UPS Ground Saver 2026: Rates, Delivery Time and Surcharges

2026 UPS rate: UPS Ground Saver list rates start at $13.00 for a 1 lb package to Zone 2 and $16.26 to Zone 8 (effective May 6, 2026, before fuel), for residential packages up to 70 lbs. that arrive about one to two business days after UPS Ground.

Quick answer: UPS Ground Saver is the new name for UPS SurePost. It is a contract-only, non-guaranteed economy service for residential packages, with final delivery by UPS or the U.S. Postal Service depending on the destination. UPS says transit is typically UPS Ground plus one to two business days, Monday through Saturday. Packages can weigh up to 70 lbs., and since August 2026 a $5.00 Non-Compliant Label Fee applies to packages that don’t meet UPS’s Ground Saver labeling or software rules.

Sources: UPS Ground Saver page, UPS Ground Saver 2026 rates (1 lb or greater), effective May 6, 2026, UPS Ground Saver Terms and Conditions (effective February 16, 2026), the 2026 UPS Rate and Service Guide (updated September 7, 2026) and UPS’s rate update notices, all checked October 30, 2026. Rates are list rates before fuel surcharge; your contract rates may differ.

2027 update: UPS’s Daily Rates for UPS Ground, UPS Air and international services rise an average net 5.9% on December 21, 2026. Also effective on or after December 21, 2026, domestic Ground and Ground Saver shipments from certain ZIP codes for “Qualified customers” will pay a new per-package surge fee. UPS says the amounts and origin ZIP codes will be published in early November; its surge fee document (October 15, 2026 update) did not list them yet when we checked on October 30. The Ground Saver page still shows only the 2026 rate file. See our UPS 2027 rate increase guide.

What Is UPS Ground Saver?

UPS Ground Saver (formerly UPS SurePost) is UPS’s lower-cost option for non-urgent packages going to homes. UPS moves the package through its ground network, and final delivery is made by either UPS or USPS. UPS’s own FAQ confirms Ground Saver and SurePost are the same service under a new name.

• Contract only. UPS provides Ground Saver only to shippers with an approved Ground Saver contract. The rate guide calls it a “contract-only, non-guaranteed economy residential service.”
• Where it goes. Pickups in the 48 contiguous states, delivered to residential addresses in the 48 states, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and U.S. territories, plus PO Boxes and APO/FPO/DPO addresses. It is not available for international packages.
• Software required. Packages must be processed through UPS WorldShip, UPS CampusShip, the UPS Shipping API, an approved UPS Ready solution or an approved host system, with a special Ground Saver label the USPS can read.

If you buy UPS labels through a shipping platform instead of your own UPS agreement, the platform’s pricing is what matters. Our guide to the UPS Digital Access Program explains how platform rates compare with a direct contract.

UPS Ground Saver Delivery Time and Tracking

UPS says Ground Saver transit times are “typically comparable to UPS Ground, plus approximately one to two additional business days,” and that delivery days generally run Monday through Saturday. The 2026 rate guide describes UPS Ground as delivering typically in one to five business days.

• No guarantee. The Ground Saver terms say delivery dates are not guaranteed and the UPS Service Guarantee does not apply.
• Tracking. Every package gets a UPS tracking number with end-to-end tracking. If UPS hands the package to USPS, visibility may continue through the USPS delivery. If the shipper doesn’t upload package data on time, USPS delivery events won’t be available.
• Proof of delivery. Delivery photo confirmation is only available when UPS makes the delivery. UPS makes one delivery attempt and can release the package without a signature.
• USPS holidays add a day. On days like Veterans Day (November 11), UPS still delivers but Ground Saver packages need one more business day because USPS is closed, per UPS’s holiday schedule.
• Recipient upgrades. Through UPS My Choice, a recipient can upgrade a Ground Saver package to UPS Ground for $7.99 per package (no extra charge for My Choice Premium members).

Weight and Size Limits

• Maximum weight: 70 lbs. per package.
• Maximum size: 130 inches in length plus girth, and no side longer than 60 inches.
• Minimum size: at least 4 inches high and 6 inches long.
• Packages under 1 lb must be less than 864 cubic inches (length × width × height).
• Packages must also meet USPS Domestic Mail Manual size, weight and content limits. You can’t use UPS- or USPS-supplied boxes or packaging.
• No lithium batteries, hazardous materials or Limited Quantity shipments.

Billable weight is the greater of actual and dimensional weight, using the same dimensional weight formula as UPS Ground, and any fraction of a pound rounds up. Packages with a billable weight over 70 lbs. are priced per pound (dimensional weight × the per-pound rate, from $0.93 in Zone 2 to $1.98 in Zone 8).

UPS Ground Saver Rates 2026 (1 to 10 lbs.)

These are UPS’s published Ground Saver list rates for the 48 contiguous states, effective May 6, 2026. Fuel surcharge is added on top.

The full rate file runs to 70 lbs. (a 70 lb package is $47.42 in Zone 2 and $140.23 in Zone 8). A 1 lb package to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico or other U.S. territories is $27.72, and $23.56 to APO/FPO addresses.

What about packages under 1 lb (the ounce tiers)?

UPS’s public Ground Saver page only links a rate file for packages of one pound or greater. It does not publish under-1-lb ounce pricing, and the 2026 Rate and Service Guide has no Ground Saver rate tables. If you ship lightweight items, your under-1-lb Ground Saver prices are set in your UPS agreement, so check them there. Remember the 864 cubic inch cap for sub-1-lb packages.

Surcharges and Fees on Ground Saver

Notes on the table:

• Residential Surcharge. The Ground Saver rate sheet’s list of additional charges does not include a Residential Surcharge. UPS Ground packages to homes carry a $6.50 Residential Surcharge in 2026. The Ground Saver terms do say other accessorial charges in the UPS Rate and Service Guide can apply, so check your invoice and your agreement.
• Delivery Area Surcharge does apply. It is listed on the Ground Saver rate sheet.
• Non-Compliant Label Fee date. UPS’s rate update notice says “on or after August 2, 2026”; the Ground Saver rate sheet says “on or after August 3, 2026.”
• High-volume shippers. Customers billed for more than 20,000 packages in any week after October 2025 can pay a higher Demand Surcharge from UPS’s Higher Volume Shipper table, up to $8.00 per Ground Saver package.
• Fuel. UPS changed the Ground and Ground Saver fuel table effective November 2, 2026. See the UPS fuel surcharge page for the current week.

Other Ground Saver Rules That Affect Cost

• Liability is capped at $50 per package. UPS’s terms treat any higher declared value as void, and UPS has no liability once the package is with USPS.
• No third-party or collect billing. Bill Third Party and Bill Consignee are not available.
• Undeliverable packages. If USPS can’t deliver, USPS returns or destroys the package. Returns are charged the USPS postage rate plus a USPS service fee. If UPS can’t deliver, the package comes back at your expense.
• Peak segregation. UPS can require you to separate Ground Saver packages from Ground packages in November and December, with 30 days’ written notice.

UPS Ground Saver vs UPS Ground vs USPS Ground Advantage

List prices for a residential package, before fuel. UPS Ground adds the $6.50 Residential Surcharge, shown in the total. USPS figures are Ground Advantage retail prices from USPS Notice 123 (effective October 4, 2026); USPS commercial prices are different. Each carrier uses its own zone chart, so check your origin ZIP code.

At list prices, Ground Saver’s base rate is higher than UPS Ground’s at every weight shown, but because the Ground Saver rate sheet has no Residential Surcharge line, Ground Saver comes out lower than UPS Ground plus the $6.50 residential charge in every row except 10 lbs. to Zone 8. USPS Ground Advantage retail is the lowest in each Zone 2 example and at 1 lb to Zone 8. Ground Saver is the lowest at 5 lbs. to Zone 8, and UPS Ground is the lowest at 10 lbs. to Zone 8. Contract discounts change all of this, which is why the comparison should be run on your own invoices.

For USPS business pricing, see our Ground Advantage commercial rates guide. For the FedEx equivalent, see FedEx Ground Economy (formerly SmartPost).

How to Avoid Extra Ground Saver Charges

• Keep labels compliant. Follow the UPS Guide to Labeling Supplement for Ground Saver and keep WorldShip, CampusShip, the API integration or your host system on the latest approved version. That is what the $5.00 Non-Compliant Label Fee checks.
• Update the routing file monthly. The terms require each shipping location to load the current Ground Saver routing file every month.
• Watch box sizes. Staying at or under 22 inches on the longest side and under 2 cubic feet avoids the $2.00, $6.00 and $18.00 non-standard charges.
• Upload package data on time. Late package level detail removes USPS delivery scans, which makes delivery disputes harder.
• Audit the mix. Heavier packages to distant zones can cost more on Ground Saver than on UPS Ground. Check which service your software picks by weight and zone.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is UPS Ground Saver?

UPS Ground Saver is UPS’s contract-only economy service for residential packages, formerly called UPS SurePost. UPS moves the package by ground and either UPS or USPS makes the final delivery.

Is UPS Ground Saver the same as UPS SurePost?

Yes. UPS renamed SurePost to Ground Saver. UPS says the core service is similar and can still include final delivery by USPS in certain areas.

How long does UPS Ground Saver take?

UPS says it typically takes as long as UPS Ground plus about one to two business days, with deliveries Monday through Saturday. Delivery dates are not guaranteed.

How much does UPS Ground Saver cost in 2026?

List rates effective May 6, 2026 start at $13.00 for 1 lb to Zone 2 and $16.26 to Zone 8, and a 10 lb package is $21.77 to $36.15, before fuel surcharge and any contract discount.

What is the UPS Ground Saver weight limit?

70 lbs. per package, with a maximum of 130 inches in length plus girth and no side longer than 60 inches. Packages under 1 lb must be less than 864 cubic inches.

Why does my UPS Ground Saver package show USPS?

UPS may hand Ground Saver packages to USPS for final delivery, depending on the destination. You can keep tracking with the UPS tracking number, and visibility may continue during the USPS delivery.

What is the UPS Ground Saver Non-Compliant Label Fee?

A $5.00 per package fee, effective in August 2026, for Ground Saver packages that don’t follow UPS’s Ground Saver labeling supplement or aren’t processed with the latest version of an approved UPS shipping system.

Does UPS Ground Saver deliver to PO Boxes?

Yes. UPS says Ground Saver can deliver to U.S. PO Boxes and APO, FPO and DPO addresses because those packages can be handed to USPS.

Related Reading

• UPS Digital Access Program (DAP): When Platform Rates Beat Your Contract
• UPS Residential Surcharge 2026: $6.50 Ground / $7.00 Air
• What Does UPS Delivery Area Surcharge (DAS) Mean?
• UPS Peak Surcharge 2026: What It Means on Your Invoice
• UPS 2027 Rate Increase: Every 2027 Surcharge and Accessorial Change
• USPS Ground Advantage Pricing for Businesses: 2026 Commercial Rates

Get a free carrier invoice audit

D’arrigo Consulting audits UPS and FedEx invoices line by line, including Ground Saver label fees, area surcharges and whether Ground Saver or Ground was the cheaper choice for each package. Request a free invoice audit to see what you can recover.

This article is for informational purposes only. Carrier rates, surcharges, and policies change frequently — always verify current terms directly with the carrier for your specific situation. Have questions? Reach out to us — we're happy to help.