Best Shipping Companies in Canada

People’s expectations of shipping for Canadian eCommerce have altered, further complicating shipper selection.

The overwhelming amount of information about shippers available to you could be confusing. What you, as a seller, need are simple answers to questions such as:

1. Who offers the best D2C shipping solutions in Canada?
2. Is reliable shipping in Canada possible?
3. Which shipper offers the most tracking information?
4. Are the services affordable?

This article gives an insight into Canada’s shipping carriers and why they are considered the best, and what their best use cases are.

Why the Right Shipping Partner Can Make or Break Your Business

Your customers crave their orders delivered on time and unspoiled. This fact forms the foundation for reasons why finding the right shipping partner can make or break your business.

Impacts customer satisfaction and loyalty

You could have the greatest product in the world, but the customer can still leave your business. This is the story of a seller on eBay whose to-be customer cancelled the order.

“This wasn’t my intention, but after three days with no shipment, I decided to cancel the order. I thought it might serve as a nudge or at least make the seller realize the issue. Apparently, they weren’t too concerned about completing the sale.” wrote Commercial-Host-725 on r/eBay.

While the seller could’ve been in the wrong here, slow shipping was cited as the reason for cancellation.

This story is one of many. Slow delivery means an unsatisfied customer, and that results in a lack of loyalty. But serve the customers well, and you can gain the loyalty of purchasers who always have a reason to interact with your platform.

Affects delivery times, costs, and return rates

A good delivery experience involves fast shipping at a low cost. If customers don’t get both, they are likely not to return. According to research, 84% of shoppers won’t return if the delivery experience was bad.

With the right shipping partner, eCommerce platforms can keep tabs on delivery times to ensure that they align with the service level agreement established with the partner. The same SLA pre-determines shipping costs and other surcharges. And all of these elements have a direct impact on customer experience.

Drives reviews and repeat purchases

There are 30 million online shoppers in Canada, due to which 11.9% of all retail products can be found online. This shows that people interact with online shops almost every day. It develops a unique relationship that sellers can leverage.

As a seller, partnering with the right shipping provider means you’ll encounter the same customers daily. If the shipping experience is positive, customers will leave positive reviews.

This creates the user-generated content you need to market your products. This leads to a chain reaction of acquiring new customers and repeat purchases.

What to Look for in a Canadian Shipping Company

Shipping options for small businesses in Canada are many. But not just any shipping company would do. You may get the fastest courier in Canada, but it can also be the most expensive. Picking the cheapest shipping may make financial sense, but operational inefficiencies might be high.

Therefore, you need to look deeper and use the following five points when selecting the right Canadian shipping carriers.

Delivery Speed

“Anyone else experiencing long delivery delays lately?” – This is a worrying question that LoonyVibes posted on a subreddit. It highlights how significant delivery speed is for most people in the region.

Delivery speed should therefore be the deciding factor. Carriers shouldn’t take more than 2 to 3 days for domestic shipping in Canada when moving between two urban regions, such as Toronto to Vancouver or Montreal to Calgary. 3 to 5 days is also acceptable.

For urban-to-remote, 3 to 5 days of shipping is the optimal range, with delays of up to 2 days tolerated. The only exception to the rule is the far north (Nunavut, NWT, or Yukon), where the snowy terrain makes 7- to 14-day shipping acceptable.

For shipping within the same province, such as within Ontario or Quebec, delivery should be completed within 1 to 2 business days.

Tracking & Visibility

Your challenges only begin when packages leave your facility. Customer complaints may arrive, and you need to ensure that the shipping service is pristine and the operational efficiency is up to the mark.

This is only possible if sellers can see the package as soon as it leaves their facility. That’s when the best platforms for e-commerce shipping in Canada can truly stand out.

Carriers should provide real-time package location updates. They must show tracking information for every checkpoint and send you updates within 2 to 3 hours of scanning.

Customers should also receive proactive notifications, ranging from confirmation about orders shipped to delivery. Delay notifications are a must, and it would also be nice to have exception alerts like “Delivery attempted but failed.”

Customer Support

Your customers don’t care about the time. Their primary concern is only one: getting things fixed quickly. It means having proactive solutions for them should the need arise.

Therefore, as delivery distances are large in Canada and smooth delivery is a challenge, the carrier you have chosen should have top-of-the-line customer support.

Carriers should give you phone support during business hours, email response within 24 to 48 hours, and a self-service portal. An optimal option would be a live chat option and a dedicated account manager. However, when issues are critical, a 24/7 support system is a must-have.

Competitive Pricing

The shipping charges should not be so high that your bottom line erodes. However, looking for a cheap option isn’t suitable either. The price that you pay will depend on the business size.

1. If you are a small seller dealing with up to 100 packages a month, you need to focus on retail carrier rates. $10 to $15 per package is considered competitive at this level. For cross-border shipping, 3PLs could provide shipping at $8 to $12 per package.
2. As a mid-level seller shipping 100 to 500 packages a month, ask for a discount on retail rates. Depending on carrier negotiation, a 10 to 20% discount is achievable.
3. High-volume sellers shipping over 500 packages can get volume discounts and can potentially get 25 to 40% off retail rates.

You should account for the carrier’s hidden costs that can effectively kill competitive pricing. Fuel surcharges get added automatically, but transparent carriers will inform you beforehand. Residential delivery fees are another class of hidden expenses that carriers can waive for sellers who ship more than 90% of their products to homes.

Seamless eCommerce Platform Integration

Adopting manual order fulfillment in this digital age costs Canadian sellers 3 to 8 hours daily. If proper integration is absent, you have to do each task separately, from printing labels to sending notifications. 

True seamless integration, however, will make the orders automatically sync with your brand platform within minutes. You will get access to services like bulk label generation, generating up to 50 to 500 orders with one click, tracking numbers get automatically updated, and order fulfillment times go down from 3 to 5 minutes to 10 to 15 seconds. 

With access to the best shipping software in Canada, you get perks beyond labeling. You get:

• Real-time rate shipping across multiple courier services in Canada
• Inventory weight automation that removes the need for manual reading
• Self-service return portals that cut support tickets down by 40%
• Multichannel consolidation systems that manage orders from multiple platforms: Shopify, Amazon, and eBay, through one dashboard.
• Carrier performance analytics that let you strategize which carriers to prioritize

Top Best Shipping Companies in Canada

The following shipping companies in Canada meet most of the versatile requirements that customers have:

1. ShippingChimp

ShippingChimp helps eCommerce brands reduce costs in several practical ways tailored to the realities of online selling and fulfillment. Brands can access to lower-Cost shipping Rates. ShippingChimp offers negotiated discounted carrier rates by aggregating volume across multiple brands so that small and mid-sized stores benefit from rates typically reserved for larger shippers.

Rates start at $4.74 CAD, with savings of up to 60% compared to national carriers like Canada Post, FedEx, or UPS. There are no volume commitments or complex shipping contracts, making it particularly accessible for fast-growing D2C brands. 

ShippingChimp integrates natively with Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce, ShipStation, Amazon, and eBay, allowing orders to be auto-imported and labels to be batch-printed.

Pros

• Up to 60% cheaper than national carriers
• No volume commitments or long-term contracts
• Native integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce, ShipStation
• Free pick up
• Lowest shipping costs for eCommerce brands
• Shipping prices start at $4.74

Best Use Case:

For those looking for D2C shipping solutions in Canada that combine the lowest rates with an Amazon-like post-purchase experience, ShippingChimp is a suitable option.  

2. Canada Post

Canada Post is Canada’s biggest delivery network operating across the entire country. The key factor that makes it stand out is that it reaches most rural areas.

Being a Crown corporation, it has a standardized approach to pricing, making it a good option for small to medium businesses.

If you pick regular parcel services, you get a 2 to 9-day shipping promise. Xpresspost offers fast next-day to 2-day domestic shipping. Canada Post also lets customers reroute their packages through the FlexDelivery program. There is also a service called Priority that customers can choose for urgent parcels.

Customer reviews of the platform have been rather mixed. Trustpilot has given it 1.2 stars out of 5, and most recent Reddit posts about it have been negative.

“Waiting for over 2 weeks for government mail,” a user said on Reddit, to which other users pointed out how Canada Post has a monopoly over certain government-related mail.

Despite the ratings, most sellers stick to it because of cost savings, national coverage, and zero-cost re-routing services.

Pros:

• Massive national coverage
• No residential delivery charges
• Competitive pricing
• FlexDelivery offers zero-cost delivery re-routing

Cons:

• Customer service is rated poorly
• Tracking quality has been found to be inconsistent

Best Use Case

For those looking for the reasonably priced shipping in Canada with comprehensive rural coverage, which is the case with small to medium eCommerce businesses shipping nationwide, including remote areas, Canada Post is suitable. Learn more Does CanadaPost delivers on weekends.

3. Purolator

Purolator is also considered a suitable option for reliable shipping in Canada because it delivers to 100% of Canadian postal codes. With over 3,000 access points across the nation, Purolator also features support for business accounts, automatically making it optimal for sellers.

The platform is 91% owned by Canada Post, which means some of its core offerings are similar. There is a version of Xpresspost with Purolator known as Purolator Express, which is a 1-day delivery service (or the next business day). There is also a time-definite morning delivery service provided.

With Purolator Ground, sellers can deliver their products within 1 to 3 business days within the same province. For cross-country, the delivery can take anywhere from 2 to 7 days.

As of September 2025, it has increased its rates by 5.7%. That said, it has also launched a small business discount program, which offers up to 65% off for small businesses.

Customer reviews of the platform have not been very positive. Trustpilot shows it has 1.1 stars out of 5. Primary complaints have been about failed delivery attempts and false excuses.

When a user named JunkyBoiOW asked on the subreddit r/Ottawa about Purolator, one user responded with: “Not great. I’ve had times where they didn’t even leave a note and I only knew my package was in because I got an email.”

Pros

• Nationwide coverage to every postal code
• Guaranteed delivery times with a money-back guarantee
• 3,000+ pickup/drop-off locations
• Business account support

Cons:

• Extremely poor customer service
• Long delays due to packages sitting in depots
• Inconsistent tracking updates

Best Use Case: 

Purolator is best suited for sellers looking for guaranteed delivery times and specialized handling services. That is, B2B eCommerce sellers shipping heavy items or bulky products that require delivery appointments should consider Purolator.

4. UPS Canada

UPS Canada is considered a suitable option thanks to its reliable tracking system and fast US shipping in Canada. With the platform delivering to over 220 countries and territories and over 1,500 UPS drop-off points available across Canada alone, UPS Canada is very tech-forward.

GPS-level tracking is provided, and sellers consider it best for US-Canada cross-border shipping.

The delivery times are based on the services chosen. UPS Express finishes delivery by the next business day, while UPS Expedited only takes 2 business days. Standard shipping, UPS Standard, takes 1 to 7 business days for domestic deliveries, and UPS Ground to the US takes 3 to 7 business days.

The platform is expensive. In addition to the general rate increase of 5.9%, which is common with most shipping companies in Canada, UPS Canada has bumped the light package delivery charge by 6%, residential surcharge by 6.6%, DAS by 7.1%, and the ground floor price is set to a minimum of $11.99.

Customer reviews are also mixed. However, it is a given for a platform of this size. Fast deliveries are its strength, alongside proper package care.

Pros

• GPS-level tracking with photo proof of delivery
• Strong US-Canada cross-border shipping
• Fast delivery
• Small business discount programs are available

Cons

• Surcharge structure is complex
• Customer service is considered poor
• Dimensional weight penalties hit oversized packaging hard

Best Use Case

eCommerce sellers shipping high-value items that cost over $200 should consider UPS Canada. Sellers of fragile electronics that require photographic proof of delivery, or businesses that want to ship between the US and Canada in 2 to 3 days, would also find UPS Canada suitable.

5. FedEx Canada

FedEx Canada is suitable for those seeking to ship internationally quickly. Free supplies related to FedEx Express have been its primary growth driver, along with a rewards point system, a suite of tools for online billing, address books, and custom document support.

FedEx has over 1,200 drop-off locations in Canada, and at the moment, it is going through Network 2.0 consolidation, in which express and ground networks will be combined. There are 8 delivery services based on location and priority. The service times differ for all.

FedEx First Overnight is a domestic shipping service that delivers parcels by the next day. All express services within Canada take 1 to 3 business days to ship. FedEx Ground takes up to 7 days to deliver parcels. Finally, FedEx international express services can take anywhere from 1 to 7 business days. The most premium international shipping service is FedEx International Connect Plus, which offers a 5-day Canada to world delivery promise.

The platform is very surcharge-heavy, with the oversize fee going up by up to 28% and the remote area surcharge starting at $14 CAD. It has also established a new pickup service that charges $7.50 to $33.50 every week to shippers regardless of shipping volume.

Pros

• Offers global reach to over 220 countries
• Offers over 1,200 drop-off locations in Canada
• Network 2.0 is happening to coalesce ground and express shipping
• Features money-back guarantee on standard services

Cons

• Exclusive focus on express services
• Pickup fee structure punishes businesses with irregular shipping schedules
• Weak rural coverage

Best Use Case

Seekers of the fastest courier options in Canada should consider FedEx Canada. The built-in customs clearance system is good, making high-value international shipping easier. Also, it is small business-friendly due to the discount model.

6. Canpar Express

Canpar Express is a 50-year-old shipping company focused on cost-effective ground shipping. Known as a leading small parcel delivery company, it features ground, select, and express services.

The platform also offers a host of shipping tools, including Pick Up on Demand, Transit Times, Rate Calculator, Pickup Tag, Collect Service, and package tracking.

Information about Canpar Express’s transit times can be found in the platform’s official transit matrix. It shows that the carrier delivers across Canada within 11 days maximum. It might not be the best, but it is predictable.

The platform’s pricing system is live-rated, and the prices are affordable. The peak season residential area delivery surcharge for high volume shippers, for instance, was only $2 recently.

Like most large-scale carriers, Canpar has also received mixed reviews. The complaints have been more about drivers who don’t knock. “Canpar drivers never knock,” said one user on Trustpilot, stating that the drivers may be lazy.

Pros

• Competitively priced for domestic ground shipping
• Business accounts get dedicated drivers on regular pickup routes
• Strong B2B focus
• eCommerce integrations via MyCanpar portal, mobile app, API

Cons

• The tracking system is sometimes inaccurate
• The second delivery attempt is charged to the shipper
• No international customs clearance support
• Weak rural coverage in Canada

Best Use Case

For those looking for the cheap shipping in Canada, with B2B-friendly features like Cash on Delivery (COD) and regular pickup routes, Canpar Express is suitable for high-volume, low-priority shipments.

7. DHL Express

DHL Express is considered a top-tier option for international delivery, covering over 220 countries. It only started domestic shipping in Canada in May 2025, covering all provinces. On-Demand Delivery is a feature that lets recipients redirect shipments to their nearest service point, and with the MyDHL+ platform, all shipping needs are managed through one portal.

DHL Express Worldwide ships parcels by the next possible business day, while DHL Express services can do next or second business day delivery by 9:00, 10:30, or 12:00. Domestic Canada is DHL Express’s new service, so transit times are not yet clear at the moment.

DHL Express is one of the more expensive options on the list. Most services are premium-priced, made even more expensive by customs fees and warehouse storage charges. However, there is a 30% discount promo currently running for Express Easy in-store shipping for select zones.

Customer scores have been mixed. One user named Secure-strawberry402 recently wrote on Reddit, “DHL Express is driving me insane! Awful service and ridiculous payment process.”

Pros

• Massive international reach is available
• New domestic shipping launched for Canada in May, 2025
• Offers a customs portal
• Features On-Demand Delivery

Cons

• Too costly for international shippers as well
• High brokerage fee: 2.5% 
• Cannot deliver to PO boxes
• Customs delays penalize businesses due to warehouse storage fees

Best Use Case

For those seeking shipping companies with reliable international shipping with built-in customs expertise, DHL Express is suitable. Companies shipping sensitive documents, industrial components, or medical devices internationally can leverage it.

8. Nationex

Nationex is a family-owned Canadian courier that has been operating since 1980, making it one of the oldest independent carriers on this list. Quebec-born, it has built a strong reputation as the go-to affordable option for Eastern Canada businesses that need reliable last-mile delivery without the pricing of national giants.

Its services cover all ten Canadian provinces, with distribution centres in Quebec and Ontario that sort and forward parcels nationwide. 

Transit times are 24 hours for most regions in Quebec and Ontario, and 3 to 5 business days for the rest of Canada. Deliveries are scheduled during standard business hours, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Nationex integrates with platforms like ShipStation, allowing businesses to print labels and track shipments directly.

Pricing is competitive and account-based, with rates tailored for small, medium, and large businesses.

Like most carriers on this list, however, Nationex reviews are also highly polarized. Some appreciate the platform for being fast. Others talk about service limitations. One user has even called the platform the worst courier service in Montreal.

Pros

• Most affordable regional carrier for Quebec and Ontario shipments
• 24-hour delivery in most of Quebec and Ontario
• Family-owned with a customer-focused operational structure
• Integrates with ShipStation for label printing and tracking
• Strong last-mile delivery network in Eastern Canada

Cons

• Domestic Canada only 
• Weaker coverage and slower transit times outside Quebec and Ontario
• Only quota-based pricing is applied
• Limited brand recognition outside Eastern Canada

Best Use Case

For those looking for the moderately priced shipping in Canada with fast, reliable last-mile delivery in Eastern Canada, small eCommerce brands focused on regional markets, and companies seeking an affordable alternative to national carriers without committing to volume contracts, Nationex is a good fit.

Compare Canadian Shipping Companies at a Glance

The table below serves to provide a better understanding of all shipping companies:

Carrier	Speed	Coverage	Best For
ShippingChimp	Fast (same-day-3 days)	National + US + Intl	D2C brands, Shopify/WooCommerce sellers
Canada Post	Medium (2-9 days)	National + Intl	SMBs, rural deliveries
Purolator	Fast (1-3 days)	National + Intl	B2B, guaranteed time-definite delivery
UPS	Fast (1-7 days)	National + US + Intl	Fragile, high-value, Canada–US cross-border
FedEx	Fast (1-7 days)	National + US + Intl	International express, time-sensitive shipments
Canpar	Medium (1-7 days)	National + US	High-volume B2B, urban ground shipping
DHL Express	Fastest (Next-day Intl)	220+ countries	International, customs-heavy shipments
Nationex	Fast in East (24 hrs QC/ON)	National (domestic only)	Eastern Canada SMBs, last-mile delivery

How to Save on Shipping in Canada

Follow the tips below to save on shipping in Canada:

Use a Shipping courier like ShippingChimp

ShippingChimp helps eCommerce brands reduce shipping costs by combining lower negotiated rates, smart automation, and operational efficiency. Once the shipping process begins, ShippingChimp also offers automatic label generation, saving labour and time costs.

The platform automatically syncs with Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and ShipStation, giving you multiple options based on your shipping needs.

Negotiate Carrier Rates

You can also negotiate better carrier rates with your chosen shipper. Using volume data and showing high shipping volumes will give you the best foot forward to get the better end of the deal.

Keeping your options open to switch shippers is also helpful, as it creates urgency among carriers to reach contract terms that both parties agree to.

Use Smart Shipping Rules

To save money, you can also use shipping software. In Canada, this approach will help specify smart shipping rules that will automatically choose the service, carrier, or rate to apply to an order.

For instance, if the order weight is under 1 kg, a Canada Post Regular Parcel is enough. For orders over $150, free shipping applies. If the destination is in a rural area, routing through Canada Post rather than Canpar is a better option.

Best Shipping Option for Small eCommerce Stores

For small eCommerce stores, Canada Post, ShippingChimp, and Canpar are the best. Canada Post has national coverage. Canpar offers superior services for B2B companies. With ShippingChimp, users will have the automated rate adjustment perk.

Best for Mid to High Volume eCommerce Brands

For mid- to high-volume eCommerce brands, UPS, Purolator, and ShippingChimp are the best options.

With ShippingChimp, you can start shipping at as low as $4.74 and get the most of zone skipping savings. The customer experience is also superior on this platform.

91% of Purolator is owned by Canada Post, which means access to national coverage. Purolator’s tracking system is also very powerful.

With UPS, mid- to high-volume brands get a discount when they open a business account.

Best International Shipping Companies in Canada

When shipping internationally, you need fast options that handle customs and ensure smooth delivery. UPS, DHL, and FedEx are the leaders here.

DHL has always been an international-first option. Since it provides highly optimized express shipping with fast delivery times, it can easily be the top option for those who can afford it.

FedEx and UPS are also suitable international shipping companies, though their services are a bit by-the-numbers.

To make it easy to select between these carriers, using ShippingChimp is recommended. It can manage multiple international carriers, helping you route the package to save time and costs.

Best for Returns & Reverse Logistics

When it comes to reverse logistics, only a few shipping companies in Canada are up to snuff.

For affordable returns, Canada Post is a suitable pick. It is because, first, it has over 6,000 post offices across Canada, making it easier for people to return their packages. There are no residential surcharges on return labels, and there is a competitive flat rate on returns of lightweight items.

ShippingChimp is also a powerful return portal. The platform makes it easy to return items, while a branded ShippingChimp experience assures customers that the process will finish on time.

Shipping Trends in Canada for 2026

The shift in tech is altering the course of shipping trends in Canada for 2026. Understanding these trends is crucial to adapting to different technologies:

• More branded tracking pages: According to research, 90% of shoppers say they want to track their orders all the time. Therefore, tracking pages have become more common. Furthermore, proactive tracking pages reduce WISMO (Where is My Order) queries by 40%.
• Green shipping and carbon offsets: According to research cited by EcoCart, 80% of shoppers make sustainability-based buying decisions. Seeing that, shippers like Canada Post have started offering carbon-neutral ground shipping. Canpar, for instance, has placed a carbon surcharge on all shipments.
• AI-based carrier routing and ETA estimates: More than 89% of retailers were piloting AI as of 2025, a number that will likely increase this year. For multi-warehouse sellers, AI routing reduces shipping costs by 15-25%, and ETA is recalibrated in real time by tracking live shipment conditions.
• Better reporting and heavier tech: Data visibility is no longer optional since shipping costs now account for more than 70% of logistics spend. Companies are now spending money on ensuring that key metrics, such as on-time delivery rate by carrier, cost per shipment by zone, and failure points by origin, are tracked accurately.

FAQ – Best Shipping Companies in Canada

What is the most reliable shipping company in Canada?

ShippingChimp is very reliable with our dedicated customer support and fast delivery times. Canada Post, Purolator, UPS, and FedEx all sit between 1.1 and 1.3 stars on Trustpilot. Fake delivery attempts and poor customer service are complaints that cut across all of them.

Canada Post is also reliable for rural and remote addresses since no other carrier matches its national reach.

Who has the fastest delivery time in Canada?

For eCommerce brands specifically, ShippingChimp delivers same-day for most Ontario postal codes and next-day for shipments outside the GTA. Canada Post Xpresspost also promises next-day to 2-day delivery between major urban centres at a lower price point than Purolator.

For international shipments, DHL Express is the fastest option in Canada. Its Express Worldwide service reaches most countries by the next possible business day, making it the go-to for time-sensitive global shipments.

What’s the cheapest way to ship across provinces?

ShippingChimp is the cheapest shipping carrier for D2C businesses. Rates start at as low as $4.74. Most the zone skipping benefits are passed on to the customers and pick up services are offered at free of cost.

For small businesses shipping up to 100 packages per month, Canpar Express offers competitive ground rates for urban interprovincial shipments. It is often cheaper than UPS or FedEx for heavier packages going between major Canadian cities.

Can I ship from Canada to the U.S. affordably?

Yes, but the right carrier or platform makes all the difference. UPS Ground to the US takes 3 to 7 business days from Canadian origin points and is one of the more cost-effective cross-border options for non-urgent shipments. FedEx International Ground offers similar transit times from major Canadian hubs.

For eCommerce brands, ShippingChimp handles US-bound shipments with rates starting from $5.21. Orders from Shopify and WooCommerce are automatically imported, labelled, and routed, with no manual work required.

How does ShippingChimp help eCommerce brands reduce costs?

$4.74 shipping costs that’s where eCommerce brands can start with ShippingChimp. By aggregating shipping volume across multiple brands, ShippingChimp unlocks discounted carrier rates typically reserved for high-volume shippers, helping businesses immediately lower their per-parcel spend.

Beyond competitive base rates, brands save through:

• Transparent pricing with zero pickup fees and no hidden charges
• Zone-skipping to reduce last-mile delivery costs
• Seamless Shopify integrations that cut manual work
• Automation that minimizes operational errors
• Shipping analytics that uncover surcharges and cost leaks