Same name, different service
FedEx's own service page confirms Ground Economy is the current name for what used to be called SmartPost. Trucking is the same network; the difference is the priority the package gets once it is in it.
FedEx costs
What it costs to ship a package with FedEx
FedEx Ground Economy priced a 5 lb box at $14.31 and a 50 lb box at $58.19 on the same lane on 2026-08-16. FedEx Ground itself ran higher on every box it quoted, and on the lightest box in the run FedEx did not come back at all. The full ladder, both FedEx services, is below.
Live parcel ratesQuoted 2026-08-16Tracking included
Two FedEx tiers, one lane
Every figure here came back on 2026-08-16 for the exact carton written beside it, Berkeley Heights, NJ to Atlanta, GA.
Six boxes, both FedEx tiers
Six ordinary cartons ran the same morning, one lane, with FedEx Ground Economy and FedEx Ground shown side by side wherever both quoted. The gap between the two widens with weight, not with the box's size on the outside.
| Box and weight | FedEx Ground Economy | FedEx Ground | Cheapest carrier overall |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 × 6 × 4 in, 1 lb | not offered | not offered | $9.91 USPS Ground Advantage |
| 12 × 9 × 6 in, 5 lb | $14.31 | not offered | $12.85 UPS Ground Saver |
| 16 × 12 × 10 in, 10 lb | $17.57 | not offered | $17.56 UPS Ground Saver |
| 18 × 14 × 12 in, 20 lb | $23.22 | $35.82 | $23.00 UPS Ground Saver |
| 20 × 16 × 14 in, 35 lb | $47.37 | $52.55 | $35.15 UPS Ground |
| 24 × 18 × 18 in, 50 lb | $58.19 | $68.62 | $47.42 UPS Ground |
FedEx Ground Economy priced every box from 5 lb up and undercut FedEx Ground each time it had a rate to compare against. FedEx Ground itself only showed up once the box passed 18 lb on this lane; below that weight the system kept quoting Ground Economy alone. Neither FedEx service returned anything for the 1 lb box, while USPS and UPS both did.
Retail price against what checkout charges
Each quote also carries FedEx's own retail counter price, the number a shipper would see printed at a FedEx counter or on fedex.com for the identical box. Comparing the two shows where a parcel platform is actually saving money and where it is not.
| Box and weight | Checkout price | FedEx retail counter price |
|---|---|---|
| 12 × 9 × 6 in, 5 lb | $14.31 | $19.75 |
| 16 × 12 × 10 in, 10 lb | $17.57 | $27.22 |
| 18 × 14 × 12 in, 20 lb | $23.22 | $37.52 |
| 20 × 16 × 14 in, 35 lb | $47.37 | $61.63 |
| 24 × 18 × 18 in, 50 lb | $58.19 | $77.65 |
The checkout price sat below FedEx's own retail counter price on every Ground Economy box in this run, and the gap widened as the boxes got heavier. FedEx Ground told a different story on the two boxes it quoted: at 20 lb the checkout price of $35.82 sat above the $35.70 retail counter price, and at 35 lb the two landed close together, $52.55 against $52.39. Which service saves the most depends on the box, not on a fixed percentage.
Ground Economy against Ground
Days for dollars
FedEx states Ground Economy typically delivers in 2 to 7 business days against FedEx Ground's tighter window. Every box in this run that qualified for both services priced lower on Ground Economy, and the trade was slower delivery, not worse service.
Ground Economy has its own ceiling
70 lbs. and 130 inches in length plus girth is where FedEx Ground Economy stops taking a box. A carton past that line has to move to FedEx Ground or another carrier, and none of the six boxes here got close to it.
Where FedEx Ground itself stops
FedEx's own Ground service page states the limit plainly: packages up to 150 lbs., 108 inches in length, and 165 inches in length plus girth combined can ship on FedEx Ground. Read from fedex.com on 2026-08-16. Nothing in this run came near it, but it is the number to know before packing anything past the 50 lb box quoted above.
Past that ceiling, FedEx routes shippers to its freight services rather than a parcel label. Pallets and oversized single pieces are not priced by the parcel checkout on this site either; send the details to freight review and a person prices the lane.
Where these rules come from
- FedEx, FedEx Ground Economy — the current service name, the 70 lb and 130 inch length-plus-girth ceiling, and the 2 to 7 business day delivery window. Read 2026-08-16.
- FedEx, FedEx Ground — the 150 lb, 108 inch and 165 inch limits. Read 2026-08-16.
FedEx revises its limits and its published counter prices on its own schedule. The figures above are one lane, one morning; requote your own box before you buy.
Common questions
How much does it cost to ship a package with FedEx?
On 2026-08-16, six boxes from Berkeley Heights, NJ to Atlanta, GA quoted between $14.31 for a 5 lb carton on FedEx Ground Economy and $68.62 for a 50 lb carton on FedEx Ground. FedEx did not return a rate at all for the smallest, 1 lb box on this lane. Your own price depends on the box, the weight and the ZIP codes at both ends.
What is FedEx Ground Economy?
FedEx's slower, cheaper ground tier, formerly branded SmartPost. FedEx states on its own service page that it takes packages up to 70 lbs. and 130 inches in length plus girth, with delivery typically in 2 to 7 business days. Read from fedex.com on 2026-08-16.
Is FedEx Ground Economy cheaper than FedEx Ground?
In our run, yes, on every box both services quoted. At 20 lb, Ground Economy came back at $23.22 against $35.82 for FedEx Ground on the same box and lane. Ground Economy trades a couple of extra transit days for a lower price.
What is the largest package FedEx Ground will take?
FedEx publishes 150 lbs., 108 inches in length, and 165 inches in length plus girth as the ceiling for FedEx Ground. Read from fedex.com on 2026-08-16. Past that, FedEx directs shippers to its freight services rather than a parcel label.
Why didn't FedEx quote the smallest box?
It just did not come back with a rate on that run. USPS and UPS both priced the same 9 x 6 x 4 in, 1 lb box on the same lane and morning, so a light, small parcel is not out of carrier reach; it simply was not the box FedEx priced that day.