USPS is usually cheapest for packages up to about 20 lbs, while UPS Ground and FedEx Ground cost less for heavier boxes.
That holds when you buy USPS postage online at commercial prices and ship to homes, because UPS and FedEx add residential and fuel surcharges that USPS Priority Mail does not charge. For guaranteed overnight or morning delivery, UPS and FedEx offer more service levels. For P.O. boxes, USPS is the carrier to use. Over 150 lbs, none of the three parcel networks applies and you need freight.
The prices below are the carriers' own published rates, checked on October 25, 2026. The United States Postal Service (USPS) prices are temporary holiday prices that apply from October 4, 2026 until January 17, 2027.
Which carrier is cheapest by package weight?
On published ground prices, USPS Ground Advantage bought online is the cheapest of the three up to 20 lbs, and UPS Ground and FedEx Ground are far cheaper above that.
| Weight | USPS Ground Advantage, Post Office price | USPS Ground Advantage, commercial (online) price | UPS Ground | FedEx Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 lb | $10.45 / $13.65 | $8.08 / $11.22 | $11.99 / $15.03 | $11.99 / $15.01 |
| 5 lbs | $14.35 / $27.45 | $10.41 / $20.24 | $14.19 / $21.72 | $14.06 / $21.69 |
| 10 lbs | $17.10 / $40.85 | $12.91 / $26.39 | $15.91 / $26.29 | $15.85 / $26.38 |
| 20 lbs | $24.20 / $72.15 | $18.11 / $42.14 | $19.20 / $43.33 | $19.36 / $43.52 |
| 50 lbs | $61.10 / $171.25 | $50.22 / $157.97 | $29.53 / $90.26 | $29.14 / $89.83 |
How to read the table:
- Under 1 lb: USPS Ground Advantage commercial prices start at $7.34 (Zone 2) for parcels up to 15.999 oz, the lowest parcel price of the three carriers.
- 1 to 20 lbs: USPS commercial prices are the lowest, or within 10 cents of UPS and FedEx, before surcharges. Once you add the UPS or FedEx residential surcharge, USPS is cheaper for home delivery.
- Over 20 lbs: USPS prices jump. At 50 lbs, UPS Ground and FedEx Ground cost about $29 nearby against $50 for USPS commercial.
- Post Office counter prices are the most expensive way to ship with USPS. Buying the same label online saves $2.37 on a 1 lb Zone 2 package.
What surcharges do UPS and FedEx add that USPS does not?
UPS and FedEx add a residential surcharge and a weekly fuel surcharge to most ground packages, while USPS states that Priority Mail has no fuel, residential, rural or Saturday delivery surcharges.
- Residential surcharge: $6.50 per UPS Ground package and $6.45 per FedEx Home Delivery package at published rates.
- Fuel surcharge: both carriers adjust it weekly. The FedEx Ground fuel surcharge is 29.00% for the week of October 26 to November 1, 2026.
- Dimensional weight: UPS and FedEx charge the higher of actual weight or dimensional weight, which is length times width times height divided by 139. USPS applies dimensional weight only to parcels larger than one cubic foot (1,728 cubic inches).
- USPS size fees: USPS has its own extras. For example, a USPS Ground Advantage parcel at Post Office prices longer than 22 inches costs $4.50 more, and one longer than 30 inches costs $10.00 more.
UPS and FedEx also charge other fees, such as additional handling and delivery area surcharges, so compare the full price, not the base rate.
Which carrier is fastest?
FedEx and UPS are fastest for guaranteed next-morning delivery, while USPS Priority Mail Express is the only USPS service with a money-back delivery guarantee.
| Carrier | Economy service | Faster service | Fastest service |
|---|---|---|---|
| USPS | Ground Advantage: 2 to 5 days | Priority Mail: 2 to 3 days, no money-back guarantee | Priority Mail Express: 1 to 3 days by 6 p.m., money-back guarantee |
| UPS | UPS Ground: guaranteed day-definite, typically 1 to 5 business days | UPS 3 Day Select and UPS 2nd Day Air | UPS Next Day Air and UPS Next Day Air Saver |
| FedEx | FedEx Ground: 1 to 5 business days in the contiguous U.S. (3 to 7 to Alaska and Hawaii) | FedEx Express Saver (third day by 5 p.m.) and FedEx 2Day (second day by 5 p.m.) | FedEx First Overnight (next day by 8 or 8:30 a.m.) and FedEx Standard Overnight (next day by 5 p.m.) |
Speed costs money. A 1 lb package to Zone 8 costs $13.65 with USPS Ground Advantage, $17.95 with Priority Mail and $65.15 with Priority Mail Express at Post Office prices. With UPS, the same package costs $15.03 by UPS Ground, $46.67 by UPS 2nd Day Air and $115.30 by UPS Next Day Air at daily rates.
For weekend delivery, FedEx Home Delivery delivers every day of the week, including Sundays to over two-thirds of the U.S. population, and USPS Priority Mail Express delivers every day of the year with limited exceptions. UPS offers Saturday delivery and pickup for UPS Ground in select areas.
What are the weight and size limits?
UPS and FedEx accept packages up to 150 lbs, more than double the 70 lb USPS limit.
| Carrier | Maximum weight | Maximum size |
|---|---|---|
| USPS Ground Advantage | 70 lbs | 130 inches in combined length and girth |
| UPS | 150 lbs | 108 inches long, 165 inches in length plus girth |
| FedEx Ground | 150 lbs | 108 inches long, 165 inches in length plus girth |
Girth is the distance around the thickest part of the package: two times the width plus two times the height. Anything heavier than 150 lbs moves as freight. Shipixy quotes freight shipping for shipments over 150 lbs and replies the same day.
How do flat rate options compare across carriers?
Each carrier has a flat price option: USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate charges by box, UPS Simple Rate by box size, and FedEx One Rate by FedEx packaging and speed.
- USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate: one price to any state for any weight up to 70 lbs, if it fits the USPS box. Post Office prices are $13.90 for the envelope, $14.65 for the Small box, $25.80 for the Medium box and $36.10 for the Large box. Commercial prices run from $11.97 to $32.75.
- UPS Simple Rate: you use your own box or poly mailer, and the price depends on its size in cubic inches and the service. UPS Ground Simple Rate between the 48 contiguous states costs $12.20 (Extra Small, up to 100 cubic inches) to $30.95 (Extra Large, up to 1,728 cubic inches), with a 50 lb limit and no residential, delivery area or fuel surcharges. No UPS account or contract is needed.
- FedEx One Rate: requires FedEx packaging and a FedEx Express service such as FedEx Express Saver or FedEx 2Day. The price includes residential, delivery area and fuel surcharges. Boxes, paks and tubes can weigh up to 50 lbs, envelopes up to 10 lbs.
Is FedEx or USPS cheaper?
USPS is cheaper than FedEx for most packages up to 20 lbs, especially to homes, while FedEx Ground is cheaper for heavier boxes.
A 5 lb package to Zone 8 costs $20.24 with USPS Ground Advantage bought online and $21.69 with FedEx Ground before the $6.45 residential surcharge and fuel. At 50 lbs the order flips: FedEx Ground costs $29.14 nearby against $50.22 for USPS. FedEx also charges an address correction fee on U.S. packages addressed to a P.O. box, so P.O. box shipments belong with USPS.
Is UPS or FedEx cheaper?
UPS and FedEx publish almost identical ground prices, so neither is reliably cheaper on list rates.
Both charge $11.99 for a 1 lb package to Zone 2, and a 20 lb package to Zone 8 costs $43.33 with UPS against $43.52 with FedEx. The difference comes from your discounts, your surcharges and the service level. Read FedEx vs UPS: which is cheaper for the full pair comparison, and UPS vs USPS for the other pair.
Which carrier should you choose?
Choose by weight, size, destination and deadline, not by brand.
- Light package to a home, no rush: USPS Ground Advantage, bought online.
- Small, heavy item: a USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate box, or UPS Simple Rate if it fits a box up to 1,728 cubic inches and weighs up to 50 lbs.
- Books and other qualifying media: USPS Media Mail, from $4.39 for 1 lb.
- Boxes over 20 lbs: UPS Ground or FedEx Ground.
- P.O. boxes and APO, FPO or DPO addresses: USPS.
- Guaranteed next-morning delivery: FedEx First Overnight or a UPS Next Day Air service.
- Over 150 lbs: freight.
For more ways to cut the price of each package, see our guide to the cheapest way to ship a package, and browse more carrier guides in Domestic Shipping Solutions.
How can you pay less than published rates?
You pay less than the prices above by buying postage online, using contract economy services, or shipping on discounted rates.
- Buy USPS labels online: USPS says all users automatically get commercial pricing when they buy labels with Click-N-Ship.
- Use economy contract services: UPS Ground Saver delivers to residential addresses and P.O. boxes, takes about one to two days longer than UPS Ground and is contract only. FedEx Ground Economy is also contract only.
- Ship on discounted rates: Shipixy gives you discounted UPS, FedEx and USPS rates of up to 75%, depending on the service, with no subscription fees.
Frequently asked questions
Are the USPS prices in this guide permanent?
No. They are temporary holiday prices for USPS Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage and Parcel Select that apply from October 4, 2026 until January 17, 2027.
Does USPS include insurance?
Yes. USPS Ground Advantage, Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express include up to $100 of insurance on most shipments, plus USPS Tracking.
What is the most a UPS package can be worth?
UPS does not accept packages valued at more than $50,000, except for eligible UPS Next Day Air packages, which can be declared up to $70,000.
Which carrier offers free pickup?
USPS offers free package pickup at your home or office when you schedule it online, with some restrictions.
Sources
All sources were checked on October 25, 2026. Carriers change prices and services; the official pages below always win.
- USPS Postal Explorer: Notice 123 price list (effective October 4, 2026)
- USPS release: temporary price change for the 2026 holiday shipping season
- USPS: Ground Advantage
- USPS: Priority Mail
- USPS: Priority Mail Express
- USPS: Click-N-Ship online shipping
- USPS Domestic Mail Manual 133: USPS Ground Advantage prices and dimensional weight
- UPS: 2026 Rate and Service Guide, Daily Rates (updated September 7, 2026, PDF)
- UPS: Ground Saver service description (effective February 16, 2026, PDF)
- UPS: Ground Saver features of service (PDF)
- FedEx: 2026 Service Guide (updated September 11, 2026, PDF)
- FedEx: FedEx Ground
- FedEx: fuel surcharge
- FedEx: Ground Economy zones and rates (PDF)
Shipixy gives you discounted UPS, FedEx and USPS rates of up to 75%, depending on the service, with no subscription fees. Compare all three carriers for your package in the Shipping Calculator, or sign up and create your first label.
