Shopify Shipping: A Guide to Rates and Carriers (2026)

No matter where they shop online, consumers expect reliable and affordable shipping. But providing stress-free order fulfillment as a seller can feel anything but easy.

It’s up to you to store products, package orders, choose delivery partners, and select the right shipping methods—all while balancing customer satisfaction and your business’s resources.

Find out how Shopify teams up with major carriers to make shipping packages simple and affordable so your customers get their purchases quickly and without hassle.

What are Shopify’s shipping features?

Shopify Shipping is Shopify’s built-in toolset for setting delivery rates, buying shipping labels, and managing fulfillment in the Shopify admin.

In North America and Europe, over half of consumers expect an online order to arrive within two days without paying extra for shipping, according to the 2026 Ecommerce Delivery Benchmark Report from Retail Economics and Metapack.

Available with every Shopify plan, Shopify Shipping provides discounted domestic and international carrier rates. US stores can save up to 88% with USPS. Carrier options also include UPS, DHL, and FedEx. Shopify works with additional partners across Canada, Europe, and Australia.

Stores can offer free, flat-rate, or carrier-calculated shipping at checkout. They can also buy up to 250 labels at once, print pick lists, validate addresses, and send tracking updates. Eligible labels may include up to $200 of shipping insurance at no extra cost. Smart package and shipping carrier recommendations learn from previous orders to speed up fulfillment.

7 Shopify shipping features

1. Choose from multiple carriers

Shopify Shipping connects stores with carriers available for their fulfillment location. US options include USPS, UPS, DHL Express, and FedEx. Canada Post and regional partners serve additional markets.

2. Enjoy discounted rates

Shopify’s pre-negotiated rates reduce label costs for eligible stores. US discounts reach up to 88% with USPS and 82% with UPS. DHL and FedEx discounts reach up to 80%.

3. Print shipping labels easily

Stores can create up to 250 shipping labels at once. Packing slips and customs info, including HS codes, can also be printed.

4. Optimize order routing

Brands with two or more active locations can use order routing rules to determine which location fulfills each order. Shopify’s default rules minimize split shipments and prioritize a nearby location within the customer’s market.

5. Track packages and get insurance

The order status page lets customers check fulfillment progress through their confirmation email or customer account. Orders sent with a supported carrier update in real time and display the shipment’s location on a map.

For shipments from the US, Shopify automatically includes up to $200 in shipping insurance on eligible labels for Grow, Advanced, and Plus Plan stores with Shopify Payments active. Eligible Managed Markets labels on those plans also qualify. Stores on the Basic Plan can purchase insurance.

6. Go global with international shipping

Unexpected customs or tax charges led 63% of global shoppers to abandon an online purchase, according to DHL’s 2026 E-Commerce Trends Report.

Shopify can calculate and collect duties and import taxes at checkout for eligible stores that ship internationally. Eligible stores can also use Managed Markets for prepaid-duty shipping and guaranteed duty and tax amounts.

7. Offer local pickup

Stores can offer in-store pickup as a checkout option. Customers select a retail location and view the estimated pickup time. Compatible themes can also display product availability for each pickup location.

How to ship with Shopify

Once you’ve chosen a shipping strategy, configure your shipping details before accepting orders. 

Businesses with eligible fulfillment locations in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, or the United States can buy and print shipping labels in the Shopify admin. 

Available carriers vary by country. Some carriers require the store address and fulfillment location to be in the same country.

1. Fill out product and package details

Add an accurate weight to every physical product and confirm its fulfillment location. Set a default package with its outside dimensions and packaging weight. Shopify uses these details to calculate shipping rates when using weight-based or carrier-calculated rates. You can also assign packages to specific products and variants for single-item orders.

2. Set shipping rates and services

In Settings > Shipping and delivery, choose flat, free, or carrier-calculated rates. Carrier-calculated rates display current services and prices from eligible carriers at checkout.

Create a custom shipping profile for products that need different rates or fulfillment locations. An oversized item, for example, may incur separate shipping charges or ship from a dedicated warehouse.

3. Set up shipping zones

Create shipping zones to group countries and regions, and assign the relevant rates to each zone within the applicable shipping profile.

4. Print and affix shipping labels

Open an unfulfilled order and select Create shipping label. Confirm the package and total weight. Then choose the shipping service and buy the label. Print the label with a desktop printer or a dedicated label printer. Attach it flat to the parcel and cover any older shipping labels or barcodes, if necessary. Shopify lets stores purchase and print labels in bulk.

5. Drop package with the carrier

Take the labeled parcel to a carrier-approved drop-off location. For eligible Shopify labels, stores can also schedule a pickup with UPS, USPS, or DHL Express from the Shipping labels page.

How Shopify shipping rates and costs work

Shopify shipping rates are the amounts customers see at checkout. Shipping costs are what stores pay to buy labels and fulfill orders. The two figures can differ. 

A store might charge a $7 flat rate while the carrier label costs $9. A store offering free shipping absorbs the full label cost.

Shipping price can determine whether a customer completes checkout. A 2026 Baymard survey of US online shoppers found 40% who had abandoned a purchase in the previous three months did so because of extra costs, such as shipping, taxes, and fees.

Free shipping can also influence purchase decisions. According to the AlixPartners 2026 Home Delivery Survey, 94% of consumers say free shipping affects their purchase decision, with more than 70% saying it has a “great” impact.

Shopify lets stores configure three main shipping rate types:

• Flat rates. Charge a fixed amount for each order. Stores can add conditions based on order value or weight. For example, a store could charge $8 for orders under $50 and $5 for larger orders.
• Free shipping. Set the checkout rate to $0 for every order or require a minimum purchase amount. Stores can also create free-shipping discount codes for specific customers or promotions.
• Carrier- or app-calculated rates. Display a rate supplied by an eligible carrier or shipping app. Stores can add a handling fee or reduce the displayed rate by a fixed amount or percentage.

Carriers calculate rates using the shipment’s origin and destination. Package dimensions and total weight also affect the price. Some services use dimensional weight when a parcel takes up more space than its physical weight suggests. 

The amount a store pays for a label is calculated separately during fulfillment. Shopify’s discounted label rates can vary by carrier and Shopify plan. Package type and shipping route also affect the discount.

Use Shopify’s rate calculator to preview label costs before buying one. For flat-rate or free shipping, packaging and handling costs can be reflected in product prices or the minimum-order threshold.

Benefits of shipping with Shopify

Shopify store owners get access to exclusive shipping offers, which can provide the following benefits:

Reduce overhead

Shopify gives eligible stores access to pre-negotiated carrier rates that can reduce shipping costs. US-based stores can save up to 88% on USPS rates when buying labels through Shopify. Exact savings may depend on the package, route, and service.

Lower label costs can protect profit margins or free up money for other business expenses. 

Everything in one place

Shopify brings the shipping and fulfillment process into the Shopify admin. Stores can manage orders, buy labels, print shipping documents, and track deliveries all in one place.

Labels can be purchased and printed individually or in batches. Staff can work directly from each order record rather than moving between separate systems. A single workflow also makes higher-volume periods easier to manage.

Expand your reach

The global cross-border business-to-consumer (B2C) ecommerce market is projected to surpass $1.2 trillion in 2026, up from about $1 trillion in 2024, according to ECDB.

Shopify’s international fulfillment tools help businesses sell to customers in other countries. They can create destination-based shipping rates and add customs information to orders. 

Eligible stores can also collect duties and import taxes at checkout. These tools can give international customers clearer costs and delivery options before they place an order.

Third-party fulfillment: Shopify Fulfillment Network

As order volume grows, storing inventory and packing orders can require more space, time, and staff. 

A third-party fulfillment service, or 3PL, stores inventory and prepares orders for shipment. It can also coordinate carrier handoffs and process returns. The US 3PL and contract logistics market reached $323.4 billion in 2025, up 5% year over year, according to Armstrong & Associates.

The Shopify Fulfillment Network connects stores with selected 3PL partners that can integrate with the Shopify admin. Compare pricing estimates, capabilities, and performance data before choosing a provider. Monitor inventory, shipments, deliveries, and returns from Shopify. Current partners include Flexport, Amazon Multi-Channel Fulfillment, ShipBob, and the DHL Fulfillment Network.

Fulfillment services receive and store your inventory. When a customer places an order, the partner picks and packs the products before arranging delivery. Using warehouses closer to customers can shorten delivery times and reduce your team’s workload.

Choosing a shipping carrier and service

A shipping carrier accepts your package and delivers it to the customer. Each carrier offers services with different rates, delivery speeds, and coverage areas.

Choose a carrier based on:

• Your shipping origin and destination
• Product and ecommerce packaging dimensions
• Total shipment weight
• Required delivery speed
• Tracking and insurance needs
• Your free, flat-rate, or carrier-calculated shipping strategy
• Customer expectations in your shipping policy
• Any requirements from your 3PL provider

Delivery estimates can vary by origin, destination, customs clearance, and carrier conditions.

United States Postal Service (USPS)

The USPS offers US domestic and international package services at different speeds.

A price changetook effect on July 12, 2026. Changes include the end of ounce-based price differences for published Commercial Ground Advantage rates. Negotiated Commercial Ground Advantage rates are unchanged. The USPS also revised dimensional-weight calculations and added hazardous-material fees for select services.

United Parcel Service (UPS)

US stores can save up to 82% on UPS rates through Shopify. Canadian store owners can also buy UPS labels for domestic shipments.

DHL Express

DHL Express serves more than 220 countries and territories. Stores can save up to 80% on DHL rates through Shopify.

DHL Express Worldwide delivers in one to three business days. Shopify can provide customs forms and duty and tax calculations. Store owners that collect duties and import taxes at checkout can buy DHL Express DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) labels through Shopify.

DHL Express labels are available for shipments from the continental US. Shopify also offers DHL Express Canada and DHL Express Europe services from eligible fulfillment locations.

Canada Post

Canadian store owners can save up to 58% on Canada Post rates through Shopify. Available services cover domestic, US, and international destinations.

Canada Post shipments from Canada to the US purchased through Shopify must use Delivered Duty Paid terms. Duties and import taxes must be collected at checkout from the customer or absorbed by the business before buying the label.

Australia Post

Australian stores can connect an Australia Post MyPost Business account to display rates and buy labels in Shopify on any plan. The integration includes domestic and international services, except shipments to the US.