Quick answer
For a light package, start with USPS Ground Advantage: it costs from $7.90 at a Post Office, with lower Commercial Rates for labels bought online through Click-N-Ship, and in our 2 lb example it cost less than UPS and FedEx. For a heavy item that fits a USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate box or a UPS Simple Rate size band, the flat price can cost less than any price by weight. Compare billable weight, box size and zone on each carrier's own rate list before you buy a label.
Nation, an AI store builder, publishes this page. It is pre-launch, with a waitlist on withnation.ai, so it is not in this comparison. See where Nation fits.
The cheapest way to ship packages, by package type
No carrier is cheapest for every package. The price depends on billable weight, box size, distance and speed. USPS says you pay for a package based on how much it weighs and how far it’s going (the zone), and the UPS and FedEx rate tables are also set by weight and zone. All three can charge for box size instead of weight when a box is large and light.
For light parcels, USPS calls Ground Advantage its best-priced service for items up to 15.999 oz. For heavier items, the answer depends on whether the item fits a flat rate or size-based box. Start with the service in the table that matches your package, then price the other carriers against it with the method further down this page.
Starting prices are the lowest retail prices: the lightest weight and nearest zone for services priced by weight, and the smallest size for flat rate and Simple Rate. Labels cost more as weight and distance go up, so use the examples below to see fuller totals.
The official rate pages and their dates
Each carrier publishes its prices in a rate list with an effective date. Check the date before you compare, because the lists change during the year and they do not include the same surcharges.
A comparison made from an older list can be out of date. FedEx has also announced that its standard list rates will rise by an average of 5.9% from Jan. 4, 2027.
Example: what a 2 lb package costs with each carrier
Example: a 2 lb item in a 9 x 6 x 4 inch box (216 cubic inches), going to zone 5 on each carrier's own zone chart, paid at published prices. The box is under one cubic foot, so USPS does not charge dimensional weight, and the UPS and FedEx dimensional weights round up to 2 lb. The billable weight is 2 lb with all three.
On these published prices, USPS Ground Advantage is the cheapest way to ship this package, and the online commercial price is lower than the Post Office price. The FedEx figure already includes surcharges that the UPS Ground figure leaves out, so compare the final checkout totals rather than the table prices alone.
Example: a 20 lb box that fits a flat rate box
Example: a 20 lb item packed to fit inside the USPS Large Flat Rate Box, which measures 12" x 11-3/4" x 5-1/2" inside, going cross-country to zone 8. For UPS Simple Rate, a box of about the same size, 12 x 12 x 6 inches (864 cubic inches), falls in the Large band. The UPS Simple Rate size bands are 1-100 Extra Small, 101-250 Small, 251-650 Medium, 651-1,050 Large, 1,051-1,728 Extra Large (cubic inches).
At this size, the dimensional weight is under 20 lb with every carrier, so the by-weight prices use the actual 20 lb. USPS prices are shown both online (commercial) and at a Post Office (retail).
For this box, UPS Simple Rate is the lowest price, and the USPS Large Flat Rate Box bought online comes next. Every retail price by weight is more than double the flat rate and size-based prices, and even the online Ground Advantage price is higher than both. Dense, heavy items that fit a standard box are where flat rate and size-based pricing save the most.
How to ship products for less: a method to compare carriers
Use this method each time you add a product or a new box size. You need a scale, a tape measure and the carriers' own rate lists or calculators.
Weigh the packed box
Weigh the item in its box with all the packing. Carriers round up: USPS Ground Advantage charges by the pound up to 70 lbs, rounded up, UPS says any fraction of a pound rounds up to the next whole pound, and FedEx says any fraction of a pound is rounded up to the next-higher pound. A box just over a pound line pays the next pound's price.
Measure the box and work out billable weight
Multiply length, width and height in inches. USPS charges dimensional weight only on boxes larger than 1 cubic foot (1,728 cubic inches), while UPS and FedEx can charge it on smaller boxes too. Divide by each carrier's number in the dimensional weight table below, and use whichever is higher, the actual or the dimensional weight.
Find the zone for each carrier
Zones measure the distance from your ZIP code to the buyer's. Each carrier has its own chart: UPS gives you a zone chart for your postal code, and for FedEx you enter your origin ZIP code and destination ZIP code in FedEx rate tools.
Check flat rate and size-based options
If the item is heavy for its size, price a USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate box, which ships up to 70 lbs to any state at the same price, and UPS Simple Rate, which is priced by package size and service option up to 50 pounds. UPS Simple Rate labels are made at ups.com/simplerate or through another UPS automated shipping system, and UPS says shippers do not need to open an account or enter into a contract to use it.
Price each service on the official list
Look up the billable weight and zone in USPS Notice 123, the UPS retail guide and the FedEx retail rates, or use the USPS Price Calculator and the UPS tool to calculate time and cost. Note what each price leaves out: UPS retail rates do not include a fuel surcharge, while FedEx Ground retail rates include residential delivery charges, the residential and commercial delivery area surcharges and the fuel surcharge.
Buy the label online or through an account
USPS says all users automatically get discounted commercial pricing when you order with Click-N-Ship, and Notice 123 lists those commercial prices. UPS charges retail rates when you ship from a UPS location or have no payment account or scheduled pickup, and daily rates apply with a scheduled UPS pickup, or a UPS contract that provides daily rates. FedEx says to open an account to save on shipping costs.
Weigh speed and cover against price
Priority Mail takes 2-3 days, Ground Advantage 2-5 days, UPS Ground one to five business days and FedEx Ground 1–5 business days. Ground Advantage includes $100 of insurance, so check what each option covers before you pick the lowest price.
Dimensional weight: when box size sets the price
A large, light box can cost as much as a heavy one. Carriers turn the box's volume into a weight and charge for whichever is higher. With USPS, you pay the DIM weight price if the DIM weight is greater than the actual package weight.
Example: a 3 lb pillow in an 18 x 14 x 12 inch box measures 3,024 cubic inches. Divided by 139 and rounded up, that is 22 lb, so USPS and FedEx bill it as a 22 lb package. Divided by 166, UPS retail rates bill it as 19 lb. A box that fits the product closely is the simplest way to cut this cost.
Shipping books and media for less
USPS Media Mail starts at $4.39 at a Post Office, against $7.90 for Ground Advantage. It is slower, at 2–8 days, and it has strict content rules.
- It covers eligible books, media, and educational materials.
- It does not cover video games, computer drives, and digital drives.
- Packages are subject to opening and inspection. If a package holds anything not allowed, you or your recipient pay higher postage rates.
- For anything else, compare Ground Advantage and the flat rate options above.
Where Nation fits
Nation
Category: an AI store builder
Nation says one description of what you make builds the store, then agents handle orders, customers and delivery and run ads, content and social posts, with you approving the work. This page compares shipping carriers only, so Nation is not in it.
Limits today
- Status: pre-launch, with a waitlist on withnation.ai.
- Pricing and fees: not announced yet.
- Shopper marketplace: no shopper marketplace has been announced.
- Track record: no independent reviews or public stores yet.
Nation publishes this page. Nation is not in this comparison of shipping carriers.
Describe what you makeQuestions about the cheapest way to ship
What is the cheapest way to ship a package?
The cheapest way to ship a light package is often USPS Ground Advantage, from $7.90 at a Post Office, with lower Commercial Rates for labels bought online. In our 2 lb example it cost less than UPS and FedEx. For a heavy item in a small box, a USPS Flat Rate box or UPS Simple Rate can cost less.
What is the cheapest way to ship a heavy package?
The cheapest way to ship a heavy package is often a flat rate or size-based box, if the item fits. In our 20 lb cross-country example, UPS Simple Rate Large cost $29.20 and the USPS Large Flat Rate Box cost $31.00 online. Paying by weight cost $40.39 with Ground Advantage online and more at retail.
Is USPS cheaper than UPS and FedEx?
USPS was cheaper than UPS and FedEx for the small, light package in our example. A 2 lb box to zone 5 cost $14.10 with USPS Ground Advantage at retail, against $16.00 with UPS Simple Rate and $16.81 with FedEx Ground. In our 20 lb example, UPS Simple Rate was the cheapest.
How do I ship products from home for less?
To ship products from home for less, weigh and measure each packed box, look up the zone, and price USPS, UPS and FedEx on their own rate lists. Buy labels online, since USPS says all users automatically get discounted commercial pricing when you order with Click-N-Ship. Use the smallest box that protects the item, so dimensional weight does not raise the price.
What is the cheapest way to ship books?
The cheapest way to ship books is often USPS Media Mail, with prices from $4.39 at a Post Office. Media Mail is for eligible books, media, and educational materials and takes 2–8 days. Packages are subject to opening and inspection, and Media Mail does not cover video games, computer drives, and digital drives.