USPS against UPS, in full
The complete ten-rung ladder for these two, including the exact crossover weight where the lead flips.
Three-way snapshot
USPS vs UPS vs FedEx, all three priced at once
Most comparisons pick two carriers and argue. We put all three in the same request at four benchmark weights on two routes, captured the results on 2026-07-27, and kept score. This page holds the overview; the pairwise deep dives are linked below it.
Four checkpoint weightsBoth coasts testedCheapest quote per carrier shown
No permanent champion
Each network priced the same cardboard differently, and the lead changed hands twice as the weights climbed.
Checkpoint weights, three bids each, 2026-07-27
Each cell holds the least expensive quote that carrier returned for the box, with the service named underneath. Boxes were sized realistically per weight, and a dash records a carrier that sat the request out.
Going east: Newark, NJ 07102 to Atlanta, GA 30303
| Checkpoint | USPS | UPS | FedEx |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 lb | $8.48 Ground Advantage | $10.52 Ground Saver | $12.42 Ground Economy |
| 5 lb | $14.67 Ground Advantage | $13.65 Ground Saver | $14.31 Ground Economy |
| 10 lb | $20.86 Ground Advantage | $17.56 Ground Saver | $17.57 Ground Economy |
| 20 lb | – | $23.00 Ground Saver | $23.22 Ground Economy |
Going west to east: Los Angeles, CA 90011 to New York, NY 10001
| Checkpoint | USPS | UPS | FedEx |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 lb | $11.04 Ground Advantage | $13.29 Ground Saver | – |
| 5 lb | $20.84 Ground Advantage | $19.25 Ground Saver | – |
| 10 lb | $30.09 Ground Advantage | $25.51 Ground Saver | $27.99 Ground Economy |
| 20 lb | $55.71 Ground Advantage | $35.06 Ground Saver | $38.47 Ground Economy |
The story compresses neatly. Light boxes belonged to the Postal Service on both routes. By 10 lb the lead had passed to UPS with FedEx breathing on its neck, and at 20 lb going west the USPS bid was so far off the pace it read like a typo, though it wasn't. A snapshot is all this can be; the ranking reshuffles whenever carriers refile.
Zoom into any matchup
UPS against FedEx, in full
The private duel of the two economy ground tiers, where one-cent margins are documented fact.
Every service, every weight
The unabridged grid behind this page: all quoted services at all ten weights on both routes.
Three carriers, four honest answers
Which of the three carriers is cheapest?
None of them, permanently. In our 2026-07-27 quotes USPS took every 2 lb checkpoint, UPS took everything at 20 lb, and the middle weights were a coin flip settled by cents. The cheapest carrier is a property of your specific box and lane on a specific day, which is exactly why quoting all three at once matters.
How close were UPS and FedEx really?
At the 10 lb eastern checkpoint, one cent: $17.56 for UPS Ground Saver against $17.57 for FedEx Ground Economy. At 20 lb east the spread was still under a quarter. These two shadow each other closely enough that the tiebreaker is often the delivery window, not the price.
Why is FedEx missing from some western rows?
On the Los Angeles to New York route, FedEx returned nothing for the 2 and 5 lb requests in our capture; its first appearance came at 10 lb with a $27.99 Ground Economy quote. Carriers filter which services they offer per box and lane, so absences like this are normal and worth knowing about before you assume three bids.
Do I pick the carrier myself or does SMKlog pick for me?
You see every option the request returned, ranked with prices and windows, and the choice is yours. The totals shown are what checkout collects, SMKlog's charge included, and you can buy as a guest.