CALCURATES BLOG
How to Choose the Right Shipping Carrier: FedEx vs USPS vs UPS in 2025
Nikolay Pasholok
Product Owner, Calcurates
Table of contents
- What Are the Differences Between FedEx and UPS and USPS?
- FedEx Advantages and Disadvantages
- Why Choose FedEx?
- USPS Benefits and Disadvantages
- Why Choose USPS?
- UPS Benefits and Disadvantages
- Why Choose UPS?
- Local Shipping in the United States and Canada
- Worldwide Shipping
- FedEx vs UPS vs USPS - Quick Summary
- Shipping for Any E-commerce with Calcurates
What Are the Differences Between FedEx and UPS and USPS?
All offer services that would satisfy most e-commerce businesses, have various delivery options, a vast network of offices, and a door-to-door delivery.
While USPS e-commerce shipping might be the cheapest option for small e-commerce businesses, the downside is a lower quality of service.
FedEx and UPS provide virtually the same services, so e-commerce owners should look at pricing options and special features when deciding between the two.
While USPS e-commerce shipping might be the cheapest option for small e-commerce businesses, the downside is a lower quality of service.
FedEx and UPS provide virtually the same services, so e-commerce owners should look at pricing options and special features when deciding between the two.
FedEx Advantages and Disadvantages
The advantage of FedEx is that it has the fastest delivery between UPS and USPS. FedEx Priority Overnight and FedEx First Overnight are excellent options for any e-commerce business if the delivery is urgent.
Second, FedEx boasts with its Delivery Manager that allows you to monitor your order and set preferences for location, time slots, and other details.
Second, FedEx boasts with its Delivery Manager that allows you to monitor your order and set preferences for location, time slots, and other details.
FedEx's disadvantages can be a few instances of poor customer service and FedEx being a bit expensive for small businesses.
FedEx is more expensive than USPS, but in return, you get an advanced tracking system at a cost sometimes lower than that of UPS.
You may connect your own FedEx account to Calcurates in order to start getting FedEx real-time rates with estimated delivery dates and displaying them at your store's checkout. Applying dimensional shipping will help you increase the accuracy of FedEx rates and charge your customers fair shipping charges.
FedEx is more expensive than USPS, but in return, you get an advanced tracking system at a cost sometimes lower than that of UPS.
You may connect your own FedEx account to Calcurates in order to start getting FedEx real-time rates with estimated delivery dates and displaying them at your store's checkout. Applying dimensional shipping will help you increase the accuracy of FedEx rates and charge your customers fair shipping charges.
Why Choose FedEx?
Regardless of a few bad customer reviews and high shipping rates for certain shipping services, FedEx is still considered one of the fastest carriers in the US. What makes FedEx fierce is its overnight shipping, along with shipping all week. Also, FedEx has a very developed and precise tracking system.
USPS Benefits and Disadvantages
USPS's advantages include its vast network of drop-off points and affordable pricing for small e-commerce businesses.
However, USPS's customer service is well below that of any competitors when comparing USPS vs FedEx vs UPS. USPS is also known to have some scanning issues, which often result in faulty tracking.
However, USPS's customer service is well below that of any competitors when comparing USPS vs FedEx vs UPS. USPS is also known to have some scanning issues, which often result in faulty tracking.
USPS eCommerce service is still a winner in shipping parcels under 2 lbs, with the costs unmatched by the competition, and over 34,000 operating offices across the country.
You may connect your own USPS account to Calcurates in order to start getting USPS real-time rates with estimated delivery dates and displaying them at your store's checkout. Applying dimensional shipping will help you increase the accuracy of USPS rates and charge your customers fair shipping charges.
You may connect your own USPS account to Calcurates in order to start getting USPS real-time rates with estimated delivery dates and displaying them at your store's checkout. Applying dimensional shipping will help you increase the accuracy of USPS rates and charge your customers fair shipping charges.
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Why Choose USPS?
USPS has often lower prices than its competitors for the majority of its services. Secondly, it has a large network of drop-off points and offices far larger than the rest
UPS Benefits and Disadvantages
UPS has an excellent track record in the quality of services and is an ideal carrier for deliveries to remote and rural locations in the US.
UPS is also larger than FedEx, with a more developed international network, which may be a deciding factor if your e-commerce seeks to deliver outside the US.
UPS is also larger than FedEx, with a more developed international network, which may be a deciding factor if your e-commerce seeks to deliver outside the US.
While UPS is reliable and well-established as a worldwide carrier, you will probably have to spend more money.
You may connect your own UPS account to Calcurates in order to start getting UPS real-time rates with estimated delivery dates and displaying them at your store's checkout. Applying dimensional shipping will help you increase the accuracy of UPS rates and charge your customers fair shipping charges.
You may connect your own UPS account to Calcurates in order to start getting UPS real-time rates with estimated delivery dates and displaying them at your store's checkout. Applying dimensional shipping will help you increase the accuracy of UPS rates and charge your customers fair shipping charges.
Why Choose UPS?
UPS is larger and has a longlocal history in shipping than any of its competitors. UPS has a broad international network, often covering more remote locations worldwide.
Local Shipping in the United States and Canada
If your e-commerce store is focused primarily on the North American market, you will also have a wider variety of local shipping carriers like the US branch of DHL or smaller companies like NEX at your disposal.
Within the US, USPS still has the broadest reach, but the private shipping carriers are usually faster with their overnight and same-day delivery options.
Within the US, USPS still has the broadest reach, but the private shipping carriers are usually faster with their overnight and same-day delivery options.
Use ground shipping with FedEx or UPS for local orders, which are cheaper.
To calculate the lowest shipping cost, use Calcurates shipping software that will display shipping cost, delivery date, and time for your orders.
If you have ever wondered how to save on shipping to Canada, let's make it clear, that you will have to pay an extra if your order is above $20 worth or falls into a specific category.
When shipping to Canada with USPS, remember that all the parcels post-US borders are handled by Canada Post, which means there is more place for errors and delays.
To calculate the lowest shipping cost, use Calcurates shipping software that will display shipping cost, delivery date, and time for your orders.
If you have ever wondered how to save on shipping to Canada, let's make it clear, that you will have to pay an extra if your order is above $20 worth or falls into a specific category.
When shipping to Canada with USPS, remember that all the parcels post-US borders are handled by Canada Post, which means there is more place for errors and delays.
Calcurates Related Features
Worldwide Shipping
During the pandemics, the trend of international shipping only increased in demand. Making reliable deliveries and quality shipping services a must-have for any e-commerce business.
When comparing FedEx vs UPS vs USPS prices and shipping services for e-commerce businesses we see the following:
When comparing FedEx vs UPS vs USPS prices and shipping services for e-commerce businesses we see the following:
USPS does not operate on foreign soil and relies on the other carriers the moment a delivery leaves the US borders. That means that the quality of services and time will vary significantly from country to country.
FedEx takes a step back when it comes to shipping internationally due to a smaller network outside the US.
UPS takes the lead with both stable and fast shipping and competitive rates.
FedEx takes a step back when it comes to shipping internationally due to a smaller network outside the US.
UPS takes the lead with both stable and fast shipping and competitive rates.
FedEx vs UPS vs USPS — A Quick Summary
Real-Time Shipping Rates for Any E-commerce with Calcurates
WooCommerce, Shopify and Magento 2
It is hard to manually compare shipping rates from all international and domestic carriers. If you cannot decide what is the best shipping solution for your e-commerce business, simply try the Calcurates shipping calculator. It compares USPS vs UPS vs FedEx prices in real-time and displays accurate live rates at store's checkout.
Calcurates offers a 15 day free trial and available for Magento 2, Adobe Commerce, Shopify and WooCommerce.
Calcurates offers a 15 day free trial and available for Magento 2, Adobe Commerce, Shopify and WooCommerce.
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