Purolator Alternatives: Top Competitors & Shipping Options (2025)

Latest Update (December 9, 2024): When it comes to shipping in Canada, Purolator is often a go-to carrier for many eCommerce businesses looking for an alternative to Canada Post.

Effective today, Purolator has temporarily paused shipments from many major shipping and technology companies, including Easyship, due to the combined network stress caused by:

• The ongoing Canada Post strike that started on November 15, has led to a significant backlog of deliveries being redirected to other carriers and immense network pressure within the Canadian logistics network
• A significant surge in package volumes over the past fortnight, as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas holiday shopping drives significant online shopping activity
• Severe weather conditions affecting their delivery network across Canada, including snow, wind and blizzards across Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador

While uncommon, this is a perfect logistical storm. Where several major network challenges like service disruptions, higher costs, surcharges, and (seemingly indefinite) delivery delays can leave Canadian companies scrambling for shipping alternatives.

Whether you’re an eCommerce store owner or a retail professional, understanding your domestic and international shipping options is crucial. This guide explores the best Purolator alternatives to help your business save money, improve delivery times, and enhance customer satisfaction by ensuring reliable express delivery this festive season.

Alternative To Purolator Shipping (December 2024)

These latest service disruptions with Purolator, compounded by the ongoing Canada Post Strike, underscore the need for businesses to diversify their shipping strategies. Leveraging multi-carrier shipping platforms like Easyship ensures flexibility and minimizes the impact of delays—while delivering market-leading shipping rates by comparing all major services.

Benefits of Multi-Carrier Shipping

• Compare real-time costs and delivery times across multiple carriers to find the best option for each shipment.
• Access exclusive rates, saving businesses up to 91% or more on shipping costs.
• Ensure reliability by having backup options available when one carrier experiences delays or service interruptions.

Top Purolator Alternatives

As the strike and temporary pause of the largest courier company in Canada, ensure your business continues to deliver for your customers this holiday season with the best Canada Post and Purolator alternatives for urgent mail and parcel delivery.

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Keep Canadian eCommerce Moving with the Right Shipping Strategy

Purolator’s service disruptions, whether temporary or prolonged, can create significant challenges for eCommerce businesses. By proactively integrating alternative carriers and multi-carrier platforms, you can:

• Ensure consistent deliveries to customers during high-demand periods.
• Avoid disruptions by choosing carriers suited to your specific needs, such as same-day delivery or international shipping.
• Maintain customer trust and satisfaction by offering reliable and timely shipping options.

Best Shipping Companies in Canada

Diversifying your shipping strategy is a critical step in mitigating risks and ensuring operational resilience, especially during service interruptions. This theme will likely continue into 2025, meaning multi-carrier software platforms like Easyship become increasingly important in the search for cheaper shipping rates and viable shipping alternatives. Here's a closer look at some of the best shipping solutions available to Canadian eCommerce sellers depending on their exact requirements.

How to Choose the Right Shipping Carrier for Your Business

Selecting the right carrier involves assessing your specific shipping needs.

Factors to consider:

1. Delivery speed: Does your business require same-day, next-day, or standard delivery?
2. Cost: Can the carrier offer affordable rates for the package size and destination?
3. Reliability: Does the carrier have positive reviews and a track record of timely deliveries?
4. Customer support: Are there options for live chat, tracking updates, and issue resolution?

UPS: Reliable for Domestic & High-Value Shipments

UPS is a global logistics powerhouse that excels in handling high-value goods and large shipments.

Why choose UPS:

• Specializes in shipping items up to 150 pounds securely.
• Offers cost-effective standard shipping within five days and next-day delivery for urgent needs.
• Strong international network for global shipments.

Sendle: Cheapest Shipping for Small Businesses

Sendle is a nimble and cost-effective shipping solution designed specifically for small businesses looking to streamline their local and regional deliveries.

Why choose Sendle:

• Offers budget-friendly rates, starting as low as $7.63, making it ideal for SMBs managing tight margins.
• Provides carbon-neutral shipping, appealing to environmentally conscious businesses and customers.
• No hidden fees or subscription costs, ensuring straightforward pricing and ease of use.

DHL Express: Best for International Express Shipping

DHL Express is an industry leader in international shipping, making it a top choice for businesses expanding globally.

Why choose DHL Express:

• Competitive rates for time-sensitive international deliveries.
• Reliable service to over 220 countries and territories.
• Expertise in customs clearance to ensure smooth cross-border shipping.
• Fast cross-border shipping with a premier tracking experience 

Canpar: Cost-Effective Regional Shipping

Canpar is a regional shipping carrier that provides cost-effective shipping services within Canada and the United States.

Why choose Canpar:

• Known for its affordable shipping rates and reliable delivery times
• Great option for businesses aiming to cut down on shipping costs without compromising on service quality
• Excellent customer service and support makes it a dependable choice for budget-friendly regional shipping solution

Preparing Your Business for Carrier Disruptions

Being proactive can help your business avoid delays and disruptions during carrier strikes or service issues.

Steps to prepare:

1. Integrate multi-carrier systems: Ensure you have access to multiple shipping options with a leading multi-carrier platform like Easyship
2. Train your team: Familiarize staff with alternative carriers and platforms, Easyship is quick to set up (3-5 minutes) and fast to get up to speed with multiple user seats
3. Monitor carrier performance: Regularly review delivery times, costs, and customer feedback to ensure you continue to select the best shipping options

Finding the Best Purolator Alternative

The right shipping solution depends on your business’s unique requirements. 

International carriers like UPS and DHL Express offer reliability and extensive global networks, while smaller carriers like Sendle provide other benefits like speed and flexibility. Platforms like Easyship empower you to compare all the options and save money doing it.

By diversifying your shipping strategy and staying prepared, you can ensure smooth operations, satisfied customers, and improved profitability. Whether you're looking for cost savings, faster delivery, or international reach, exploring Purolator alternatives will give your business the edge it needs to thrive.

Ready to simplify and save on shipping?
Easyship is here to help.

Easyship was built to simplify shipping for eCommerce sellers of every size. If you’re looking for ways to save on shipping costs, compare rates, automate fulfillment, or grow internationally—our free shipping tools and smart dashboard can save you hours daily.

Our most popular App features:

• Discounted Shipping Rates: Get instant access to the largest selection of pre-negotiated volume discounts on shipping labels (up to 91% off retail rates).
• Multi-Carrier Comparison: Effortlessly compare 550+ global courier services to find the best option with our intelligent courier selection algorithm.
• Simple Set-Up & Integration: Connect your store and sales channels to Easyship in minutes to automatically sync orders and manage all shipments in one dashboard.
• Instant Rates At Checkout: Increase conversions by showcasing the cheapest, fastest and best value shipping rates live at checkout.
• Automatic Tax & Duties: Calculate, pre-pay, or pass on all tax and duty obligations for international orders, including generating all relevant customs paperwork.
• Shipping Automation Rules: Streamline shipping workflows, bulk print labels and reduce manual pick and pack errors with simple automation rules.
• Branded Tracking & Returns: Deliver a superior customer experience from checkout to delivery with branded tracking updates, delivery status, and pre-paid return labels.
• Shipping Insurance: Protect your brand and reputation from parcel theft, loss, or damage with affordable insurance options for domestic and international shipments.
  
  

More free shipping tools:

• Shipping Rate Calculator: Compare and calculate the cheapest way to ship anything to anywhere with our shipping cost calculator for international and domestic.
• Tax & Duties Calculator: Create an estimate of your customs duties and import taxes for every country and retail category.
• Country Import Rules: Understand the individual import rules, requirements, and restrictions for every country with our helpful guides.
• HS Code Lookup Tool: Search for the correct HS/HST Code for international orders with our universal HS Code Lookup Tool.
• Shipping Policy Generator: A clear and enticing shipping policy is a sales tool for stores, setting clear expectations and building trust with prospective customers.
  
  

Join our community of eCommerce sellers and get started with Easyship for free today.