The way we work has evolved in the 21st century, and nothing has changed more drastically than where that work happens.
Some businesses will never need to build a headquarters or rent downtown office space. Everything happens digitally, and it’s all remote.
But even if your small business doesn’t have (or need) conventional office space, you still need a mailing address. Virtual mailboxes and addresses are increasingly popular solutions to this problem, but which one is right for your business?
This blog post will show you exactly what the differences are between virtual addresses and virtual mailbox services. We’ll also help you understand which one is right for your business.
A virtual address is a location that is typically owned by a mail service entity. The service provider allows other businesses to claim the address as their own, and it serves as a stand-in or replacement for the business’s actual physical address.
Many LLCs use a virtual address for their business address, especially if they don’t have a physical street address (such as digital-first companies or home-based online businesses).
Getting a virtual business address isn’t overly complicated — here’s how it works:
On their own, virtual addresses don’t include mail handling services, which is the biggest difference between them and virtual mailboxes.
Admittedly, the line between the two can be fuzzy. Every virtual mailbox comes with a virtual address, and some virtual address providers offer limited mail handling services as an add-on.
Note that a virtual address isn’t the same thing as a P.O. box, and that’s a good thing. Post office boxes are an effective way to receive physical mail, but you may not be able to use one as your business address for certain legal purposes.
They also have other limitations, including size restrictions and limited access hours, and you can only receive USPS mail, not packages from FedEX, DHL, UPS, and other couriers and shipping services. Plus, a P.O. box address can give off an amateur vibe, harming your professional image.
In contrast, a virtual address is a real location your business can claim as its own and use for various registration, tax, and licensing needs. It looks and sounds like a real street address — because it is one!
Using a virtual address service offers all sorts of advantages, including:
Virtual addresses are a great idea for many businesses, but they aren’t the right fit in every situation, as they do come with certain limitations. If any of these limitations would hamper the way you do business, a virtual address might not be the right choice for you.
Plus, many low-cost virtual addresses map to actual retail mailing/shipping shops. It could be that some shipping store (let’s call it Mailboxes R Us) is managing your virtual address, but you might not want clients to know that.
If your business or organization doesn’t expect to receive a high volume of mail, then a virtual address could be right for you.
Here are a few scenarios where a virtual address could be especially valuable:
A virtual mailbox is a physical location owned by a mail service entity that accepts, processes, and stores mail on behalf of its customers. It provides the same service as a virtual address provider and then some, adding in mail management, mail scanning, mail forwarding services, and more (depending on the provider you select).
Confused about how virtual mailboxes work and what makes them different from virtual addresses? These concepts do overlap considerably. The difference is in scope and service — virtual mailboxes always include a virtual address, but virtual mailbox services add a whole lot more features to the mix.
Here’s how a virtual mailbox works:
One important point of clarification: virtual addresses and mailboxes aren’t the same thing as virtual offices.
Virtual offices offer physical office space and meeting rooms, usually on a pay-as-you-go or rental basis. Virtual office plans typically include most of the elements you’d get out of a virtual mailbox (including that virtual address), but the additional real-world elements drive up costs significantly.
Don’t get us wrong — the virtual office route is still much cheaper than renting full-time office space for your LLC. It’s just likely to cost you quite a bit more than a virtual mailbox service, and you may end up paying for resources you don’t actually need.
Using a digital mailbox service offers many more advantages than sticking with just a virtual address. Virtual mailbox services provide these benefits (in addition to the ones we listed for virtual addresses, all of which still apply here):
On top of these benefits, many virtual mailbox providers offer additional services and capabilities, either built into their plans or available as add-ons.
For example, Stable can deposit checks automatically and provide registered agent services. Stable also integrates with the office tools you’re already using, allowing you to automate your mail processes.
As effective as virtual mailboxes are for businesses of all shapes and sizes, there are certain limitations when it comes to using this kind of service.
If your business could benefit from a virtual address but also plans to receive mail regularly, then a virtual mailbox service is a good idea.
Here are a few types of businesses that virtual mailboxes work especially well for:
If you’re a small business owner or entrepreneur looking for a better way to handle your postal mail, Stable is your ideal virtual mailbox partner.
Stable provides quality, trustworthy virtual mailbox services (and virtual addresses to match), and you can choose from professional business addresses in five major U.S. cities.
Stable also offers a wide range of cost-effective services that can save you time and enhance your business operations, like check deposit, mail storage, mail forwarding, and registered agent services.
Ready to explore what a virtual mailbox can do for your business? Start the process with Stable today.
