7 Best Package Forwarding Services for 2023

by Thanos

Best package forwarding services

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Today, we compare some of the top options out there and name the best package forwarding companies.

You’re going to learn which are the best package forwarding services, so you don’t waste massive amounts of time and money on the crappy ones. These recommendations are based on personal experience researching, using and testing parcel forwarding companies. Plus lots of feedback from real customers.

Here are the best forwarding services we reviewed.

🏆 Best Package Forwarding Services 🏆

1.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

2.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

5.

Opas (review soon)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

6.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

7.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

8.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you want to know:

Why Planet Express is our top pick

Why popular services like MyUS are rated lower

Why ordering without a reship service can be a bad idea in some cases

Then you’ve come to the right place.

Best Package Forwarding Services for International Shoppers

There are many exceptional services to choose from when considering parcel forwarding services for international shoppers. It can be challenging to choose which service is the best for you. However, most of them offer a variety of features for expats and international shoppers and have discounted shipping fees and built-in software, making the process even easier.

Here are a few of the best parcel forwarding services for international shoppers:

❶ Planet Express

Planet Express – Key Points

🔎 About

A package forwarder with years of experience

😍 Pros

Cheap shipping fees, simple process, free storage, multiple payment methods, four warehouses, package consolidation

😖 Cons

Shop for me service can be slow, website UI a bit outdated

💰 Price

Depends on package dimension/ weight/ destination

📜 Verdict

The best package forwarder overall

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.7)

Planet Express is one of the most widely used package forwarding services. They have no hidden fees and offer incredibly competitive pricing. Planet Express has four warehouses across the U.S. and the U.K., including California, Oregon, Florida, and Warrington. 

Planet Express ships a large volume of packages, making it easy for them to offer discounted rates on shipping. In addition, online shoppers can ship to their tax-free warehouse through their premium account to save more money on their purchases, making it the best parcel forwarding service.

If you can’t make a purchase or your credit or debit card isn’t accepted by a retailer, Planet Express will even purchase the items for you. Planet Express also offers upfront duties payments to get your package sooner. It is noteworthy that they accept Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in addition to the usual payment options (credit card, PayPal etc)

Planet Express has two subscription plans: a free and a paid one. The paid Planet Express plan costs $10 per month or $50 per year. Forwarding items through Planet Express costs $2 per package on free and paid plans. Planet Express also serves most countries, but there are some exclusions.

Planet Express has a postage calculator, so you can get an idea of how much it will cost to deliver your package. In addition, while most items can be shipped through Planet Express, they can restrict some products. These may include prescription medication, flammable items, aerosols, tobacco, perishables, electronics, and some batteries. You can view the complete list of restricted items on their FAQ page.

That’s not to say that Planet Express is perfect –you’ll find a lot of criticism in our review- but it is as good as a forwarding service can be.

Full review of Planet Express

❷ Stackry

Stackry- Key Points

🔎 About

A package forwarder with over 30 years experience in international shipping 

😍 Pros

No membership fees, simple pricing, tax-free shopping, good support

😖 Cons

Can get expensive, depending the size/ weight of your package

💰 Price

Get $10 off here

📜 Verdict

A good alternative to Planet Express

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5)

Stackry is the best forwarding service for first-time expats and overseas shoppers. International shoppers can expect to save up to 80% on international shipping when they ship with Stackry. Stackry ships to 200 countries, and some packages can be delivered within three days.

Stackry has been in the package forwarding business for over 30 years. They have no membership or joining fees, no storage fees for the first 45 days, and don’t charge anything to receive a package. Stackry also offers tax-free shopping and discounted shipping with carriers like DHL, US Postal Service, and FedEx.

Unlike other Amazon forwarding services, Stackry also offers customers dangerous goods shipping at an additional fee. Unlike its competitors, Stackry provides a VIP program for frequent shipping orders for businesses.

Stackry also has a rewards program. Stackry’s customer rewards program was created for customers who want to save on shipping and order frequently. Every time you place an order with Stackry, you earn Stackry rewards. In addition, these rewards can be used to pay for future orders through selected retailers.

Full review of Stackry

❸ Shipito

Shipito – Key Points

🔎 About

A forwarding service that was started in 2008 for international shoppers and businesses

😍 Pros

Free storage, fast shipping, accepts Bitcoin

😖 Cons

Only 7 days of free storage, sometimes unreliable, not the best customer service

💰 Price

Depends on package dimension/ weight/ destination

📜 Verdict

A good choice for shipping packages internationally

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.3)

Shipito offers fast and efficient shipping to more than 220 countries. With Shipito, you can combine packages to save more money and get free storage for 45, 60 or 90 days if you are a premium member. 

You’ll receive seven days of free storage if you have a free Shipito account.

Shipito also offers their customers a tax-free warehouse option and dedicated customer support that is accessible via live chat, email, phone, and a website contact form. In addition, Shipito accepts multiple payment methods, including PayPal, wire transfer, Bitcoin, and credit cards. International shipping is handled by reliable companies, including DHL, FedEx, TNT, UPS, DPD, Boxberry, and Aramex.  

The free plan will be sufficient for once-off orders, but if you want to consolidate packages and save on tax, it’s best to upgrade to the premium plan, which has a $10 monthly fee. Shipito also allows you to use a shipping address in the United States and Europe.

Shipito can sometimes be unreliable, and there have been user reports of lost packages and slow customer service, so this needs to be considered before choosing Shipito as your package forwarding company.

Full review of Shipito

❹ Forward2me

Forward2me – Key Points

🔎 About

A package forwarder based on the United Kingdom and shipping to 190+ countries

😍 Pros

Warhouses in UK, Germany, Japan, and Turkey, no monthly or annual fees

😖 Cons

Shipping calculator can be misleading, reported missing parcels

💰 Price

Depends on package dimension/ weight/ destination

📜 Verdict

A good choice to shop in U.K., Japan, Germany or Turkey.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.2)

Forward2me is one of the forwarding services with the most warehouses and a free account. They have warehouses in the U.K., Japan, Germany, and Turkey and ship to more than 190 countries. Forward2me offers its customers addresses in the UK, Germany, Japan, and Turkey.

Some of the features that Forward2me offers are a tax-free address, 30 days of free storage, and no monthly or annual fees. One of the best features of Forward2me is its real-time updates through its advanced software system. Customers will receive notifications via email and can check the order’s progress in your account section.

Forward2me also supports combined shipping for smaller items, which means you save on shipping costs. Forward2me is primarily famous for its fast delivery, and you can expect your package to arrive within 1-2 working days.

Full review of Forward2me

❺ Opas

Opas – Key Points

🔎 About

A Portland-based package forwarder

😍 Pros

Long track record, rewards program

😖 Cons

Quite expensive, not great customer service

💰 Price

Depends on package dimension/ weight/ destination

📜 Verdict

An decent option to forwarding packages

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.1)

Opas offers 20% off your first shipment and also provides tax-free shipping. Some of the great features Opas’s forwarding service offers are a rewards program, an affiliate program, and customized solutions for businesses. In addition, Opas offers consolidation service and a personal shopper service, like a few other parcel forwarding services.

Opas is also one of the oldest package forwarding services and has been around since 1990. Opas offers on-demand photos of your package, which are sent via the mailbox in your account center. 

Another bonus feature of using Opas is their package inspection service. If you’re concerned that your package could be damaged, Opas will inspect it for you to determine if there is any damage to your package. 

The basic inspection service is free, but you can subscribe to an advanced package inspection service that is more in-depth and offers a more personalized experience for customers with specific requests when it comes to checking their package.

➜ Full review of Opas

❻ MyUS

MyUs – Key Points

🔎 About

A US-based parcel forwarding service

😍 Pros

Free trial, package consolidation, tax-free shopping

😖 Cons

Pretty expensive, many reported bad experiences

💰 Price

Depends on package dimension/ weight/ destination

📜 Verdict

Average experience for a package forwarder

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.0)

MyUS allows international customers to access thousands of stores in the U.S. and the U.K. MyUS also offers tax-free shopping, discounted shipping, regular promotional offers and coupons. MyUS ships to multiple countries and has an international shipping calculator to help you calculate your shipping fees.

MyUs offers international customers a US and UK address and has free and paid plans with a free trial. 

MyUS also ships with DHL, FedEx, UPS, and USPS and accepts credit cards, PayPal, and wire transfers. 

MyUs offers exceptional discounts for businesses, especially if bulk purchases are made regularly, and is also one of the few forwarding services that ships restricted items.

Full review of MyUS

❼ Ship7

Ship7 – Key Points

🔎 About

Another new US-based forwarding company

😍 Pros

Free membership, free storage

😖 Cons

Poor customer service, many complaints

💰 Price

Depends on package dimension/ weight/ destination

📜 Verdict

Not the best option

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.8)

Ship7 offers free addresses in the U.K., USA, and Turkey and affordable shipping fees. Ship7 also provides shipping insurance for products that are less than $100. The best features of using Ship7 as your forwarding service include free membership, free storage for 60 days, and a personal shopper.

Ship7 is a newer parcel forwarding service with warehouses in the U.K., the USA, and Turkey. They have no sign-up fees, and their free services include receiving packages, but they need to improve their warehouse operations.

Other user complaints included poor customer service, an inability to ship certain goods, and shipping policies that only covered the company, not the customer. Ship7 charges shipping based on the weight and size of the package and also gives customers the option to collect their parcel themselves from selected locations.

Full review of Ship7

❽ Reship

Reship – Key Points

🔎 About

A Portland-based reshiper

😍 Pros

Free membership, free 30-day storage

😖 Cons

Costly, weird policies, site not user-friendly

💰 Price

Depends on package dimension/ weight/ destination

📜 Verdict

Can not recommend it, avoid

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.3)

Reship allows overseas shoppers to shop anywhere in Canada, the USA, or the U.K. Customers can save when ordering multiple packages through their consolidation offering. Reship also has an assisted shopping feature where agents will shop for products for you and arrange delivery to your Reship mailbox.

Some of the notable features that Reship offers are free packaging and storage for 30 days, consolidation for $2 per package, and gift wrapping.

One of the most significant drawbacks to using Reship is that their services come with the right to inspect packages should they be required to do so.

➜ Full review of Reship

Package Forwarding Guide

A package forwarding service lets you shop online from anywhere in the world using a U.S. or U.K. address. Packages are delivered to the U.S. or U.K. address and then collected by the package forwarding company to be delivered to your door. Using a package forwarding service is a convenient solution for international shoppers who want products that can’t be delivered to their country.

While package forwarding is more about receiving physical packages at a different location, a virtual mailbox is about managing traditional mail in a digital, online environment.

There are several parcel forwarding services that expats and overseas shoppers can use. While they all have their selling points, the best way to decide which is best for you is to look at the pros, cons, fees, and delivery times. Some of the best include Planet Express and Stackry.

Most expats and overseas shoppers look for a reliable way to ship products because stores like eBay, Amazon, and other international retailers don’t support international shipping to some countries or have shipping restrictions on products you want to purchase. The best alternative to this is using a package forwarding service. So how do package forwarding services work?

Package Forwarding Service – How It Works

According to statista, the global freight forwarding market is expected to grow from 195 billion US dollars in 2021 to over 285 billion US dollars by 2031. This shows a steadily increased demand for freight forwarding services, and there is a good reason.

A package forwarding service is the easiest way to get around international shipping restrictions. While learning about package forwarding services may initially seem intimidating, it’s actually a very straightforward process to get the products you want easily shipped to your doorstep.

The most significant benefit of using a parcel forwarding service is accessing and purchasing products you would normally be restricted from purchasing. If you’ve ever shopped online and all the items you want are in the United States, and online retailers won’t ship to your country, you know how frustrating it can be. 

Luckily, package forwarding services let you shop for whatever you like and help get your package to you. Package forwarding services also offer their customers a range of benefits, including tracking your parcel, instant notifications, and a dedicated customer service team to help with any queries or concerns you may have regarding your shipment.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Register and sign up. Select a forwarding company, create an account and sign up. Once you’ve signed up, you’ll receive a U.S. or U.K.-based address, which can vary depending on the forwarder company.
  2. Shop online at your favorite retailers. Shop from any online store including Amazon, Kohl’s, and Nordstrom.
  3. Enter your U.S. or U.K. address. Once you’ve selected items and have added them to your cart at checkout, enter your U.S. or U.K. forwarding address.

Get your package delivered to your door. The forwarding company will collect your parcel once it gets delivered to the address. Once they have your parcel, they will then ship it to you.

Check out our recommended package forwarder

Features To Consider In A Package Forwarding Company

Choosing a package-forwarding company can be challenging. Now more than ever, many forwarding companies can get your items shipped to your doorstep. Each of them has competitive pricing and offers a range of additional features. Of course, not all the features are necessary, but there are a few that every package forwarding company should have.

So which features should a package forwarding company have?

  1. Proficient customer service. If you’re an international shopper and using a forwarding company for the first time, one of the most important features any forwarding company should have is excellent customer service. If your package gets lost or you have questions regarding your package being shipped to your doorstep, you’ll need a reliable customer service team to help assist you.
  2. Consolidated shipping. Consolidated shipping allows customers to combine multiple packages into one large parcel. The reason for this is to save on shipping costs, and this shipping method works well if you have a lot of small packages. Besides saving on shipping costs, you’ll also receive all your products at once.
  3. Parcel tracking. Every parcel forwarder should offer parcel tracking. Whether via email or through a custom dashboard, customers need to be able to track when their parcel has been collected at the warehouse and when the package will be delivered to their door.
  4. Payment methods. Package forwarding services need to accept a variety of payment methods. If you only see one or two forms of payment accepted, then it’s best to opt for another company. Having multiple ways to pay makes it easier for international customers to use the package forwarding company, but most customers may be limited in which payment method they can use to pay.
  5. Multiple addresses. Some package forwarding services have only U.S.-based addresses. While this is fine, it’s better to have more than one address option when it comes to shipping addresses. If a forwarding company has at least two shipping addresses, then it’s a great option to choose.
  6. Photos and package inspection. Some package forwarders may offer photos and package inspections to check if your package has been damaged before they ship it. These types of additional features are very useful and can help put your mind at ease, knowing your package is in excellent condition.
  7. Storage. Most package forwarders offer free storage from 7 days to 60 or 90 days. While this is almost always a paid feature, it can come in handy when ordering from multiple retailers and waiting to receive all the packages before doing consolidated shipping.

Who Should Consider A Package Forwarding Company

Using a package forwarding company isn’t for everyone, but it is a great way to get products from the United States shipped to your country. People who should consider using a package forwarding company include:

  • Expats and overseas shoppers who are looking for products that are only found in the United States.
  • Digital nomads, RVers who don’t have a permanent address.
  • International customers who shop at Amazon but Amazon won’t deliver the product they want to their home address.
  • Business owners who regularly ship products internationally.
  • Customers who wish to ship a gift to someone living in another country.

FAQs On Package Forwarding

Using a parcel forwarding company helps make international shopping much more accessible. However, with so many companies to choose from, you may have a couple more questions about using a package forwarder. The below section covers all the frequently asked questions about package forwarders to help you decide which package forwarder is the best for international shopping.

Which package forwarder is the best?

Each of these companies has different features depending on what the customer is looking for in a package forwarding company. 

The best package forwarding company is Planet Express with Stackry coming a close second. Customers that have used Planet Express are impressed with their reliability, excellent customer service, and no additional monthly fees. 

Stackry has been around for a while and offers many additional features for international customers.

What Is The Cheapest Package Forwarder?

Planet Express and Stackry are known to be the cheapest package forwarding services. Stackry does not charge any membership or monthly fees, nor does Planet Express. Planet Express also ships large volumes of packages making it easier for them to provide their customers with discounted shipping rates.

Best Package Forwarding From US To Canada?

The best package forwarding service from the U.S. to Canada is PlanetExpress. PlanetExpress allows you to pay separately for each package shipped and offers customers a sales tax-free warehouse to save even more on your shipping. In addition, with Planet Express you can choose to pay per use or opt for a standard or premium subscription if you’re frequently buying from international retailers.

Other forwarding services that also offer excellent forwarding from the U.S. to Canada are AmForward, Stackry, and CrossBorder Pickups.

Best Package Forwarding From The U.S. To Australia?

There are a few excellent options for getting your package shipped from the U.S. to Australia. These forwarding companies include ShopMate, HopShopGo, Shipito, and MyUs. ShopMate is an Australian-operated forwarding service that is operated by the Australian Post. Packages are traced from when they arrive in Australia, and delivery is usually within 5-8 business days.

HopShopGo is owned by PayPal and offers basically the same features as ShopMate. However, Shipito offers more flexible rates and shipping options. They also have additional features like free package consolidation and free storage.

How Much Does A Parcel Forwarding Service Cost?

Parcel forwarding fees vary depending on what you’ve purchased and if you will be doing consolidated shipping. Most parcel forwarding services have an online calculator to indicate how much shipping your products to your doorstep will cost.

Is A Parcel Forwarding Service Worth It?

Parcel forwarding services are worth using because they allow you to ship products that you usually would not be able to get in your own country and give you access to multiple retailers. A parcel forwarding service also offers discounts and rewards programs, so you can save even more when using their services.

Parcel forwarding services also make shipping internationally much more accessible.

Can I Use A Parcel Forwarding Company To Avoid Customs Fees?

Unfortunately, you cannot use a parcel forwarding company to avoid customs fees. So if you want your package delivered to your doorstep, you’ll need to pay customs charges to avoid your parcel being sent back or discarded.

Are Parcel Forwarding Services Safe?

Parcel forwarding services are safe because they need to maintain a good amount of security in their warehouses and will often do a background check on all employees that work at the warehouse. In addition, most of these companies have been around for numerous years and can be vetted through online customer reviews.

Are Parcel Forwarding Services Legit?

Parcel forwarding services are legit, and while some may seem shady, it’s best to check the online reviews before you choose a package forwarder. Checking out the reviews will help you understand how other people have experienced shopping with and shipping through that company. 

Reading reviews on package forwarding companies can also help you choose which company is best suited to your needs.

Do Parcel Forwarding Companies Provide Insurance?

Many parcel forwarding companies do not offer insurance on the products shipped to your country. If they do offer insurance, it may be for products valued at less than $100, or it will be an additional feature you need to pay for, and it may not be included in the monthly fees.

What Is The Best Package Forwarder?

Here are the top picks based on my personal experience using, and testing these services.

🏆 Best Package Forwarding Services 🏆

1.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

2.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

5.

Opas (review soon)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

6.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

7.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

8.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

planet express logo

The best package forwarding service with lots of features and a free plan