Getting the cheapest international shipping is easier than you may think. There is no secret that package forwarding companies get huge discounts from carriers. Some of them even claim you save to 80% on international shipping compared to prices you get from a courier like USPS, FedEx, DHL, etc. Is that even true? Let’s find out.
If you are not interested in data and price breakdowns, feel free to skip to the Final Thoughts section where we highlight the main findings and results of our research.
Table of Contents
- What Is A Package Forwarding Company And How Does It Work?
- What Is A Courier And How Does It Work?
- How Much Does The Package Forwarding Costs?
- How Much Does The Courier Costs?
- Prices Of Package Forwarding Company vs Courier Compared Side By Side
- Final Thoughts
- Package Forwarding FAQ
- Sources
What Is A Package Forwarding Company and How Does It Work?
Package forwarding companies are companies that usually have a few warehouses in a country like the US, or in several countries for example, in the US, and in the UK. They provide its customers with the address(es) that can be used for receiving packages from online stores, family, friends, simply from whatever subject.
Note: A package forwarding company doesn’t offer packages pick up. This means you have to send the package to its warehouse first before they can forward it.
Once the package forwarding company receives the package addressed to its customer, it is connected to his or her account. Of course, the customer is notified by an email that he received a package in the package forwarding company warehouse. The packages are then linked to customers’ accounts based on a unique suite ID that they receive upon registration. This makes the process very smooth.
The customer then can take advantage of some additional services. Most of the package forwarding companies offer special requests, additional photo requests, package consolidation, etc. Once the customer decides to ship the package from the US to his/her country, or to the country of the addressee, it is necessary to fill in the customs declaration and select the delivery method and wait for the delivery of the package.
The question is, how does the package forwarding ship the packages? Well, they use courier companies (more about them later). But, thanks to their contracts, they offer the cheapest international shipping even cheaper than the couriers themselves. How is that possible? Skip to How Much Package Forwarding Costs section to find out.
Package forwarding companies also offer branded shipping methods like Planet Mail. These methods are usually limited to small packages only and take up to 30 business days to deliver. On the other hand, they are often much cheaper than their alternatives. These methods are very popular among customers that want to get cheap international shipping.
Examples Of Package Forwarding Companies
Package forwarding business attracted a lot of companies. Based on the Trustpilot rating*, below are the top 5 US-based package forwarders.
| Package forwarder logo | Package forwarder | Trustpilot rating |
|---|---|---|
 | Planet Express | 4.4 |
 | MyUS | 4.6 |
 | Ship7 | 4.4 |
 | ShopUSA | 4.2 |
What Is A Courier And How Does It Work?
A courier has warehouses and sorting centers across the whole country. The main difference is that if you want to ship a package from the US to Japan, for example, directly with a courier, you need to schedule a pick up at someplace (compared to package forwarding company that ships packages from its warehouse only).
Do you see the difference? Courier may seem more convenient because you don’t have to send the package to the warehouse address of the package forwarder but when you want to shop in the US stores that don’t offer international shipping, things get complicated.
Examples Of Courier Companies & Their International Shipping Methods
There are a lot of couriers on the market, among the most popular are DHL, FedEx, DPD, UPS, USPS, TNT, Aramex. Planet Express package forwarding company works with DHL, FedEx, USPS, and Aramex.
| Courier | Method | Price |
|---|---|---|
| USPS | Priority | Cheap |
| USPS | Express | Cheap |
| USPS | Postal Service Fully Tracked | Cheap |
| FedEx | Economy | Expensive |
| FedEx | Priority | Expensive |
| DHL | Worldwide Express | Expensive |
How Much Does The Package Forwarding Costs?
You get the cheapest international shipping with package forwarder, right? Let’s dive into a few examples. We are going to compare the international shipping rates of the DHL, FedEx, USPS, and Aramex.
Example #1: Shipping A Handbag From The US To Japan with Planet Express
Let’s say that you would like to ship a $300 handbag from the US to Japan from Michael Kors online store. The price of the shipping from the Michael Kors online store is a $5 flat fee. This means that in order to get the package to Planet Express warehouse, you have to pay $5.
We estimated the following package details:
Value – $300
Weight – 5 lbs
Dimensions – 12×12×5 inches
From – Gardena, the US, 90248 (90247)
To – Tokyo, Japan, 100-0012
| Planet Express method | Price of the shipping | Delivery time | Final price |
|---|---|---|---|
| USPS: Priority | $31.00 | 10-12 business days | $38.00 |
| FedEx: International Economy | $35.90 | 4-7 business days | $42.90 |
| FedEx: International Priority | $41.89 | 3-5 business days | $48.89 |
| USPS: Express | $44.29 | 7-10 business days | $51.29 |
| DHL: Express Worldwide | $71.39 | 2-4 business days | $78.39 |
The prices of the shipping were calculated using the Planet Express calculator on the 8th of Mai, 2020.
The final price includes the $5 Michael Kors shipping and $2 handling fee. The price is customs duty & tax excluded. The cheapest international shipping we got for this example was with the USPS Priority method.
Example #2: Shipping BoxyCharm Box From The US To Australia
Subscription boxes like BoxyCharm are really popular, especially in the US. Unfortunately for Aussies, BoxyCharm doesn’t offer international shipping there. However, you can use the Planet Express package forwarding company in order to get Boxycharm from the US to Australia (find out how with our BoxyCharm guide here).
The standard BoxyCharm package details are the following:
Value – $50
Weight – 2.5 lbs
Dimensions – 11×10×5 inches
From – Gardena, the US, 90248 (90247)
To – Canberra, Australia, 2601
| Planet Express method | Price of the shipping | Delivery time | Final price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planet Mail: Express | $25.39 | 20-28 business days | $27.39 |
| USPS: ePacket* | $28.38 | 10-12 business days | $30.38 |
| FedEx: International Economy | $34.55 | 4-7 business days | $36.55 |
| Aramex: Priority | $36.45 | 5-8 business days | $38.45 |
| FedEx: International Priority | $38.46 | 3-5 business days | $40.46 |
| USPS: Express | $40.90 | 7-10 business days | $42.90 |
| DHL: Express Worldwide | $65.65 | 2-4 business days | $67.65 |
The prices of the shipping were calculated using the Planet Express calculator on the 8th of Mai, 2020.
*USPS: ePacket was rebranded by USPS to Postal Service: Fully Tracked.
The final price includes the $2 Planet Express handling fee. The BoxyCharm shipping across the US is free. The price is customs duty & tax excluded. The cheapest international shipping for this package was available with Planet Mail: Express.
Example #3: Shipping Consolidated Package From The US To Saudi Arabia
Let’s say you wanna ship 8 packages from the USA to Saudi Arabia because you would like to resell some goods. You can take advantage of the Planet Express consolidation service. To simplify this example, we calculate 1 big package (that would contain several packages consolidated together).
The final price includes the activation of the Premium Mail Box $10 (needed for consolidation), consolidation fee of $21 ($5+8×$2=$21), and mailout fee ($2). The price is customs duty & tax excluded.
| Premium Mail Box | $10.00 |
| Consolidation fee | $5.00 |
| Consolidation fee for packages | $16.00 |
| Mailout fee | $2.00 |
| Total | $33.00 |
The package details are the following:
Value – $500
Weight – 50 lbs
Dimensions – 36×24×20 inches (maximum size of the consolidated package)
From – Gardena, the US, 90248 (90247)
To – Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 11543
| Planet Express method | Price of the shipping | Delivery time | Final price |
|---|---|---|---|
| FedEx: International Economy | $181.88 | 4-7 business days | $214.88 |
| FedEx: International Priority | $263.62 | 3-5 business days | $296.62 |
| Aramex: Economy | $439.43 | 8-12 business days | $472.43 |
| Aramex: Priority | $636.09 | 5-8 business days | $669.09 |
| DHL: Express Worldwide | $647.41 | 2-4 business days | $680.41 |
The prices of the shipping were calculated using the Planet Express calculator on the 8th of Mai, 2020.
The cheapest international shipping for our 3rd example, was offered by FedEx – International Economy method.
How Much Does The Courier Costs?
The price of the shipping you get from a courier is usually higher than from a package forwarding company. The question is, is this difference significant? And if so, how much? The final comparison between the package forwarding company and couriers is available in the comparison section.
Example #1: Shipping A Handbag From The US To Japan with Couriers
Do you remember our previous example with a Michael Kors handbag? We calculated the price of the shipping from the Gardena, the USA to Japan. This time, we got a quote from the courier’s calculator tools.
| Shipping method | Price of the shipping | Delivery time | Final price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USPS: Priority | $70.95 | 10-12 business days | $75.95 | DHL |
| USPS: Express | $94.90 | 7-10 business days | $99.90 | FedEx |
| DHL: Express Worldwide | $143.52 | 2-4 business days | $148.52 | FedEx |
| FedEx: International Economy | $183.11 | 4-7 business days | $188.11 | USPS |
| FedEx: International Priority | $219.65 | 3-5 business days | $224.65 | USPS |
The prices of the shipping were calculated using the postage calculator tools on the 8th of Mai, 2020.
Example #2: Shipping A BoxyCharm Box From The US To Australia with Couriers
the prices
| Shipping method | Price of the shipping | Delivery time | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planet Mail: Economy | $20.53 | up to 30 business days | Planet Express |
| Planet Mail: Express | $25.39 | 20-28 business days | Planet Express |
| USPS: Priority | $64.05 | 10-12 business days | USPS |
| Aramex: Priority | $70.00 | 5-8 business days | Aramex |
| USPS: Express | $85.70 | 7-10 business days | USPS |
| DHL: Express Worldwide | $129.58 | 2-4 business days | DHL |
| FedEx: International Economy | $169.72 | 4-7 business days | FedEx |
| FedEx: International Priority | $196.04 | 3-5 business days | FedEx |
| USPS: ePacket* | n/a | 10-12 business days | USPS |
The prices of the shipping were calculated using the postage calculator tools on the 8th of Mai, 2020. Sources
*USPS: ePacket was rebranded by USPS to Postal Service: Fully Tracked.
Example #3: Shipping A Consolidated Package From The US To Saudi Arabia with Couriers
This example is very specific and we simplified it already. In reality, you would have to consolidate the 8 packages we talked before together because the couriers usually don’t offer the consolidation service as Planet Express does. Of course, the consolidation that you would have to do by yourself if you live in the US (or in even worse, somebody in the US would have to do it for you), costs time and money. Thus, the following costs are just the costs of the shipping.
| Shipping method | Price of the shipping | Delivery time | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aramex: Priority | $655.05 | 5-8 business days | Aramex |
| FedEx: International Economy | $1 359.89 | 4-7 business days | FedEx |
| DHL: Express Worldwide | $1 539.63 | 2-4 business days | DHL |
| FedEx: International Priority | $2 150.61 | 3-5 business days | FedEx |
The prices of the shipping were calculated using the postage calculator tools on the 8th of Mai, 2020. Sources
Prices Of Package Forwarding Company vs Courier Compared Side By Side
We did the detailed price breakdowns in the previous sections. Now, we can do the price comparisons of our examples. Please, remember, that the current prices may vary, however, the differences are pretty much the same.
Example 1 – Planet Express vs Couriers Compared
Shipping of the Michael Kors handbag from Gardena, California to Tokyo, Japan may cost you a lot of money, or you can save dozens to hundreds of percent. Take a look at the table below. You can see the price of the shipping you get for the same shipping method. One is provided by the package forwarding company (Planet Express) and the second by the couriers themselves).
| Shipping method | Planet Express price | Courier price | Package forwarding savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| FedEx: International Priority | $48.89 | $224.65 | 359.50% |
| FedEx: International Economy | $42.90 | $188.11 | 338.48% |
| USPS: Priority | $38.00 | $75.95 | 99.87% |
| USPS: Express | $51.29 | $99.90 | 94.77% |
| DHL: Express Worldwide | $78.39 | $148.52 | 89.46% |
The prices of the shipping were calculated using the postage calculator tools on the 8th of Mai, 2020. Sources
Example 2 – Planet Express vs Couriers Compared
Shipping of the BoxyCharm box is again much cheaper when using the package forwarding company. The cheapest option is the Planet Mail delivery method that is cheaper compared to the USPS.
| Shipping method | Planet Express price | Courier price | Package forwarding savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| FedEx: International Priority | $40.46 | $196.04 | 384.53% |
| FedEx: International Economy | $36.55 | $169.72 | 364.35% |
| USPS: ePacket* | USPS: Priority | $30.38 | $64.05 | 110.83% |
| USPS: Express | $42.90 | $85.70 | 99.77% |
| DHL: Express Worldwide | $67.65 | $129.58 | 91.54% |
| Aramex: Priority | $38.45 | $70.00 | 82.05% |
| Planet Mail: Express | $27.39 | – | – |
| Planet Mail: Economy | $22.53 | – | – |
The prices of the shipping were calculated using the postage calculator tools on the 8th of Mai, 2020. Sources
Note: USPS doesn’t offer ePacket to individual persons so we compared USPS: ePacket method available at Planet Express with USPS: Priority that is available for individuals.
*USPS: ePacket was rebranded by USPS to Postal Service: Fully Tracked.
Example 3 – Planet Express vs Couriers Compared
When we compared the prices of the shipping of the bulky package, we find out that the savings with the FedEx method are again the most noticeable. However, If you want to ship with Aramex (which is still twice as expensive as FedEx), it may seem like it is better to ship it with Aramex directly. Well, we still recommend using a package forwarding company that will save your time especially thanks to its consolidation service.
| Shipping method | Planet Express price | Courier price | Package forwarding savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| FedEx: International Priority | $296.62 | $2 150.61 | 625.04% |
| FedEx: International Economy | $214.88 | $1 359.89 | 532.86% |
| DHL: Express Worldwide | $680.41 | $1 539.63 | 126.28% |
| Aramex: Priority | $669.09 | $655.05 | -2.10% |
| Aramex: Economy | $472.43 | n/a* | – |
The prices of the shipping were calculated using the postage calculator tools on the 8th of Mai, 2020. Sources
*Aramex: Economy shipping method was not available when using Aramex Calculator.
Final Thoughts
The last important question remains…
How is it possible that the package forwarding company can offer cheaper international shipping then couriers themselves?
The answer follows from the way how the package forwarding companies, eventually couriers work. The package forwarding company handles hundreds to thousands of packages to courier from one place (from the package forwarding company warehouse). This means that the courier has much lower costs when picking up these packages than collecting them individually on different addresses.
Thanks to this simple principle, the package forwarding companies can negotiate much better deals with the couriers than an individual person that has little to none bargaining power, and thus provide their customers with the cheapest international shipping available.
From our research, it is clear that the biggest savings you get with Planet Express is when using FedEx shipping methods. See the following chart.
But (there is always ‘but’ right?) ‘where are the additional costs of shipping across the US?’ Good question. The answer depends…
- In Example 1, the buyer pays for the shipping ($5).
- In Example 2, the shipping costs across the US are already included in the subscription price but the shipping is marketed as ‘FREE’.
- And finally, in Example 3, you either have to pay to the courier to pick up your package, or you have to bring it to their center so they can send it. Also remember, that couriers usually don’t consolidate packages, this means you have to consolidate it by yourself which costs time and money.
How to get the cheapest international shipping? Use the package forwarder…
We hope that we helped you with finding the cheapest way to ship internationally. If you want to take advantage of the lower prices we offer, feel free to sign up and start shipping.
Or feel free to calculate the international shipping from the USA (the UK) by using our postage calculator.
Start with our free plan or go premium to save even more by consolidating your packages into one.
Create New AccountShop in the USA or UK
and have packages forwarded to anywhere in the World
NO HIDDEN FEES in the shipping price. You only pay for the services you order.
Feel free to compare our shipping prices with competitors.
Package Forwarding FAQ
Package forwarding works in 3 simple steps:
Step #1: You get the address (for example, in the US).
Step #2: You can receive packages to this address from your family, friends, online stores.
Step #3: Once the package forwarding company receives your package, you will get an email. You can manage the package and choose the delivery method.
Read more…
The short answer would be that the package forwarding is cheaper than shipping with the courier directly. The prices vary from forwarder to forwarder, however, there are more factors to consider like the weight of the package, its dimensions, the delivery method, etc.
Read more…
Once the package forwarding company has your package and you place the request for the mailout, the package is handled to a courier usually within 24 hrs. In the busy season, this time may extend to 48–72 hrs.
Sources
Planet Express Calculator – https://planetexpress.com/postage-calculator/
DHL Calculator – https://mydhl.express.dhl/us/en/shipment.html#/rate-and-quote
FedEx Calculator – https://www.fedex.com/en-us/online/rating.html
USPS Calculator – https://postcalc.usps.com/
Aramex Calculator – https://www.aramex.com/us/en/ship/check-shipping-rates