+12 votes
in Website by (680 points)
I get this message when i force sync a usps tracking entry:

Web Tools has been retired effective January 25, 2026.  For migration support, go to https://emailus.usps.com/s/usps-AP.

This is on Android APP
by (590 points)
This is the final straw for me. UPS broken for years now (FedEx was broken for many months last year) - and now USPS. Are you kidding me? - I have migrated to the product called 'Aftership' available in the USA on the Google Play Store - which works SO much better (Except NO support for Amazon).  I will continue to use this for Amazon only  (until that breaks again too). Shame - this used to be one of my favorite products. Support just not able to maintain this product adequately. So many carriers not working - (in additional to the major US carriers). Really, just total crap now.
by (410 points)
Hey there - I know others have told you (sometimes in less than friendly terms) that USPS changed their API (https://www.usps.com/business/web-tools-apis/documentation-updates.htm). Web Tools was deprecated as of Jan 25, 2026.  We would love to know if/when this will be addressed.
ago by (370 points)
The web api seemed to have a buffer time during which it continued to work, ~1 month past the declared deprecation date.  But this past week it finally ended.

Would appreciate a programming update for those of us who use USPS, thank you!
ago by (3.2k points)
You can't blame this apication when services like UPS change their site to block applications from capturing data.

I know you are aware that this application does not rely on a cloud server to obtain the data and it does not track any of your data.
ago by (410 points)
Why do you speak from a position of authority?  As far as I can tell you are just a troll.  I see nothing that says you are on the dev team or a representative of the developer.

You last message shows this in glaring lights - the USPS announced this change with nearly a year of notice and provided an extra months grace period.

We can ask/blame the developer as to why this announced change was not incorporated into the development cycle.
ago by (590 points) 1 flag
edited ago by
Todd, I agree wholeheartedly. I am indeed annoyed and do in fact hold  the developers/app team accountable for failing to anticipate these apparently 'well published' USPS changes - and doing nothing. The USPS platform is wide open - and gives developers open access along with the tools - they just have to use them. I further 'blame' the development team of being extremely poor communicators (Almost never commenting or acknowledgeing anything on these forums) - and very slow to respond to critical problems like this USPS issue. They further relegate support of their product to the community - and we have to deal with some of these users - whom feel it necessary to defend the part time nonexistant support of their app.
ago by (3.2k points)
Did USPS change something?  My Samsung devices updating USPS packages. I don't see an update on the application.
ago by (3.2k points)
Here is a link from USPS that will make it easy to update the application.

www.usps.com/business/web-tools-apis/
ago by (410 points)
That's crazy, USPS packages are updating now... Hooray and Hazzah
ago by (590 points)
edited ago by
Don't celebrate yet - USPS only toggled Web Tools back on momentarily. The permanent fix must come from the Deliveries developer - buy using the new API's from USPS.
ago by (410 points)
Yup, I knew it wasn't an update... just celebrating that it was working

1 Answer

+3 votes
ago by (45.8k points)

Sorry for being quiet on this for so long, but unfortunately, there's much more to it.

Firstly, I had to invest a lot of time in new requirements to release updates of apps on Google Play. I'm close to finishing that.

Secondly USPS seems to be going into a very unfortunate direction that will keep me from offering them as an easy-to-use option within the app starting next month, to quote:

Paid Consumer Service Provider Access

USPS will provide paid access to the Tracking API for any Mailer ID through the USPS API platform. This is for companies that do not play a direct role in the creation of a package label but may provide information to end consumers. Paid access will be subject to a monthly fee and other requirements set forth in a signed Intellectual Property (IP) license agreement. Access to track packages for MIDs which are not owned by or authorized to the third-party provider is limited to companies with a signed IP agreement under the specific conditions noted in the agreement.

Full details: https://postalpro.usps.com/Tracking_APIAccess_Control_Changes_Release_Overview

So even if the monthly fee would be feasible to be paid by me (I doubt it), it seems like it wouldn't even work for a lot of packages. On top of that, the USPS developer portal won't grant me access to creating API credentials with a newly created business account,...

I will still try to find a solution, but it looks a lot like it will have to be moved to a non-native integration as soon as the old API stops working again sad

ago by (410 points)
edited ago by
Any opportunity to have the request to the USPS API be from the end-user (android/google acct impersonation or passthrough)?  

On a quick pass the answer appears to be no, unless we all register an app and have our own usps token, and your app can ingest our client id/secret - it would work for some of us but that is a huge pain for most. - I am back to "estimate the cost - pass on the expense" - if it is really ugly make a "USPS Extortion Fee" membership/subscription that unlocks the ability to use USPS tracking :-)

And the update is greatly appreciated
ago by (410 points)
I am signed up as a dev/business acct now and stumbling through the process as well - I have been unable to locate any pricing information on increasing the quota or what the quota/throughput is on the "public access" side of the api.  If there is anything I can do to assist, you have my email.
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