The best parcel forwarding service is iPostal1, both because it costs as little as $9.99/month, has more than 2,000 locations to choose from, and has the best customer reviews in the industry. With deep discounts on shipping and a suite of services that make domestic and international parcel forwarding easy, whether from the US or Canada, I strongly recommend iPostal1.
What Are The Best Parcel Forwarding Services?
#1 iPostal1 – Best Overall
Best Int'l Presence |
Monthly fee: Starting at $9.99 |
★★★★ Rated 4.1/5 |
iPostal1 offers 2,700+ addresses, unique and powerful digital mailbox features, consistent plans across all locations, and it's the one I personally use day-to-day. You can view and manage your mail and packages with the iPostal1 app (or online), and plans start at just $9.99/month.
If you’re running your business from home like me, iPostal1 makes it affordable to get a real street address to upgrade your company image, protect your family’s privacy and register your business. I travel frequently as well, but using iPostal1 allows me to stay connected to my mail and not worry about my packages getting stolen.
iPostal1 offers features like real-time shipping prices and the option to add virtual office plans with phone and fax to your existing virtual mailbox plan. Whenever I forward a package to me while I'm abroad, I take advantage of iPostal1's international shipping discounts, which make things quite a bit cheaper and easier than paying full price at the post office.
As someone who's used iPostal1 for several years, I can confidently say it's a reliable virtual mailbox provider that takes care of its customers. I can't recommend iPostal1 enough.
Features
- 2,700+ locations in all 50 states plus Canada, Europe, Asia, and other countries
- Tax-free warehouses in Delaware, Oregon, Montana, Alaska and New Hampshire
- Deep discount international shipping
- Office building and co-working locations also available
- Mail forwarding, including consolidation of letters and packages
- Free storage for 30 days
- Real-time shipping prices
- Open and scan mail content ($1.50 for up to 10 pages)
- Mail pickup + discarding/shredding
- Check deposit by mail available at most locations
- Virtual office plans with phone and fax (from $39.99)
Fees
- Digital mailbox: $9.99/month
- Mail scanning: $1.50 for up to 10 pages
- Mail forwarding: Cost of postage
- Storage: 30 days free, then $1.10 per letter per month
This screenshot offers a bit more info into iPostal1's pricing structure: if you pay annually, you'll get 2 months free, with their Blue and Silver plans being their most popular.
Best For
Business owners, frequent travelers and online shoppers
#2 Stackry
Stackry is another one of the market's top-rated parcel forwarding services. Stackry offers a dedicated rewards program, low delivery times, and is a solid overall option for users who haven't worked with a package forwarder before.
However, Stackry is significantly more expensive to use than iPostal1. It charges $0.08 per pound per day for package storage, and receiving photos of your packages costs $4, a service most parcel forwarders offer for free. And worst of all, Stackry's shipping rates are double what you'll pay with iPostal1, eliminating any cost savings you may have got otherwise.
Overall, Stackry is a decent parcel forwarder, but it doesn't compare to the first two on this list. I only recommend using Stackry if for some reason you can't use iPostal1.
Features
- Free storage for 45 days
- Only one warehouse location in New Hampshire, USA
- Package consolidation
- Global delivery to 200+ countries in as little as 3 business days.
- Real-time photos of your packages (for an additional fee of $4)
- Customer support options include email, phone, social media, and live chat.
Pros Of Stackry
- Package consolidation for $2, which can save you significant amounts on shipping costs
- Relatively quick delivery times (though shipping prices are double the industry average)
- Reliable customer support that can be contacted via email at [email protected], contact form, social media, chat, or phone at +1 781-491-0874 from 9 am-5 pm EST on weekdays.
- Easy-to-use website and features that are extra convenient for users that are new to parcel forwarding services.
Cons Of Stackry
- Shipping costs are double the industry average, making Stackry a very expensive option for regular users
- Slow processing and response times in packaging, scanning, and customer support (1-2 business days)
- No dedicated Android or iOS apps
- Stackry's personal shopping feature is only accessible for users who have already made 5+ shipments
- Lack of economical shipping options (the only options are FedEx, USPS International, Global Mail and DHL)
Stackry Pricing
- Monthly Fee: $0
- Package Consolidation: $2
- Special Packaging: $5
- Package Photos: $4
- Package Storage: $0.08/pound/day
- Shipping Costs: Double the industry average
#4 USA2Me
USA2Me is one of the USA’s better-known parcel forwarding services, and it has been thriving for decades. The company has plenty of competitors but what sets it apart from the rest of its competition is its customer service, industry experience, and loyal customers. USA2Me is one of the best forwarding companies out there when it comes to customer loyalty and retention.
They offer plenty of dedicated features for their users, such as an order fulfillment service, a dedicated package manager, and even a personal shopper for users who can’t find an item they need or are having trouble paying for one.
USA2Me prioritizes customer experience above everything else. When users encounter any problem with the service, they can immediately contact customer support, and they will be ready to help you out with any issues you have, saving both your frustration and your time. Their personal shopper service and package manager streamline the forwarding service for you so that you can quickly get your packages forwarded to your location without considerable difficulty.
Features
- Real US street addresses that look authentic and are recognized by most online shops as deliverable locations.
- Order fulfillment service for small businesses that lets users have unlimited storage for storing their item inventory until the company decides to forward it.
- A dedicated package manager that lets you add custom details to your packages to speed up the customs process and allows you to customize your shipping preferences.
- Personal shopper service that purchases items on the user's behalf if they cannot do it themselves due to international transaction errors or geo-restrictions.
- A dedicated virtual office with your own fax and phone number for small businesses that helps them establish an international presence for their company.
- A remailing service that is considerably cheaper than all other delivery options for users that wish to ship their packages back to the USA for returns or replacements.
- Great customer support that is responsive, helpful, and guides customers anytime during weekdays from 9-5.
Pros Of USA2Me
- One of the cheapest and most affordable pricing in the virtual mailbox industry in the USA.
- Good security with the help of SSL encryption software and a highly secure payment gateway.
- Highly rated customer support team active from Monday-Friday: 8:30 am to 5 pm which can be contacted by phone at +1(281)754-4941, through email at [email protected], or through a contact form.
- Several dedicated business features, such as a physical business address, to help companies establish their reach in the USA and complete successful business orders there.
- Dedicated personal shopper service for those having difficulty shopping online in the USA due to payment issues.
- Mail manager that allows users to manage their inbox, request shipments, discard unwanted items, order a mail scan, customize their account and check their account history.
- Straightforward account setup process that can be completed in a very short amount of time.
Cons Of USA2Me
- USA2Me has a very functional website, but the design and layout are very outdated and unresponsive, making it troublesome to access the website through mobile devices.
- Several additional costs that other virtual mailbox providers don't charge, such as $3 for scanning six pages of mail, $3 for receiving a fax and $1 per pound per month of storage after the free period expires, among others.
- USA2Me only operates in one facility, which means that users get absolutely no choice when it comes to location or street address.
- While customer support is highly rated, it only works on weekdays leaving users to fend for themselves when they face user difficulties during the weekend.
- No dedicated Android or iOS app and a non-mobile-friendly website create difficulties for smartphone users.
Pricing
- USA2Me has four subscription plans, ranging from a free plan to one that costs $60/month. Each consecutive plan offers a longer free storage period and lower shipping rates.
- Each plan has its own setup fee of $15, with a $23 fee on the basic plan that doesn't have any monthly charge (nor most of the free features).
- USA2Me has several expensive additional fees for mail scans, shipment insurance, fax reception, and storage.
- USA2Me clearly states in its terms and conditions that it does not provide any refunds for its plans except a 30-day refund period for the setup fees.
#5 Shipixy
Shipixy is an underrated yet experienced parcel forwarding service that has been in the market for the past 15 years with consistent new features and reliable customer service. What makes Shipixy stand out from the rest is its set of innovative features that many parcel forwarding services don’t provide.
Shipixy has years of expertise in the market and has served over 4,000 customers with live and responsive customer service. The website is simple and reasonably easy to navigate, which is extra beneficial for users that aren’t used to parcel forwarding services.
Shipixy’s quality customer support guides users and saves them time if they don’t know how to sign-up or access the website’s features. They also offer live tracking that helps users know where their package is at all times, anywhere in the world, making their lives considerably easier. Their fast delivery times ensure that users won't run out of patience for waiting too long.
Features
- Variety of delivery options that users can choose from depending on whether they want their delivery to be the cheapest or the fastest.
- Shipping to over 190 countries around the world without any delivery or forwarding problems.
- Great service that has made thousands of clients around the world happy, earning customer loyalty.
- Active customer support that responds to all users' problems and guides them to a solution no matter what difficulty they run into.
- Live tracking on all shipments to help you keep track of where your shipments are and when they will reach their destination.
- A simple and easy-to-use website that helps users navigate through the entire shipping process.
- Custom pick-ups that can be scheduled at your chosen location and time and dropped off at the closest location to you.
Pros Of Shipixy
- Active customer support resolves user difficulties easily and responds within 48 hours.
- Shipixy has customized delivery options according to user needs. People can opt for the cheapest or the fastest service as per their own preferences and requirements.
- An easy-to-access website that isn’t overloaded with too many options, keeping things simple and manageable for first-time users.
- Shipixy features a FedEx pick-it-up feature for your shipments where couriers come to your home to pick up your shipment and deliver it for you.
- Delivery support to 190+ countries around the world allows you to ship to practically any country of your choice.
- Live tracking for all your packages and shipments.
Cons Of Shipixy
- Shipixy has a better cost-to-delivery-time ratio, but its delivery options are not as affordable as its competition.
- Customer support cannot be contacted through phone, live chat, or any real-time communication—only through mail support by raising a ticket through their website.
- Though their website is mobile-friendly, they still don’t have a dedicated Android or iOS app that can better facilitate mobile commerce.
- No extensive packaging features such as package consolidation, repacking, or package photographs—your deliveries are simply forwarded to you at a discount rate.
- Shipixy doesn’t have its own facilities that can receive shipments—users are forced to store their package at an address they already reside in or drop it off at a FedEx drop point using Shipixy’s shipping label.
Shipixy Pricing
- Shipixy doesn’t offer any plans or memberships that have premium features of their own—their services are essentially free to use, and you only need to pay the delivery charge.
- They don't have the most affordable pricing in the market, and their delivery rates are expensive for a select few locations.
- Shipixy does not offer users the option to opt for package insurance while booking a shipment.
What Is A Parcel Forwarding Service?
For people that live outside the US or the UK, it is often challenging to access retail stores based in those countries, order items, and have them delivered to their address at a reasonable price. Often, either the store itself doesn't support international deliveries to your country, or the estimated delivery cost is too expensive to justify the order.
This is where parcel forwarding services come in. A parcel forwarding service is specially made to assist international online shoppers and small businesses in streamlining their international delivery process.
Users can use a parcel forwarding service to order any items they want from the country of their choice, have them locally shipped to one of the service's virtual addresses, and then have their orders shipped to the customer's address by one of the service's shipping partners. This way, users can save up to 80% on shipping charges alone, especially if they take advantage of package consolidation services.
Benefits Of Parcel Forwarding Services
- More options: Many e-commerce stores don't support international shipping, making it particularly difficult for international shoppers to order items from them. Using a parcel forwarding service is one of the most straightforward solutions to this problem. You can have the order shipped locally to one of the service's locations and then internationally shipped to you later.
- More value: Most parcel forwarding services get huge discounts on shipping rates because they deal in huge volumes. These services pass on these discounts to their users, who, in turn, get extremely low shipping rates for their orders.
- Better management: When you order from an online store, you can hardly control the nature and the dimensions of the package being delivered. Instead, a parcel forwarding service allows full access to your packages. It allows you to enhance them with various options, such as package consolidation, repacking, and real-time tracking.
- More reliability: Users can't control the shipping partners that online shops choose and are forced to stick with them even if they are subpar as compared to other shipping companies. On the other hand, a parcel forwarding service gives you many options to choose from in terms of shipping partners and rates, depending on your preference and urgency.
In Summary
The best parcel forwarding service is iPostal1, both because it costs as little as $9.99/month, has more than 2,000 locations to choose from, and has the best customer reviews in the industry. With deep discounts on shipping and a suite of services that make domestic and international parcel forwarding easy, I strongly recommend iPostal1.
Parcel Forwarding Service FAQs
What's the best package forwarder?
The best parcel forwarding service is iPostal1 because they provide a consistently reliable service with very low monthly fees. iPostal1 customers get to choose from 2,000+ warehouse locations, making it both easy and inexpensive to receive and forward packages on to you wherever you are in the world.
What's the cheapest way to ship internationally?
The cheapest way to ship internationally is using an affordable parcel forwarding service with their cheapest delivery option. Generally, choosing a cheaper option means your package will take longer to arrive (anywhere from 1 week to 1 month or more), and it may not be insured, which could pose issues for you if your item is lost along the way. Still, parcel forwarders are a great way to get things shipped overseas cheaply, and are a great way to save money when buying from online retailers in the United States.
How much does a parcel forwarding service cost?
A parcel forwarding service costs anywhere from $0 to $20 or more, depending on the service you use.
Is a parcel forwarding service worth It?
Parcel forwarding services may be worth it to you if you can save more money on the item you're buying than you'll have to pay in shipping and potential import costs. It's always worth comparison shopping in your own country and region, though, because even if the item you're buying costs more, you might save money overall by buying locally.
Are parcel forwarding services safe?
On the whole, parcel forwarding services are generally safe: they tend to take security at their warehouses very seriously, and are incentivized to provide top-quality service to ensure customers keep coming back. Of course, it's possible that you may have a bad experience with one parcel forwarder, but if you choose a reputable service (I recommend iPostal1), I'm confident that you'll be pleased with what they offer.
Are parcel forwarding services legit?
The parcel forwarding services on this list are legit, and I've personally vetted them to ensure they take care of their customers. As with any online service, though, it's good to do your homework before signing up, so read some online reviews before choosing the parcel forwarder that's right for you.