A standard First-Class Forever stamp costs 78 cents. That is the U.S. Postal Service retail rate that took effect July 13, 2025, and it did not change in January 2026. One 78-cent stamp carries a standard letter weighing up to one ounce to any address in the United States. If you’re wondering how much is a stamp today, 78 cents is the number for most everyday mail, but postcards, international letters, oversized envelopes, and odd-shaped mailings each have their own price.
Prices for Common Stamp Types
The Forever stamp is what most people picture. At 78 cents, it covers a one-ounce letter and never expires. A Forever stamp bought years ago at a lower price still pays the current first-class letter rate with nothing added.
Heavier letters cost more. Each additional ounce runs 29 cents, so a two-ounce letter totals $1.07. First-class letters top out at 3.5 ounces before the mailpiece moves into a different category.
Other everyday stamp prices:
- Postcard stamp: 61 cents for a standard domestic postcard.
- Global Forever stamp: $1.70 for a one-ounce letter or postcard to any country USPS delivers to. It also never expires.
- Large envelope (flat): $1.63 for the first ounce, with roughly 27 cents for each additional ounce, up to 13 ounces.
- Semi-postal stamps: 85 cents. The extra 7 cents above the Forever rate funds causes such as breast cancer research or veterans’ PTSD programs.
These figures come from USPS Notice 123, the retail price list.1United States Postal Service. Notice 123 – Price List (July 2025) The Global Forever price sits on the international mail page.2United States Postal Service. First-Class Mail International
Where to Buy Stamps and What a Booklet Costs
A booklet of 20 Forever stamps runs $15.60 at the current rate.3United States Postal Service. Stamps – Book Heavier users can buy coils of 100 for $78.00 or coils of 3,000 for $2,340.4United States Postal Service. U.S. Flag 2026 Stamps There is no volume discount on retail stamps; the per-stamp price is the same whether you buy one or three thousand.
You can pick them up at Post Office counters, order them for home delivery through the USPS online store, or grab them at grocery stores, pharmacies, and big-box retailers in the Approved Postal Provider program. Those third-party sellers charge face value. Self-service kiosks in Post Office lobbies sell stamps and postage labels around the clock.
When Size or Shape Changes the Price
The 78-cent rate assumes a standard letter: between 3.5 and 6.125 inches tall, no longer than 11.5 inches, and no thicker than a quarter inch.5United States Postal Service. Business Mail 101 – Sizes for Letters Anything larger becomes a flat, priced at $1.63 for the first ounce.1United States Postal Service. Notice 123 – Price List (July 2025)
Shape matters too. Square envelopes, rigid envelopes, and lumpy ones containing items like pens, keys, or buttons carry a 49-cent nonmachinable surcharge on top of the regular letter rate.6United States Postal Service. Notice 123 – Price List A square greeting card, for example, actually costs $1.27 to mail: 78 cents plus the 49-cent surcharge. This catches many senders off guard around the holidays.
A Cheaper Rate With Metered or Online Postage
If you print postage at home or use a postage meter, a one-ounce letter costs 74 cents instead of 78 cents. That’s a 4-cent savings per piece.1United States Postal Service. Notice 123 – Price List (July 2025) The discount reflects the fact that metered mail is easier for sorting equipment to process. Online postage services let you print the metered rate onto a label or envelope from any home printer, so you don’t need commercial equipment to qualify. Additional-ounce charges are also slightly lower on metered pieces.
Add-On Services That Raise the Total
When you need proof of mailing or delivery, extra services stack on top of the stamp:
- Certified Mail: $5.30 per item, with a mailing receipt and online delivery tracking. Common for legal notices, lease terminations, and insurance claims.6United States Postal Service. Notice 123 – Price List
- Return Receipt, electronic: $2.82 for email or online confirmation showing who signed and when.
- Return Receipt, hard copy: $4.40 for the physical green card mailed back with the recipient’s signature.
A certified one-ounce letter with an electronic return receipt totals $8.90 (78 cents plus $5.30 plus $2.82). Swap in the physical green card and the total is $10.48.
The July 2026 Price Increase
USPS has proposed new rates for July 12, 2026. If approved, the Forever stamp rises to 82 cents, metered letters go to 78 cents, and postcards move to 65 cents.7United States Postal Service. U.S. Postal Service Recommends New Prices for July
Forever stamps you buy today at 78 cents will still cover a letter at the 82-cent rate with no extra postage. A $15.60 booklet purchased now becomes $16.40 worth of postage after the increase takes effect.