Send package: comparison of costs and providers

DHL: cost of shipping the parcel

The best known provider is DHL. The company usually delivers within two days and scores with additional services such as packing stations.

With DHL you can send parcels (uninsured) or parcels (insured up to 500 euros and with tracking).
A small parcel measuring 30 x 25 x 10 cm and weighing up to 2 kg costs EUR 3.79. The larger parcel with 60 x 30 x 15 cm and also weighing up to 2 kg costs 4.50 euros.
Parcels can be a maximum of 120 x 60 x 60 cm at DHL. Up to 5 kg the shipping costs 7.49 euros, up to 10 kg it costs 9.49 euros and up to 31.5 kg you pay 16.49 euros.
It can be cheaper if you frank your package online. So you can save up to 1.50 euros. You can save even more if you buy your online frankings as sets of 10.

The most popular alternative to DHL is Hermes. With 15, 000 branches, the company is fairly well represented and generally delivers within two days.

Hermes can also send small packages (insured up to 50 euros) or parcels (insured up to 500 euros). Shipment tracking is included with both.
At Hermes, a parcel can weigh up to 25 kg. The sum of the length of the longest and the shortest side must not exceed 37 cm (for example 12 x 15 x 25 cm). The price for this is 4.50 euros.
All parcels that you send via a Hermes parcel shop can weigh up to 25 kg. At 50 cm as the sum of the longest and shortest side, 5.55 euros are incurred, at 80 cm it is 6.85 euros and at 120 cm 11.95 euros.
Larger and heavier parcels must be picked up at home for an extra charge and the parcel label created online. Hermes allows a weight of up to 31.5 kg when picked up. Up to 150 cm you have to pay 28.95 euros and up to 200 cm you pay 33.95 euros.
If you send parcels and parcels up to 25 kg that are not cuboid or have protruding parts, Hermes will charge a bulky goods fee of EUR 14.95.
You can save at Hermes if you send your parcel directly to a Hermes Parcel Shop. Buying parcel labels online - especially in sets - is cheaper.

DPD has only 6, 500 contact points in Germany, so you may have to drive a bit to the next branch. DPD also delivers within one to two working days.

All parcels that you send with DPD are insured up to 520 euros and may weigh up to 20 kg. When picking up at home up to 31.5 kg.
You can only frank the XS package online and pay 4.39 euros for it. Here the sum of the longest and shortest side must not exceed 35 centimeters.
You can pay for all other packages directly in the shop. Up to 50 cm the package costs 5.10 euros, up to 70 cm it costs 7.20 euros and up to 90 cm you pay 11.50 euros.
Larger packages are limited according to the so-called belt size. It is calculated from (height + width) x 2 + length (maximum 100 cm) and may be a total of 2.50 meters. For this you pay 17.50 euros. When picking up at home, a belt size of up to 3 meters applies with a maximum length of 1.75 meters. The cost here is 24 euros.
If you frank your parcel online, shipping is a little cheaper. You save up to 1.60 euros; and the DPD Shop2Shop delivery is a few cents cheaper.

GLS has even fewer branches than DPD with 5, 000 contact points. GLS is the only company to specify a delivery time of one working day.

At GLS, each parcel can weigh up to 40 kg and is insured up to 750 euros.
At up to 35 cm as the sum of the shortest and longest side, a package at GLS costs 4.50 euros. At up to 50 cm, 5.50 euros are incurred, up to 70 cm cost 7.50 euros and up to 90 cm 11.50 euros.
Larger packages with the belt size described above are also measured at GLS. With a maximum belt length of 3 meters, the package costs 19.50 euros.
Pay for shipping online and save up to 1.60 euros. Again, you save the most money when you have it delivered to a parcel shop.

On the next page we show you the best tips for packing and shipping your parcel.