Choosing between Evri and Royal Mail is one of those decisions that looks simple until it starts affecting margins, customer reviews, and “where is my order?” tickets. Both couriers are widely used across UK eCommerce, but they serve different needs, and they perform best when they’re used in the right situations.
One thing is clear: delivery issues are not rare. Citizens Advice reported that 15 million people experienced a problem with their latest parcel delivery in a one month snapshot, with 37% facing issues. That doesn’t mean any one courier is automatically “bad”, but it does mean courier choice (and how it’s applied) can make a visible difference to customer experience.
This guide breaks down Evri vs Royal Mail in practical terms: where each one tends to work best, how customers perceive them, and how eCommerce brands can choose without guessing.
Table of Contents
Evri vs Royal Mail comparison table
A quick overview of both couriers
Evri
Evri is commonly chosen by eCommerce retailers looking to keep delivery costs competitive, particularly on lightweight parcels and higher order volumes. Evri’s own reporting shows the scale they operate at: over 807 million parcels in 2024-25, an 11 percent increase year on year.
In plain terms, that level of volume tends to attract brands that need shipping to stay economical as orders grow.
Royal Mail
Royal Mail is deeply established in the UK and is strongly associated with reliable everyday deliveries. Many consumers recognise Royal Mail services instantly, which can matter at checkout.
Royal Mail delivery aims for common services are also widely stated. For example, the Post Office describes 1st Class as aiming for the next working day, and 2nd Class as aiming for 2-3 working days (including Saturdays).
Delivery speed and what customers assume
Delivery speed is partly operational and partly psychological. The way a delivery option is presented at checkout often shapes customer expectations just as much as the actual transit time.
Royal Mail: familiarity builds confidence
When customers see services such as “Royal Mail 24” or “Royal Mail Tracked”, the wording feels familiar and trusted. Many UK shoppers already have an understanding of what these services imply, which can reduce hesitation at checkout.
For brands selling products where confidence plays a role in the purchase decision – such as beauty & cosmetics, vitamins & supplements, gifts, baby products, or higher value items – that familiarity can positively influence conversion. Customers often feel more comfortable completing a purchase when the delivery option aligns with services they recognise from everyday use.
Evri: expectations need to match the promise
Evri can be a solid choice for many eCommerce brands, particularly where delivery cost is a key consideration. It tends to perform best when the delivery promise shown at checkout reflects the service being used.
When customers understand they are selecting a standard delivery option, and timeframes are communicated clearly, satisfaction levels are typically higher. Issues are more likely to arise when delivery expectations are set too aggressively for the service level chosen.
In practice, delivery problems often stem less from the courier itself and more from a mismatch between what the customer expects and what the delivery service is designed to provide.
Evri vs Royal Mail Pricing
Pricing is one of the main reasons brands compare couriers, but it’s important to interpret costs in relation to parcel weight and the delivery level required.
Drawing on published rates and typical business use cases, the table below shows representative figures:
*Pricing ranges are based on typical rates available online and account discounts are not included. Always check the latest published prices for your exact parcel profile.
What this means in practice
– Evri typically offers lower baseline parcel rates, which is why many cost-conscious brands favour it for standard deliveries where speed is not critical.
– Royal Mail pricing is somewhat higher for tracked and faster services, but many UK shoppers recognise and trust the service names at checkout.
At higher weight bands (above ~10 kg), the pricing difference narrows, making Royal Mail a reasonable choice for parcels where tracking and delivery confidence matter more.
Understanding real pricing differences is just one piece of the courier decision. To evaluate couriers based on cost, delivery speed, tracking, and the specific needs of a business, see our latest guide, which offers a structured comparison and decision framework that covers more than individual price points:
Tracking and delivery visibility
Tracking is no longer “nice to have”. It affects:
– how comfortable customers feel after purchase
– how many delivery queries a brand has to handle
– how quickly a brand can resolve issues
Royal Mail tracked services are widely recognised and tend to be trusted by UK shoppers. Evri tracking also exists and works fine in many cases, but customer perception can vary more depending on prior experiences and the category being sold.
The key point here isn’t that one has tracking and the other doesn’t. It’s that tracking only reduces friction when the courier choice matches the promise the customer thinks they’re getting.
Reliability and public perception
Public perception matters because it shapes how customers react when something goes wrong.
Citizens Advice has highlighted ongoing issues across parcel delivery, and has also published courier league tables and research summaries in recent years.
On the Royal Mail side, it’s also worth noting that Ofcom fined Royal Mail £21 million for missing First and Second Class delivery targets in the 2024–25 financial year. This is specifically about universal service targets, but it’s a helpful reminder that no carrier is perfect, and service selection matters.
The practical takeaway: brands get better outcomes when they use each carrier for the delivery role it suits best, rather than expecting a single courier to deliver every order equally well.
So, which courier is better for eCommerce?
There is no single answer that suits every eCommerce business. Evri and Royal Mail are designed for different delivery priorities, and the right choice depends on product value, customer expectations, and the delivery promise shown at checkout.
Evri tends to work best when:
Evri is often a good fit for brands shipping low to mid value products, where keeping delivery costs competitive supports conversion. It performs well when standard delivery is acceptable and customers are not expecting premium delivery speeds.
It is also commonly used by brands with higher order volumes, where small differences in cost per parcel can have a noticeable impact on margins. In these cases, Evri works best when expectations are clearly set at checkout.
Royal Mail tends to work best when:
Royal Mail is often preferred when delivery trust influences purchasing decisions. Many UK shoppers are familiar with Royal Mail services and feel confident about what to expect, particularly with tracked delivery options.
It is well suited to brands offering faster delivery promises, such as one to three working day delivery, and performs particularly well for smaller or letterbox friendly parcels where tracking and reliability matter.
For higher value products or categories where delivery confidence is important, Royal Mail can help reduce hesitation and post purchase concerns.
A smarter approach: using both instead of choosing one
Many eCommerce brands eventually stop looking for a single “best courier” and move towards a courier mix, such as:
– Evri for low cost standard deliveries where it fits
– Royal Mail for smaller parcels, tracked services, and deliveries where confidence matters more
This approach is usually where courier choice starts to feel less stressful, because it becomes a set of clear rules rather than a constant debate.
Fulfilment setup is what makes courier choice practical
This is the piece that often gets missed in courier comparison posts.
At low order volume, it’s possible to manually choose a courier per order. As volumes grow, manual selection becomes messy, and brands need rules that route orders based on things like:
– parcel size and weight
– order value
– delivery service chosen at checkout
– destination and service availability
This is where eCommerce order fulfilment capability becomes relevant. PackPro supports both couriers through integration pages that explain how they’re used operationally within fulfilment:
Evri vs Royal Mail
Evri vs Royal Mail isn’t really a question of which courier is “better”. It’s a question of which courier fits the order profile and the promise being made to the customer.
Evri is often chosen when cost control matters and delivery expectations are set appropriately. Royal Mail is often chosen when familiarity, confidence, and service aims support customer trust and repeat purchase behaviour.
Brands that treat courier choice as a set of fulfilment rules, rather than a one off decision, usually get the best of both: lower costs where possible, and stronger delivery experience where it matters most.
FAQs: Evri vs Royal Mail
1. Is Evri cheaper than Royal Mail for eCommerce deliveries?
Evri often offers lower base prices for lightweight parcels and high-volume shipments, making it attractive for brands focused on cost per order. Royal Mail pricing tends to be higher for tracked and faster services, but can offer better delivery confidence for smaller parcels and premium experience orders. Actual costs depend on parcel size, weight, service type and account terms.
2. Which courier delivers faster — Evri or Royal Mail?
Royal Mail generally has clearer delivery time aims (e.g., Next Working Day for Tracked 24, 2–3 days for 1st/2nd Class). Evri delivery times can vary more depending on volume and post-code routing. Brands should choose based on the delivery promise they want to make at checkout.
3. Do customers prefer Royal Mail over Evri?
Many UK shoppers are familiar with Royal Mail and trust its tracked services, which can reduce hesitation at checkout. Customer preference depends on how delivery is presented — accurate expectations lead to better satisfaction regardless of the courier used.
4. Can Evri tracking compete with Royal Mail tracking?
Both Evri and Royal Mail provide tracking services, but customer perception of tracking clarity can differ due to familiarity. Royal Mail’s tracked services are widely recognised in the UK, while Evri tracking works well when delivery expectations are set appropriately
5. Should a business use only one courier for all orders?
Most growing eCommerce businesses benefit from using a mix of couriers. For example, Evri can be effective for cost-sensitive standard deliveries, while Royal Mail may be better for smaller parcels and orders where delivery confidence matters more.
6. Does courier choice affect customer experience?
Yes — courier choice influences delivery speed, tracking visibility and overall customer confidence. Aligning delivery options with customer expectations improves satisfaction, reduces support tickets and can increase repeat purchases.
7. How do I decide which courier to use for each order?
Courier choice should be based on parcel size, delivery promise at checkout, weight, destination and customer expectations. For a structured decision framework, see How to choose the right courier for your business:
https://packprofulfilment.co.uk/how-to-choose-the-right-courier-for-your-business
8. Can PackPro help with using both Evri and Royal Mail?
Yes — PackPro supports integration with both Evri and Royal Mail as part of fulfilment workflows, allowing brands to route orders through the most suitable courier based on predefined rules. Relevant integration pages:
• Evri: https://packprofulfilment.co.uk/evri-shipping-integration
• Royal Mail: https://packprofulfilment.co.uk/royal-mail-shipping-integration