The cheapest overnight shipping Canada has to offer is UPS’s Express Saver service. A long-haul shipment of a standard 20 kg package from Toronto to Vancouver costs around $200 with UPS Express Saver, while an equivalent service from FedEx or Porulator can easily cost twice as much. UPS is also the cheapest option for guaranteed next-day early deliveries within Canada. However, when it comes to international overnight deliveries from the U.S. to Canada, USPS offers the most competitive rates but without a next-day arrival guarantee. If you want the cheapest guaranteed 1-day delivery from Canada to the U.S., your best bet is with FedEx.
Overnight shipping options come in many different varieties: some affordable, others costly, and others provide both cheap and expensive options. We researched dozens of courier services in Canada that provide overnight shipping and identified a few that offer the best features at the lowest price.
In this post, we’ll explain what makes overnight shipping more expensive than other delivery options, how you can save money when choosing a courier service for overnight shipping in Canada, and give you some of the cheapest and most affordable options for overnight deliveries both within Canada and from Canada to the U.S.
So if you're looking for an overnight shipping option that's both affordable and reliable, you've come to the right place.
Note: This post is about overnight shipping within Canada. You may also be interested in the cheapest shipping from the U.S. to Canada.
What Is Overnight Shipping?
Overnight shipping is a delivery process that ensures that packages are delivered to the recipients by the next day or the next business day after the shipping order is placed. Some shipping services may even deliver packages to the recipients in the next few hours.
Overnight shipping, also known as next-day delivery or one-day delivery, is the fastest shipping option provided by carriers. For your shipment to be delivered overnight, there are a few requirements that need to be met.
Typically, if you're using an overnight shipping service, you'll receive your packages on the next day, business day, or in the next few hours. However, for some carriers, if you place your orders during the weekend, you'll have to wait until the next business day or two days to receive your shipment.
Overnight shipping is usually offered by carriers with enough transportation routes and hubs throughout the country to help facilitate quick and easy pickup and delivery of packages. Some shipping companies are, however, limited to metropolitan areas and do not offer overnight shipping services to rural areas.
What Courier Service Should You Use For Overnight Shipping In Canada?
Several courier services in Canada provide overnight shipping or next-day delivery services at affordable rates. These include:
- Canada Post.
- UPS.
- FedEx.
- Purolator.
Let’s see what these companies have to offer.
#1 Canada Post
Canada Post is a major carrier or courier service in Canada and offers overnight shipping or one-day delivery options amid other domestic shipping services it provides.
Canada Post offers the following overnight delivery options:
Canada Post Priority
Canada Post Priority is the quickest and fastest delivery option provided by Canada Post. The shipped packages are insured and guaranteed to be delivered in one day. You can also track the progress of your parcels until delivery.
Canada Post XpressPost
Canada Post XpressPost provides both overnight and 2-day delivery options for packages shipped within Canada. The packages are also insured and can be tracked across Canada.
#2 UPS
UPS is a leading shipping company that offers same-day and overnight shipping services in Canada. It’s one of the best and cheapest shipping service providers that operates in the country.
The overnight shipping services offered by UPS include:
UPS Express Critical
The UPS Express Critical is the quickest shipping option provided by UPS. The service offers guaranteed fast delivery of your packages in 6 to 8 hours or less. Also, the packages are insured and can be tracked until delivery.
UPS Express Early
With the UPS Express Early, you're guaranteed next-day delivery by 9:00 a.m. if you reside in a central metropolitan area. Your packages are insured, and you can also track the progress of your packages.
UPS Express
The UPS Express is cheaper than the UPS Express Early and guarantees a next-day delivery of your packages by 10:30 a.m. if you live in a metropolitan area. Your packages are insured, and you can also track your packages across Canada.
UPS Express Saver
The UPS Express Saver offers cost-effectiveness and next-day delivery of your packages by 3:00 p.m. if you live in a metropolitan area. UPS Express Saver provides insurance for your packages, and you can track your shipment until delivery.
#3 FedEx
FedEx is a major shipping company that also offers overnight delivery services for packages throughout Canada.
The overnight shipping services it offers include:
FedEx First Overnight
The FedEx First Overnight is the fastest overnight delivery option provided by FedEx for shipping packages within Canada.
The service guarantees a next-business-day delivery of your package by 10:00 a.m. to your metropolitan address. The FedEx First Overnight provides insurance for your packages and allows you to track your shipment.
FedEx Priority Overnight
The FedEx Priority Overnight is similar to the FedEx First Overnight, but instead, the next-day delivery is made by noon to metropolitan areas in Canada.
The service also provides insurance for your packages and allows you to track them until delivery.
FedEx Standard Overnight
The FedEx Standard Overnight service guarantees a next-day delivery of shipments by 5:00 p.m. to business addresses and by 8:00 p.m. to residential addresses in most metropolitan areas.
Your packages are insured, and you'll be able to track your shipments until delivery.
#4 Purolator
Purolator is another major logistics company in Canada that also offers overnight shipping options on top of other domestic services for shipping packages within Canada.
Purolator offers the following overnight shipping services:
Purolator Express
Purolator Express offers guaranteed next-business-day delivery of packages by 9:00 p.m. to every province and territory in Canada. The service also provides insurance for your packages and allows you to track the progress of your package.
Purolator Express 9AM, 10:30AM, and 12PM
The Purolator Express 9AM, 10:30AM, and 12PM services offer guaranteed next-day delivery of parcels by 9:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 12 noon the next day if you live in any major city in Canada. Also, your packages are insured, and you can track them until delivery.
Purolator Express Evening
With Purolator Express Evening, your packages can be delivered on the next business day between 5:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. from when you place your order if you live in any major city in Canada.
The service also provides insurance for your packages and allows you to track your shipment until delivery.
What Is The Cheapest Way To Ship Overnight Within Canada?
Before choosing a courier service to ship your package, you must ensure that the services and rates provided suit your needs and budget accordingly. So, to help you find a more affordable courier service for shipping purposes, we compared the rates from Canada Post, Purolator, UPS, and FedEx in Canada for overnight shipping of a 20kg (40 lbs) package from Toronto to Vancouver.
The shipping rates are shown in the table below:
| Courier Service | Shipping Cost | Delivery Time |
| Canada Post Priority | $273.16 | 1-business-day delivery |
| UPS Express Early | $259.39 | 1-day delivery by 9:00 a.m. |
| UPS Express | $229.91 | 1-day delivery by 10:30 a.m. |
| UPS Express Saver | $206.89 | 1-day delivery by 3:00 p.m. |
| FedEx First Overnight | $479.82 | 1-day delivery by 10:00 a.m. |
| FedEx Priority Overnight | $434.29 | 1-day delivery by 12 noon |
| FedEx Standard Overnight | $391.83 | 1-day delivery by 5:00 p.m. |
| Purolator Express | $318.47 | 1-day delivery by the end of the day |
| Purolator Express 9AM | $425.17 | 1-day delivery by 9:00 a.m. |
| Purolator Express 10:30AM | $374.66 | 1-day delivery by 10:30 a.m. |
| Purolator Express 12PM | $367.26 | 1-day delivery by 12 noon |
| Purolator Express Evening | $391.88 | 1-day delivery between 5:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. |
So, from our comparisons, Canada Post and UPS have the most affordable shipping rates for overnight delivery of packages within Canada. However, from the two, UPS shipping rates are the cheapest overnight shipping rates for packages, and the company is considered better overall.
Related: If you’re looking for the cheapest way to send a large shipment, like a car, across the country, read our post on the cheapest car shipping in Canada.
How To Ship Overnight From The U.S. To Canada
Canada has a big international market. With e-commerce on the rise, Canadians are willing to purchase products online from other countries like the U.S. and have them shipped overnight to their Canadian addresses. However, shipping a package through international borders, like to and from the United States, requires that you understand and consider certain factors.
You must ensure that you fulfill all the customs requirements regarding your shipment, including certificates and forms. You'll also need to consider that each country has a list of items you'll not be allowed to ship into the country and ensure that the item you're shipping doesn't go against any rules.
Also, Canada charges import duties and taxes on shipments made into Canada.
The major carriers you can use to make overnight shipments from the U.S. to Canada are:
- United States Postal Service (USPS)
- UPS
- FedEx
Related: Read our post about the cheapest overnight shipping services in the U.S.
USPS
The United States Postal Service (USPS), or U.S. Mail, is the leading postal service in the United States. USPS also makes deliveries to countries worldwide at affordable rates.
If you ship your packages from the U.S. to Canada by USPS, your packages will have to be cleared by customs when they arrive at the Canadian border. After your shipment is checked by a customs officer and allowed to enter Canada, Canada Post will pick up your shipment and deliver the packages just like regular mail.
The overnight shipping option offered by USPS is Priority Mail Express International.
UPS
UPS is a reliable shipping company that provides shipping services in Canada and worldwide. You can also make overnight shipments of your packages from the United States to Canada using UPS.
The overnight international delivery option it offers is the UPS Worldwide Express Plus.
FedEx
FedEx is a major international shipping and logistics company that can be used to make shipments to different countries worldwide. FedEx also offers services that help you ship your packages overnight from the U.S. to Canada.
The overnight international shipping services provided by FedEx are as follows:
- FedEx International Priority Express
- FedEx International Express
What Is The Cheapest Way To Ship From The U.S. To Canada?
To find out the cheapest way to ship from the U.S. to Canada, we have to compare the shipping rates of international courier services like the ones mentioned above. That will help us find a cost-effective and reliable option.
So we compared the shipping rates from USPS, FedEx, and UPS for shipping a standard 5kg (11 lbs) package from California to Toronto.
The shipping cost of overnight shipping with each courier service is shown in the table below:
| Delivery Service | Shipping Cost | Delivery Timeline |
| USPS Priority Mail Express International | $140.65 | 1 to 3 days delivery to major markets |
| FedEx International Priority Express | $214.81 | 1-day delivery by 1:30 p.m. |
| FedEx International Priority | $208.75 | 1-day delivery by 5:00 p.m. |
| UPS Worldwide Express Plus | $624.43 | 1-day delivery by 9:00 a.m. |
| UPS Worldwide Express | $573.63 | 1-day delivery by 10:30 a.m. |
| UPS Worldwide Saver | $566.81 | 1-day delivery by the end of the day |
From our comparisons, USPS and FedEx International Priority Express are the cheapest ways to ship overnight from the U.S. to Canada. However, even though USPS, which is the cheapest option of all, could ship overnight, the company doesn’t guarantee your package will arrive the next day. It could end up arriving up to 3 days later. So, the best and cheapest way to ship overnight from the U.S. to Canada is through FedEx’s International Priority service.
On the other hand, if time is less of an issue, USPS is a much cheaper option, with shipments running for as little as one-tenth of the highest price you’ll pay with other couriers. On the flip side, while companies like FedEx, UPS, and Purolator do charge high rates for shipping, they're reliable and handle all the import duties and taxes when they reach the Canadian border.
Why Is Overnight Shipping Expensive In Canada?
Shipping rates in Canada are high, but overnight shipping prices are even higher because it requires more work from the courier service that delivers the package. Another factor is that Canada is a vast country with many hard-to-reach places.
The shipping rate you'll have to pay depends on which part of Canada you live in and the distance the package will have to travel to get to you.
On receiving your delivery order, the shipping company will have to pick up the package you want to be delivered and ensure that it gets to its destination in 24 hours. Shipping companies usually give you a guarantee that the package will arrive on time. This means that if you choose overnight delivery and your package doesn’t arrive the next day, you will get your money back while still getting the package delivered.
Hence, to avoid the withdrawal of delivery orders, shipping companies must ensure that packages are delivered to the recipients in 24 hours.
If you live in a part of Canada that's hard to navigate or in a rural area, you'll pay more than you would if you lived in a metropolitan area or a major city or if you wanted the package shipped later. This is because there is a higher risk that the courier will fail to deliver on time and have to return the money.
Also, gas prices are at an all-time high, so you'll have to pay more to cover the gas spent in delivering your packages.
How Does Overnight Shipping Work In Canada?
Overnight shipping is what more than 50% of Canadians will opt for when shopping online (if it’s affordable). This requires a lot of work on the part of the logistics company to meet all delivery dates and times. Here's a breakdown of how the process works:
- As a shopper, you must place your shipping order before the cut-off time and choose overnight or next-day delivery as your shipping option.
- You or your fulfillment partner packages and prepares the shipment for pickup by the courier.
- The courier you choose to make the delivery with picks up or receives the package and processes it for delivery.
- Your package is transported to the courier's closest overnight hub.
- The courier delivers your package to you the next day.
The Bottom Line
Overnight shipping is the delivery option that more than 50% of Canadian customers will opt for because it ensures that packages are delivered within a 24-hour time frame or less.
Although overnight delivery is often provided at a higher cost than slower options, there are courier services in Canada with affordable and even cheap overnight shipping options. The cheapest overnight shipping Canada has to offer for domestic shipments is UPS, followed by Canada Post. However, before choosing a courier to make an overnight delivery for you, ensure that the services are reliable and suit your needs and budget and that you still have time to close your purchase and place the order before the cutoff time.
Cheapest Overnight Shipping Canada FAQs
How fast is overnight shipping?
Overnight shipping is the fastest delivery option provided by courier services, and you'll receive your package in 24 hours or the next day, in some cases sooner. For example, some carriers offer guaranteed delivery by as early as 9 am the following day, which can be less than 24 hours, depending on what time you dropped off your package for delivery.
How fast is FedEx Overnight?
If you're using any FedEx overnight shipping options, you'll receive your package the next day by 10:00 a.m., 12 noon, or 5:00 p.m., depending on the particular service you paid for.
Is shipping from the U.S. to Canada free?
No, shipping from the U.S. to Canada isn't free. However, there are cheap and affordable shipping options you can go for, like the USPS. However, some online merchants and retailers offer overnight shipping free of charge as a promotion or as part of their services.
