Economy shipping
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What is Parcel Monkey?
Parcel Monkey is the easy to use price comparison website for sending packages in the US and overseas.
Our clever shipping calculator will give you an instant quote to ship your package, help you find discounted rates with top couriers and compare prices to find the best deals.
Why use us?
Cheapest economy shipping rates
*All prices shown are subject to change, based on the weight, size and destination of your package.
What is economy shipping?
Economy shipping is the cheapest way to send a package. Delivery times are longer than express or expedited courier services, but if you’re not on a tight schedule, economy delivery is a cost-effective way to ship a package in the US or internationally.
If you want to find out more about economy shipping, including delivery times and prices, this page will tell you everything you need to know. Just click the links below to jump to the right section. You can also compare economy shipping services from multiple couriers using our free shipping quote tool!
How long does economy shipping take?
Economy shipping times in the US range from 2-5 business days, depending on where the package is being shipped from and to. If you are sending within the same state, you can expect a package to be delivered more quickly than if it needs to travel across states or to a remote area.
Shipping to an international destination using an economy courier service will take considerably longer, depending on the destination, so make sure you consider this when shipping internationally. Economy international shipping times can be anywhere between 5-18 business days, depending on how far your package needs to travel.
US economy shipping
If you’re looking for an economy delivery service in the US, there are a few options you could consider.
Firstly, most of the big couriers like FedEx and UPS offer economy shipping, which provide slower delivery times at cheaper rates. For US domestic shipments, these services are often called ground shipping services because they transport your package via the road network which is slower but cheaper than transporting packages by air. Other options include postal services via the USPS. If you’re shipping a regular-sized package in the US, Priority Mail could be your cheapest option, however, it can work out more expensive for international deliveries.
Find out more about US economy shipping services below.
Economy international shipping
Sending a package overseas from the US will cost more than a domestic shipment, but there are international economy shipping services you can use to keep costs lower.
The key to cheaper international shipping is planning ahead. You’ll make significant cost savings if you can accommodate a longer delivery time, so if you're sending a special gift for a birthday or Christmas, don't leave it until the last minute. If your package isn’t time-sensitive then great, you can afford to choose a slower but cheaper service.
When you get an international shipping quote through our shipping calculator, you’ll be able to compare prices and shipping times from a range of courier services to ensure you book the right service for you.
Economy shipping tracking
If you're wondering, does economy shipping have tracking? The answer is yes, however, the level of tracking will vary by service. A ground economy service from UPS or FedEx for example is likely to include full tracking from pickup (or drop off) to delivery. The level of tracking for a tracked mail service won't be as comprehensive. Often these types of services offer limited tracking, where the package is scanned on collection, scanned again when it reaches the sorting depot and sometimes scanned on final delivery. Economy packages are normally shipped in bulk to keep the price down, so this is why scanning is more limited compared to an express delivery service.
When you book a package delivery service through Parcel Monkey, you'll be able to check what level of tracking is available before you book. When you get a quote, each service displayed will have a 'More info' link on the left-hand side. Click the link and under 'Is my package tracked?' you'll see the level of tracking included with that service. We don't sell any untracked services. Even our cheapest delivery service includes some level of online tracking.
Economy shipping outside the US
If you want to send something cheaply from the US to an international destination you could consider the following economy delivery services.
