Signed For and Tracked 24 both give you more than basic postage, but they work in fundamentally different ways. Signed For adds a signature to standard 1st or 2nd Class delivery, while Tracked 24 is a fully tracked next-day service. Understanding the difference matters because they're priced differently and suited to different jobs.
What Signed For actually does
Signed For is Royal Mail's 1st or 2nd Class post with a signature captured on delivery, rather than a separate delivery network. It gives you proof of delivery with a signature, but it isn't tracked through the network in the way a tracked parcel is, it only shows as delivered once the signature is captured. Our Signed For prices guide covers the cost in detail.
What Tracked 24 actually does
Tracked 24 is a next-day parcel service with full tracking at multiple points through the network, plus delivery confirmation and compensation. You can see where a parcel is at each scan, which Signed For doesn't offer. For anything a customer is actively waiting on, that visibility is the difference between answering a question yourself and sending them to a tracking page.
Price: Signed For is usually cheaper on paper
Because Signed For rides on standard 1st or 2nd Class post, it's often cheaper than Tracked 24 for the same item. But the comparison isn't like-for-like: Tracked 24 is next-day and fully tracked, while 1st Class Signed For is only a next-day aim without tracking. When you weigh cost against what you actually get, Tracked 24 is frequently the better value.
When Signed For is the right choice
Signed For suits letters and Large Letters where a signature is the main thing you need and tracking isn't essential, such as important documents, contracts, or items where proof of receipt is the priority over speed. It's also a natural fit when the item is too light to justify a parcel service.
When Tracked 24 is the right choice
Tracked 24 is the default for parcels, anything with real value, and anything a customer paid for delivery speed on. The combination of next-day delivery, full tracking and compensation makes it the workhorse of UK e-commerce, and it's what most of our customers are printing when they run our 4x6 labels through a thermal printer.
Compensation differences
Both services include some compensation, but the limits differ. Tracked 24 generally carries more cover than Signed For as standard, and higher-value cover is easier to add. If the item's value exceeds the basic Signed For limit, that alone can make Tracked 24 the correct choice regardless of speed.
How the label and dispatch differ
Both print as a standard 100 × 150mm label through Click & Drop, and both can be dropped at a Post Office, parcel box or collected. The practical difference is what you can see after dispatch: Tracked 24 shows the parcel moving, Signed For shows it arriving. For seller protection on marketplaces, that tracked visibility is often what a dispute hinges on.
Frequently asked questions
Is Signed For tracked? No. Signed For provides a signature on delivery but is not tracked through the network. It shows as delivered once the signature is captured.
Which is cheaper, Signed For or Tracked 24? Signed For is usually cheaper because it adds a signature to standard post, while Tracked 24 is a premium next-day tracked service.
Can I use either for eBay seller protection? Tracked 24 is the safer choice for marketplace seller protection because full tracking provides proof of delivery that a signature alone may not.
Whatever you send, print it clean
Signed For or Tracked 24, both labels print at 100 × 150mm. A crisp direct thermal label keeps every scan and signature legible.
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