Compare shipping rates across UPS, FedEx, USPS, DHL Express, LTL, and FTL freight. Automatic dimensional weight calculation, volume discount tiers, and cost vs speed trade-off charts.
Dimensional Weight Check
Actual: 10.00 lb | DIM: 21.76 lb
Billable: 21.76 lb (DIM weight applies)
Total shipment cost = rate × quantity
Higher volume = carrier negotiated discounts
Volume Discount Tiers
Cheapest Option
$13.34
USPS Priority Mail
Fastest Option
1–5 days
USPS Priority Mail
Billable Weight
21.8 lb
DIM weight
Volume Discount
0% off
1–49 shipments/mo
Approximate 2026 rates including fuel surcharges
| Carrier | Service | Transit | Per Package | Total (1 pkg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USPS | USPS Priority Mail | 1–3 days | $13.34 | $13.34 |
| FedEx | FedEx Ground | 1–5 days | $19.07 | $19.07 |
| UPS | UPS Ground | 1–5 days | $20.22 | $20.22 |
| UPS | UPS 3-Day Select | 3 days | $40.88 | $40.88 |
| FedEx | FedEx Express Saver | 3 days | $44.48 | $44.48 |
Total cost by carrier & service
Each point is a carrier option (lower-left = best value)
The US shipping market is dominated by four major carriers, each with distinct strengths. UPS and FedEx offer the broadest domestic and international networks with guaranteed delivery times and detailed tracking. USPS is uniquely cost-effective for lightweight packages (under 2 lb) and last-mile delivery in rural areas where UPS and FedEx charge delivery area surcharges. DHL Express dominates international express shipping with unmatched global reach and customs expertise.
For freight over 150 lb, the LTL market is highly fragmented — carriers like Old Dominion, XPO, Saia, and ABF compete primarily on service reliability, transit time, and claims ratios. Freight brokers and 3PL providers can access negotiated LTL rates far below posted tariffs, typically 50–70% off for high-volume shippers.
Since 2015, all major parcel carriers have applied dimensional weight pricing to all packages. The formula is: DIM Weight = (L × W × H in inches) ÷ DIM Divisor. For domestic shipments the divisor is 139; for international it is 166. If your DIM weight exceeds actual weight, you are billed at DIM weight.
This fundamentally changed packaging strategy. A 1 lb T-shirt in a 12×12×6 box has a DIM weight of 6.2 lb — six times the actual weight. Right-sizing packaging to match product dimensions is the single most impactful cost reduction lever for e-commerce shippers. Our calculator shows actual vs DIM weight for every entry so you can immediately see when you are overpaying.
Professional shippers never rely on a single carrier. A multi-carrier strategy uses the right service for each shipment characteristic: USPS for lightweight suburban and rural deliveries, FedEx Ground for heavy west-to-east parcel runs, UPS Ground for business-to-business deliveries where signature service is needed, DHL for international shipments to over 220 territories, and regional carriers for same-day or next-day delivery in specific metro areas.
Odoo Inventory integrates with multi-carrier shipping platforms to automate service selection based on rules you define: weight thresholds, destination zone, promised delivery date, and cost target. ECOSIRE implements this stack for e-commerce businesses shipping hundreds to thousands of orders per day.
Direct carrier negotiations make sense at 500+ shipments per month with consistent volume commitments. Below that threshold, third-party shipping platforms (ShipStation, EasyPost, Shippo) offer pre-negotiated rates that outperform what individual businesses can negotiate, without the minimum commitment requirements. For freight, brokers and 3PLs almost always beat direct carrier rates at any volume level.
ECOSIRE connects Odoo Inventory with multi-carrier shipping platforms for automatic rate shopping, label printing, and tracking — reducing shipping cost by 15–30% for most businesses.