USPS Media Mail: Cheap Shipping for Books & Media

USPS Media Mail is the cheapest way to ship books, CDs, DVDs, and other educational media — starting at $3.65 for 1 lb. It's slower than other services (2-8 business days) but significantly cheaper. If you sell books or media, Media Mail is essential.

What Qualifies for Media Mail

• Books (printed, not eBooks or audiobooks on devices)
• CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays (containing recorded music, movies, educational content)
• Printed music (sheet music)
• Educational materials and manuscripts
• Sound and video recordings
• Magnetic tapes and LPs (vinyl records)

What Doesn't Qualify

• Magazines and comic books (due to advertising content)
• Video games (even if educational)
• Computer software and CDs/DVDs with games
• Stationery, blank notebooks
• Any items with advertising beyond incidental product information
• Items shipped purely for gift purposes (no media content)

Pricing

USPS Media Mail rates are based on weight only (no zones):

• 1 lb: $3.65
• 2 lbs: $4.11
• 3 lbs: $4.57
• 4 lbs: $5.03
• 5 lbs: $5.49
• Additional pounds: $0.46 each up to 70 lbs max

Speed: 2-8 Business Days

Media Mail travels by USPS ground — no prioritization. Transit time varies by zone and handling priority. Cross-country takes longer (6-8 days typical). For time-sensitive media, use Priority Mail instead.

Important Restrictions

• USPS inspects Media Mail packages — non-qualifying contents cause the package to be upgraded to Priority Mail at the receiver's or sender's expense
• Don't ship non-media items in a Media Mail package — you'll be charged the higher rate
• Media Mail is domestic only — no Media Mail for international
• Maximum weight: 70 lbs (USPS package max)

Common Media Mail Users

• Book resellers on eBay, Half.com, Amazon, ThriftBooks
• Music and record resellers
• Homeschool materials sellers
• College textbook resellers
• Educational institutions shipping manuals or textbooks

When Media Mail Isn't the Answer

• Time-critical shipments (use Priority Mail)
• Mixed contents (media + non-media) — must split or pay Priority rates
• International shipments
• Anything that doesn't fit USPS's definition of 'media'