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For parcels, Canada Post's tracked packet service to the US is usually the cheapest option that still includes tracking; its untracked small-packet option costs less but you lose visibility. Couriers charge more but move faster and handle customs brokerage. LetterAgent cannot help here: our labels are Canada-only Xpresspost, so for anything crossing the border you need a Canada Post outlet or a shipping broker.
Your options, cheapest first:
Because shipping to the US means crossing a border, and borders add failure modes that price alone doesn't capture. An untracked parcel that stalls in US customs gives you nothing to show a buyer or a gift recipient: no scan, no proof, no way to file a useful inquiry. For anything you would be upset to lose, tracked packet is the real floor, not the untracked tier. And speed matters for sellers: a marketplace order that takes three weeks can earn you a bad review that costs more than the postage you saved. Match the service to the stakes, not just the price tag.
| Service | Tracking | Speed | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small packet (untracked) | No | Slowest | Cheap, replaceable items where loss is acceptable |
| Tracked packet | Yes, with delivery confirmation | Moderate | Most personal parcels and low-volume sellers |
| Expedited USA | Yes | Faster | Time-sensitive parcels that still need a sane price |
| Courier | Full, detailed | Fastest | Urgent, high-value, or heavy parcels |
Untracked small packet is cheaper because Canada Post hands it to USPS and stops watching. That is fine for a birthday card with a gift card inside, less fine for anything a buyer paid for. Here is the detail most people miss: USPS delivery scans on tracked packet items sometimes appear days late or not at all, so "tracked" across the border is weaker than domestic tracking. Still, the acceptance and customs scans prove the parcel entered the system, which is usually enough to win a lost-item claim. If you sell online, assume untracked means unprotected: marketplace dispute policies generally side with whoever can show tracking.
Couriers look expensive until you price the whole trip. Courier rates include customs brokerage: the fee for clearing your parcel through US customs, which Canada Post does not charge separately because it moves through a different channel. On a heavy parcel, a courier's dimensional pricing can beat Canada Post's weight bands. And discount brokers (services that resell courier labels at volume rates) can cut courier prices dramatically for occasional shippers, sometimes below Canada Post's expedited tier. If you ship to the US more than a couple of times a year, getting one broker quote before defaulting to the post office is worth the five minutes.
The US has a generous duty-free threshold for low-value imports, which means most personal parcels and modest orders cross with no duty at all. The catch is paperwork: you still need an accurate customs declaration with a specific description ("cotton t-shirt", not "clothes") and a realistic value. Vague descriptions are the single most common reason parcels get pulled for inspection, and an inspection delay can cost your recipient days. Couriers clear customs in-house and bill any duty to the recipient or shipper; Canada Post parcels clear through a separate stream where the recipient pays USPS or CBP directly if anything is owed. Understating the value to dodge duty is fraud, and it voids your insurance if the parcel is lost.
Weigh the packed parcel, not just the item: packaging adds more than people expect. Measure the box, because couriers price on whichever is greater, actual weight or dimensional weight. Fill out the customs form carefully and keep a copy. And check whether the item is even allowed: lithium batteries, aerosols, and perishables all have restrictions, and some US states ban things that are legal in Canada. A few minutes of checking beats a returned parcel that cost you postage both ways.
Ready to ship it? Get a shipping label with LetterAgent: describe it to your AI assistant, approve the exact quoted price, and get your label.
LetterAgent is a working name. Prices include print, postage, and our service fee. US prices in USD, Canadian prices in CAD (Canadian prices exclude applicable sales tax, added at checkout). Currently in private testing.
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