It’s a popular belief that Royal Mail is a better delivery company than Evri.
But is that really true?
As an experienced e-commerce retailer, you know many factors can determine which courier is the best for your business. But shipping with the right one can make-or-break your conversion rates and business growth.
So whether you’re already shipping with Royal Mail and you’re considering switching to Evri (or vice versa) and you need to judge whether it’s worth it, then we’re here to help you make the right choice.
In this article, we compare both Evri and Royal Mail in terms of costs, shipping services, and public opinion so you can decide for yourself which is better for your business.
We’ve also invited Shipping and E-commerce Expert – Ben Haslam – to share his insider expertise on which delivery company will help you continue to grow your e-commerce store.
So let’s dive in and answer:
- Who are Royal Mail and Evri?
- Is Evri cheaper than Royal Mail?
- Is Royal Mail more popular than Evri?
- What do customers like the most about Evri and Royal Mail
- Is Evri or Royal Mail better for e-commerce: our expert’s advice
Royal Mail vs Evri: A quick company introduction
Before we dive into the nitty gritty of things, let’s take a quick look at who Royal Mail and Evri are.
Who is Royal Mail?
As the official postal service of the country and the favourite delivery company of customers in 2023, Royal Mail is widely renowned and loved by many Brits. Operating for over 5 centuries, the postal service specialises in all types of national deliveries, from the annual Christmas cards to high-volume package delivery.
Who is Evri?
Formerly known as Hermes until 2022, Evri accredits themselves as the biggest dedicated parcel delivery company in the UK, offering 7-day delivery solutions for anyone who wants to send a parcel. Their customers include big-brand names like ASOS, Next and John Lewis.
Evri vs Royal Mail: is Evri cheaper than Royal Mail?
Both Evri and Royal Mail offer a variety of services at competitive prices. To give you an indication of the potential costs, we’ve gathered the rates of some popular shipping methods from both *Royal Mail and **Evri below.
But first, let’s hear from our expert Ben on what he thinks about the cost of both couriers.
What our expert says: “Royal Mail and Evri’s shipping rates can appear very similar; the cost really depends on what services you’re looking for.”
”In general, Evri offers a very affordable rate for their Next-Day service, which automatically includes Tracking and Insurance. In comparison, Royal Mail’s Tracked 24 service can get pretty pricey. This is especially true when you start shipping packages that are heavier than 2KG, whereas Evri offers an affordable flat rate for packages between 2 – 15KG.”
“Ultimately, which delivery company is cheaper comes down to the rates you can negotiate and how you implement your chosen shipping methods. If you want to discover more on the possible discounts Sendcloud can offer on your shipping rates, then feel free to reach out for more information.”
| Royal Mail | Evri | ||
| Small Parcel (up to 2kg) 1st Class*** | £3.95 | ||
| Small Parcel (up to 2kg) 2nd Class*** | £2.85 | ||
| Tracked 24 Small Parcel (up to 2kg) | £4.45 | Next Day 1-2 kg | £3.57 |
| Tracked 48 Small Parcel (up to 2kg) | £3.35 | Standard 1-2 kg | £2.97 |
| Local Collect (Delivery to Post Office) | Free to choose when used with the following services: Tracked 24, Tracked 48 & Special Delivery Guaranteed | Parcelshop / Locker Delivery 1-2 kg | £2.97 |
| Royal Mail Tracked Returns**** | Rates only available by direct quote | Parcelshop Returns | £3.27 |
| Royal Mail Tracked 24 (10 kg) | £7.95 | Next Day 2-15 kg | £3.82 |
*Royal Mail rates listed are Royal Mail’s business rates for 2023. To qualify for Royal Mail’s business rates, you must spend a minimum annual amount of £5,000,or send 1,000 items per year. These services do not offer any discounts for volume or presentation and are VAT exempt.
**Evri prices listed are Sendcloud’s own exclusive rates. To access these rates, you must be a Sendcloud account holder and ship directly from the Sendcloud platform. Download our Pricing List for more information, and make sure to get in touch to discuss the discounts we can offer.
***Royal Mail’s 1st and 2nd Class do not include tracking, only providing the sender with online delivery confirmation. For tracking, you need to ship with Royal Mail Tracked 24 or 48. All of Evri’s services include tracking.
****To access Royal Mail Tracked Returns you need to receive a minimum of 20 returns per week or 1,000 per year.
Evri vs Royal Mail: which delivery company is the most popular in the UK?
For yet another year running, Royal Mail has defeated Evri as the UK’s favourite delivery company, according to our 2023 E-commerce Delivery Compass.
When asked to rank their top 3 couriers, a whopping 37% of customers placed Royal Mail in 1st position and a further 22% placed the delivery company in 2nd place. In comparison, only 10% of people listed Evri as their #1 favourite courier.
| Total | Rank 1 | Rank 2 | Rank 3 | |
| Royal Mail | 74% | 37% | 22% | 15% |
| Evri | 35% | 10% | 13% | 12% |
This data was collected prior to recent strikes, so it’s good to consider that public opinion may have changed since.
Find out more about UK consumers’ favourite delivery companies, what services they expect when shopping at your store, and what the top reasons for cart-abandonment are with our 2023 E-commerce Delivery Compass.
More than just knowing that Royal Mail is the UK’s top delivery company, it’s also good to note what specific services customers love the most as well.
This is especially true when 23% of shoppers will abandon their checkout if they can’t choose their preferred delivery method.
That’s why, in our research, we also asked: “What makes an online shopper choose one delivery company over another?”, and the answers can be quite interesting:
| Delivery company | Favourite service | Other top services |
| Royal Mail | Better tracking | On-time delivery and friendlier personnel |
| Evri | Friendlier personnel | Cheaper shipping costs |
Evri vs Royal Mail: Who is better for e-commerce?
Words from our expert: “Although Royal Mail is the UK’s favourite delivery company, it’s important not to disregard Evri from your arsenal.”
“Rather than seeing it as “Royal Mail vs Evri” and that you must choose one over the other, try and find the best way to combine the power of both delivery companies. This way you’ll have the best strategy to optimise your costs, wow customers, and handle things like returns or heavier shipments without breaking the bank.”
“My top advice is to offer Evri’s Next Day delivery in your checkout as your standard shipping method. Next to that, you can still offer Royal Mail’s Tracked 24 service as your express shipping, charging customers that bit extra for the premium service. This means you’re not only giving those customers who don’t trust Evri the ability to choose Royal Mail, you’ll also impress your customers with a cheap but speedy standard delivery.”
Expert Bio: Who is Ben Haslam?
