How Does USPS Ground Advantage Work?

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A comprehensive look at USPS’s most unique shipping service

Co-authored by Fahim and Seema Mojawalla and Eric McClure

Last Updated: April 12, 2025 Fact Checked

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• What is USPS Ground Advantage?
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• Features
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• Is there Ground Advantage for businesses?
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• Pricing
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• USPS Ground Advantage vs Priority Mail
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• Is USPS Ground Advantage worth it?

|Show more |Show less

USPS offers a variety of different shipping services, including Ground Advantage, Priority, Priority Express, and First Class. So, when would you choose Ground Advantage and what makes it unique? Well, it’s USPS’s fastest ground-only shipping service, which makes it ideal if you’re shipping something that can’t go on an airplane or if you’re only shipping short distances. We’ll break down how the program works and look at when it does (or doesn’t) make sense for you.

USPS Ground Advantage Meaning

USPS Ground Advantage is a service offered by the post office that allows you to ship anything in the US in under 5 days. Notably, Ground Advantage comes with $100 of insurance and it’s one of the only ways you can ship HAZMAT materials that can’t go on planes.

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Section 1 of 6:

What is USPS Ground Advantage?

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1. 
   Ground Advantage is 2-5 day shipping for anything under 70 pounds. Ground Advantage is cheaper than overnight shipping, but more reliable and efficient than standard shipping. With Ground Advantage, you can ship any package (so long as it’s under 70 pounds (32 kg)) anywhere in the United States in under 5 business days.

   • Ground Advantage is identical to USPS’s old First-Class Ground Package Service. They renamed it a few years ago.
   • It doesn’t have to be the continental US, either. In fact, Ground Advantage will even ship to US territories, military bases, and associated states.
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Section 2 of 6:

Features

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1. 
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   2-5 day shipping anywhere in the US With Ground Advantage, you can be assured that your package will arrive at its intended destination in under a week. Keep in mind, the 5-day guarantee only applies to business days. If you ship a package on a Thursday, it may not arrive until next Thursday.
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   Free $100 insurance You do not need to buy any basic insurance for your package—it’s free with Ground Advantage. Notably, this insurance covers the delivery and any potential returns.

   • You can purchase additional insurance for your package at any USPS kiosk or office.
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   Free package pickup Just fill out a request form for pickup and the USPS will pick it up for you. The 2- to 5-day window will still apply!
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   Free tracking You will not need to pay for tracking services using Ground Advantage. Once you drop your item off, you’ll be provided a free tracking number so that you know where your package is at all times.

   • This isn’t unique to Ground Advantage. All priority services offer free tracking, just FYI.
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   Ship HAZMAT materials that can’t go on a plane If you need to ship any HAZMAT materials and you’re both in a rush and unable to put the item on an airplane, Ground Advantage is probably your best option. Your item will get there in under 5 business days.

   • This is why it’s “ground” advantage. It’s USPS’s fastest ground-only shipping option.
   • HAZMAT materials that can’t go on a plane include any radioactive material, anything corrosive, explosives, ammunition, fireworks, aerosols, flammable liquids, oxidizers, and most infections materials.
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Section 3 of 6:

Is there Ground Advantage for businesses?

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1. 
   Yes, but you must reach out to USPS for custom pricing and services. If you’d like to subscribe to Ground Advantage because your business often needs to ship things quickly and efficiently, the USPS does offer business services. However, the pricing and services are customized based on the client’s needs, so fill out a business services form and USPS will get back to you.

Section 4 of 6:

Pricing

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1. 
   Pricing starts at $5 but increases based on the package’s weight. For anything 4 ounces or under, you’ll pay $5.00-5.55 depending on how far you’re shipping the item. From there, prices go up incrementally until they max out at $165.05 for packages that weight 70 pounds (32 kg).

   • You can find a the full pricing schedule online here.
   • There are additional fees for oversized parcels that are more than 108 inches (270 cm) in combined length and girth. There are also fees for items that are especially long and flat, or packages with abnormal shapes.
   • For packages that are over 15.999 ounces, rates increase by the pound (always rounded up). So, if your item weighs 7.4 pounds, you’ll pay the rate for an 8-pound item.
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Section 5 of 6:

USPS Ground Advantage vs Priority Mail

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1. 
   Priority Mail is faster and may involve air travel. Ground Advantage is a 2-5 day delivery window, while Priority Mail is a 1-3 day delivery. Any package you ship with Priority Mail may end up on an airplane at some point, too. Beyond those two key differences, Ground Advantage and Priority Mail are identical. The pricing is close to identical (Priority Mail is slightly more expensive), the weight and height restrictions are identical, and both options come with tracking and $100 of insurance.

   • The big question as a shipper here is whether the plane travel matters or not. If it doesn’t, choose the slightly cheaper option if money is your primary concern, or the faster option if you care more about the package arriving quickly.

Section 6 of 6:

Is USPS Ground Advantage worth it?

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1. 
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   If you’re shipping something under 15.999 ounces, it’s a great deal. Assuming that you’re on a time crunch and the 2-5 day delivery is relevant, this is a phenomenal product if you’re shipping something on the lighter side. The pricing for items under 15.999 ounces is the most cost-effective available.

   • First Class and Priority are probably better deals if you’re shipping something on the heavier side.
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   If you need $100 insurance, it’s included for free. Standard, introductory pricing for shipping insurance through USPS is $2.50. If you’re shipping anything light, you’re paying around $5.00, so one of looking at this is that you’re spending $2.50 for priority shipping, which is a better deal than anything else USPS offers. In other words, if the insurance matters to you, this is probably a great option.

   • Again, this presumes you care about your item arriving in 2-5 days. If you don’t, just insure your package and ship it normally.
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   Ground Advantage isn’t the fastest option available. If you really care about your package arriving as fast as possible, you may not be best off choosing Ground Advantage if your destination is more than a state away. In this instance, you probably want to opt for Priority Mail Express, which will offer next-day or 2-day shipping.
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