If you live in Canada, Canada Post has long been the gold standard for all your mailing needs. Many businesses has relied on it to delivery mail and parcels all across Canada and internationally since 1867. And for the most part, the have proven to be a trustworthy choice for many businesses and individuals. Unfortunately, as it is arguable the main delivery company in Canada, Canada Post has been expensive over the years.
So Why is Shipping with Canada Post so Expensive?
Well, shipping with Canada Post is expensive because of distance, and lack of competition. Even though Canada has a lot of land, there are relatively few people living in it and on top of that, people living in Canada are spaced far apart. As a result, it is not possible to batch ship items to reduce costs. Compare this to their American counterpart, who have a more dense population, and can afford to batch ship items and reduce costs.
Another reason why Canada Post shipping is so expense is due to it’s lack of competition and resulting obligations in the market place. When you think about it, Canada Post is the main shipping company in Canada. As such, they are responsible for most of the deliveries in every corner of Canada. It is for this reason that the Government of Canada has given Canada Post a charter. Under this charter, Canada Post has to provide universal service, which means that it has to deliver to every residential and business address in Canada, including rural ones. The problem with this is that rural areas have some of the most expensive to delivery to but the charter does not allow Canada Post to charge more for delivering to remote areas. In addition, even though rural post offices are unprofitable, the charter also doesn’t allow Canada Post to close them. At the same time, Canada Post has to run a profit. It is for these reasons, why Canada post has to raise it’s prices.
Are there Affordable Shipping Providers than Canada Post?
Yes, and no. Starting a shipping company in Canada is hard and many know this so very few are up for the test. However, those that take the leap of fate, also realize the issues Canada Post faces. So yes, there are more affordable shipping providers than Canada Post however, you will only see the difference amongst them if you ship a lot of items for your business. Even still, exploring cheaper alternatives may be worthwhile even though the amount saved may be futile at times.
That being said, here are some of the cheapest & best alternatives to Canada Post!
1) Chit Chats (Best All Around Alternative to Canada Post)
Chit Chats is a fairly new shipping company in Canada. It is known as Canada’s best e-commerce shipping solution. What makes them unique is that they work closely with Canada Post, USPS, & Asendia to delivery packages to customers. Think of them as a low cost intermediary to the main shipping carriers. They have an easy to use platform which provides access to low-cost postage.
Chit Chats integrates with most e-commerce platforms including Etsy, Shopify, Amazon, and Ebay. This allows users to easily buy and print postage from their homes in real-time.
Chit Chats currently ships within Canada, to U.S and internationally.
How Chit Chats works
Step 1: Buy and print low cost postage from your Chit Chats accounts
Step 2: Hand over your package to Chit Chats in one of 3 ways:
- Drop off at a branch or drop spot.
- Book a pick up with Canpar who would then send your packages to the Chit Chats processing centre
- Mail your packages using a third-party carrier of your own choice to Chit Chats office for processing.
Step 3: Once Chit Chats receives and processes the packages, they are sent to one of 3 carriers for delivery:
- Items being delivered within Canada are handed off to Canada Post
- Items being delivered to U.S. are handed off to USPS
- Items being delivered internationally are handed over to USPS or Asendia
Price of Chit Chats
Shipments within Canada are estimated to be received within 2-8 business days with insurance and full tracking. On average shipments within Canada will save 44% compared to main couriers.
Shipments in U.S.A are estimated to be received within 2-4 business days with insurance and full tracking. On average shipments to U.S.A. will save 74% compared to main couriers.
International shipping is estimated to be received in within 5-22 business days depending on the destination with insurance and tracking. On average, international shipments will save you 80% compared to main couriers.
Chit Chats Ratings:
Affordability: 
(5 / 5)Geographic Coverage: (5 / 5)Tracking & Insurance: (5 / 5)
Features of Chit Chats
- Affordable prices
- Fast or comparable delivery across the world
- Integrates with e-commerce platforms
- Provides tracking on most, if not all packages
- Packages are insured at the time they reach the Chit Chat office and are delivered
- Flexible delivery options across Canada
2) DYK Post (Best Canadian Shipping Alternative for U.S. Shipments)
DYK is another alternative to Canada Post. They specialize in shipping items from Canada to U.S. DYK Post caters to all types of businesses including online businesses. They even have a portable where you can log in and check the status of shipments, or buy labels. In Canada, DYK currently operates in Alberta and British Columbia.
Like Chitchats, DYK couriers parcel or mail from Canada to local the USPS network in the United States. USPS then makes the delivery of the packages to customers.
What makes DYK unique is that they are able to surpass tax/duty across borders for parcels are valued under $800 USD. This is a game changer for Canadian businesses
How DYK Post works
Step 1: Buy and print low cost USPS postage from your DYK account or office
Step 2: Hand over your package to DYK for payment and processing
Step 3: DYK will then ship your parcel to U.S.A then USPS will delivery your package
Price of DYK Post
The price for DYK depends of the service being offered. For shipments to U.S.A, the price is the cost of the shipping label + a DYK fee based on the weight of the parcel.
DYK fees ranges from $1.00 to $35.00 for parcels up to 80 lbs.
DYK Post Ratings:
Affordability: (5.0 / 5)Geographic Coverage: 
(3.0 / 5)Tracking & Insurance: (5.0 / 5)
Features of DYK Post
- Affordable prices
- Fast or comparable delivery to U.S.A
- Integrates with e-commerce platforms
- Provides tracking on most, if not all packages
- Warehouse fulfillment centers in U.S.A and Canada
- Designated shipping address to bypass duty charges
3) Secureship (Best E-Commerce Shipping Alternative to Canada Post)
Secureship is a shipping integration for Canadian businesses that connects to a vast majority of e-commerce businesses. It connects to Shopify, Ebay, Etsy, Bigcommerce, E-commerce, Squarespace, 3dcart, Lightspeed, Shopware, and more.
Like others, Secureship is not an actual carrier. Instead, it is platform that compares and help you find low rate shipping cost for other couriers. The platform has comparable rates for carriers such as Canada Post, Fedex, UPS, Puralator, and CanPar.
Their platform allows you to sign up for an account to help you track all your shipping rates and transit time in one location.
How Secureship works
Step 1: Create your shipment and choose the carrier for the service
Step 2: Print your label and schedule a pickup or drop off for your parcel by the courier chosen
Step 3: Once the shipment and shipped and sent off, you can track your parcel on the website
Price of Secureship
The price for Securepoint is based on the following formula: carrier’s base rate + fuel surcharge + extended area surcharge (if applicable) + HST or GST (if applicable) + Secureship shipping fee
Secureship Ratings:
Affordability: (5.0 / 5)Geographic Coverage: 
(4.0 / 5)Tracking & Insurance: (4.0 / 5)
Features of Secureship
- Affordable prices
- Fast or comparable delivery to U.S.A, Canada and Internationally
- Integrates with e-commerce platforms
- Provides tracking on most, if not all packages
- No monthly or set up fees
- Multiple carriers
- Consolidated invoices for shipments
4) Flagship (Best Alternative to Canada Post for Canadian Shipments)
Flagship mainly focuses on getting you the best shipping rates for Canadian mail. That being said, they also offer affordable shipping rates for parcels from Canada to U.S., China, and Australia.
Flagship is also a platform that compares and help you find low rate shipping cost for other carriers. The platform has comparable rates for carriers such as Canada Post, Fedex, UPS, Puralator, DHL, GLS and CanPar. Their platform allows you to sign up for an account to help you track all your shipping rates and transit time in one location.
If you have an e-commerce business, you can also integrate Flagship to it. The shipping platform integrates with Shopify, Magento, Woocommerce and more.
Other services available with Flagship include Freight shipping, and Personal shipping. All shipments have the option of shipping insurance with the courier of your choice.
How Flagship works
Step 1: Create an account and set up your shipment in Flagship. Then choose the best shipping courier for the mail
Step 2: Print your label and schedule a pickup or drop off for your parcel by the courier chosen
Step 3: Once the shipment and shipped and sent off, you can track your parcel on the website
Price of Flagship
Like Secureship, the price for Flagship is based on the following formula: carrier’s base rate + fuel surcharge + extended area surcharge (if applicable) + HST or GST (if applicable) + Flagship shipping fee
Flagship Ratings:
Affordability: (5.0 / 5)Geographic Coverage: (3.0 / 5)Tracking & Insurance: (5.0 / 5)
Features of Flagship
- Affordable prices
- Fast or comparable delivery to U.S.A, Canada and Internationally
- Integrates with e-commerce platforms
- Provides tracking on most, if not all packages
- No monthly or set up fees
- Multiple carriers
- Insurance provided for shipment
5) Jet Worldwide (Best Alternative to Canada Post for International Shipping)
Jet Worldwide specializes in international shipping from and to Canada. They combine the use of major carriers, regional carriers, and logistic expertise to provide the best shipping solutions.
With Jet Worldwide, you can easily request a quote with their online request form without the need to sign up for an account.
The shipping company also delivers mail within Canada. They offer low cost ground delivery in Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta. They also offer Parcel shipping from Montreal, Toronto, Quebec City, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and all of Canada.
How Jet Worldwide works
Step 1: Contact them with the service needed or fill out the online form for a quote.
Step 2: A representative will follow up with your request by contacting you
Price of Jet Worldwide
Varies based on size, frequency and destination.
Jet Worldwide Ratings:
Affordability: (3.0 / 5)Geographic Coverage: (3.0 / 5)Tracking & Insurance: (4.0 / 5)
Features of Flagship
- Fast or comparable delivery to U.S.A, Canada and Internationally
- Provides tracking on most, if not all packages
- Multiple carriers
- Insurance provided for shipment
Conclusion to the Cheapest & Best Alternatives to Canada Post
As described above, there are a few alternatives to Canada Post depending on your needs. Although most are not actual shipping couriers, their platform helps you make the best choice when choosing an alternative to Canada Post.
You may have noticed other shipping carriers such as Fedex, DHL, UPS, Canpar, and Purolator are not listed here. This is because their services are typically more costly than those of Canada Post. For these shipping couriers, it is best to use one of the comparable shipping rate platforms listed above to find the cheapest and best one for your needs.
Hopefully, others take the leap of fate as Chit Chats did to provide a reliable and secure shipping alternative to Canada Post in the near future.
Originally posted 2023-01-07 20:58:26.
