To thoroughly compare the shipping rates offered by DHL and UPS, we have gathered information about their domestic and international delivery services in the UK. To determine whether DHL is cheaper than UPS or the other way around, we need to analyse the same route & parcel size, and also the additional features included in their services.
When arranging domestic and international shipping services with DHL or UPS, it is often possible to determine a specific time-frame for delivery, schedule collection in a parcel shop instead of the door-to-door service, and other features. However, take into consideration that the DHL and UPS shipping prices may vary based on the surcharges applied for personalising your shipment.
To make sure you compare not only these two companies but also other options of couriers, get a quote on our platform.
PRICE COMPARISON
Check the prices for shipping a 10 kg parcel domestically with DHL or UPS:
| Shipping service | Cost | Delivery |
|---|---|---|
| DHLitNow | £32.46 | 1 working day |
| DHL by phone | £41.60 | 1 working day |
| UPS Express Plus | £52.43 | 2 working days by 9:00 |
| UPS Express | £17.99 | 3 working days by 10:30 |
| UPS Express Saver | £11.99 | 3 working days by 12:00 |
| UPS Standard | £9.59 | 3 working days |
Check the prices for shipping a 2 kg parcel internationally with DHL or UPS:
| Shipping service | Cost | Delivery |
|---|---|---|
| DHL Service Point Drop Off | £36.95 | 1 working day |
| DHLitNow | £42.75 | 1 working day |
| DHL by phone | £57.28 | 1 working day |
| UPS Express Plus | £53.87 | 2 working days by 9:00 |
| UPS Express | £23.87 | 2 working days by 10:30 |
| UPS Express Saver | £16.37 | 2 working days |
| UPS Standard | £11.99 | 4 working days |
Check the prices for shipping a 2 kg parcel internationally with DHL or UPS:
| Shipping service | Cost | Delivery |
|---|---|---|
| DHL Service Point Drop Off | £40.95 | 1 working day |
| DHLitNow | £46.05 | 1 working day |
| DHL by phone | £60.99 | 1 working day |
| UPS Express Plus | £53.65 | 2 working days by 8:00 |
| UPS Express | £36.65 | 3 working days by 10:30 |
| UPS Express Saver | £30.65 | 3 working days |
| UPS Expedited | £25.65 | 6 working days |
Due to years of collaboration between those two companies in the US, many customers are still confused about whether DHL and UPS are the same or not. During their partnership, that started in 2008 with a 10-year time frame, UPS was responsible for delivering DHL packages in certain conditions in the USA. However, nowadays, DHL and UPS operate separately through a wide range of domestic and international shipping services.
SPEED OF DELIVERY
The fastest shipping service offered by DHL is the Express, available both locally and internationally with delivery times of up to 3 working days.
UPS Ground service takes 4-7 working days for international deliveries. For urgent or time-sensitive shipments, they also offer expedited solutions at an additional cost.
Click below to see the prices and delivery times of DHL and UPS.
Compare DHL vs UPS
When it comes to international reach, both DHL and UPS are proud to announce their operations in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. However, on a global scale, DHL may have an edge on UPS for having the strongest international logistics network, offering deliveries even to sanctioned nations such as North Korea.
UPS has a stronger presence in the United States, with a vast fleet of vehicles to perform both road and air deliveries. UPS Ground service is more widely used due to its availability and shipping price. When comparing domestic shipping services in the US, DHL falls behind for not being based in the US, which means they are not allowed to make domestic flights between US airports. To overcome this, they outsource this service to third-party carriers.
PROS AND CONS
To help you decide if DHL or UPS is better for your business shipping needs, we compared the advantages of both courier companies:
| Feature | DHL | UPS | Eurosender |
|---|---|---|---|
| Door-to-door delivery | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Express service | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Solutions for online shops | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free address changes | X | X | ✓ |
| Instant online quotes | Depends on the route | Depends on the route | ✓ |
| Warehousing for businesses and individuals | X | X | ✓ |
| Real-time tracking | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Delivery to sanctioned countries | ✓ | X | ✓ |
Both DHL and UPS provide logistics services for eCommerce. Depending on which platform your online store is based or the features you would like to integrate to your system, you can decide whether DHL or UPS is better for your business needs.
OUR BENEFITS
Instant quotes for international shipments
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Use advanced tools to send multiple packages
FINAL RECAP
On one side, we have the US-based courier company UPS with a consolidated presence in American soil and the great benefit of having time-definite deliveries. On the other side, the German-based courier company DHL, which has operations worldwide and a vast selection of services serving everything from envelopes to freight.
To determine whether DHL or UPS is better for your business, you should consider what type of deliveries you mostly use and which company has better performance on your main operational area. Businesses based in the USA may opt for UPS due to strong brand recognition and wide availability of parcel shops in that territory for better convenience of their customers. However, DHL is often preferred by businesses based on the UK or with operations worldwide, who benefit from their global reach.
But why choose one single courier company if you have the option of using multiple providers based on the price/quality they offer for each route? At Eurosender, we work with numerous couriers, including both DHL and UPS, to make sure we are able to match you with the best fit for each shipping request. Get a quote online or sign up for additional discounts and benefits.