Colissimo vs. Chronopost: What’s Best for You?

Colissimo and Chronopost are the two most popular eCommerce shipping couriers in France. This means you can trust Colissimo and Chronopost to power your shipping with a mix of speed, savings, and reliability. But which is best for you?

These couriers are both popular but for different reasons. Chronopost is an express carrier, meaning it gets packages to its destination faster for a higher price. Colissimo is the standard shipping option that focuses on affordability. Both are part of the La Poste group, which operates all across France for easy drop-offs, pickups, tracking, and more.

This blog highlights the differences between Colissimo vs. Chronopost to help you choose what works best for your eCommerce company.

What is Colissimo?

Founded in 1991, Colissimo is a French parcel delivery service that offers fast, affordable service for domestic and international shipments. The shipping service is part of La Poste, which is comparable to the United States Postal Service.

A few popular courier services offered by Colissimo include:

• Colissimo Access: Delivery in 1-2 business days for domestic deliveries within France. Prices start from €11.51 for shipping
• Colissimo Expert: Delivery in 1-2 business days for domestic deliveries within France. Prices start from €13.79 for shipping
• Colissimo International: Delivery in 2-7 business days for international deliveries shipped from France. Prices start from €48.02 for shipping

Colissimo includes a typical set of standard shipping features, such as:

• Tracking
• Delivery signature
• Sending from a mailbox
• Pick-up point delivery
• Drop-off delivery
• Home delivery
• Delivery to post office

No matter if you’re shipping in France or overseas, Colissimo can get your parcel from one destination to another. If you're looking for more sophisticated features, you can try Chronopost.

What is Chronopost?

Founded in 1985, Chronopost is an international parcel delivery service that services France and 230+ countries worldwide. Chronopost Express offers better features if you’re looking for fast, expedited delivery, but it comes at a higher price.
Let’s take a look at popular Chronopost shipping services.

• Chronopost Express International: Delivery in 1-2 business days for countries within Europe and 3-7 business days for the rest of the world. Prices start from €17.15 for shipping
• Chronopost - Chrono 13: Delivery within the next business day for domestic shipping within France. Prices start from €16.02 for shipping
• Chronopost Classic International: Delivery in 4-9 business days for international shipping from France. Prices start from €10.87 for shipping

Chronopost offers basic Chronopost tracking services for all shipments so that you can have some peace of mind about the whereabouts of your shipment. Plus, enjoy other features such as:

• Express delivery (i.e., same-day delivery)
• Delivery with signature
• Pick-up point delivery
• Drop-off delivery
• Home delivery
• Delivery to post office
• Saturday delivery

Related post: Shipping to France - The Definitive eCommerce Guide

Colissimo vs. Chronopost: What’s the Difference?

Colissimo and Chronopost are two of France’s most popular shipping services, but they differ in price, delivery lead time, and maximum volumes.

• Price: Chronopost is cheaper for international shipping. You’ll pay €13.03 for a 2kg parcel for Chronopost shipping within France, or €17.66 for the same 2kg parcel with Colissimo
• Lead time: Chronopost is an express parcel service that delivers international shipping in 2-7 business days. Colissimo, on the other hand, takes 4-8 business days for international shipments
• Maximum volumes: Chronopost limits parcels to 300cm in volume. On the other hand, Colissimo only allows for parcels no larger than 150cm in volume. So if you’re shipping a large package domestically or internationally, you’ll want to choose Chronopost to avoid any additional surcharges
• Features: Chronopost offers advanced features such as Sunday delivery, signature upon delivery, or collection on request. However, Colissimo falls short for weekend delivery but offers signature upon delivery and basic tracking services.

Colissimo is your best choice if you’re looking for the cheapest rates for domestic delivery within France or international shipments. So if you’re not in a hurry, Colissimo is an excellent choice if you’re willing to wait a couple of extra business days for shipping.

Chronopost is your best bet for larger parcels that need express delivery for international shipments. For example, you’ll pay €28.62 for a 2kg parcel from France to the United States with Chronopost - Chrono Express. But, you’ll pay €77.13 for Colissimo International.

How Easyship Can Help

Depending on your eCommerce needs, your choice of the courier will differ. For instance, if you’re shipping a large parcel within France or overseas, consider Chronopost since they’re more flexible when it comes to maximum volume for your shipment.

Plus, consider connecting with a reliable shipping platform to supercharge your shipping to reach new global heights. That way, you can access even bigger savings for shipping.

Easyship offers users up to 70% discounted shipping rates on 250+ couriers, including Chronopost and Colissimo, with our free shipping rates calculator. Not only will you access the cheapest rates guaranteed, but you’ll also gain access to advanced features like automated shipping tools, tax and duty visibility, and more.

Ready to ship? Sign up for a FREE Easyship account so you can find the best shipping solution for your eCommerce business

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If you found this article informative, you may enjoy the following:

• What’s the Cheapest Way to Ship Internationally in 2021?
• How to Ship to Europe: A Detailed Guide for eCommerce Merchants
• Shipping & Selling to France eCommerce Guide