Is FedEx Faster Than USPS for Same-Day Delivery?

Jan, 29 2026

When you need something delivered today, every minute counts. You’re not asking which service is cheaper or more reliable-you want to know: FedEx or USPS? Who gets it there faster? The answer isn’t simple, but it’s not complicated either. It depends on where you are, what time you ship, and what kind of package you’re sending.

Same-day delivery isn’t the same everywhere

FedEx and USPS both offer same-day delivery, but they don’t cover the same areas. FedEx SameDay City operates in over 300 major U.S. cities, including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. If you’re in one of those cities and drop off a package before noon, you can often get it delivered the same day-even within two hours in dense urban zones.

USPS doesn’t have a branded same-day service like FedEx. Instead, they offer Priority Mail Express, which guarantees delivery by 10:30 a.m. the next day in most places. But here’s the catch: in select metropolitan areas like Washington D.C., Boston, and parts of California, USPS partners with local couriers to offer same-day delivery through their Same-Day City pilot program. It’s limited, though. You won’t find it in small towns or suburbs.

Time matters more than the name

If you ship at 4 p.m. on a Tuesday, FedEx can still pick it up and deliver it by 8 p.m. if you’re in a supported city. USPS? Their last pickup is usually between 3 and 4 p.m., depending on your local post office. Miss that window, and your package won’t even start moving until tomorrow morning.

Think about this: you’re sending a medical report to a doctor’s office across town. You drop it off at 2:30 p.m. FedEx picks it up within 30 minutes. It’s scanned, loaded onto a local delivery truck, and arrives at 4:15 p.m. USPS? If you drop it off at 2:30 p.m., it might not get scanned until 5 p.m.-and even then, it won’t leave the facility until the next day.

What you’re shipping changes everything

FedEx handles everything from small envelopes to pallets. Their same-day service works for packages up to 70 pounds. If you need to send a laptop, a legal document, or a replacement part for a broken machine, FedEx has the infrastructure to move it fast.

USPS is great for lightweight items-letters, small boxes under 1 pound. But if your package weighs more than 16 ounces and you want it delivered today, you’re already pushing the limits of what USPS can do reliably. They’re optimized for volume, not speed. Their network moves millions of pieces a day, and speed isn’t always the priority.

Cost comparison: speed isn’t cheap

FedEx SameDay City starts at $18.99 for a 10-pound package within 10 miles. Add distance, and it climbs to $40 or more. If you’re sending something across town, you’re paying for urgency.

USPS Priority Mail Express starts at $28.75 for a small flat-rate box, but that’s for next-day delivery. If you’re lucky enough to be in a pilot city for same-day USPS, you’ll pay around $35 for a 1-pound package. That’s more than FedEx for slower service.

Here’s the reality: FedEx is cheaper and faster for same-day in urban areas. USPS is cheaper for next-day, but if you need it today, you’re either paying more or waiting longer.

Weekends and holidays? FedEx wins

USPS doesn’t deliver on Sundays for regular mail. Even Priority Mail Express doesn’t guarantee Sunday delivery everywhere. FedEx, on the other hand, delivers 7 days a week-including holidays-in most major cities. Need a birthday gift delivered on Christmas Eve? FedEx has a 90% success rate in metro areas. USPS? Forget it.

Same goes for holidays like Thanksgiving or New Year’s Day. FedEx keeps trucks rolling. USPS shuts down. If you’re running a small business and need to send an urgent invoice or product replacement, you can’t afford to wait for the post office to reopen.

Real-world example: a small business owner’s choice

Sarah runs a local bakery in Portland. She gets a last-minute order for a custom cake from a customer who’s flying out in four hours. She calls FedEx. They pick it up at 1:15 p.m. The cake arrives at the airport at 3:45 p.m.-right before the passenger boards.

If she’d used USPS, she’d have had to drop it off by 2 p.m. at the nearest post office. No pickup service. No tracking updates until the next day. The cake would’ve sat overnight. The customer would’ve missed her flight.

Sarah doesn’t care about brand loyalty. She cares about reliability. She uses FedEx for anything time-sensitive. For bulk mailings, she uses USPS. She knows the difference.

When USPS might be your best bet

There are times when USPS makes sense-even for speed. If you’re in a city with a USPS same-day pilot program, and your package is under 1 pound, it might be your only option. Also, if you’re shipping to a rural area where FedEx doesn’t have a hub, USPS might be the only carrier that reaches your recipient.

But even then, it’s not faster. It’s just available. If you need speed, not just availability, FedEx still wins.

What about tracking and reliability?

FedEx gives you real-time tracking updates every 15 minutes. You see when the driver leaves the hub, when they’re 5 minutes away, when they’ve delivered. You get email and text alerts. It’s like watching a package on a live map.

USPS tracking updates are slower. Sometimes it says “out for delivery” for hours before the package actually moves. You might get a notification that it was delivered-only to find out later it was left at a neighbor’s house or in a mailbox you can’t access.

For urgent deliveries, visibility matters. If you’re waiting for a legal document or a replacement part, you don’t want to guess. You want to know exactly where it is.

Final verdict: FedEx is faster-when it’s available

If you’re in a major city, need it today, and your package weighs less than 70 pounds, FedEx is the clear winner. It’s faster, more reliable, and more transparent. You pay more, but you get what you pay for: speed you can count on.

USPS is better for low-cost, next-day deliveries. It’s fine for letters, small packages, and non-urgent items. But if you need same-day delivery, USPS is playing catch-up. Their network wasn’t built for speed-it was built for scale.

So, is FedEx faster than USPS? Yes-when you’re in the right place, at the right time, with the right package. If you’re not sure, call FedEx first. If they can’t do it, then check if USPS has a same-day pilot in your area. But don’t assume USPS will save you time. It won’t.