Discover the truth about Traveling Mailbox's virtual mailbox services, mail scanning, and forwarding features, and how it compares to competitors like iPostal1, VirtualPostMail, and PostScan Mail.
"In an increasingly mobile and digital world, the traditional mailbox is rapidly becoming a relic of the past. Virtual mailbox services like Traveling Mailbox offer a modern solution for managing postal mail remotely."
For digital nomads, frequent travelers, RVers, and remote businesses, managing physical mail can be a significant logistical challenge. This has given rise to the virtual mailbox industry, a modern solution that digitizes your postal mail, offering unprecedented convenience and control. Among the pioneers in this space is Traveling Mailbox, a company that has been providing virtual mailbox services for over a decade. This comprehensive review will delve into every aspect of Traveling Mailbox to help you decide if it's the right service for your needs in 2026.
Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Sanford, North Carolina, Traveling Mailbox has established itself as a prominent player in the virtual mailbox industry. The company's mission is to provide a seamless and secure way for individuals and businesses to manage their postal mail online. Their target audience is broad, encompassing anyone who needs remote access to their mail, including RVers, expatriates, digital nomads, military personnel, and small business owners.
Over the years, Traveling Mailbox has served tens of thousands of customers across more than 47 countries, a testament to its global reach and appeal. The core of Traveling Mailbox's service revolves around providing a real, physical street address where customers can receive their mail. Unlike a traditional P.O. Box, these addresses can accept packages from all major carriers, including UPS, FedEx, and DHL.
When mail arrives, the company scans the outside of the envelope and notifies the customer. Through an intuitive online dashboard or a dedicated mobile app, users can then decide the fate of each mail item: have the contents scanned, forward the physical item, have it shredded, or simply hold it for future action. This process effectively transforms a physical mailbox into a digital one, accessible from anywhere in the world.
Traveling Mailbox offers a comprehensive set of features that cater to a wide range of user needs. Here's a closer look at the key functionalities that define their service.
High-resolution PDF scans of mail contents uploaded within 24 hours.
Forward mail and packages to any address worldwide with consolidation options.
Deposit paper checks directly to your bank without handling them physically.
Comprehensive security with 24/7 surveillance and mail tracking.
Manage your mail on the go with dedicated iOS and Android apps.
Seamlessly connect with popular cloud storage and productivity tools.
Traveling Mailbox offers three main pricing tiers, each designed to cater to different volumes of mail and user needs. A notable feature across all plans is that unused scans roll over to the next month, and junk mail is not counted against plan limits. All plans include free mail shredding, unlimited cloud storage, and the ability to change plans anytime.
Ideal starter plan for most users with plenty of page scans.
More envelopes and page scans with rollover benefits.
Ideal for small businesses and larger households.
A company's reputation is often best judged by the unfiltered feedback of its customers. In the case of Traveling Mailbox, the picture is decidedly mixed. While the company's own website features glowing testimonials and boasts a 4.8 rating on Google Reviews, a deeper dive into third-party review sites like Trustpilot reveals a more troubling narrative.
The most common and severe complaints revolve around the sudden closure of physical address locations. Multiple users have reported that their mailbox address was cancelled with little to no warning, resulting in important documents, including tax forms and financial statements, being returned to the sender. One user stated, "They literally lost the lease. They didn't tell me I no longer had a mailbox and I didn't receive mail for 2 months." Another echoed this sentiment, saying, "Cancelled my mail box location with no notice. I lost all of my tax documents for 2024."
Other significant issues include poor customer service, with users citing ignored emails and unhelpful support staff. Lost mail, slow processing times, and difficulties with cancellations and refunds are also frequently mentioned.
Despite the overwhelmingly negative reviews on Trustpilot, there is a small contingent of satisfied customers. These users often praise the convenience of the service, the user-friendly interface, and the core functionality of mail scanning and forwarding. One long-term user stated, "I have absolutely loved creating a permanent address that doesn't change every time I make a move or travel around." Another positive review from a digital nomad reads, "It has consistently met all of my needs. Customer support is always solid and fast."
To provide a comprehensive perspective, it is essential to compare Traveling Mailbox with other popular virtual mailbox services. The table below highlights the key differences between Traveling Mailbox and its main competitors.
| Feature | Traveling Mailbox | iPostal1 | PostScan Mail | US Global Mail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $15/month | $9.99/month | $10/month | $9.95/month |
| Number of Locations | 50+ (US only) | 2,500+ worldwide | 400+ (US & International) | Limited (US only) |
| Scan Limit Basis | Pages (more flexible) | Mail Items | Mail Items | Mail Items |
| Rollover Scans | Yes | No | No | No |
| Free Registered Agent | No | No | No | No |
| Trustpilot Rating | 1.7/5 (68 reviews) | 4.3/5 (9K reviews) | 4.6/5 (923 reviews) | 4.2/5 (1K reviews) |
| Best For | Page-heavy documents | Location variety | Budget-conscious | Simple needs |
iPostal1 is one of the largest virtual mailbox providers with over 2,500 locations worldwide, including international options. Their pricing starts lower at $9.99/month, and they boast a significantly higher Trustpilot rating of 4.3 stars based on over 9,000 reviews. While Traveling Mailbox offers more flexible page-based scanning limits, iPostal1's vast network and better customer satisfaction make it a strong alternative, especially for users who need location variety or international addresses.
PostScan Mail offers competitive pricing starting at $10/month and has over 400 locations including international options. With a Trustpilot rating of 4.6 stars, it enjoys significantly better customer satisfaction than Traveling Mailbox. PostScan Mail is particularly well-suited for budget-conscious users who want reliable service without the premium price tag.
US Global Mail offers a straightforward service starting at $9.95/month with a focus on simplicity. Their Trustpilot rating of 4.2 stars indicates better customer satisfaction. While they have fewer locations than Traveling Mailbox, their reliability and lower pricing make them a viable alternative for users with basic virtual mailbox needs.
Read our complete analysis including our final verdict and who could benefit from Traveling Mailbox.
Get started with Traveling Mailbox's virtual mailbox service and manage your postal mail from anywhere in the world.