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The United States shipping market is dominated by three major carriers: the United States Postal Service (USPS), FedEx, and United Parcel Service (UPS). For individuals and businesses, selecting the right carrier depends on balancing cost and speed for specific shipping needs.
This article compares these three carriers in 2025, using the latest information to help navigate their pricing structures and delivery timelines.
Understanding the Basics: Service Levels and Key Factors
Each carrier offers various service levels designed for different shipping needs.
USPS provides First-Class Mail, USPS Ground Advantage, Priority Mail, and Priority Mail Express.
FedEx offers FedEx Ground, FedEx Home Delivery, and FedEx Express services including First Overnight, Priority Overnight, Standard Overnight, 2Day, Express Saver, and FedEx Freight for larger shipments.
UPS offers UPS Ground, UPS Air services (Next Day Air, 2nd Day Air, 3 Day Select), UPS SurePost, and UPS Freight.
Several factors determine the final cost and transit time:
- Package weight and dimensions
- Shipping distance (zones)
- Service level chosen
- Applicable surcharges and fees
- Time of year (especially during peak seasons)
- Delivery location (residential/commercial, rural/urban)
While core services from each carrier appear similar, their specific offerings create noticeable variations in the overall shipping experience. For example, all three offer ground shipping, but USPS Ground Advantage, FedEx Ground Economy, and UPS SurePost have distinct characteristics in delivery speed, cost, and last-mile handling, with UPS SurePost using USPS for final delivery.
The Cost Landscape in 2025
USPS Pricing
USPS implemented average price increases for several shipping services on January 19, 2025:
- USPS Ground Advantage: 3.9% average increase
- Priority Mail: 3.2% average increase
- Priority Mail Express: 3.2% average increase
- Parcel Select: 9.2% average increase
The price of a First-Class Mail stamp remained unchanged in January 2025.
Some reports indicate a slight decrease in overall rates for USPS Ground Advantage and Priority Mail, though this may not apply to all package weights. Some lightweight packages might see slight increases.
USPS pricing depends on weight, dimensions, and shipping distance (zones).
FedEx Pricing
FedEx introduced an average rate increase of 5.9% for Ground, Express, and Freight services, effective January 6, 2025. FedEx One Rate pricing changed on January 20, 2025.
FedEx significantly increased surcharges for:
- Additional Handling (weight, dimension, and packaging): 26-28% increases
- Oversize charges for Ground and Home Delivery
- Residential deliveries
FedEx implemented a minimum billable weight of 40 lbs for all US and international packages meeting the criteria for the Additional Handling Surcharge – Dimension.
FedEx pricing is influenced by package weight, dimensions, destination zone, and various surcharges.
UPS Pricing
UPS implemented an average rate increase of 5.9% for Ground, Air, and International services, effective December 23, 2024.
UPS introduced several new fees in 2025:
- $5.00 fee for each printed invoice copy
- $25.00 fee for payments made via check or wire transfer (after March 31, 2025)
- Late payment fee increased from 8% to 9.9% of past-due balance
- 2% Payment Processing Fee (starting May 19, 2025)
- $10.00 “Paper Commercial Invoice Service Surcharge” (effective March 17, 2025)
Changes to UPS SurePost rates became effective January 13, 2025.
Like FedEx, UPS pricing is determined by weight, dimensions, destination zones, and various surcharges.
Estimated Base Costs Comparison
Below are estimated base costs for common package types across the three carriers. These are rough estimates and actual costs vary based on specific weight, dimensions, and destination zones.
Table 1: Estimated Base Costs for Common Package Types (2025)
| Carrier | Service Level | Small Package (2 lbs) | Medium Package (10 lbs) | Large Package (20 lbs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USPS | Ground Advantage | $8 – $12 | $15 – $25 | $25 – $40 |
| USPS | Priority Mail | $9 – $15 | $18 – $30 | $30 – $50 |
| FedEx | Ground | $10 – $18 | $20 – $35 | $35 – $60 |
| FedEx | Express Saver | $25 – $40 | $40 – $65 | $60 – $90 |
| UPS | Ground | $10 – $17 | $20 – $33 | $33 – $55 |
| UPS | 3 Day Select | $23 – $38 | $38 – $62 | $58 – $85 |
The Speed Factor: Who Gets There Faster?
USPS Delivery Speed
USPS is implementing refined service standards in two phases throughout 2025, starting April 1st and July 1st. The existing 1-5 day service standard for First-Class Mail and 2-5 day standard for USPS Ground Advantage will remain in place.
While 75% of First-Class Mail will maintain its current delivery timeframe, approximately 14% is expected to see faster delivery, and about 11% might experience slightly longer transit times.
USPS is launching a new “Next Day Priority” service to deliver packages to addresses within a 150-mile radius of regional processing centers overnight, potentially reaching about 87% of the US daily.
FedEx Delivery Speed
FedEx provides services with clearly defined delivery times:
- FedEx SameDay: Delivery within hours
- FedEx First Overnight: Next business day delivery by morning
- FedEx Priority Overnight: Next business day delivery by noon or evening
- FedEx Standard Overnight: End of next business day
- FedEx 2Day A.M.: Two business days by 10:30 AM
- FedEx 2Day: End of second business day
- FedEx Express Saver: 3-business day delivery
- FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery: Typically 1-5 business days
FedEx offers weekend delivery options, with Sunday deliveries in most metropolitan areas for Home Delivery and Saturday delivery for certain Express services (additional fees may apply).
UPS Delivery Speed
UPS offers:
- UPS Next Day Air (Early AM, Standard, and Saver): Next business day delivery
- UPS 2nd Day Air: Two business days
- UPS 3 Day Select: Three business days
- UPS Ground: Typically 1-5 business days
- UPS SurePost: Generally longer than standard UPS Ground
- UPS Worldwide Express: 1-3 business days for international shipments
UPS observes several holidays during which standard pickup and delivery services are closed, including New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Limited services may be available on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
Delivery Speed Comparison
Table 2: Standard Delivery Times for Comparable Service Levels (2025)
| Service Level | USPS | FedEx | UPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ground/Standard | 2-5 business days | 1-5 business days | 1-5 business days |
| Next Day | Priority Mail Express | First/Priority/Standard Overnight | Next Day Air (Early/Standard/Saver) |
| 2-Day | Priority Mail | 2Day A.M./2Day | 2nd Day Air |
| 3-Day | No direct equivalent | Express Saver | 3 Day Select |
Decoding the Extra Costs: Surcharges and Fees
USPS Surcharges
USPS introduced new fees in 2025:
- Live Animal and Perishable Handling fees: $7.50 for Priority Mail Express and USPS Ground Advantage, $15 for Priority Mail
- Oversized package surcharges:
- $4.00 for packages with longest side between 22-30 inches
- $8.40 (Ground Advantage) or $18 (Priority Mail) for packages with longest side over 30 inches
- $18.00 (Ground Advantage) or $30 (Priority Mail) for packages exceeding 2 cubic feet
- Overweight items (over 70 lbs): $200 (doubled from previous years)
- $1.50 fee for missing or inaccurate dimensions for packages greater than one cubic foot or with longest side exceeding 22 inches
FedEx Surcharges
FedEx’s key surcharges for 2025 include:
- Additional Handling varies by:
- Weight (e.g., Zone 2: $43.50)
- Dimension (e.g., Zone 2: $28)
- Packaging (e.g., Zone 2: $25)
- Oversize charges:
- FedEx Ground: $205-$260 depending on zone
- FedEx Home Delivery: $240-$305 depending on zone
- Residential Surcharge: $6.20
- Delivery Area Surcharges:
- Contiguous US: starting at $6.20
- Extended areas: $8.30
- Different rates for Alaska and Hawaii
- Variable Fuel Surcharge
- Non-Machinable Surcharge: $6.55
- Address Correction fee: $24.00
UPS Surcharges
UPS charges include:
- Variable Fuel Surcharge (updated weekly)
- Additional Handling: $15.65
- Large Package Surcharges (2025):
- Commercial deliveries: $115
- Residential deliveries: $145
- Over maximum size/weight: $1090
- Residential Surcharges:
- Ground: $5.95
- Air services: $6.55
- Delivery Area Surcharges:
- Extended areas: $5.85
- Remote areas: $7.90
- New fees in 2025:
- $5 Print Invoice Fee
- $10 Paper Commercial Invoice Service Surcharge
- $25 fee for payments by check/wire transfer
- 2% Payment Processing Fee
- Late payment fee increased to 9.9%
UPS now uses cubic volume instead of length plus girth for Large Package Surcharges and may apply a 40-pound minimum billable weight for additional handling based on cubic volume.
Service Options: Matching Your Needs with Carrier Strengths
USPS Strengths
- Most cost-effective for small, lightweight packages (especially under one pound)
- Extensive network reaching all US addresses, including PO boxes and rural areas
- Flat-rate shipping options for certain box and envelope sizes
- No extra charges for residential or Saturday delivery
- New “Next Day Priority” service for faster regional shipping
FedEx Strengths
- Speed and reliability, particularly for express shipping
- Wide variety of expedited shipping options with guaranteed delivery times
- Strong reputation for business-to-business deliveries
- Specialized handling capabilities for items like perishable goods
- Weekend delivery options for both residential and some express services
UPS Strengths
- Balance between speed, affordability, and reliability
- Well-suited for large and heavy packages (weight limit up to 150 lbs)
- Robust international network for global shipping
- Diverse range of delivery options for different time and budget constraints
What’s New in 2025? Recent Updates and Changes
USPS Updates
- Average rate increases across shipping services
- Price of First-Class stamp unchanged
- Refining service standards
- New “Next Day Priority” service
- New fees for handling live animals and perishable items
- Overweight item charge doubled
- Migration from Electronic Verification System (eVS) to USPS Ship
- Continuing “Delivering for America” modernization plan
- New stamp designs and redesigned money orders
FedEx Updates
- 5.9% average rate increase
- Changes to FedEx One Rate pricing
- Increased surcharges for Additional Handling, Oversize, and Residential deliveries
- Minimum billable weight for dimension surcharges
- Updated Delivery Area Surcharge ZIP code lists
- Adjusted fuel surcharges
UPS Updates
- 5.9% average rate increase
- New fees for paper invoices and payments
- Adjusted fuel surcharges
- Updated zone charts
- Modified UPS SurePost rates
- Changed methodology for determining Additional Handling and Large Package Surcharges
- Tariff updates for imports from countries purchasing Venezuelan oil
Factors That Influence Your Shipping Experience
Several factors consistently affect shipping cost and speed:
- Shipping distance (zones): The further the destination, the higher the cost and longer the transit time.
- Weight and dimensions: Heavier and larger packages cost more to ship. FedEx and UPS use dimensional weight calculations.
- Time of year: Peak shipping seasons often lead to increased demand, potential delays, and temporary surcharges.
- Service level: Expedited options like overnight delivery cost more than standard ground shipping.
- Delivery location: Residential deliveries and rural/remote areas often incur additional surcharges and may experience longer delivery times.
Understanding these factors helps optimize shipping decisions, such as improving packaging to reduce dimensional weight charges or planning shipments to avoid peak season issues.
Leveraging Online Comparison Tools
Online shipping comparison tools can help navigate shipping costs and speeds in 2025. These tools compare rates and delivery times from multiple carriers side-by-side.
Popular comparison tools include:
- Parcel Monkey
- Easyship
- Pirate Ship
- Various shipping apps on platforms like Shopify
These platforms provide instant quotes by entering package details and often offer access to discounted shipping rates.
While official rate calculators from USPS, FedEx, and UPS are available, third-party comparison sites may be more reliable for real-time analysis in early 2025.
Our articles make government information more accessible. Please consult a qualified professional for financial, legal, or health advice specific to your circumstances.
