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If you manage an e-commerce business than you know the importance of choosing the right carrier.
Choosing the correct carrier is not just a search for the right supplier. It’s about identifying a serious ally that will help you deliver the best value and service to your customers.
The right courier will satisfy your customers with the best quality, speed, and cost effective services.
Royal Mail vs Parcelforce
Here at ShippyPro, we want to help you in your search for that perfect carrier.
Today we will be analyzing Royal Mail vs Parcelforce’s National US services, National UK services, European, and international services.
Royal Mail is based in The United Kingdom, playing a key role in the UK market.
In this article, we will see what services are offered by the two companies for the national, European and international market.
Royal Mail vs Parcelforce: National US Shipments 
Royal Mail offers cost effective options for same day, next business day, and 2-3 business day delivery. These services also differ on potential compensation coverage based on your needs. The other key difference to note is some services offer guaranteed delivery while others cannot promise the parcel will arrive on time, but the success rates are high.
Same Day Delivery guarantees delivery by the end of the day on the same day the delivery order was placed. A special £10,000 compensation coverage option is available for those who need it. Due to the expedited nature of this service it does cost more than their other options.
Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed offers guaranteed delivery the next business day by 9:00 am. Royal Mail is so confident they can fulfill their guarantee that if the package does not arrive on time, they delivery is 100% free. A special £10,000 compensation coverage is also offered.
Royal Mail Signed for 1st Class aims to complete the delivery by the end of the next business day. While this is not a guarantee, the success rate of these deliveries is extremely high. There is an option to add up to £50 of compensation coverage as well.
The Royal Mail Signed for 2nd Class option aims to deliver the parcel by the end of 2-3 business days for a cost effective price. It is worth noting this 2-3 day delivery is only a goal and is not guaranteed, however it does enjoy a high success rate. The optional £50 of compensation coverage is also available.
Royal Mail’s 1st Class Mail serviceaims to complete the delivery by the end of the next possible business day. The success rate of this goal is also very high. Again the difference in compensation coverage is noticed. The potential coverage in this service is only up to £20 instead of the £50 option offered by its similarly priced services.
The 2nd Class Mail service aims to deliver the parcel by the end of 2-3 business days. While not a guarantee it is the most economic option if leniency in delivery time is allowable. Again the compensation is only £20 instead of £50.
Parcel Force does not provide services in the United States.
Royal Mail vs Parcelforce: National UK Services 
Below is a table that compares Royal Mail and Parcelforce domestic services within the UK.
| Royal Mail | Parcel Force | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service | Delivery Time | Cost | Service | Delivery Time | Cost |
| Same Day Delivery | By end of same business day | Next Morning Express 9 | Next business day by 9:00 am | ||
| Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed | Guaranteed next business day by 9:00 am | Next Morning Express 10 | Next business day by 10:00 am | ||
| Royal Mail Signed for 1st Class | Aim to deliver by end of next business day | Next Morning Express AM | Next business day by 12:00 pm | ||
| Royal Mail Signed for 2nd Class | Aim to deliver by end of 2-3 business days | Next Day Express 24 | By end of next business day | ||
| 1st Class Mail | Aim to deliver by end of next business day | Two Day Express 48 | By end of next 2 business days | ||
| 2nd Class Mail | Aim to deliver by the end of 2-3 business days | Large Parcel Express 48 | By end of next 2 business days | ||
| Ireland Express | By end of next business day |
Royal Mail offers cost effective options for same day, next business day, and 2-3 business day delivery. These services also differ on potential compensation coverage based on your needs. The other key difference to note is some services offer guaranteed delivery while others cannot promise the parcel will arrive on time, but the success rates are high.
Same Day Delivery guarantees delivery by the end of the day on the same day the delivery order was placed. A special £10,000 compensation coverage option is available for those who need it. Due to the expedited nature of this service it does cost more than their other options.
Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed offers guaranteed delivery the next business day by 9:00 am. Royal Mail is so confident they can fulfill their guarantee that if the package does not arrive on time, they delivery is 100% free. A special £10,000 compensation coverage is also offered.
Royal Mail Signed for 1st Class aims to complete the delivery by the end of the next business day. While this is not a guarantee, the success rate of these deliveries is extremely high. There is an option to add up to £50 of compensation coverage as well.
The Royal Mail Signed for 2nd Class option aims to deliver the parcel by the end of 2-3 business days for a cost effective price. It is worth noting this 2-3 day delivery is only a goal and is not guaranteed, however it does enjoy a high success rate. The optional £50 of compensation coverage is also available.
Royal Mail’s 1st Class Mail serviceaims to complete the delivery by the end of the next possible business day. The success rate of this goal is also very high. Again the difference in compensation coverage is noticed. The potential coverage in this service is only up to £20 instead of the £50 option offered by its similarly priced services.
The 2nd Class Mail service aims to deliver the parcel by the end of 2-3 business days. While not a guarantee it is the most economic option if leniency in delivery time is allowable. Again the compensation is only £20 instead of £50.
Parcelforce services can fall into the more expensive category but they are very reliable and offer a wide selection of services in the UK. These services can be separated into next day, two day, and Ireland services.
Next Morning Express 9, Next Morning Express 10, Next Morning Express AM, Next Day Express 24 all offer delivery the next business day with arrival times at 9:00 am, 10:00 am, 12:00 pm and by the end of the day respectively.
Two Day Express48 and Large Parcel Express48, offer delivery by the end of two business days. The weight of the parcel for Two Day Express48 is limited to 3okg. However, Large Parcel Express48 will take as many individual 30kg as you could ever want.
Their Ireland Express service will complete a special delivery to Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland by the end of the next business day.
Royal Mail vs Parcelforce: Europe
Royal Mail does not have Europe specific services, but their European and international delivery times differ slightly. The table below compares the Royal Mail’s European aspect to Parcel Force’s European service.
| Royal Mail | Parcel Force | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Services | Delivery Time | Cost | Services | Delivery Time | Cost |
| International Tracked and Signed | Aim for end of 3-5 business days | No Services Available | |||
| International Tracked | Aim for end of 3-5 business days | ||||
| International Signed | Aim for end of 3-5 business days | ||||
| International Standard | Aim for end of 3-5 business days | ||||
| International Economy | Aim for end of 10-15 business days |
Royal Mail’s international services are also offered in Europe with the reduction of delivery times. These services can be broken down into two economic options and three slightly more costly options based on the delivery needs.
International Tracked aims to complete the delivery by the end of 3-5 business days. This service also provides end to end tracking of the parcel, giving you peace of mind from start to finish.
International Signed aims to hand you the parcel by the end of 3-5 business days as well. The difference with this service is it requires a signature upon the arrival of the package. This is perfect for sensitive parcels that are too important to be left out sitting on the porch.
International Tracked and Signed brings the best of both worlds to the table. Offering end to end tracking on top of the required signature upon arrival. With the same delivery time of 3-5 days this option is very popular and is the most expensive of Royal Mail’s European/international options.
International Standard is the first of the two economic European options. With a goal of delivery in 3-5 business days and no required signature or tracking system, it is a happy middle ground between cost effective and expensive additional services.
International Economy is the most bare bones European service Royal Mail offers. Completion of the package is expected between 10-15 business days with none of the frills of the other services.
Parcelforce does not have Europe specific services, they fall into the category of international services.
Royal Mail vs Parcelforce: International 
The table below lists the international shipping services provided by Royal Mail and Parcelforce.
| Royal Mail | Parcel Force | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Services | Delivery Time | Cost | Services | Delivery Time | Cost |
| International Tracked and Signed | Aim for end of 5-7 business days | Global Express | By the end of next business day for Europe, USA, and Canada. 2 business days for the rest of the world. | ||
| International Tracked | Aim for end of 5-7 business days | Global Priority | End of 3 business days to Europe and major destinations worldwide | ||
| International Signed | Aim for end of 5-7 business days | Global Value | By end of 5-8 working days worldwide | ||
| International Standard | Aim for end of 5-7 business days | Global Economy | 28-46 business days worldwide (not available to Europe destinations) | ||
| International Economy | Aim for end of 6-12 weeks | HM Forces | Delivery varies based on station |
Royal Mail’s International services are the same as their European services so this section will look very similar to their European services with adjusted longer delivery times, with both economic and more pricey options.
International Tracked aims to complete the delivery by the end of 5-7 business days. This service also provides end to end tracking of the parcel, giving you peace of mind from start to finish.
International Signed aims to hand you the parcel by the end of 5-7 business days as well. The difference with this service is it requires a signature upon the arrival of the package. This is perfect for sensitive parcels that are too important to be left out sitting on the porch.
International Tracked and Signed brings the best of both worlds to the table. Offering end to end tracking on top of the required signature upon arrival. With the same delivery time of 5-7 days this option is very popular and is the most expensive of Royal Mail’s European/international options.
International Standard is the first of the two economic European options. With a goal of delivery in 5-7 business days and no required signature or tracking system, it is a happy middle ground between cost effective and expensive additional services.
International Economy is the most bare bones European service Royal Mail offers. Completion of the package is expected between 6-12 weeks with none of the frills of the other services.
Parcelforce’s services can be broken down into premium expedited delivery time services, slower but more economic options, and their special HM Forces service.
Parcelforce’s Global Express service is at the top of the market when it comes to expedited international shipping services. This service guarantees delivery by the end of the next business day in Europe, USA, and Canada. For the rest of the world, delivery time is around 2 days, which is still very fast for international shipping. Of course this service will cost a significant amount, but you definitely get what you pay for.
At a slightly lower price point Global Priority delivers the parcel in 3 business days to all European and major destinations worldwide. While still expensive, this service does offer a slightly more affordable expedited shipping option.
Global Value providesa nice middle ground between premium services and economic options. Delivery ranges from 5-8 working days worldwide, which is still very fast, but far less expensive than the previous two options. This middle ground makes the Global Value service very popular in the international market space.
At the far end of the economic spectrum is the Global Economy option. A significantly slower delivery time of 28-46 business days worldwide (not available to Europe destinations) is matched with a significantly lower price. This options is perfect if time is not important in the arrival of the parcel.
Parcelforce also offers a special international service for HM Forces. This service is heavily discounted in order to keep service mean and women connected globally. Delivery times vary based on the destination, but it is often very expedited.
Royal Mail vs Parcelforce: Additional Services for E-commerce 
Royal Mail offers a very unique Articles for the Blind option. This additional service will specially ship books, printed materials, letters, relief maps, audio and electronic media, equipment such as magnifiers and mobility aids up t 7 kg all made to aid visually impaired people. They come delivered at a First Class International rate and are very reasonably priced for a service that can spare no expense.
HM Forces Mail offers special discounted prices for delivering mail to The British Forces Post Office. With guaranteed Special Delivery, First Class Signed For, and Royal Mail 1st Class it is the perfect option for staying connected with the men and women serving their country. They deserve the best mails services and this additional service provides that to them.
Parcelforce offers many additional services catering specifically to businesses and their customers.
Business Convenient Collect the parcel can be picked up the next business day after the parcel is dropped off at a Post Office in the UK. This is a very economic option as the package can be picked up as late as 10:00 pm, providing both convince and savings for the customer.
Business Express Collect similarly offers parcel pick up the next business day at a post office in the UK. The difference is that this service offers pickup as early as 8:00 am, resulting in a slightly higher price point.
Business Express Exchange takes care of the parcel exchange process with ease and low costs. This service handles collection and delivery in one single transaction. Delivery speed options range from 10:00 am, 12:00 pm, and 24 hour exchanges are available.
UK Pallet is specially set up for large and heavy shipments. This service delivers pallets to every area code in the UK. Different delivery times are met with different prices. The delivery times range 12:00 pm the next business day, end of the next business day, or by the end of two business days. Pallet can weigh up to 1000kg total, serving very heavy shipments. Compensation is also offered in line with Road Haulage Association (£1.30 per kilo).
For even larger deliveries theres Business Global Bulk. This service can handle pallets weighing up to 1,200kg, serving even the largest shipments. Delivery times vary, but collection starts usually the day of booking. CMR compensation is also included.
For large quantity shipments, Business Global Direct is a great solution for businesses. The requirements for this service are the sender must send a minimum of 40 parcels per country. With this service, Parcelforce can deliver a large quantity of parcels to all major European destinations, in 3 working days. Individual parcels can weigh up to 30kg with compensation up to £25 per parcel, that is included in the price. While this service is very expensive, in the long run businesses save a lot of money by using this bulk shipping option.
Royal Mail vs Parcelforce: Reviews and Considerations
We at ShippyPro operate in the e-commerce sector, especially in the field of online shipments. We are in daily contact with many domestic and international carriers.
Evaluating all the work of a carrier is not an easy task.
The one perfect carrier does not exist, however, there are certain carriers that are more suited for the needs of your business.
In this article we have introduced the main services of both Royal Mail and Parcelforce, used heavily at a national and international level.
We want to help you choose the ideal logistics partner for your needs, but there are other considerations we need to look at.
To do this, we will show you the only metric of transparent judgment we have; the reviews of customers who use Royal Mail and Parcelforce daily to ship domestically and around the globe.
Below are the total reviews of the two couriers formed on the basis of daily feedback from customers.
Royal Mail vs Parcelforce: Who do we choose to ship?
At this point you understand how difficult it is to determine which carrier is better than another.
It is well known that some carriers work better in some areas than others.
Now, considering that your goal is to provide the best customer service, there is nothing better than trying to enter into a contract with not one, but multiple carriers.
This way you will be able to offer excellent service in every area and every category of product.
Don’t limit yourself to a single shipping service provider.
Instead, look to choose different carriers, each for a specific scope, significantly reducing asset management costs.
In fact, each freight forwarder charges very different tariffs in relation to the weight, size, and destination of the goods.
Compare and choose the best carriers for any type of shipping you make!
Comparing all these carriers is a time-consuming process, but there are services for managing the various shippers that can help.
It’s convenient to pick a software like ShippyPro, which automatically compares the prices of different vendors and allows you to set shipping rules, saving you time and money.
ShippyPro is the complete shipping software for online and offline retail. With Label Creator, Track & Trace, Easy Return and Analytics features, our software simplifies your shipping operations. ShippyPro integrates with over 160 couriers and 80 sales channels, making it compatible with a wide range of products and use cases.