ShipGopher
UPS vs USPS: which is cheaper for your package?
Short answer: USPS is usually cheaper for light packages and for 2-day delivery. UPS is usually cheaper for heavier or bigger boxes and for next-day delivery. Enter your box to see USPS and UPS side by side, at discounted rates with no account.
USPS vs UPS prices, four example boxes
The cheapest ground service from each, for the same box and route.
| Box and route | USPS | UPS |
|---|---|---|
|
2 lb box, 10×8×4 in Phoenix → Chicago |
$10.33 USPS Ground Advantage |
$11.29 UPS Ground Saver |
|
10 lb box, 16×12×10 in Los Angeles → New York |
$28.93 USPS Ground Advantage |
$24.12 UPS Ground Saver |
|
20 lb box, 18×18×12 in Dallas → Seattle |
$114.11 USPS Ground Advantage |
$39.09 UPS Ground |
|
50 lb box, 24×18×18 in Los Angeles → Denver |
$137.69 USPS Ground Advantage |
$43.71 UPS Ground |
ShipGopher quotes from October 25, 2026, to a home address, including the $1 + 5% service fee. Cheapest in bold. Your price depends on the box, the route and the day you ship; the calculator above shows yours.
Faster delivery: 2-day and next day
The cheapest service from each that the carrier expects to deliver in that time.
| Speed, box and route | USPS | UPS |
|---|---|---|
|
2-day, 2 lb box Phoenix → Chicago |
$16.18 USPS Priority Mail |
$17.32 UPS 2nd Day Air |
|
2-day, 10 lb box Los Angeles → New York |
$48.45 USPS Priority Mail |
$60.76 UPS 2nd Day Air |
|
Next day, 2 lb box Phoenix → Chicago |
$66.64 USPS Priority Mail Express |
$52.10 UPS Next Day Air Saver |
|
Next day, 10 lb box Los Angeles → New York |
$174.70 USPS Priority Mail Express |
$100.94 UPS Next Day Air Saver |
Same quotes as above (October 25, 2026). Delivery days are the carrier's business-day estimate.
When USPS is the better choice
- Light packages. The 2 lb box was $10.33 by USPS Ground Advantage vs $11.29 by UPS Ground Saver. Under about 5 lb, USPS usually wins.
- 2-day delivery. USPS Priority Mail was cheaper than UPS 2nd Day Air for both example boxes ($16.18 vs $17.32 and $48.45 vs $60.76).
- No printer. USPS labels come with a QR code; a participating Post Office prints the label for you (how it works). UPS labels need printing.
- Drop-off. Any Post Office takes a box with a printed label.
When UPS is the better choice
- Heavier boxes. The 10 lb box was $24.12 by UPS Ground Saver vs $28.93 by USPS Ground Advantage, and the 50 lb box $43.71 by UPS Ground vs $137.69 by USPS Ground Advantage.
- Big, light boxes. USPS prices boxes over 1 cubic foot by size, so the 20 lb, 18×18×12 inch box was $39.09 by UPS Ground vs $114.11 by USPS Ground Advantage.
- Next day. UPS Next Day Air Saver was cheaper than USPS Priority Mail Express: $52.10 vs $66.64 for the 2 lb box, $100.94 vs $174.70 for the 10 lb box.
- Over 70 lb. USPS takes packages up to 70 lb; UPS takes up to 150 lb.
USPS and UPS side by side
| USPS | UPS | |
|---|---|---|
| Heaviest package | 70 lb | 150 lb |
| Biggest box | 130 in length plus girth (Ground Advantage) | 108 in long, 165 in length plus girth |
| Priced by size | Boxes over 1 cubic foot: L × W × H ÷ 139, when that's more than the weight | Any box: L × W × H ÷ 139, when that's more than the weight |
| Cheapest services | Ground Advantage | Ground Saver and Ground |
| No printer? | Show a QR code at a participating Post Office; the clerk prints the label | Print the label and tape it on |
| Drop-off | Any Post Office | The UPS Store or a UPS Access Point |
Sources: USPS Ground Advantage, UPS size and weight guide, checked October 25, 2026.
Questions
Is UPS or USPS cheaper?
For light packages, USPS usually is: $10.33 by USPS Ground Advantage vs $11.29 by UPS Ground Saver for a 2 lb box. For heavier or bigger boxes, UPS usually is: $24.12 by UPS Ground Saver vs $28.93 by USPS Ground Advantage for a 10 lb box. The calculator on this page checks both for your box.
Is USPS or UPS faster?
In our examples, USPS Ground Advantage was estimated at 4 to 5 days and UPS Ground Saver at 5 to 6. UPS Ground is often a day or two faster than Ground Saver for a little more: $16.24 in 3 days vs $15.88 in 5 days for a 5 lb box from Phoenix to Chicago. The calculator shows each service's estimate for your box. For 2-day delivery USPS Priority Mail was cheaper in our examples; for next day, UPS Next Day Air Saver was.
Can USPS ship a package over 70 lb?
No. USPS takes packages up to 70 lb. UPS and FedEx take up to 150 lb.
Why is USPS so expensive for my big box?
USPS prices boxes over 1 cubic foot by size when that works out higher than the weight (length × width × height ÷ 139). UPS does the same, but its prices for big boxes are much lower, as the 20 lb example shows.
Do I need a UPS or USPS account?
No, and no ShipGopher account either. Your email gets the label, receipt, tracking number and cancel link.
Is the calculator's price the one I'll pay?
It's ShipGopher's price right now for those ZIP codes and that box, including the $1 + 5% service fee. When you buy, the price is checked again with the full addresses before you pay, and if it changed you see both prices first.
More: UPS vs FedEx · USPS vs FedEx · Compare all three carriers · USPS vs UPS vs FedEx prices