Small-scale shipping companies for small businesses help businesses to deliver the products that their customers purchase. Based on the U.S. Census Bureau, the retail sales of e-commerce reached close to $222.5 billion in the 2nd quarter of 2022. That’s 13.3 percent of all retail purchases in the United States. 1 Shipping companies can help small-sized businesses keep good relationships with their customers by delivering goods promptly and at affordable costs. Some assist businesses with support with logistics and managing stock.
Because shipping companies play an important part in the small-business logistics chain, we analyzed more than a dozen companies to identify the most reliable shipping firms for small companies. We considered the reputation of each company and reputation, the cost of shipping as well as how quickly the goods could be delivered and the ease with which you can conduct business with them. Continue reading to discover which one is the best fit for you.
The 7 Best Shipping Companies for Small Business of 2022
- Best Overall: United States Postal Service
- Best for Small Packages: Sendle
- Best for Large Packages: UPS
- Best for International Shipping: DHL Express
- Best for e-Commerce Business: ShipBob
- Best for Quick Shipping: FedEx
- Best Affordable Option: EasyPost
Final Verdict
We compared over dozen companies to determine the most reliable shipping services for small-sized businesses that can meet various needs. Costs for shipping vary depending on the size of the package as well as the location it’s sent to and the speed at which it must be delivered. Most shipping companies can have packages delivered in 5 to 7 business days and some send packages straight to your home across the U.S. on Sundays.
Although every one of the small business shipping companies we’ve listed are great choices, we picked to go with the USPS as the most effective overall shipping service for small businesses because it has a long track record of operation and generally provides the most competitive rates and fastest speeds to satisfy the needs of shipping for most small-sized businesses.
Compare Shipping Companies
| SHIPPING COMPANY | WHY WE PICKED IT | DOMESTIC DELIVERY SPEED |
| United States Postal Service | The best rates and the fastest speed for the majority of small-business shipping requirements | 2-8 days, on average |
| Sendle | We guarantee that we will beat the cost of the major carriers for packages of up to 20 pounds. | One to four business days, on average |
| UPS | Prices are lower than other transporters for large packages | One to five business days are typical. |
| DHL Express | International shipping experience for small-sized businesses that need to ship internationally | Delivery on the next day is time-sensitive. |
| ShipBob | It offers a wide range of logistical solutions for online companies, including logistics for shipping | Two-day delivery is available. |
| FedEx | Domestic shipments are delivered to homes throughout the week, except for Saturday and Sunday. | One to five business days are the norm. |
| EasyPost | Small businesses can find the most affordable cost among 100plus providers | At the same time as transporters will allow |
How Do Most Small Businesses Ship Goods?
Shipping via ground is the most popular option for small businesses to deliver their products. The main shipping companies within the United States used by most small-sized companies to deliver their products include the United States Postal Service, UPS, FedEx, and DHL.
In the year 2020, the USPS has 7.3 billion in the volume of packages and shipping. 3 UPS is able to deliver around 6.3 billion packages each year and FedEx provides over 6 billion parcels per year. In addition, DHL Express handles shipments around the world and has an annual amount of 262 million packages.
How Much Do Shipping Companies Cost?
The prices that shipping companies charge differ according to the package’s dimensions and location and how fast it will be there. It is possible to pay an average cost of between $8 and $12 for a small package and $17-$21 for shipping a larger package to the US and delivery times range between one and five days.
Take a look around and weigh your options to discover the most affordable shipping cost.
What Shipping Options Do Small Businesses Have?
Small-scale businesses should consider the services of a shipping company when selling products that must be delivered to their clients. While it’s true that the United States Postal Service, UPS, FedEx, and DHL are the biggest providers across the United States, there are alternatives. Small-sized businesses can find API providers which allow them to compare shipping rates among different carriers, meaning they’re more likely to cut down on the cost of shipping.
What Shipping Features Are Available for Small Businesses?
Small businesses can not only send items via mail, but major U.S. mail carriers (USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL) offer specific services specifically designed for small-sized businesses. Some examples of small-sized business shipping resources are:
- Grants provided through FedEx to assist small businesses in their growth
- Resources developed by DHL to help small-sized businesses how to ship their products globally
- Advice and assistance on direct mail marketing offered by the USPS
- Assistance for small-scale business financing through UPS in collaboration with Kabbage
How We Chose the Best Shipping Companies for Small Business
To determine the top shipping companies for small-scale companies, we analyzed more than dozen companies to find out what their shipping charges are as well as how fast they can get your products shipped and how easy to work with them. We also assessed the credibility of each small-business shipping firm. The top shipping companies provide low prices and fast shipping times, and provide tools and resources created for small businesses.
Our small business shipping companies are reliable businesses that can assist you to send your items at a reasonable cost as well as quickly and efficiently.
