Is Royal Mail cheaper through Etsy shipping labels for UK sellers?

Hi! In most cases, Royal Mail postage bought through Etsy shipping labels isn’t a special “Etsy-only” cheaper rate—it’s basically Royal Mail’s online label pricing, which is often cheaper than paying over the counter at a Post Office and can be more cost-effective than some “walk-up” options, but it won’t usually beat any business/account-based discounts you might get via Royal Mail (depending on your setup and volumes).

Here’s how it tends to shake out in real life for UK Etsy sellers:

• Standard letters / large letters (untracked): If you’re using stamps, you’re paying the standard stamp price. Etsy labels for 1st/2nd Class letter formats are usually about convenience (and proof of posting workflows) rather than a big saving. If you’re happy with stamps + manual dispatch, you’re not normally “missing out” on a meaningful discount here.
• Tracked parcels (UK): Buying labels online (whether via Etsy labels or Royal Mail Click & Drop/online) is commonly better value than Post Office counter prices, and it’s usually the area where you’ll notice the biggest savings vs “buying in person.” If you’re comparing Etsy labels vs buying on the Royal Mail website, the price is often very similar, so the decision becomes more about workflow (auto-attaching tracking to the Etsy order, fewer typos, faster dispatching).
• International tracked / signed: Again, Etsy labels are typically in line with Royal Mail’s online pricing. Etsy can be especially convenient because it keeps the customs/label details tied to the order and (where available) supports options like Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) for certain destinations, which can reduce buyer confusion and “where are my fees?” messages. Pure cost-wise, don’t assume Etsy is cheaper than Royal Mail online—it’s more that both are “online” pricing.
• Collections: This is the big reason many sellers stick with Royal Mail directly. If you rely on regular collections, Etsy labels don’t automatically solve that piece. A lot of sellers who want collections and automation end up using Click & Drop integrated with Etsy (so orders import, labels print, and you can manage collections from the Royal Mail side).

If you want the quickest, no-guess answer for your exact mix of items: pick 2–3 of your most common package types (e.g., “Large Letter 2nd class”, “Tracked 48 small parcel”, “International Tracked 250g”), and do a like-for-like comparison by entering the same weight and dimensions in Etsy’s label preview versus Royal Mail’s online postage/Click & Drop checkout. Royal Mail pricing changes over time and small differences (size band, parcel vs large letter threshold, etc.) can flip what’s “cheapest.”

If you tell me your 3 most common send types (service + typical weight + letter/large letter/small parcel), I can help you sanity-check which ones are usually worth moving to Etsy labels and which ones you can keep on stamps / Royal Mail direct.