Shipping internationally from Canada can be pretty expensive, especially when you factor in the fuel costs, distance, customs brokerage, carrier, and other factors that increase international shipping costs. However, some shipping companies like Canada Post, UPS, and other carriers mentioned in this post offer affordable shipping rates and quick delivery of packages to any country worldwide. You'll get the cheapest international shipping from Canada using Canada Post International Shipping. A standard 10 kg package sent from Toronto to London will only cost $171.04 and will take 12 business days to arrive. Canada Post also offers other quicker options that are only slightly more expensive. If you're looking for overnight delivery or in a maximum of 1 business day, UPS Worldwide Express Saver is one of the cheapest options but it'll cost you $385.89. Other options can cost twice as much.
International shipping carriers come in many different varieties: some are pricey, others cheap, and others offer affordable and costly options. We researched dozens of carriers that provide international shipping services from Canada and identified a few that offer the best features at the lowest price.
In this post, we'll explain why international shipping from Canada is so expensive. We'll also show you how you can save money on international shipping, compare shipping rates offered by different carriers, and give the best and most affordable options for making international shipments from Canada. Indeed, finding the carrier with the cheapest rate isn't our only goal. We'll also help you find some of the most reliable, safe, and secure international carriers to ensure that your packages are in safe hands.
So if you're looking for an international carrier that's affordable, safe, and reliable, you've come to the right place.
Related: if you want to save on shipping, you may be interested in the best ways to ship items from the US to Canada.
Why Is It Expensive To Ship Internationally From Canada?
While trying to send a package from Canada to any other country, you've probably been shocked at the quote you received and the amount you may have had to pay for shipping. This is due to many factors affecting international shipping costs from Canada. Some of these factors include:
#1 Fuel Costs
Fuel prices constantly fluctuate, but they are currently at an all-time high. Jet fuel, for instance, is expensive, so if you're shipping your package via air freight, your carrier will charge you an extra surcharge for fuel costs. The same goes for ocean freight, ground, and rail shipping. So, the higher the fuel price, the more you'll have to pay for shipping.
#2 Package Destination
The distance of the country you're shipping the package to from the pick-up location in Canada also determines how much you'll pay for shipping costs. The farther your package destination is, the more you'll pay for shipping. Also, if you're shipping to a country with a major and busy international port, like China, your carrier will charge you more based on how difficult it is to get into the harbour.
#3 Customs Brokerage
One of the reasons international shipping costs so much is that once your carrier ships your package to the destination country, the shipment will have to be cleared at the border by customs officials before being allowed to enter the country. Most carriers provide customs clearance with their shipping services. As clearance at the border usually comes with a fee, your carrier will charge you more for shipping to be able to provide customs coverage.
#4 Type Of Carrier
The primary factor that affects the amount you may have to pay for shipping is the type of carrier you choose to make your shipments.
Different carriers offer different shipping solutions at different prices and depending on the one you choose, you may have to pay higher shipping costs.
However, we've chosen a few of the best carriers that offer reliable international shipping services at affordable rates. Read on to find out.
#5 Delivery Timeline
You'll be charged more for shipping if you're sending a time-sensitive package and need fast delivery. To be able to deliver your package quickly, your carrier will have to put it on the next flight out to be delivered to its destination in 24 hours, and factoring in other extra charges, including fuel costs, the shipping rate may skyrocket.
#6 Package Size And Weight
As with domestic shipping, the size and weight of your package predominantly affect the amount you'll pay for shipping costs. Generally, the larger and heavier your package, the more you'll pay for shipping.
What Is The Cheapest Way To Ship Internationally From Canada?
The cheapest way to ship internationally from Canada is via rail, ocean freight, or ground shipping. If the destination country is significantly far from Canada, the most affordable option will be by ocean freight.
Ocean freight shipping has considerable risks as the ocean vessels may be affected by harsh weather on the high seas, and many things could go wrong. Still, you may only have one choice if you're shipping a huge and heavy package. Also, shipping via ocean freight can take a few days to several weeks, depending on the destination.
Ground shipping via truck and rail is another way to ship packages internationally from Canada for cheap. However, like ocean freight shipping, it can be very slow depending on the destination, and delivery can take a couple of days to a few weeks.
International shipping via air freight is the fastest and most expensive way to send shipments from Canada to any part of the world. Air freights, which use jets and airplanes, can make one to three business day deliveries depending on the destination.
What Is The Best Carrier To Ship Internationally From Canada?
Many carriers provide global shipping solutions from Canada to any part of the world. However, some of them are quite expensive and can require you to pay close to $1,000, depending on the destination and size of your parcel. If you're looking for the cheapest international shipping from Canada, here are some of the best carriers that can provide you with affordable and reliable shipping services:
Canada Post
Canada Post is the primary postal service operator in Canada and offers shipping services to individuals and businesses to help them send packages throughout Canada.
Canada Post also offers international shipping services and can be used to ship parcels from Canada to any country worldwide.
It offers the following international shipping services:
| Canada Post Shipping Service | Features |
| Canada Post Priorityâ„¢ Worldwide | Guaranteed delivery in 2 to 3 business days and 1 business day to the US Tracking and delivery confirmation Package insurance Delivery updates Additional insurance or liability coverage can be purchased Signature included Customs clearance |
| Canada Post Xpresspostâ„¢ International | Guaranteed delivery in 4 to 7 business days Tracking and delivery confirmation Package insurance Delivery updates Signature can be purchased Additional insurance can be purchased Customs clearance |
| Canada Post International Parcelâ„¢ | Delivery in 12 business days or more by air and 4 to 12 weeks by land or sea. Delivery to P.O Box Package insurance Additional insurance can be purchased Customs clearance |
| Canada Post Tracked Packetâ„¢ International | Delivery in 6 to 10 business days Tracking and delivery confirmation Delivery updates Package insurance Additional insurance can be purchased Customs clearance |
| Canada Post Small Packetâ„¢ International | Delivery in 6 to 10 business days or more by air and 4 to 12 weeks by land or sea. Delivery to P.O Box Customs clearance |
FedEx
FedEx is a major international shipping company that provides reliable shipping services to individuals and businesses worldwide. You can also use FedEx to ship your packages from Canada to over 220 countries around the world.
FedEx provides the following international shipping services for shipments made from Canada to any other country:
| FedEx Shipping Service | Features |
| FedEx International First® | Guaranteed next-business-day delivery by 8:00 a.m. to locations in the US Delivery in 2 business days by 9:00 a.m. to cities in Europe and by 10:00 a.m. to cities in Latin America Delivery in 3 business days by 10:00 a.m. to cities in Asia and Australia Package tracking included Package insurance Customs coverage |
| FedEx International Priority® Express | Guaranteed next-business-day delivery by 10:30 a.m. to businesses and by noon to residential addresses in most areas in the US Delivery in 1 to 3 business days to select countries Package tracking included Package insurance Customs coverage |
| FedEx International Priority® | Guaranteed next-business-day delivery by 4:30 p.m. to businesses in major areas in the US and by 5:00 p.m. to businesses and residential areas in some rural areas. Delivery in 1 to 3 business days to any country in the world Package tracking included Package insurance Customs coverage |
| FedEx® International Economy | Delivery in 2 business days to most areas in the US Delivery in 2 to 5 business days to major countries in the world Package tracking included Package insurance Customs coverage |
| FedEx Groundâ„¢ | Delivery in 2 to 7 days to locations in the US Package tracking included Package insurance Customs coverage |
| FedEx® DirectDistribution Surface Solutions | Overnight to 3-business-day delivery via FedEx Express for break-bulk packages to locations in the US, including Alaska and Hawaii Delivery in 1 to 5 business days via FedEx Ground for break-bulk packages to locations in the US, including Alaska and Hawaii Package tracking included Package insurance Customs coverage |
| FedEx International Priority DirectDistribution® | Delivery in 2 to 4 business days for break-bulk shipments to locations in the US and to select countries worldwide Package tracking included Package insurance Customs coverage |
UPS
UPS is another global leader providing shipping services to businesses and individuals enabling them to ship their packages worldwide. The company offers time-definite and day-definite reliable delivery of parcels to worldwide locations depending on the package destination.
UPS offers the following delivery services for making international shipments from Canada to over 220 countries worldwide:
| UPS Shipping Service | Features |
| UPS Express Critical® | Delivery time is fixed when order is placed Package tracking Package insurance Customs coverage |
| UPS Express Early | Guaranteed delivery in 1 business day by 8:30 a.m. or 9:00 a.m. to locations in the US Package tracking Package insurance Customs coverage |
| UPS Worldwide Express | Delivery in 1 to 3 business days by 10:30 a.m., 12 noon, or 2:00 p.m. to countries worldwide Package tracking Package insurance Customs coverage |
| UPS Worldwide Express Plus | Delivery in 2 to 3 business days by 8:30 a.m. or 9:00 a.m. to countries worldwide Package tracking Package insurance Customs coverage |
| UPS Worldwide Express Saver | Delivery in 1 to 3 business days by the end of the day to countries worldwide Package tracking Package insurance Customs coverage |
| UPS 3-Day Select | Delivery in 3 business days by the end of the day to the US Package tracking Package insurance Customs coverage |
| UPS Worldwide Expedited | Delivery in 2 to 5 business days by the end of the day to countries worldwide Package tracking Package insurance Customs coverage |
| UPS Worldwide Express Freight® | Delivery in 1 to 3 business days by the end of the day to countries worldwide Package tracking Package insurance Customs coverage |
| UPS Worldwide Express Freight® Midday | Delivery in 1 to 3 business days by noon or 2:00 p.m. to countries worldwide Package tracking Package insurance Customs coverage |
| UPS Standard | Day-definite delivery by the end of the day to countries worldwide Package tracking Package insurance Customs coverage |
Related: If you want to find a great gift to send someone abroad, consider these great ways to find cheap good-quality jewellery in Canada.
Purolator
Purolator is an international shipping company with an expansive shipping network to help businesses and individuals make shipments to over 210 countries and territories worldwide.
Purolator provides the following delivery services for international shipping from Canada:
| Purolator Shipping Services | Features |
| Purolator Express® International 9AM | Guaranteed delivery in 2 business days by 9:00 a.m. to select countries worldwide Package tracking Customs coverage Package insurance |
| Purolator Express® International 10:30AM | Guaranteed delivery in 2 business days by 10:30 a.m. to select countries worldwide Package tracking Customs coverage Package insurance |
| Purolator Express® International 12PM | Guaranteed delivery in 2 business days by noon to select countries worldwide Package tracking Customs coverage Package insurance |
| Purolator Express® International | Guaranteed delivery in 2 business days to most countries worldwide Package tracking Customs coverage Package insurance |
DHL
DHL is another major international air carrier with shipping networks in more than 220 countries worldwide. The company offers reliable shipping solutions tailored to help individuals and businesses make shipments to any location worldwide.
DHL offers the following shipping solutions for international shipping from Canada:
| DHL Shipping Services | Features |
| DHL Same Day Jetline | Guaranteed next-day delivery to international destinations Real-time, online tracking Customs clearance Package insurance |
| DHL Same Day Speedline | Guaranteed next-day delivery to international destinations Real-time, online tracking Customs clearance Package insurance |
| DHL Same Day Sprintline | Guaranteed next-day delivery to select countries worldwide Real-time, online tracking Customs clearance Package insurance |
| DHL Air Priority | Delivery in 1 to 2 business days to international destinations Real-time, online tracking Customs clearance Package insurance |
| DHL Parcel International Direct Priority | Delivery in 3 to 6 business days to locations in the US End-to-end tracking with delivery confirmation Customs clearance Package insurance |
| DHL Parcel International Direct Standard | Delivery in 5 to 9 business days to locations in the US End-to-end tracking with delivery confirmation Customs clearance Package insurance |
| DHL Air Economy | Delivery in 5 to 7 business days to international destinations Real-time tracking Customs clearance Package insurance |
| DHL Air Charter | Delivery time is fixed when order is placed Real-time tracking Customs clearance Package insurance |
| DHL Air Thermonet | Delivery time is fixed when order is placedReal-time tracking Customs clearance Package Insurance |
How Much Does It Cost To Ship Internationally From Canada?
International shipping costs vary from carrier to carrier and depend on the size and weight of your package and the country you're sending it.
So we curated the international shipping rates from Canada Post, UPS, FedEx, Purolator, and DHL for sending a package from Toronto, Canada, to London, United Kingdom, and Sydney, Australia, to determine which offers the cheapest rates.
The shipping rates offered by either carrier for shipping a standard 10kg (22lbs) package from Toronto to London are shown in the table below:
| Shipping Service | Shipping Cost (in CAD) | Delivery Timeline |
| Canada Post Priorityâ„¢ Worldwide | $428.13 | Delivery in 2 business days |
| Canada Post Xpresspostâ„¢ International | $296.91 | Guaranteed delivery in 8 business days |
| Canada Post International Parcel | $171.04 | Delivery in 12 business days |
| FedEx International First® | $760.41 | Delivery in 2 business days by 10:00 a.m. |
| FedEx International Priority® Express | $619.13 | Delivery in 2 business days by noon |
| FedEx International Priority® | $607.75 | Delivery in 2 business days by 6:00 p.m. |
| FedEx International Economy® | $548.84 | Delivery in 4 business days by 6:00 p.m. |
| UPS Worldwide Express Plus | $494.02 | Delivery in 1 business day by 9:00 a.m. |
| UPS Worldwide Express | $406.17 | Delivery in 1 business day by noon |
| UPS Worldwide Express Saver | $385.89 | Delivery in 1 business day |
| UPS Worldwide Expedited | $361.74 | Delivery in 4 business days |
| Purolator Express International 12 PM Guaranteed | $682.28 | Delivery in 2 business days |
| Purolator Express International Guaranteed | $648.45 | Delivery in 2 business days |
| DHL International | $484.39 | Delivery in 2 business days by 9:00 a.m. |
| DHL International | $463.89 | Delivery in 2 business days by noon |
| DHL International | $460.26 | Delivery in 2 business days |
The shipping rates offered by either carrier for shipping the same 10kg (22lbs) from Toronto to Sydney, Australia, are shown in the table below:
| Shipping Services | Shipping Cost (in CAD) | Delivery TImeline |
| Canada Post Priorityâ„¢ Worldwide | $449.45 | Delivery in 3 business days |
| Canada Post Xpresspostâ„¢ International | $318.39 | Delivery in 8 business days |
| FedEx International Priority® Express | $827.66 | Delivery in 3 business days by noon |
| FedEx International Priority® | $812.32 | Delivery in 3 business days by 5:00 p.m. |
| FedEx International Economy® | $733.22 | Delivery in 11 business days by 6:00 p.m. |
| UPS Worldwide Express Plus | $647.65 | Delivery in 2 business days by 9:00 a.m. |
| UPS Worldwide Express | $559.80 | Delivery in 2 business days by noon |
| UPS Worldwide Express Saver | $533.14 | Delivery in 2 business days |
| UPS Worldwide Expedited | $501.37 | Delivery in 5 business days |
| Purolator Express International Guaranteed | $856.81 | Delivery in 2 business days |
| DHL International | $650.16 | Delivery in 3 business days by noon |
| DHL International | $646.53 | Delivery in 3 business days |
From both comparisons, the cheapest shipping rates in both cases are offered by Canada Post, but the delivery timeline provided is the longest. So, Canada Post offers more affordable options if you do not need fast delivery.
Canada Post and UPS offer the cheapest rates for quick delivery options compared to the other carriers. Still, as mentioned earlier, the shipping rates from each carrier depend on the country you're sending your package to and the size and weight of your package.
However, you must ensure that the international carrier you choose offers affordable rates and reliable services to meet your needs.
How Do I Save Money When Shipping Internationally From Canada?
As the holidays are fast approaching and shipping costs are skyrocketing, it is essential to find ways to help you save money while shipping your packages internationally from Canada.
Here are a few tips that'll help you save a couple of dollars while shipping internationally:
- Compare shipping rates from different carriers to find the most cost-effective one.
- If you're not sending a time-sensitive package that needs urgent delivery, opt for sea or ocean freight shipping, as it's cheaper than air freight.
- Print postage for your packages yourself.
- Use third-party insurance to help you save up to half the amount your carrier may charge for insurance.
- Use flat-rate shipping options provided by your carrier to have a more accurate estimate of shipping costs.
- Optimize the packaging for your parcels to reduce bulkiness and weight. The bulkier and heavier your package, the more you'll pay for shipping.
- Pack and consolidate your packages together into one parcel to avoid shipping many packages one after the other.
- If your carrier doesn't offer free pick-up, you can drop off the package at the pick-up location to save on the extra costs you'll be charged.
Final Thoughts
As e-commerce keeps rising, more and more people order products online from other countries, including Canada. Shipping from Canada to other countries can be pretty expensive. Hence, Canadians must find ways to ship packages to other countries that won't break the bank.
The cheapest way to ship from Canada to other countries is via sea or ocean freight for non-urgent packages. Canada Post also offers cheap rates for non-urgent deliveries. However, compared to other carriers, UPS offers affordable shipping rates for urgent and quick delivery of packages.
Cheapest International Shipping From Canada FAQs
Here are 3 of the most frequently asked questions on the cheapest international shipping from Canada:
What is the cheapest way to ship internationally from Canada?
The cheapest way to ship internationally from Canada is via sea or ocean freight or, depending on the destination, ground shipping via rail or truck. These methods have longer delivery times but are more affordable than air freight shipping.
How long does international shipping take from Canada?
International shipping from Canada may take anywhere from 1 to 5 days to several days, weeks, or months, depending on the destination country.
Which is cheaper for shipping internationally from Canada, UPS or Canada Post?
Canada Post offers cheaper shipping rates for non-urgent package deliveries, but UPS has affordable, fast, and quick delivery options.
