Shipping is a fundamental component of the success of any online store. A pleasant shipping experience not only ensures customer satisfaction but also establishes trust and loyalty. When clients can get a just shipping cost and the order tracking is easy, they are more likely to come back.
We are going to take a look at the 6 best Shopify shipping rate apps of 2024 in this article. These apps can help you set some custom shipping rates depending on the location, the product weight, etc., so you can choose the most suitable one for your store.
What Are Shopify Shipping Rates Apps?
Shopify provides its users with basic options for setting up shipping rates. However, if you want to create more sophisticated settings such as ones that are based upon parameters like the weight of the product, its place of origin, or delivery methods, you will need to install various shipping rates apps from the Shopify app store.
These apps allow you to create flexible shipping options tailored to meet the unique needs of your shop while giving you extensive control over transport costs and more. They can also help provide local deliveries, arrange pick-ups from stores by clients, and secure people with accurate shipping pricing from different carriers.
Why Use Shipping Rates Apps?
Even though Shopify merchants can set their shipping rates manually, they can make a huge difference by using shipping rates apps. These apps significantly improve the way customers interact with the shopping process. The advantages of these apps include flexibility and automation which are superior to manual inputs, thus they are an important factor in customer satisfaction, and they also come with additional sales.
Here are some features that make these shipping rate apps an essential part of an online shop:
- Custom Shipping Rates: Determine the rate of shipping according to the various elements of the business like type of item, weight, and volume.
- Location-Based Rates: Charge a different price according to the consumer’s region or location, instead of flat rates across all deliveries.
- Real-Time Carrier Rates: Integrate with third parties such as UPS, FedEx, or USPS so that clients can see real-time shipping rates.
- Free Shipping Options: Give out free shipping for all orders above a set amount or to a specific area.
- Flexible Delivery Choices: Allow customers to select delivery preferences such as standard, expedited, or same-day.
- Automated Calculations: Make sure that the calculation of shipping costs during checkout is automatic to prevent the risk of undercharging on some orders or overcharging on others.
- Support for Multiple Shipping Zones: Create specialized shipping rules for different areas and countries.
How To Set Shipping Rates on Shopify?
For some merchants, particularly those with specialized shipping requirements or small online retailers, the option of customizing shipping rates is the best choice. This allows you to adjust rates depending on your business model and customer demands thus improving the shopping experience. Here are easy steps to set custom shipping rates.
Setting up Shipping Zones
A shipping zone refers to a collection of countries or regions that are charged the same shipping fees. For example, if your warehouse in Germany charges a single shipping fee for all of Europe, you can create a zone made up of European countries. Customers will only be able to make purchases in your store if their shipping location is included in your shipping zones and active markets.
- From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery
- Choose the profile within the Shipping section for which you want to make modifications
- At the side of the group that you would like to have a zone, you may click on the marker Create zone
- Set the identifier or name for your new shipping zone
- Pick and choose the countries and places included in the geographic area
- Click on the Done option
- Lastly, add any shipping rates you want for this zone, then click Save
Setting up Flat Shipping Rates
Flat shipping charges are calculated by figuring out the cost of delivery as per its weight, size, and delivery distance instead of charging a flat fee for the same regardless of the distance and the weight.
Moreover, you can choose a flat rate option for particular types of orders such as those to be shipped to certain regions, to certain groups of customers, and in a specific range of weight or price. For instance, you could choose to either offer a flat $8 fee for the delivery of standard orders or a $4 charge for the sales of orders over $40.
Here are the steps for setting up flat shipping rates.
- On your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery.
- In the Shipping section, select the shipping profile you want to update.
- Next to the zone where you want to add a rate, click Add rate.
- Choose a transit time or select a custom flat rate and name the rate.
- Enter the shipping rate amount.
- Check the checkout preview to make sure your shipping rate displays correctly.
- Click Done, then click Save.
Setting up Carrier-Calculated Shipping Rates
Calculated shipping rates are determined at checkout by third-party shipping services, like UPS or DHL, based on order details. You must enter accurate weights for your products to provide correct shipping rates to customers.
Before creating shipping rates, understand shipping zones and profiles. Shipping zones group countries or regions for your rates, while shipping profiles let you set rates for specific products and locations.
- From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery.
- In the Shipping section, select the shipping profile you want to update.
- Next to the zone where you want to add a rate, click Add rate.
- Choose Use carrier or app to calculate rates.
- From the drop-down menu, select the shipping service for which you want to add calculated rates.
- In the Services section, select the shipping methods you want to offer your customers at checkout.
- Click Done, then click Save.
These custom settings are particularly suited for small businesses or those looking to have better control over shipping costs. By following these steps, you can ensure that customers see transparent and reasonable shipping fees at checkout, ultimately enhancing their shopping satisfaction.
6 Best Shopify Shipping Rate Apps in 2024
The 6 shipping rate apps listed below offer a variety of features to suit any business, from real-time carrier rates to flexible delivery options. Keep reading to discover which app is the best fit for your business needs.
1. Shipzip – Shipping & Delivery
Rating: 5.0/5.0 | Reviews: 354 | Fully customizable rates & local delivery options
Shipzip is a versatile 3-in-1 app that offers – customized shipping rates, local delivery, and store pickup. With over 100+ rules, this app is perfect for creating custom shipping rates.
Additionally, It offers local delivery dates and store pickups, making it ideal for businesses with specific delivery needs. The app also lets users showcase delivery date pickers on your Shopify store.
Shipzip works with Shopify POS, Checkout, Canada Post, Australia Post, FedEx, and USPS.
Features
- 100+ Shipping Rules: Set shipping rate by zip code, weight, order value & etc
- Block PO box addresses if a specific product is in the cart.
- Manage local delivery and store pickup
- Delivery date picker on cart page & checkout page
- Multi-origin shipping rates
Pricing
- Free Plan: Available for development stores
- Shipping: $9.99/month
- Delivery Date: $14.99/month
- Shipping with Delivery: $19.99/month
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| 1. Highly customizable shipping rules with multiple conditions. 2. Unlimited store pickup and local delivery locations. | 1. Requires carrier-calculated shipping API. 2. Complex for users with simple shipping needs. |
2. Shipfy – Hide Shipping Rules
Rating: 4.9/5.0 | Reviews: 101 | Hide, rename, reorder shipping rates (Checkout)
The Shipfy app allows you to customize the visibility of shipping rates based on various criteria such as country, product, and zip code. This Shopify shipping rate app also offers renaming & reordering shipping rates which are visible on the checkout page.
Features
- Reorder shipping rates on the checkout page.
- Hide shipping options based on products or collections.
- Rename third-party shipping rates.
- Special shipping rates for specific product categories and zip codes.
- Block checkout for PO Box addresses.
Pricing
- Free Plan: Available for development stores
- Basic: $3.99/month
- Advanced: $5.99/month
- Premium: $9.99/month
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| 1. Highly customizable shipping options. Showing relevant shipping rates. 2. Support complex shipping rules and conditions. | Only available on paid Shopify store plans. |
3. Shipping Rates Calculator Plus
Rating: 5.0/5.0 | Reviews: 408 | Shipping rate in cart
Shipping Rates Calculator Plus is designed to tackle cart abandonment by directly displaying precise shipping rates in the shopping cart. The Shopify shipping rate app integrates with major carriers like UPS and FedEx to provide real-time shipping estimates, using geolocation and zip code precision for accuracy.
Features
- Show real-time shipping rates right in the shopping cart.
- Accurate estimates using geolocation and zip codes.
- Free shipping bar to motivate customers to spend more.
- Integrates with major carriers like USPS and FedEx.
- Customize the look and placement of the shipping widget to match your store.
Pricing
Growth: $4.99/month
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| 1. Boost conversions and profits. 2. Encourage larger orders and upselling. 3. Easy Integration and intuitive interface. | 1. Initial setup can be a bit tricky. 2. Complex for new users. |
4. PH Ship Rate & Track for FedEx
Rating: 4.9/5.0 | Reviews: 522 | Display rate at checkout
Integrating a Shopify shipping rate app to your FedEx account using the PH Ship Rate & Track app streamlines your shipping process significantly. This integration allows you to print shipping labels directly within Shopify, saving time and reducing human error. Additionally, displaying real-time FedEx shipping rates at checkout ensures accurate pricing.
Features
- Connect your FedEx account with the app to get started quickly.
- Show real-time FedEx shipping rates and estimated delivery time during checkout.
- Automatically mark orders as fulfilled and send tracking info to customers.
- Pack orders in FedEx flat rate boxes or your own, with FedEx Hold at Location option.
Pricing
Unlimited: $19/month
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| 1. Automate label printing and order fulfillment. 2. Provide accurate shipping rates to customers. 3. Support various packaging options, including FedEx flat-rate boxes | 1. Automate label printing and order fulfillment. 2. Provide accurate shipping rates to customers. 3. Support various packaging options, including FedEx flat-rate boxes. |
5、Parcelify: Shipping Rates
Rating: 4.7/5.0 | Reviews: 310 | Create custom shipping rates
Parcelify is a powerful Shopify shipping rate app. It is designed to help you build custom shipping rates, retain customers, increase sales, and protect your margins. With its unique features, Parcelify ensures that your shipping costs are fair and competitive.
Features
- Create product-based rates using product tags, vendors, collections, and more.
- Display shipping rates on your cart page with the shipping rate calculator.
- Offer shipping promotions based on what the customer buys or how much they spend.
- Build UK shipping rates using an interactive UK postcode map.
- Merge rates to create dynamic shipping rates that account for all your products.
Pricing
Basic Plan: $19.99/month
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| 1. Interactive tools for precise rate calculations. 2. Dynamic rate merging for comprehensive shipping solutions. | 1. No free plan. 2. A little complicated to set up. 3. Dependent on accurate product tagging and categorization. |
6. Intuitive Shipping
Rating: 4.9/5.0 | Reviews: 460 | Shipping cost management
Intuitive Shipping, this Shopify shipping rate app provides unrivaled control over your checkout, allowing you to mix and match over 40 conditions to determine when and why shipping rates appear. It also offers continuous support and personalized onboarding sessions to understand your needs and help you get started.
Features
- Mix and match over 40 conditions to control when rates appear at checkout.
- Granular pricing control to charge exactly what you want for shipping.
- Customize the naming of shipping and delivery options to brand your checkout.
- Display descriptions below shipping options to enhance checkout conversion.
- Use SmartBoxing for accurate dimensional rates, joining other conscious brands
Pricing
- Sandbox: Free
- Growth: $70/month
- Business: $150/month
- Professional: $300/month
- Enterprise: $450/month
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| 1. Provide extensive control over shipping rates and conditions. 2. Support accurate dimensional rates. 3. Personalized onboarding and continuous support. | Expensive paid plan. |
Conclusion
Choosing the correct shipping rate app for your Shopify store can dramatically enhance your shipping strategy and consequently, increase customer satisfaction.
These tools help streamline the shipping process, eliminate hidden fees, and drive more sales. When evaluating your options, you should think about your specific requirements, as well as how each app can be helpful to optimize shipping in 2024 and many more years to come.
The TrackingMore team shares insights on logistics tracking technology, industry trends, and e-commerce logistics solutions to help businesses streamline shipment tracking and enhance customer post-purchase experience.
