None of these require a subscription or a sales call. We ran one ordinary 5 lb box through the checks below on 2026-08-25 and priced each habit in real dollars, from $15.41 for the cheapest ground service up to $28.68 for two-day air on the exact same box.
Every figure below came from the same 12 x 9 x 6 in, 5 lb box quoted on 2026-08-25.
| Service | Price you pay | Carrier's cut | Carrier's own retail price |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPS Ground Saver | $15.41 | $12.42 | not published |
| USPS Ground Advantage | $15.91 | $12.92 | $24.35 |
| UPS Ground | $17.00 | $14.01 | not published |
| FedEx Ground Economy | $17.52 | $14.53 | $21.63 |
| UPS 2nd Day Air | $28.68 | $24.30 | not published |
"Price you pay" already includes SMKlog's per-label charge. "Carrier's cut" is what the carrier itself billed before that charge, which is the number the habits below actually move.
UPS Ground Saver beat both USPS Ground Advantage and FedEx Ground Economy on this exact box, at $15.41 against $15.91 and $17.52. A different weight or a different ZIP pair flips the order; the only way to know which carrier wins your shipment is to price all of them, which is what a live comparison does automatically.
USPS's own commercial rate for this box was $12.92 against a $24.35 retail counter price; FedEx's was $14.53 against $21.63 retail. Both discounts belong to the carrier, not to us — anyone buying a label online instead of walking up to a counter gets them.
Moving the same box to UPS 2nd Day Air raised the price from $15.41 to $28.68 to buy back three days. Reserve the faster tier for the shipment that actually has a deadline, and let everything else ride ground.
Carriers bill on whichever is bigger, scale weight or a size-derived weight, so an oversized box for a light item can price like something heavier. The full mechanics and a calculator for your own dimensions live on our how shipping cost is calculated page.
Signature confirmation and shipping protection are flat charges stacked on top of the base rate. They earn their cost on a shipment worth protecting and are dead weight on one that isn't — decide per shipment instead of by habit.
Quote the same box on USPS, UPS and FedEx before buying a label. On a 12 x 9 x 6 in, 5 lb box from Berkeley Heights, NJ to Austin, TX quoted 2026-08-25, UPS Ground Saver came back at $15.41 while USPS Ground Advantage was $15.91 and FedEx Ground Economy was $17.52 on the same box, and the winner changes by weight and lane.
Yes, on every carrier that publishes a retail figure. The same 5 lb box priced $12.92 in USPS's commercial rate against a $24.35 retail counter price, and $14.53 in FedEx's commercial rate against $21.63 retail — both read from the same 2026-08-25 quote, before SMKlog's own charge is added.
Substantially. The same box that quoted $15.41 on UPS Ground Saver quoted $28.68 on UPS 2nd Day Air, nearly double the price to save three days. Ground is the default for a reason; pay for speed only on the shipment that actually needs it.
Yes. Carriers bill on whichever is larger, the scale weight or a size-derived weight, so a bulkier box for the same item can price like a heavier one. The mechanics and a calculator for your own box are on our how shipping cost is calculated page — no need to repeat the formula here.
Yes, they are flat charges stacked on top of the base rate. Add signature confirmation or shipping protection only on shipments where losing the package would actually hurt, and leave them off the rest.