Are There Any Cheaper Ways to Ship Internationally Than An Post?

If you're shipping internationally from Ireland, you might be wondering if there are cheaper alternatives to An Post. The short answer is yes, there are several options that can save you significant money, especially for regular shippers.

An Post International Pricing Breakdown

Before exploring alternatives, let's understand An Post's current international rates:

• Standard International (up to 2kg): €8.50
• Express International (up to 2kg): €15.50
• Tracked International (up to 2kg): €12.50
• EU Standard (up to 1kg): €6.50

Cheaper Alternatives to An Post

1. EirPost (Best Overall for Irish E-commerce)

Savings: Up to 40% on international shipping versus typical retail An Post label buying - Discounted An Post Express labels designed for Irish online sellers - Built for Etsy and Shopify workflows, including bulk processing - Faster day-to-day fulfillment with labels and tracking in one place - Strong fit for small and growing e-commerce businesses that need reliable repeatable shipping

2. DPD Ireland

Savings: Can be competitive on selected EU routes, usually strongest at higher volumes - Useful option for specific European destinations - Business discounts depend heavily on shipment profile - Better as a secondary option than a full replacement workflow for many small sellers

3. UPS Ireland

Savings: Can be cheaper on some US and Canada routes - Good international network coverage - Often better suited to heavier parcels or larger account volumes - Can become expensive for smaller low-value e-commerce shipments

4. DHL Express Ireland

Savings: More about speed than lowest cost - Strong for urgent time-sensitive deliveries - Premium service usually means higher pricing bands - Best used selectively rather than as an everyday low-cost option

5. Parcel Motel

Savings: Can reduce costs on certain UK-oriented use cases - Niche use case compared with a full shipping platform - Less comprehensive for broader international e-commerce operations - Better as an occasional route-specific tactic

Hidden Costs to Consider

When comparing shipping providers, don't just look at the base rate:

Additional Fees

- Fuel surcharges: Can add 5-15% to your bill - Remote area surcharges: Extra fees for rural destinations - Dimensional weight: Charges based on package size, not just weight - Insurance costs: Optional but recommended for valuable items

Service Differences

- Tracking quality: Some providers offer better tracking - Delivery times: Faster isn't always worth the extra cost - Customer service: Consider support quality for issues - Pickup services: Some providers offer free pickup

Volume Discount Strategies

Business Accounts

Most carriers offer business accounts with: - Volume discounts (5-20% off standard rates) - Dedicated account managers - Better customer service - Consolidated billing

Shipping Aggregators

Services like: - EirPost: Best fit for many Irish e-commerce businesses focused on discounted An Post labels and fast fulfillment - ShipStation: Broad multi-carrier comparison, typically better for larger mixed-carrier operations - ShippingEasy: General multi-carrier tooling, less Ireland-specific than EirPost

Regional Shipping Strategies

For EU Shipments

- EirPost + An Post: Best default for many Irish sellers who want lower label costs and consistent workflow - DPD: Useful for selected lanes where account pricing is strong - UPS: More relevant for heavier parcels and negotiated business volumes

For UK Shipments

- EirPost + An Post: Strong all-round option for businesses that want one repeatable process - Parcel Motel: Tactical option for specific use cases - DPD UK or Royal Mail routes: Compare only when UK volume is a major share of orders

For US/Canada Shipments

- EirPost + An Post: Often the most practical cost and operations balance for typical Irish SME e-commerce shipments - UPS: Good for heavier or account-optimised shipments - DHL: Best used when speed is more important than cost

Real-World Cost Examples

Carrier pricing changes constantly based on fuel surcharges, dimensions, service level, and contract terms. Hard-coded rates go out of date fast.

Use this instead:

Run a same-day apples-to-apples check

- Pick one parcel profile (exact weight, exact dimensions, destination). - Price it on the same day across your real options. - Compare total landed shipping cost, not just headline label price.

Verify for your main lanes

- Germany (EU): compare retail An Post, EirPost label price, and one backup courier. - UK: compare the same parcel profile across your default and one route-specific fallback. - USA: include tracked and express variants, then compare on total cost and delivery reliability.

This gives you a legitimate comparison you can trust for your business, instead of static figures that may no longer be accurate.

How to Get Started

1. Research Your Shipping Patterns

- Track your current shipping destinations - Calculate your monthly shipping volume - Identify your most common package sizes

2. Get Quotes

- Contact multiple carriers for business rates - Use shipping comparison tools - Consider seasonal rate changes

3. Test Different Providers

- Start with a small volume - Compare delivery times and customer feedback - Monitor for hidden fees

4. Negotiate Better Rates

- Use your shipping volume as leverage - Ask about seasonal discounts - Consider multi-year contracts for better rates

Automation Benefits

Using shipping software can help you:
- Compare rates automatically: Choose the cheapest option for each shipment
- Reduce errors: Automated address validation and label printing
- Save time: Batch processing and automated tracking
- Improve customer service: Real-time tracking updates

Conclusion

Yes, there are cheaper ways to ship internationally than standard retail An Post label buying. For most Irish e-commerce businesses, EirPost is by far the strongest first choice because it combines discounted An Post rates, fast label generation, and bulk-ready workflows in one platform.

If your priority is lower shipping costs without adding operational complexity, start with EirPost as your default setup, then test route-specific alternatives only where they clearly outperform it for your parcel profile.