $3
eSnail.ca
eSnail is a virtual mailbox service for people who do not have a Canadian address. They have locations in Vancouver, Toronto, and Edmonton.
With all of eSnail’s plans, you get your mail scanned and stored in searchable PDFs, storage for up to 3 months, automatic shredding of old mail, cheque forwarding, and more.
eSnail offers 5 plans:
Basic – for $25/month or $275/year, you can have 2 names on the plan, and they will scan 20 envelopes per month.
Personal – for $30/month or $300/year, you can have 3 names on the plan, and they will scan 20 envelopes or 80 pages per month.
Family – for $25/month or $330/year, you can have 6 names on the plan, and they will scan 100 envelopes per month.
Business – for $54.99/month or $500/year, you can have 250 names on the plan, and they will scan 200 envelopes per month.
Backpacker – for $20/month or $200/year, you can have one name on the plan, and they will scan 5 envelopes per month.
ForwardingMe
ForwardingMe is a leading provider of package & mail forwarding and digital mailbox services in Canada.
The digital mailbox services include package receiving, repacking, consolidation, and forwarding. Package and mail forwarding services include receiving your packages, storage, shipping, returns processing, and managing mail online.
ForwardingMe has three plans with no hidden fees. Each one has a one-time setup fee of $5.
Basic – get a personal mailbox with a Canadian address for one name for a $5 monthly fee.
Standard – get a personal mailbox with a Canadian address for two names for a $10 monthly fee. You also get lower shipping rates.
Premium – get a personal or business mailbox with a Canadian address for two names for a $20 monthly fee. You also get the lowest shipping rates.
What is a Virtual Mailbox?
A virtual mailbox is a digital mailbox service that allows you to receive physical mail separate from your residential or business address. Most virtual mailboxes are used by businesses, but individuals can also use them.
Virtual mailboxes are accessible anywhere in the world via the internet. Your mail is sent to a physical address, where it is sorted and screened. You can tell the company to send you important mail and get rid of junk.
If you don’t have access to a physical mailbox for any reason, like if you’re travelling or moving, virtual mailboxes are a great option to manage your mail in the meantime.
Small businesses also use this service to receive and sort business mail.
How Does a Virtual Mailbox Work?
A virtual mailbox is usually a PO box or physical mailbox with a real street address somewhere in the world.
When mail arrives at this address, it is sorted, scanned, and registered online. You can sign in to your account to view and manage your mail remotely.
Mailbox owners can tell the virtual mailbox company to get rid of junk mail, send them important letters or packages at their home address, or open the mail and send photos of the contents.
How Much Does a Virtual Mailbox Cost?
The cost of a virtual mailbox varies by company and location. Some virtual mailboxes don’t charge a monthly fee, like Planet Express and Canadian Address, while others do.
The cost will differ for every provider and location you are forwarding packages to, but the average basic plan costs around $10-$15 per month.
What Services Do Virtual Mailboxes Offer?
Most virtual mailboxes will offer the following services:
- Online viewing of packages and letters
- Open and scan your mail
- Forward mail to you
- Send a notification when mail arrives for you
- Recycle junk/unwanted mail
- Securely shred personal documents
- Receive bank and credit card statements
Are Virtual Mailbox Safe?
Virtual mailboxes are safe, as they are accessed exclusively online, and the address is not available to the public.
All digital mailboxes in the US must comply with USPS guidelines and will face penalties if they don’t keep your information safe. Virtual mailbox companies will only open and scan your mail if you ask them to.
Conclusion
If you are a nomad, freelancer, traveller, or someone who can’t receive mail at their home address, a virtual mailbox is a great solution.
Most providers aren’t too expensive, and they provide many services like online viewing of letters, forwarding mail, and securely shredding unwanted documents.
If you don’t receive much mail but still want a digital mailbox, eSnail and Canadian Address are quite cheap and will provide the services you need.
If you own a small business or receive a lot of mail, consider getting a business plan from eSnail, a virtual business address with iPostal1, or a premium plan with Planet Express.
Virtual Mailbox Services FAQs
A virtual mailbox address is a real street address where your mail is delivered. Once it arrives, it is scanned and registered online. You can view and manage your mail online and ask them to forward or recycle your mail.
Canada Post does not offer virtual mailboxes. However, they do offer a PO box for you to receive letters and parcels, but you will need to go to Canada Post to pick up any mail.
The price of a virtual mailbox varies by company, the services they offer, and your monthly plan. Some companies do not charge a monthly fee, while others do. The shipping costs vary by location, size, and weight of the package.
Some banks will accept a virtual mailing address for a US bank account. However, you may not be able to open it without physically visiting the bank to present your ID. They will need to match your address on your ID, and it will not match if you’re using a virtual address.
Excellent and very useful article!
Thank you very much.
Kila Gwet
Will the virtual mailbox satisfy CRA and Service Canada requirements for a permanent mailing address? If not what service does?
thx
Gordon