Cheapest way to ship large packages & boxes in 2025

Whether you’re shipping an office chair you sold on Facebook Marketplace or 100 orders a week for your ecommerce business, finding the cheapest way to ship large packages is challenging. With changing rates, size-related surcharges, and various discount platforms, the variables can be overwhelming.

Drawing from 12 years of specialized experience in handling large shipments, this guide compares actual carrier rates for oversized packages across different distances and shipping speeds.

We’ll also explore nine strategies to ship bulky items affordably while avoiding common costly mistakes.

What you’ll learn

Carrier-rate comparison for large boxes and oversized packages

The following tables compare carrier rates for three different large packages (i.e., a dumbbell, portable air conditioner, and home safe) across five domestic and international routes, including both ground and next-day services.

For easy comparison, black bold figures show the cheapest option when booking directly with carriers, while red bold figures indicate the lowest rate across all options—including both direct carrier booking and a representative discount platform (PirateShip).

You’ll find complete package dimensions and weights listed after the domestic shipping tables.

Cost comparison for shipping a dense 45-lb package (dumbbell)

Cost comparison for shipping a large, bulky package (portable AC)

Cost comparison for a 110-lb oversized box (home safe)

Cost comparison for international shipping of a large package

The table below compares international shipping rates for the portable AC (50 lbs, 30″ x 20″ x 15″) across three common international routes.

Key factors affecting the shipping costs of large packages

Understanding how multiple factors combine to determine your final shipping costs is essential for long-term cost management. Beyond the base carrier rates, several variables can dramatically increase your shipping bill, potentially adding thousands to the expected cost.

Here are the key cost drivers so you can anticipate, calculate, and minimize these expenses.

If your package exceeds the previously mentioned size limits, you can send it as freight, which means your item will be loaded onto a pallet and moved with other large items.

Even though palletized freight typically costs more than standard shipping, it allows you to avoid size surcharges and reduces the damage risks associated with parcel shipping.

The illustration below shows items that are commonly transported via shipping and freight. Learn more in our comparison guide on shipping vs. freight.

Carriers provide free coverage up to $100 for lost or damaged packages. If your item is worth more, you have two options for additional protection.

Carrier declared-value coverage

You can increase your declared value with the carrier and pay 1% to 2.5% of your item’s worth for additional coverage.

For example, if the aforementioned portable AC costs $500, you’d pay $5 to $12.50 extra to declare its full value with the major carriers.

Third-party shipping insurance

For valuable items, third-party insurance often provides better protection than carrier coverage. While it may cost more up front (0.5% to 4% of your item’s value), it typically offers more comprehensive coverage with fewer restrictions.

Using the same $500 AC example, third-party insurance might cost between $2.50 and $20.

Unless the item can be shipped in its original box, the protective materials for large shipments vary in cost, depending on the item’s fragility and whether you already have supplies on hand.

Let’s assume you’re shipping a large, fragile picture frame measuring 40″ × 20″ × 10″ and need to purchase protective materials. The table below shows the cost of buying each packaging supply in typical retail quantities (for example, a full roll of packing paper or a pack of corner protectors).

Tips to lower the shipping costs for large boxes

The following nine strategies can help you cut shipping costs for large boxes by 20%–80%, depending on your current shipping methods. These proven techniques range from simple packaging adjustments to advanced carrier negotiations and alternative shipping solutions.

Large, lightweight packages are almost always charged based on dimensional weight rather than actual weight. You can reduce shipping costs by packing the contents more compactly.

To illustrate the potential savings, let’s say you’re shipping a boxed office chair that measures 25″ x 22″ x 35″ and weighs 50 lbs.

If you ship the chair assembled, the billable weight will exceed 100 lbs. However, if you disassemble the chair and pack it into a box measuring 21″ x 18″ x 18″, the dimensional weight of the package will be 41 lbs or 49 lbs, depending on the carrier. In this scenario, the shipping costs will be based on the actual weight.

The table below compares UPS ground shipping rates from Los Angeles to Boston for the two packaging approaches.— —

Shipping platforms like PirateShip offer volume-based discounts because they negotiate lower rates with the carriers. In some cases, these discounts can be as high as 80%.

However, these platforms might not provide the same service level. For example, they often don’t guarantee arrival times, which introduces a higher risk of nonrefundable loss if shipments are delayed.

Shipping aggregators and marketplaces, like uShip, connect shippers with carriers through the following steps:

Size- and weight-related surcharges can exceed the base shipping rates for large packages. In some cases, these fees can add thousands of dollars to your shipping invoice.

To avoid the added costs, plan your shipments strategically and with attention to detail. Here are a couple of tips to minimize the risk of incurring a surcharge.

Familiarize yourself with carrier policies

Take the time to study the size limits and the potential surcharges. Make sure you understand how these fees are triggered, their current rates, and the potential impact on your bottom line.

Measure accurately and allow for safety margins

Packages can shift and change dimensions in transit. To mitigate the risk of these changes triggering a surcharge, package your shipments so their dimensions stay well below surcharge thresholds.

For example, if you’re shipping via UPS, avoid packing your item in a box that exceeds 160″ in combined length and girth, as 165″ is the threshold for the Over Maximum Limits fee.

This approach also allows you to avoid the surcharges for inaccurate measurements that some carriers impose, such as USPS’ Dimension Noncompliance Fee for commercial shipments.

While the rate sheets published by carriers are useful for tracking price changes, they require a deep understanding of the size limits and zone splits. For this reason, they leave more room for error and omission when assessing shipping costs.

Instead of relying on the rate sheets, contact the carriers directly or use their calculators for accurate cost assessments. The following calculators automatically apply all relevant fees, surcharges, and zone-based pricing:

If possible, reduce your shipping volume during the peak season (October to mid-January) to avoid higher carrier rates and demand surcharges.

For example, FedEx’s Oversized Charge* is $205 outside peak season. Around Christmas, FedEx will also charge the Demand–Oversize Charge of $100, which brings the total added cost for oversized packages to $305—a 49% increase.

If you need to ship packages during these peak-demand periods, book and pay early to secure your space and avoid last-minute price increases.

*Applies to packages that exceed 96″ in length or 130″ in combined length and girth.

If you’re an individual retail shipper, you can only benefit from volume-based discounts through a shipping platform.

However, if you’re running a business and consistently ship at scale, you might qualify for carrier discounts directly. The qualifying shipping quantities are usually tiered. That is, the more you ship, the greater the discount.

Still, most ecommerce businesses don’t ship high enough volumes to qualify for bulk discounts directly with carriers. If you fall into this group, you may still be eligible for lower rates through commercial programs, such as USPS Small Business Solutions.

If you’re running an ecommerce business that ships in bulk but doesn’t qualify for quantity-based carrier discounts, consider partnering with an experienced 3PL provider.

Red Stag Fulfillment specializes in big, heavy, and bulky fulfillment, which allows us to negotiate lower carrier rates for oversized packages through our combined shipping volume.

Partner with us to leverage our carrier relationships and fulfillment expertise. Explore our 3PL services or contact us today for a custom quote.

If your package exceeds size thresholds and triggers surcharges, splitting it into multiple smaller parcels might lower the shipping cost.

For example, a package that measures 35″ x 30″ x 20″ would incur a FedEx Oversized Charge because the combined length and girth exceed 130″.

However, splitting the contents into two boxes that measure 30” x 25” x 14” each allows you to ship the same volume (21,000 cubic inches) without triggering the Oversized Charge.

The downside and the solution

The downside of this approach is the complexity of calculating costs for different packaging scenarios. The solution is a program like FedEx Multiweight.

Once activated on your account, FedEx Multiweight automatically compares the cost of multiple smaller packages versus one consolidated shipment and then applies whichever rate is lower.

Level up your business with the right partner

If you’re running an ecommerce business that ships large packages, partnering with the right 3PL provider can be a significant advantage.

Red Stag Fulfillment specializes in large and heavy shipments, which allows us to negotiate volume-based discounts with the carriers. As our partner, you’d benefit from these discounts and fulfillment guarantees, including zero shrinkage and order accuracy.

We handle the fulfillment; you focus on growth.

Contact our team today to start a conversation.