Both services get a delivery moving quickly, but they work in very different ways and cost very different amounts. Choosing the right one for each job is one of the simplest ways to protect your customers and your budget.
How an overnight parcel service works
Your parcel is collected from you today and goes into a carrier's overnight network, then arrives by the end of the next working day. Parcels are sorted through hubs with thousands of others, which is what keeps the cost per parcel low. Our overnight and next-day service gives you access to carriers including Royal Mail, DPD, DHL, InPost, UKMail and more through one account, with prices on the site starting from £1.79 per shipment depending on the parcel.
How a same-day courier works
A same-day courier collects from you and drives straight to the recipient, with no hubs or sorting in between. One driver, one vehicle, one job. That makes it faster and more controlled, and because the vehicle is dedicated to your delivery it costs more. Our same-day courier service starts from £30.
Side by side
- Speed: same-day arrives within hours; overnight arrives by the end of the next working day.
- Cost: overnight is far cheaper per parcel, especially in volume; same-day is priced per job.
- Handling: same-day goes direct with one driver; overnight passes through a carrier network.
- Best for volume: overnight. Best for one-off urgent items: same-day.
- Tracking: both are tracked, and proof of delivery is available on both.
When to choose overnight
- Routine online orders and business parcels where tomorrow is fast enough.
- Regular daily volume, where the saving per parcel adds up quickly.
- Parcels going to many different addresses across the UK.
When to choose same-day
- Urgent items: a missing part, a legal document, a medical sample.
- High-value or fragile goods where you want one driver and no hub handling.
- Something that has to arrive by a specific time today.
- A back-up when a carrier has let you down. See what to do when your courier lets you down.
Using both together
Most businesses end up using both: overnight for the bulk of their parcels and a same-day courier for the exceptions. The key is having one provider who can do either, so you are not juggling accounts. If you would rather not choose parcel by parcel, our multi-carrier setup can route each order automatically. See how multi-carrier shipping cuts costs and headaches.
Ready to set it up? Call 0116 444 0444 or request a quote and we will come back to you with the right service for what you send.