Shipping in Canada is expensive, both within Canada and to destinations overseas, even if that destination is as near as the United States. Distances are almost always very long, and general transport conditions are usually rougher than in other parts of the world due to strong winters and a very cold climate. However, it’s possible to find cheap shipping rates in certain cases. The cheapest shipping from Canada to the U.S. is UPS’s Standard 3-day delivery service which costs just $61.00 for shipping a standard 15 kg package from Toronto to New York. Other cheap options are FedEx’s International Ground 3-day delivery service and Canada Post’s Expedited Parcel – USA 3–5-day delivery service. The most expensive option is Purolator’s Express U.S. 9AM delivery service.
Shipping services come in many different varieties: some affordable, others expensive, and others offer both cheap and pricey rates. We researched dozens of courier services for shipping your packages from Canada to the U.S. and identified some that offer the best features at the lowest price.
In this post, you’ll learn why shipping from Canada to the U.S. is expensive. We’ll also show you how you can save money when choosing a courier service to ship your packages from Canada to the U.S., compare shipping rates offered by major courier services, and show you the cheapest and most cost-effective options for making shipments from Canada to the U.S.
So if you're looking for a safe, affordable, and reliable delivery option for making shipments from Canada to the U.S., you've come to the right place.
Note: This post is about shipping from Canada to the U.S. If you’re looking for cheap shipping from the U.S. to Canada, refer to this post instead. Alternatively, you may also be interested to learn about the cheapest overnight shipping in Canada and from the U.S. to Canada.
What Is The Cheapest Way To Ship From Canada To The U.S. In 2023?
The cheapest way to ship your packages from Canada to the United States is by using the shipping company’s ground shipping options. Although it's the slowest option, ground shipping offers the cheapest shipping from Canada to the U.S. for freight and small packages compared to other quick delivery options that provide next-day or 2-day deliveries.
If you choose to use the ground shipping option and depending on where in the U.S. you want your packages delivered, your packages may take about a week or more to get to their destination. However, for shorter distances, packages usually arrive within 3 business days.
Does Canada Post Ship From Canada To The US?
Canada Post is the main postal service in Canada and is widely regarded as a cost-effective option for Canadians for both domestic and international shipping.
Canada Post offers the following delivery options for making shipments from Canada to the U.S.:
| Canada Post Delivery Service | Features |
| Canada Post Priority Worldwide | * Guaranteed delivery in 24 hours to most states in the US. * Package tracking. * Package insurance. |
| Canada Post XpressPost | * Guaranteed delivery in 2 to 3 business days. * Package tracking. * Package insurance. |
| Canada Post Expedited Parcel | * Guaranteed delivery in 3 to 5 business days.Package tracking. * Package insurance. |
Does UPS Ship From Canada To The US?
You can also use UPS to ship your packages from Canada to the U.S.
UPS offers the following delivery options for packages shipped from Canada to the U.S.:
| UPS Delivery Service | Features |
| UPS Worldwide Express Plus | * Guaranteed next-day delivery by 8:30 a.m. * Package insurance. * Package tracking. |
| UPS Worldwide Express | * Guaranteed next-day delivery by 10:30 a.m.Package insurance. * Package tracking. |
| UPS Express Saver | * Guaranteed delivery in 1 to 3 business daysPackage insurance. * Package tracking. |
| UPS Worldwide Expedited | * Guaranteed delivery in 1 to 5 business daysPackage insurance. * Package tracking. |
| UPS 3-Day Select | * Guaranteed 3-day delivery. * Package insurance. * Package tracking. |
| UPS Standard | * Guaranteed delivery in 2 to 5 business days.Package insurance. * Package tracking. |
Does FedEx Ship From Canada To The US?
FedEx offers international shipping services to help you ship your packages from Canada to the U.S. or other parts of the world.
You can use the following FedEx delivery options to ship your packages from Canada to the U.S.:
| FedEx Delivery Service | Features |
| FedEx International First | * Guaranteed next-day delivery by 8:00 a.m. * Package tracking. * Package insurance. |
| FedEx International Priority Express | * Guaranteed time-definite delivery in 1 to 3 business days by 10:30 a.m. * Package tracking. * Package Insurance. |
| FedEx International Priority | * Guaranteed delivery in 1 to 3 business daysPackage tracking. * Package insurance. |
| FedEx International Economy | * Guaranteed delivery in 2 to 3 business daysPackage tracking. * Package insurance. |
| FedEx International Ground | * Guaranteed delivery in 2 to 7 business daysPackage tracking. * Package insurance. |
Does Purolator Ship From Canada To The US?
Purolator is another international shipping company that can help ship your packages from Canada to the U.S.
Purolator offers the following delivery services for making shipments from Canada to the U.S.:
| Purolator Delivery Service | Features |
| Purolator Express U.S 9AM | * Guaranteed 1-day delivery by 9:00 a.m. * Package insurance. * Package tracking. |
| Purolator Express U.S 10:30AM | * Guaranteed 1-day delivery by 10:30 a.m.Package insurance. * Package tracking. |
| Purolator Express | * Guaranteed 1-day delivery by the end of the day. * Package insurance. * Package tracking. |
| Purolator Ground Express | * Guaranteed delivery in 2 or more business days. * Package insurance. * Package tracking. |
Does DHL Ship From Canada To The US?
DHL is another international shipping company you can use to ship your packages from Canada to the United States.
DHL offers three 1-day delivery options for making shipments from Canada to the US, and delivery is by 10:30 a.m., 12 noon, or by the end of the day. It also offers insurance for your packages and allows you to track them until delivery.
Related: You may be interested to learn about Amazon’s No-Rush shipping credit.
How Much Does It Cost To Ship From Canada To The USA?
You can ship your packages from Canada to the U.S. through different courier services. However, you'll want to choose a courier that suits your needs and budget. So, we curated and compared shipping rates from five major courier services, Canada Post, UPS, FedEx, Purolator, and DHL, for shipping a standard 15 kg (33 lbs) package from Toronto to New York.
The shipping rates offered by the five shipping companies are shown in the table below:
| Delivery Service | Shipping Cost | Delivery Time |
| Canada Post Priority Worldwide | $425.21 | Guaranteed 1-day delivery. |
| Canada Post XpressPost – USA | $161.52 | 2 to 3 business days. |
| Canada Post Expedited Parcel – USA | $101.44 | 3 to 5 business days. |
| UPS Worldwide Express Plus | $456.76 | 1-day delivery by 8:30 a.m. |
| UPS Worldwide Express | $388.73 | 1-day delivery by 10:30 a.m. |
| UPS Express Saver | $369.52 | 1-day delivery by the end of the day. |
| UPS Worldwide Expedited | $236.83 | 2 business days. |
| UPS 3-Day Select | $210.10 | 3 business days. |
| UPS Standard | $61.00 | 3 business days. |
| FedEx International First | $709.71 | 1-day delivery by 8:00 a.m. |
| FedEx International Priority Express | $591.09 | 1-day delivery by 10:30 a.m. |
| FedEx International Priority | $580.26 | 1-day delivery by 4:30 p.m. |
| FedEx International Economy | $347.99 | 2 business days by 4:30 p.m. |
| FedEx International Ground | $97.56 | 3 business days. |
| DHL International | $396.87 | 1-day delivery by 10:30 a.m. |
| DHL International | $390.85 | 1-day delivery by noon. |
| DHL International | $387.21 | 1-day delivery by the end of the day. |
| Purolator Express U.S. 9AM | $886.94 | 1-day delivery by 9:00 a.m. |
| Purolator Express U.S. 10:30AM | $795.18 | 1-day delivery by 10:30 a.m. |
| Purolator Express U.S. | $755.11 | 1-day delivery by the end of the day. |
| Purolator Ground Express U.S. | $125.00 | 3 business days. |
So, from our comparison, we found that UPS offers the cheapest and most affordable rates for shipping packages from Canada to the U.S. using their UPS Standard 3-day delivery service. The runner-ups are FedEx (with their International Ground 3-day delivery service) and Canada Post (with its Expedited Parcel – USA 3–5-day delivery service).
Of all the options reviewed, UPS also offers the cheapest overnight or 1-day shipping from Canada to the U.S. through their UPS Express Saver service, which can cost less than half of what the most expensive option costs.
The most expensive option is by far Purolator’s Express U.S. 9AM delivery service which guarantees 1-day delivery by 9 am the next day.
UPS, DHL, FedEx, and Purolator offer customs coverage for your shipments, making them a reliable choice. However, it's best to choose a courier that's not just cost-effective but reliable and suited to your needs.
Related: If you want to send someone in the States a book from Canada and you’re on a budget, some of these Canadian online booksellers offer free shipping to the U.S.
Why Is Shipping To The U.S. Expensive?
E-commerce is steadily on the rise. With the United States being Canada's biggest trade partner, Canadian e-commerce businesses must find ways to ship their packages to their customers in the U.S.
However, shipping to the U.S. from Canada can be pretty expensive. Here are some factors that may cause high shipping costs for shipping packages to the United States from Canada:
#1 Delivery Distance
Both Canada and the United States are large countries, and shipping costs may depend on where your package is to be delivered in the U.S. and where it comes from within Canada. You may have to pay a higher shipping rate if the distance between your pickup location in Canada and your delivery destination in the U.S. is significant.
#2 Delivery Method
Shipping companies transport packages to their destination by air, sea, land, or a mixture of all three. So, if your package is being transported by air, which is the fastest, you'll pay higher shipping costs than you would if your package is transported by water or land.
#3 Fuel Costs
Fuel costs are another factor that largely influences the cross-border shipping of items from Canada to the U.S. Most shipping companies charge a fuel surcharge that makes up the total shipping cost, and with fuel prices increasing, such as the price of jet fuel or gas prices, there'll be a hike in the shipping costs.
The fuel surcharge you may be charged depends on the delivery distance of your package and if your package is to be transported via air, sea, land, or a mixture of all three or some two.
#4 Delivery Time
If you want your packages delivered urgently, you'll have to pay more. Shipping costs for 1-day or 2-day shipping are usually more expensive than ground shipping options or deliveries that may take up to a week or more.
#5 Package Size
The size and weight of your package largely determine how much you'll have to pay for shipping costs. Generally, shipping costs for large and heavy packages are higher than those for smaller and lighter packages.
How Does Shipping From Canada To The U.S. Work?
Like any other international shipping procedure, there are processes to effectively ship your packages from Canada to the United States.
- Ensure that the package you're about to send meets the U.S. guidelines and will be allowed into the country. Check that your package is not on the list of items prohibited by the U.S.
- Choose a courier service that is cost-effective and suitable for delivering your shipment.
- Choose and prepare the necessary customs documents and ensure they are available so your package can be cleared by customs and allowed into the U.S.
- Make your shipping order.
If you do not prepare the necessary documents, your package will be confiscated at the border.
The documents you will need to provide are:
- Bill of lading or Airway bill (provided by the courier service)
- A commercial invoice (for non-document packages)
- Harmonized System Tariff Classification
- CUSMA Certificate of Origin
- Import/Export license for controlled goods (issued by the U.S. to shipping companies)
- Canada Customs Invoice
Final Thoughts
Besides being Canada's largest trading partner, the United States provides a market for Canadian e-commerce businesses to find potential customers. However, shipping products from Canada to these customers in the U.S. can be pretty expensive. Hence, finding cheap and cost-effective ways to send your packages to the U.S. from Canada is essential.
Many international couriers can help send your shipments to the U.S. from Canada, but if you're shipping a small and sizeable package, the cheapest option you can go for is Canada Post. If your package is large, you can use any ground shipping options from any courier service.
Cheapest Shipping Canada To The U.S. FAQs
Do I have to pay duty on items shipped from Canada to the U.S.?
Yes, you'll pay an import tax or customs duty fee for any package you ship from Canada to the U.S.
Is Purolator cheaper than Canada Post from Canada to the U.S.?
No, Canada Post offers more affordable delivery options for shipping packages from Canada to the U.S. than Purolator.
Which is cheaper, UPS or FedEx, to ship packages from Canada to the U.S.?
Compared to FedEx shipping costs, UPS offers cheaper and more affordable shipping rates for shipping packages from Canada to the U.S.
