How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
What Is the Best UK Courier Service?
The best UK courier service for most senders is DPD UK, because it combines next working day delivery with a one hour delivery window, live driver tracking, and a starting price of £2.99 when you book online. If price matters more than speed, Evri is the best alternative, with ParcelShop drop off from £2.62 and tracking included on standard parcels.
Key takeaways
- DPD UK is the best all round choice for next day delivery, with one hour delivery windows and prices from £2.99 online.
- Evri is the cheapest way to send a small parcel, from £2.62 at a ParcelShop, but standard delivery takes two to four working days.
- Royal Mail reaches every UK address at one price and is the best option for remote postcodes, with 2nd Class small parcels from £4.39 online.
- UPS, FedEx, and DHL Express are the strongest picks for urgent and international shipments, but their prices are quoted per shipment.
- Always check the final quote before you book, because surcharges and VAT can add a lot to the headline price.
How Much Does a UK Courier Cost in 2026?
A small UK parcel up to 2 kg costs from £2.62 with Evri at a ParcelShop, from £2.99 with DPD when you book online, and from £4.39 with Royal Mail 2nd Class when you buy postage online. Next day delivery costs more. A 2 kg parcel sent next day costs about £5.48 with Evri and about £9.49 with DPD.
Weight, size, speed, and destination drive the price. A parcel that is heavy for its size is charged on volumetric weight, which is length times width times height in centimetres divided by 5,000 for most express carriers. Surcharges are the part most senders miss. Royal Mail raised its fuel and energy surcharge from 11 percent to 16 percent in May 2026, and UPS, FedEx, and DHL each applied a general rate increase of about 5.9 percent in January 2026.
How Fast Is Each UK Courier?
DPD, DHL eCommerce UK, and Parcelforce express24 all aim for next working day delivery on mainland UK addresses. Royal Mail Tracked 24 also aims for the next working day, while Tracked 48 aims for two working days. Evri standard delivery takes two to four working days. Yodel standard delivery takes two to three working days.
For timed delivery, DPD is the clear leader. Its Predict service sends the recipient a one hour delivery window by text and email, plus a 15 minute heads up before the driver arrives. Parcelforce offers timed services too, with express10 delivering by 10am and expressAM by the afternoon of the next working day.
How Good Is Courier Tracking and Parcel Cover?
Every courier in this guide offers tracking, but the quality varies a lot. DPD gives live driver tracking with a map, so the recipient can watch the van approach. Royal Mail, Evri, DHL, UPS, FedEx, and Parcelforce all give scan based tracking with delivery confirmation. Yodel gives a two hour delivery window and photo proof of delivery through the InPost app.
Parcel cover is the detail to read before you send anything valuable. Evri includes £20 of cover as standard, with upgrades to £999. DPD includes £50. Royal Mail Tracked includes £100 of cover, while 1st and 2nd Class include £20. Parcelforce includes £150 on its express services. DHL eCommerce UK covers parcels up to £50.
How Do I Choose the Right UK Courier for My Business?
Start with your parcel profile. If you send light parcels under 2 kg to customers across the UK, Evri or Royal Mail will usually be cheapest. If your customers expect next day delivery with a precise window, DPD is the strongest choice. If you send heavy parcels up to 30 kg, DPD and Parcelforce both accept them, while Evri caps standard parcels at 15 kg.
Next, match the courier to your sales channel. Marketplace sellers on eBay and Vinted often use Evri and Yodel because the platforms integrate with them and the prices suit low margin items. Shops that sell higher value goods tend to use DPD or Royal Mail Tracked, because the tracking and cover reduce customer service work.
Worked Cost Example: Sending a 2 kg Parcel From London to Manchester Next Day
Here is the cost of sending a 2 kg parcel from London to Manchester for next working day delivery, booked online on 15 November 2026. Evri Next Day drop off for a 1 to 2 kg standard parcel costs £5.48. Royal Mail 1st Class small parcel up to 2 kg costs from £4.99 online, and Royal Mail Tracked 24 is listed at £5.70 in third party price tables. DPD Next Day for up to 2 kg costs £9.49 in third party price tables.
Royal Mail is the cheapest next day option here, but Tracked 24 is an aim rather than a guarantee, and it does not give a delivery window. DPD costs nearly twice as much, but it gives a one hour window and live driver tracking, which cuts failed deliveries and customer queries. Run the same comparison for your own parcel size and destination, because a heavier parcel or a remote postcode changes the ranking completely.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Royal Mail | Sending to every UK address, including remote postcodes, at one national price | From £4.39 for a 2nd Class small parcel up to 2 kg bought online, checked 15 Nov 2026 | No free plan, pay as you go |
 Evri | The cheapest way to send small parcels in the UK | From £2.62 for standard delivery to a ParcelShop, checked 15 Nov 2026 | No free plan, pay as you go |
 DPD UK | Next day delivery with a precise one hour delivery window | From £2.99 including VAT when you book online, checked 15 Nov 2026 | No free plan, pay as you go |
 DHL Parcel UK | Cheap next day delivery when you can drop off at a depot or ServicePoint | From £3.78 for UK next day delivery by depot drop off, checked 15 Nov 2026 | No free plan, pay as you go |
 UPS UK | International shipping and time critical business deliveries | From £8.40 excluding VAT for UPS Standard, 1 kg, Zone 1, checked 15 Nov 2026 | No free plan, pay as you go |
 FedEx UK | Urgent business parcels and heavy domestic shipments up to 68 kg | Quote at booking; FedEx Economy from £5.55 domestic, third party reported, checked 15 Nov 2026 | No free plan, pay as you go |
 Parcelforce Worldwide | Heavy parcels and guaranteed timed next day delivery within the UK | From £11.95 for express48, up to 5 kg, booked online, checked 15 Nov 2026 | No free plan, pay as you go |
 Yodel by InPost | Budget drop off delivery through shops and lockers | Quote at booking; from £2.45 excluding VAT via Parcel2Go, third party reported, checked 15 Nov 2026 | No free plan, pay as you go |
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8 Best UK Courier Services in 2026
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
| Royal Mail | Every UK address and remote postcodes | From £4.39 | No free plan, pay as you go |
| Evri | Cheapest small parcels | From £2.62 | No free plan, pay as you go |
| DPD UK | Timed next day delivery | From £2.99 | No free plan, pay as you go |
| DHL Parcel UK | Cheap next day delivery with drop off | From £3.78 | No free plan, pay as you go |
| UPS UK | International and time critical shipping | From £8.40 excl VAT | No free plan, pay as you go |
| FedEx UK | Urgent business and heavy parcels | Quote at booking | No free plan, pay as you go |
| Parcelforce Worldwide | Heavy and timed next day parcels | From £11.95 | No free plan, pay as you go |
| Yodel by InPost | Budget drop off and locker delivery | Quote at booking | No free plan, pay as you go |
#1
Royal Mail
Best for: Sending to every UK address, including remote postcodes, at one national price
Visit royalmail.com
Starting priceFrom £4.39 for a 2nd Class small parcel up to 2 kg bought online, checked 15 Nov 2026
Free planNo free plan, pay as you go
Royal Mail is the only carrier in this guide with a universal service obligation, so it must deliver to every address in the UK at the same price. That makes it the best choice for the Highlands and Northern Ireland, where other couriers add remote surcharges. Its October 2026 price guide sets 2nd Class small parcels from £4.39 online and 1st Class from £4.99 online.
What we like- Delivers to every UK address, Saturday delivery included on 1st Class and Tracked, Click and Drop online discounts, Post Office network of more than 11,500 branches
Watch out for- Next day delivery is an aim rather than a guarantee on 1st Class and Tracked 24, and branch prices are higher than online prices
#2
Evri
Best for: The cheapest way to send small parcels in the UK
Visit evri.com
Starting priceFrom £2.62 for standard delivery to a ParcelShop, checked 15 Nov 2026
Free planNo free plan, pay as you go
Evri, formerly Hermes, is the budget carrier that most UK marketplace sellers use first. Its own website lists standard delivery to a ParcelShop from £2.62, standard drop off for a small parcel under 1 kg from £3.04, and a standard parcel up to 2 kg from £4.79 for door delivery. Next day drop off for a 1 to 2 kg standard parcel costs £5.48.
What we like- Lowest prices in the UK, more than 10,000 ParcelShops and lockers, full tracking and £20 cover included, frequent seller discounts from 40 parcels a month
Watch out for- Standard delivery takes two to four working days, customer service is hard to reach when a parcel goes missing, and a location surcharge of about £2.75 applies to remote postcodes
#3
DPD UK
Best for: Next day delivery with a precise one hour delivery window
Visit dpd.co.uk
Starting priceFrom £2.99 including VAT when you book online, checked 15 Nov 2026
Free planNo free plan, pay as you go
DPD UK is the best all round courier in this guide for senders who care about the delivery experience. Its Predict service tells the recipient a one hour window by text and email, gives a 15 minute heads up before arrival, and lets them follow the driver live and rearrange the delivery. DPD Online advertises sending from £2.99 including VAT, which covers its economy shop to shop service.
What we like- One hour Predict delivery window with live driver tracking, £50 cover included, more than 16,000 drop off points, lowest price guarantee when you book direct
Watch out for- Door to door next day delivery costs far more than the £2.99 headline price, with next day for up to 2 kg listed at £9.49 in third party tables
Starting priceFrom £3.78 for UK next day delivery by depot drop off, checked 15 Nov 2026
Free planNo free plan, pay as you go
DHL Parcel UK is now called DHL eCommerce UK, and its website at send.dhlparcel.co.uk is the place to book it. DHL eCommerce UK offers next day delivery to mainland UK addresses as standard, with delivery to the Highlands, islands, and Northern Ireland taking one to three days. Its homepage states that the cheapest UK next day delivery prices start at £3.78, which applies to depot drop off.
What we like- Next day delivery as standard on mainland UK, 3,500 ServicePoints and more than 50 depots, prices from £3.78, part of the DHL Group with international delivery to more than 160 countries
Watch out for- The service is now branded DHL eCommerce UK, which confuses senders who look for DHL Parcel or DHL Express, and parcels are covered only up to £50 unless you buy extra cover
#5
UPS UK
Best for: International shipping and time critical business deliveries
Visit ups.com
Starting priceFrom £8.40 excluding VAT for UPS Standard, 1 kg, Zone 1, checked 15 Nov 2026
Free planNo free plan, pay as you go
UPS is a poor choice for a single cheap parcel inside the UK, and a strong choice for anything urgent or international. Its 2026 UK Rate Guide, effective from 7 June 2026, lists UPS Standard at £8.40 for 1 kg in Zone 1, which covers all UK domestic shipments, UPS Express Saver at £9.68 for 1 kg, and UPS Express Plus at £26.27 for 1 kg, all excluding VAT and surcharges.
What we like- Global network covering more than 220 countries, guaranteed express services with delivery by 9am, strong business account discounts for regular volume
Watch out for- No simple published tariff for consumers, so most senders must get a quote, and the retail price is far higher than budget UK carriers, with fuel surcharge and VAT added on top of the guide rate
#6
FedEx UK
Best for: Urgent business parcels and heavy domestic shipments up to 68 kg
Visit fedex.com
Starting priceQuote at booking; FedEx Economy from £5.55 domestic, third party reported, checked 15 Nov 2026
Free planNo free plan, pay as you go
FedEx UK runs four domestic parcel services: FedEx First, which delivers the next business day by 9am, 9.30am, or 10am depending on postcode; FedEx Priority Express, by noon the next business day; FedEx Priority, by the end of the next business day; and FedEx Economy, in two to three business days. Parcels can weigh up to 68 kg, which suits heavy items.
What we like- Four clear domestic services from economy to early morning delivery, parcels up to 68 kg accepted, strong international network with customs handling built in
Watch out for- FedEx does not publish a single starting price for UK domestic parcels, so you must get a quote for every shipment, and fuel surcharges add a large percentage to the base rate
#7
Parcelforce Worldwide
Best for: Heavy parcels and guaranteed timed next day delivery within the UK
Visit parcelforce.com
Starting priceFrom £11.95 for express48, up to 5 kg, booked online, checked 15 Nov 2026
Free planNo free plan, pay as you go
Parcelforce Worldwide is Royal Mail Group's express parcel arm, and it is built for parcels that are too heavy or too urgent for standard Royal Mail. Its October 2026 online price guide lists express48 from £11.95 for up to 5 kg, express24 from £12.50, expressAM from £16.50, and express10 from £28.10, all including VAT. Express24 delivers by close of business the next working day, expressAM by the afternoon, and express10 by 10am.
What we like- Part of Royal Mail Group with Post Office access, £150 cover included on express services, accepts parcels up to 30 kg and large parcels up to 2.5 metres long, guaranteed delivery times with a 50 percent refund if late
Watch out for- The most expensive carrier in this guide for a small parcel, and all services are Monday to Friday only, with no weekend delivery as standard
#8
Yodel by InPost
Best for: Budget drop off delivery through shops and lockers
Visit yodel.co.uk
Starting priceQuote at booking; from £2.45 excluding VAT via Parcel2Go, third party reported, checked 15 Nov 2026
Free planNo free plan, pay as you go
Yodel is now Yodel by InPost, after InPost acquired the business in 2025, and its homepage at yodel.co.uk now directs senders and recipients to inpost.co.uk and the InPost app. Sending is still available through InPost Direct accounts, and Yodel Direct by InPost is sold through Parcel2Go from £2.45 excluding VAT for drop off, with collection from £3.29 excluding VAT, according to third party listings.
What we like- More than 16,000 drop off points including lockers, two hour delivery window and photo proof of delivery, standard delivery in two to three working days, low prices for light parcels
Watch out for- Yodel has moved to InPost, so tracking and account management now run through the InPost app, and no item worth more than £500 is accepted, even with extra cover
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to send a parcel in the UK?
A small parcel up to 2 kg costs from £2.62 with Evri at a ParcelShop, from £2.99 with DPD when you book online, and from £4.39 with Royal Mail 2nd Class online. Next day delivery costs more, typically £5 to £10 for a 2 kg parcel depending on the carrier. Fuel surcharges, remote area fees, and VAT can add to the headline rate, so always check the final quote before you book.
Which UK courier is the fastest?
DPD, DHL eCommerce UK, and Parcelforce express24 all aim for next working day delivery on mainland UK addresses. Royal Mail Tracked 24 also aims for the next working day. For a guaranteed time, Parcelforce express10 delivers by 10am, UPS Express Plus delivers by 9am, and FedEx First delivers by 9am, 9.30am, or 10am depending on postcode. Evri and Yodel standard services take two to four working days, so they are not the right choice for urgent parcels.
Which UK courier is the cheapest?
Evri is the cheapest for most small parcels, with standard delivery to a ParcelShop from £2.62 and drop off for a small parcel under 1 kg from £3.04. DPD Online advertises sending from £2.99, and DHL eCommerce UK offers next day delivery from £3.78 by depot drop off. Royal Mail 2nd Class starts at £4.39 online. Compare a live quote from two or three carriers before you book.
Do UK couriers deliver on Saturdays?
Royal Mail delivers 1st Class and Tracked parcels on Saturdays as standard. DPD offers Saturday and Sunday delivery in many areas. DHL eCommerce UK offers Saturday delivery as an upgrade from £11.22 for depot to door. Evri and Yodel deliver on Saturdays in many areas but do not guarantee it everywhere. Parcelforce services are Monday to Friday only. Check the specific postcode with the carrier before you promise weekend delivery to a customer.
What happens if my parcel is lost or damaged?
Every carrier in this guide includes some cover, from £20 with Evri and Royal Mail 1st and 2nd Class to £150 with Parcelforce express services. Keep your proof of posting, photograph the parcel and its packaging before you send it, and report the loss through the carrier's claims process as soon as the tracking shows a problem. Buy extra cover for anything valuable, and never send an item worth more than the carrier accepts.
Sources we checked (14)
- https://www.royalmail.com/sites/royalmail.com/files/2026-09/our-prices-october-2026-v1-ta.pdf
- https://www.royalmail.com/sites/royalmail.com/files/2026-07/business-price-guide-august-2026-v1.pdf
- https://www.evri.com/guides/evri-vs-royal-mail
- https://send.dpd.co.uk/
- https://send.dhlparcel.co.uk/parcel-delivery/
- https://send.dhlparcel.co.uk/parcel-services/next-day-delivery
- https://assets.ups.com/adobe/assets/urn:aaid:aem:9dd41277-182b-4f22-acb9-d471d9369e50/original/as/rate-guide-gb-en.pdf
- https://www.fedex.com/en-gb/shipping/rates/fedex-rates.html
- https://www.royalmail.com/sites/royalmail.com/files/2026-10/pfw-uk-and-international-services-and-prices-october-2026-v1.pdf
- https://www.parcelforce.com/sending-parcel/parcel-delivery
- https://www.yodel.co.uk/
- https://blog-hb.shippypro.com/en/how-much-does-it-cost-to-ship-a-package-in-the-uk
- https://www.parcel2go.com/content-hub/yodel-courier-faqs
- https://webflow.easyship.com/blog/easyship-launches-fedex-rates-in-the-netherlands-and-united-kingdom
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.