Shipping to Germany from the USA
Shipping from the United States to Germany does not have to be difficult. Because the top carriers all provide different services and plans, there is no single “best” option. You should investigate each carrier to determine which one best meets your shipment requirements.
When selecting a shipment carrier, there is no “one size fits all” solution. Different carriers provide similar services as well as their own. If you want to ship to Germany, compare each carrier’s rates, policies, and services to choose the best one for your needs.
We examined what the greatest shipping companies have to offer so that you may select the best carrier for shipping from the United States to Germany.
Shipping to Germany: USPS vs. UPS. vs. FedEx vs. DHL
When evaluating the different carriers, keep in mind that the cheaper option might not always be the best; if your budget has room to maneuver, then you should take the quality and stability of the service into account as well as the speed.
You should also check what special services the courier offers and the impact it could have on your company and your clients.
Every one of the couriers will try to make sure that your packages make it to the destination within the shortest time frame possible. But the pricing differs depending on the size, weight, time of day, and even destination of the packages.
Before we move on, it might interest you that the USPS offers flat rates to ship from the US to Germany. The other prices have been calculated using the respective carrier’s pricing calculators for a 3kg package in March 2022.
These prices are subject to change, so don’t focus on the number and whether it fits into your budget just yet. To get an exact quote, it’s best if you contact the courier of your choice within the next few business days. ShippingTree also offers reduced shipping costs for our clients.
| Service | Cost | Delivery Time | |
| USPS | Priority Mail Express International | $40.95 | 3-5 business days |
| USPS | Priority Mail International | $32.60 | 6-10 business days |
| USPS | First-Class International Service | $44.95 | 11-20 business days |
| UPS | Worldwide Expedited | $44 | 2-5 business days |
| UPS | Worldwide Saver | $33 | 6-10 business days |
| FedEx | International Priority | $49.32 | 3-5 business days |
| FedEx | International Economy | $44.51 | 6-10 business days |
| DHL | International Express | $39.33 | 3-6 business days |
Shipping to Germany with USPS
The postal service in the United States is run by the United States Postal Service (USPS). Even though this government agency is independent, it also has options for international shipping. When the package gets to Germany and has been checked by customs, Deutsche Post will get it. They will send your package wherever it needs to go in Germany.
USPS pros
USPS is a well-known courier service in the US, so it has many offices and places to drop packages all over the country. Because of this, it is a good choice for online stores that want to reach customers worldwide. They also have a service called “Click-N-Ship,” which will speed up the process, especially if your business is just starting out and needs to get used to shipping.
It has pretty good prices for its services, and you can choose between free packaging and flat-rate shipping. This makes it a good choice for a business that wants to ship its products for less money. Some of their shipping options also come with a money-back guarantee for certain delivery dates. This choice can be used by the Priority Mail Express International service.
USPS cons
Even though USPS is known for being reliable, customers worry that its tracking information isn’t always right. This could make your customers unhappy with how you deliver, which could hurt your business. When the package is given to Deutsche Post, the tracking information is no longer updated.
So, if you want to use USPS to send packages from the U.S. to Germany, you’ll need to think about your customers and what they want.
Shipping to Germany with FedEx
FedEx is a US-based multinational company focusing on shipping, e-commerce, and services.
FedEx pros
They specialize in international air express freight, and depending on your options, FedEx is usually cheaper than UPS.
The company has shipped many different kinds of goods worldwide, even fragile ones. They also offer a premium service where they will handle and ship controlled or dangerous goods. They will also make sure that things that go bad quickly or need to be kept at a certain temperature are shipped to the destination country in a way that keeps the temperature and humidity under control.
If speed is important, your customers can get their packages in 1–5 days with FedEx International Next Flight, FedEx International Priority Freight, or FedEx International Economy Freight.
Their International Shipping Assist tool helps you with international shipping in many ways, like letting you save the Harmonized System codes to use again in the future and giving you access to all important shipping-related information.
FedEx cons
There is a fee for FedEx to pick up packages. They also only offer flat-rate shipping within the country, while the USPS has this option for people who want to send packages to a different country.
As you might expect, FedEx’s high-end services will cost more. So you should think about whether the price is worth it or not. When you do this, think about what your customers want to buy and how fast they want their packages from the US to arrive.
Shipping to Germany with UPS
The United Parcel Service (UPS), which is based in the United States, is one of the biggest international shipping companies.
UPS pros
When sending small packages, UPS is usually faster than USPS. Their services are known to be good, and their international network is larger than FedEx’s.
UPS cons
UPS will charge more than USPS to send small packages. On the other hand, if you are sending larger packages, UPS’s shipping rates are lower than USPS’s.
This could be because their flat-rate services are not the same. USPS has smaller packaging options and charges based on the package size. UPS, on the other hand, has flat-rate shipping options for boxes that weigh 10 KG or 25 KG.
Shipping to Germany with DHL
DHL is a well-known company that sends packages and mail. It’s also the only courier on this list that’s not based in the US. The company is based in Germany and is a division of Deutsche Post, which is a German logistics company. They offer both land and sea delivery for international shipping.
DHL pros
DHL has a good international customer support service. This service offers a wide range of international shipping services across borders, door-to-door delivery, flexible pick-up times with options for electronic billing, and a number of online shipping tools. DHL also gives customers an online portal and a way to get help in real time, which makes it easy for them to manage their shipments.
What may be interesting to e-commerce companies is that DHL designs their surfaces with both the companies and their customers in mind, especially for packages going to Europe. They have a delivery and return service called Parcel Connext, which will make it easier to send packages to Europe and avoid some of the problems that can arise.
This service gives you access to 28 countries with a single label and an IT system that keeps track of your customer data across the DHL network. They are also willing to make the service fit the needs of your business.
DHL cons
Some people might not like the fact that they will have a few extra fees. One example is the extra fee they will charge for delivery on Saturday.
Ship to Germany with ShippingTree
Looking to ship to Germany from the USA? ShippingTree can help you out.
Done for you fulfillment
ShippingTree offers fulfillment services – we’ll manage your entire fulfillment process from initially receiving inventory to shipping orders and managing reverse logistics.
Reduced shipping costs
ShippingTree has a network of strategically positioned distribution centers and a team of fulfillment experts. Thanks to our in-house experience and strategic infrastructure, we can help you scale your operations while reducing shipping costs. Thanks to our partnerships with carriers, we can ship your products at a discounted rate.
Ecommerce integrations
ShippingTree is a tech-enabled 3PL provider, so our systems integrate seamlessly with your ecommerce store and all major platforms. This helps us streamline your ecommerce fulfillment, optimizing key processes such as inventory management.
FAQs about shipping to Germany from the USA
We answered some of the most frequently asked questions to help you understand more about shipping from Germany to the US.
Is USPS the cheapest way to ship from the US to Germany?
The USPS flat rate shipping option could potentially be the cheapest way to ship your parcels from the United States to Germany. But the exact cost of the shipment depends on the size of the items as their rates differ depending on the size of the box that you choose (Small, Medium, Large).
How much does it cost to ship from the US to Germany?
The exact cost will vary on the parcel that you are shipping and the items that it contains. This is true no matter the carrier that you choose to use, as they will have a number of options with varying rates. For an exact quote, contact the carrier directly.
But as you consider the cost, keep in mind that the shipped parcels will be taxed and have duties levied against them.
What’s the cheapest way to send a parcel to Germany?
The answer isn’t a simple this or that. It depends on the speed of the shipment, as well as the parcel’s specifications (type, dimensions, size, weight, etc). Generally speaking, you could consider UPS and their flat-rate fee for larger parcels (10kg or 25kg). But if the package is smaller, then USPS and their flat-rate fee may work out better.
Does UPS ship to Germany?
Yes, it does. UPS has many Access Point locations across Germany, making it an attractive option for customers as they can pick up their goods from the drop-off location closest to them. Just make sure that the items you are sending aren’t on the list of prohibited items.
Conclusion
We hope you now have a better understanding of the different types of carriers and their offerings for shipping from the US to Germany.
And if you need help with shipping internationally, you can always contact us.
