FedEx vs. UPS: Which Is Better?

If you’re new to the world of shipping, UPS (United Parcel Service) and FedEx probably look the same to you. Both are major courier companies that offer better tracking, faster delivery speed, and more reliable shipping services than government postal options.

Still, these two are competitors – so what’s the difference between them? Is FedEx or UPS shipping cheaper? Which offers faster delivery times? Which is more reliable for domestic and international shipments?

At Easyship, we wanted to know whether it's FedEx or UPS that has better shipping rates for:

• Cross-country domestic shipping between cities
• Cross-country domestic shipping between rural areas
• Short distances
• Shipping internationally

We’ll compare these two top shipping carriers — FedEx and UPS — to find out which is better for shipping in 2025.

UPS vs. FedEx: The Differences What is the Difference between UPS and FedEx?

Before we talk about exact shipping costs, let's highlight the ways in which FedEx and UPS differ in their approach to shipping services.

UPS specializes in domestic ground package delivery and has a larger fleet of ground vehicles. FedEx specializes in global air express freight and has double the airplanes of UPS. This suggests that FedEx should offer cheaper rates on international shipments and UPS better rates on domestic shipping.

Both companies offer shipping services at various delivery speeds and prices, from ground shipping services to overnight services and flat rate services. Both companies have physical stores around the US, though FedEx has far more.

UPS also offers supply chain management and freight services such as customs brokerage, logistics planning, and distribution. This means UPS can partner with you as you scale your business operations into global eCommerce sales.

FedEx has partnered with the United States Postal Service for many eCommerce shipments. FedEx handles most of the shipment transport via jet, then hands off the last-mile delivery to USPS for residential deliveries, helping reduce shipping costs and accelerate delivery times for domestic shipping.

Dimensional Weight and Shipping Costs

For our experiment, UPS uses different volumetric weight formulas for domestic and international shipments:

• Volumetric weight for a 13” x 12” x 2” box using UPS domestic is 2 lbs
• Volumetric weight for the same box using UPS international is 3 lbs

For FedEx, the volumetric weight for a 13” x 12” x 2” box, regardless of whether it’s being shipped internationally or domestically, is 3 lbs.

Takeaway: If you plan on shipping a 2-pound package domestically in a medium-sized box, UPS shipping would give you a better rate than FedEx.

FedEx Ground vs UPS® Ground: Ground Shipping Services Compared

FedEx and UPS are direct competitors. This means that every shipping option they offer tends to match closely in terms of shipping costs, delivery speed, and features. For example, here's how UPS and FedEx compare in terms of their most common service: ground shipping services.

FedEx Ground Service Details

• Delivery lead times are 1–5 business days within the contiguous US; 3–7 business days for Hawaii and Alaska
• Delivers Monday–Friday
• No Saturday delivery
• Weight limit: 150 pounds (68 kg); length limit: 108 inches (274 cm) and 130 inches (330 cm) for girth
  
  
• Offers guaranteed delivery and package tracking
• Packages insured up to $100
  
  

UPS® Ground Service Details

• Delivers within 1–6 business days within all 50 US states
• Delivers Monday–Friday
• No weekend deliveries
• Weight limit: 150 pounds (68 kg)
• Offers guaranteed delivery and package tracking
• Packages insured up to $100
  
  

Takeaway: Both UPS and FedEx Ground deliver to every state in less than a week. Delivery times are comparable, come with delivery guarantees, and include tracking.

UPS vs FedEx: Shipping Costs Between Major US Cities

Let’s assume we ship something on a Monday from San Francisco, CA to New York, NY.

Domestic Shipping

Below are the rates for cross-country domestic shipping rates between major US cities, with fuel surcharges included:

Rates for 3 lb. package (13" x 12" x 2") from SF to NY

• Cheapest options: UPS Ground services (~$8, 5–6 days)
• Best balance of speed & cost: 2-day options from both UPS and FedEx (~$15–$17)
• Fastest but priciest: Next-day services ($50–$90)

When sending a small and lightweight package in the US, FedEx shipping provides slightly cheaper rates if you are paying retail prices. But if you use Easyship, UPS will often have discounted shipping rates that make it the more cost effective carrier.

Remember, with Easyship, you can get even better rates – up to 91% off on prices on either FedEx or UPS!

UPS vs FedEx: Domestic Rates Between Rural Areas

We also compared rates for sending our 3-pound package between two rural areas, from Saint Helena, CA to Shirley Mills, ME.

3 lb. package from St. Helena, CA to Shirley Mills, ME

Takeaway: FedEx provides cheaper rates at retail prices when sending a small package cross-country between rural towns. If you use Easyship, UPS offers better discounted rates and had one more service option available to this remote area than FedEx.

UPS vs FedEx: rates over short distances

For short distances, like from Los Angeles, CA to Las Vegas, NV, both carriers offer very similar shipping fees.

Rates for 3 lb. Package from Los Angeles to Las Vegas

Takeaway: Example rates are often within a dollar of each other. Choose the delivery speed that best suits your customer expectations and business operations.

UPS vs FedEx: Shipping Internationally

When comparing international shipping costs, we looked at sending a 3 lb. package from San Francisco, CA to London, UK.

Takeaway: Except for FedEx International First service, FedEx again has slightly cheaper rates than UPS. However, UPS shipping offered one more service option for this international shipment.

As you can see, Easyship can really bring down those example rates if you need to ship internationally in an expedited time frame. (Psst - for a more in-depth look at shipping internationally, check out our last blog post, What is the cheapest way to ship internationally?)

Conclusion: When sending a small package internationally, FedEx (for the most part) provides cheaper rates if you are paying retail prices. If you use Easyship, FedEx also has better rates.

UPS vs FedEx: Which Shipping Carrier Is Best?

Our comparisons show that both UPS and FedEx have similar shipping rates, delivery speed, reliability, and service options.

• If we were to choose a winner based on retail rates, FedEx wins in all four of our examples.
• When using Easyship, UPS had more favorable discounted shipping rates for most domestic ground shipping services, while FedEx remained cheaper for international shipments.
  
  

Other takeaways:

• If you plan on shipping something that is 2 lbs domestically using a medium-sized box, UPS would give you a better rate than FedEx.
• Rates drop dramatically at the 2nd-day mark when you’re shipping domestically. If you need fast delivery but overnight services are too expensive, 2nd-day shipping is the most cost effective carrier choice.
• When deciding between the two, it may come down to the number of services offered for your route or the delivery windows you need.

Pro Tip: Use a Rate Calculator to Save Time

You can skip all these comparisons by using the free shipping rate calculator from Easyship. Just enter your shipment details into the calculator rather than bouncing back and forth between UPS and FedEx. You'll get real-time, accurate rates from the courier's websites – but all rates will show the Easyship discount.

Remember our example of shipping internationally from SF to London? The cheapest rate was $55 for FedEx and $84 for UPS.

But can we get a better rate? Here's what we see for a 3 lb. package sent from San Fransisco to London.

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When it comes to cheap shipping, it's important to consider all your options. And this is the beauty of a free rate calculator. You get the best UPS vs. FedEx rates, plus the best rates from any courier that ships to your destination.

Ready to start saving on shipping with Easyship? Create your free account today!

Takeaways:

• FedEx wins on retail rates for both domestic and international shipping.
• UPS provides better rates via Easyship for most domestic shipping scenarios, except for international air freight, where FedEx is cheaper.
• Choose based on shipping needs: FedEx for faster deliveries and international routes; UPS for reliable domestic ground shipping and better pricing with volume discounts. 

Save up to 90% on FedEx Services With Easyship: Boost Profits Now

Easyship is the top shipping and logistics company working with a network of over 250 couriers worldwide. This has put us in a position to negotiate some of the best shipping discounts with leading couriers, and we can help you reduce your FedEx shipping expenses by up to 90%!

We are the first shipping platform to offer the full bundle of 13 new FedEx delivery services for growing businesses. That means you can now save up to 90% on FedEx services through Easyship's all-in-one dashboard. Try it for yourself and start saving today!

Easyship customers are the first to access new discounted shipping rates on all 13 FedEx services, including:

• FedEx® One Rate
• FedEx 2-Day®
• FedEx 2-Day A.M. ®
• FedEx Express Saver®
• FedEx Ground®
• FedEx Ground® Economy
• FedEx Ground® returns
• FedEx Home Delivery®
• FedEx® International Connect Plus
• FedEx International Economy®
• FedEx International Priority®
• FedEx Priority Overnight®
• FedEx Standard Overnight®

We also offer a range of easy-to-use shipping tools, to help streamline your shipping experience and delight your buyers. Popular features include:

• Shipping Rate Calculator: You can use our shipping rate calculator to compare shipping rates from different carriers
• Comparison Tool: With our courier comparison tool, you can compare the different shipping services offered by each courier, allowing you to choose your cheapest way to ship based on other factors, not just the cost
• Insurance: To help keep your packages safe in transit, Easyship offers you insurance up to $10000
• Tracking: From custom-branded tracking emails to automatic message alerts, Easyship helps you maintain package visibility with your buyers throughout the delivery process
• Shipping API: With its developer-friendly design, Easyship’s API enables you to seamlessly incorporate powerful shipping and logistics capabilities into your existing infrastructure

FedEx vs UPS FAQ

Which is more reliable – FedEx or UPS?
Both offer package tracking, insurance, and delivery guarantees. FedEx specializes in international air freight, while UPS is a domestic shipping specialist, which might make UPS slightly more reliable within the US.

Which is better for large international shipments – FedEx or UPS?
FedEx specializes in international air freight, while UPS focuses more on domestic ground shipping. Both allow packages up to 150 pounds for international shipments.

Why is FedEx so much cheaper than UPS?
FedEx focuses more on air express services and often offers lower negotiated rates for bulk and business accounts, while UPS’s pricing structure is usually higher for similar ground shipping services.

Why do companies use FedEx instead of UPS?
Companies choose FedEx for faster express delivery, strong international shipping options, and flexible pickup times that suit urgent shipments and eCommerce operations.

Who is more careful with packages, UPS or FedEx?
UPS generally has a reputation for slightly better package handling, though both carriers reliably deliver millions of packages.

Which carrier loses the most packages?
FedEx has slightly higher reported loss and damage rates than UPS, though package loss is rare for both.