Evri (formerly Hermes) and Royal Mail are both widely used by UK eCommerce sellers for standard parcel delivery. They occupy similar price brackets for small parcels, but their network characteristics, tracking quality, and customer service differ considerably. Here's an honest comparison.
For small parcels under 2kg, Evri and Royal Mail Tracked are similarly priced for sellers with no volume agreements. Evri is often slightly cheaper at the lighter end, particularly for parcels between 1–5kg where Royal Mail's weight bands become less competitive. However, the price gap is rarely large enough to be the sole deciding factor — service quality usually matters more.
Royal Mail's Tracked 24 service achieves around 93% next-day delivery rate on UK mainland parcels. Their network is the most comprehensive in the country — covering rural postcodes, Scottish islands, and Northern Ireland at standard prices, with Saturday delivery included as standard on most services.
Evri has improved significantly in recent years but still lags Royal Mail on measured reliability. Their network relies heavily on self-employed couriers, which creates more variability in delivery consistency — particularly in rural areas and at peak periods like Christmas.
Royal Mail provides clear tracking events through their app and website, with SMS and email notifications available. Coverage is good for most services. Evri's tracking has improved with their rebranding, offering real-time updates and a photo-on-delivery feature that reduces "where's my parcel?" contacts.
Royal Mail's compensation structure is well-established: Tracked 24 and 48 provide up to £100 cover, with Special Delivery providing up to £750 as standard. Claims are processed through a clear online portal. Evri's compensation is lower by default — typically up to £25 standard, with paid-for enhanced cover available. Their claims process has historically been criticised for slow resolution times.
For most eCommerce sellers, Royal Mail is the safer default for standard small parcel delivery — better reliability, more comprehensive network, and stronger compensation. Evri makes sense when you're optimising purely for cost on lower-value goods and willing to absorb a slightly higher rate of delivery exceptions.
At PackPro, we pass through negotiated rates on both Royal Mail and Evri, so you get the best of both depending on your product and order profile. Get in touch to discuss your delivery mix.