What Does International Shipping Cost? Compare Rates
The cost of international shipping depends on five factors: weight, dimensions (dimensional weight), destination, service level and carrier. The difference can be enormous: the same parcel to Germany costs for instance €5 via DHL eCommerce or €30 via DHL Express.
What determines shipping costs?
1. Weight vs. dimensional weight
Most carriers determine the rate based on volume and weight of the parcel or pallet. Express carriers usually charge dimensional weight and bill whichever is higher: actual weight or dimensional weight. Dimensional weight = (L × W × H) / divisor (usually 5000 for express, 4000 for standard). A large but light parcel pays for volume, not weight.
2. Destination and zone
Carriers divide the world or countries into zones. The further away, the more expensive. The country of origin is cheapest, then neighbouring countries, then destinations reachable by road, and most expensive are destinations that require air transport.
3. Service level
Express (air freight) is 3-5x more expensive than standard parcel (road transport). Economy/postal is cheapest but slowest.
4. Surcharges
Fuel surcharge (fluctuates monthly or even weekly), remote area surcharge (remote areas), residential surcharge (home address instead of business), peak surcharge, oversize or weight surcharge. Delivery to a parcelshop or parcel locker is usually cheaper.
5. Insurance and options
Signature on delivery, insurance, evening delivery, Saturday delivery, pickup of shipments: everything usually costs extra.
Compare rates via Wuunder
Wuunder contains 120,000+ preconfigured carrier services, each with up-to-date rates, surcharges and a full capability matrix (maximum dimensions, weight, available options per destination). When you book a shipment, Wuunder automatically filters which services are technically possible for your parcel. This way you only compare options that are actually available, and choose the cheapest or fastest option per shipment. No manual research, no surprises afterwards. View all carriers.
You can also connect your own transport contract to Wuunder. You'll see your own rates in the platform and can verify your carrier's invoice per shipment. Don't have your own contract? Then ship via resell rates from our partners for PostNL, DHL and DPD, without minimum volume.
These brands deliver a perfect delivery experience with Wuunder
How to save on international shipping costs
- Use the right packaging: PuzzlPack optimises your box so you don't pay for air
- Compare carriers per shipment: Wuunder automatically shows the cheapest and fastest option plus all available options
- Consolidate shipments per country: multiple orders to the same region? Consolidate and save
- Choose the right service: not every shipment needs to arrive as fast as possible. A Standard service within the EU is often just 1 day slower
- Watch volume and weight: the smaller the packaging and the lighter, the cheaper the shipping costs. Factor this in when purchasing your products
- Offer parcelshops and lockers: delivery to a pickup point is cheaper than home delivery and reduces the risk of a missed delivery
- Use Best Day Delivery / GreenChoice: let customers choose a delivery day in the checkout other than the fastest option. This saves both you and the buyer on transport costs, reduces CO₂, and delivers proven +30% conversion because customers make a conscious choice. Your warehouse process has fewer peaks, saving you money.
Want a full overview of all cost components, including fuel, toll, peak surcharges and 8 other layers? See our shipping cost comparison page.
Hidden costs in international shipping
- Fuel surcharge: There are major differences between carriers. Fuel surcharges come on top of the base rate (fluctuates monthly and sometimes even weekly)
- Remote area surcharge: Fee for delivery to remote postcodes. Both the amount and the number of postcodes (areas) that incur a surcharge vary per carrier.
- Residential surcharge: Express carriers charge a surcharge for delivery to home addresses (even if a business is located in a residential area)
- Import duties: If the recipient doesn't pay these to the carrier, most carriers charge these costs to the sender.
- Return costs: international returns are often as expensive as the outbound shipment and usually come with an additional surcharge.
- Format/extra handling: parcels that aren't stackable (triangle, cylinder, sealbag) incur a surcharge. Too large or heavy? Return + steep penalty
- Incorrect dimensions or weight: carriers measure and weigh every parcel. If it differs from your stated values, a correction charge follows
- Customs clearance fees: carriers charge for checking your customs documents, sometimes even when the recipient refuses the shipment or there are issues at customs itself
- Peak surcharges: around holidays (Black Friday, Christmas) carriers apply temporary extra surcharges, and some also around the Dutch holiday pay period (May-June)
- Second delivery attempt: if the recipient isn't home, some carriers charge for the next attempt
Wuunder shows virtually all surcharges upfront so you're never surprised.
Insurance for international shipping
Standard carrier liability is limited:
- Letter post: usually no insurance possible. Lost is lost.
- Parcel post: CMR conditions (domestic ~€10/kg) or AVC conditions (international ~€3.40/kg). Some carriers like DPD offer standard coverage up to €520, with exclusions (electronics, glass, art)
- Express: lower loss risk due to cameras at sorting centres. Insurance available at declared value
Ship valuable items regularly? A dedicated transport insurance policy is often cheaper than insuring per shipment via the carrier.
Ready to ship internationally without hassle?
In 15 minutes we'll review your current carriers and services. We'll look for solutions to your problems with international shipment transport.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What does it cost to ship a parcel to Germany?
A: A standard parcel (2kg) costs €5-8 via DHL eCommerce or DPD. Express (next-day) via DHL Express costs €25-35. Wuunder automatically compares all options per shipment and shows expected transport prices in MyWuunder or via the API.
Q: What is dimensional weight and when do I pay for it?
A: Carriers charge whichever is higher: actual weight or dimensional weight (L × W × H / divisor). A large but light parcel pays for volume. PuzzlPack optimises your packaging so you don't pay for air.
Q: What are hidden costs in international shipping?
A: Fuel surcharge (15-25%), remote area surcharge (€5-25), residential surcharge (€2-8 at express) and import duties. Wuunder shows virtually all surcharges upfront, no surprises afterwards.
Q: How can I reduce my international shipping costs?
A: Use PuzzlPack for packaging optimisation, compare carriers per shipment, and consider resell rates at low volume. Standard parcel (road) is often just 1 day slower than express (air) but 3-5x cheaper.
Q: How does Best Day Delivery / GreenChoice help save costs?
A: By letting customers choose a delivery day in the checkout other than the fastest option, you save on transport costs. Orders are spread out so your warehouse has fewer peaks. The result: lower shipping costs, lower fulfilment costs and less CO₂.
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