GLS vs UPS: Which Is Better for You?

On size, GLS and UPS play by nearly the same rules. Both cap a piece at 150 lb and 165 in in length plus girth, and both bill a Large Package at a minimum of 90 lb. GLS allows a longer piece, 120 in against UPS's 108 in. The real differences show up on weekends, at the front door, and in remote areas.

UPS delivers to homes on Saturday with no surcharge on UPS Standard, as its Saturday delivery notice sets out, and backs its guaranteed services with a money-back guarantee. GLS's Saturday service is paid and covers only Quebec and Ontario, but GLS charges less for residential delivery and address corrections. Neither is cheaper on every parcel, so price both on Secureship before you book.

GLS vs UPS at a Glance

The factors that change what you pay and when the parcel arrives:

Factor	GLS	UPS
Max weight per piece	150 lb / 68 kg	150 lb / 68 kg
Max length	120 in (108 in outside its direct network)	108 in
Max length plus girth	165 in	165 in
Large Package minimum	Billed at 90 lb or more	Billed at 90 lb or more
Saturday home delivery	$38.55 and up, Quebec and Ontario direct network only	UPS Standard, no surcharge
Residential delivery	$4.50 per shipment	$5.05
Remote areas	Beyond zones, $0.75 to $308.65 per shipment; higher charges outside its direct network	Delivery Area Surcharge: $5.40 standard, $19.70 extended, $23.75 remote, $152.50 super remote
Money-back guarantee	None published	On guaranteed services delivered more than 60 seconds late
Fuel surcharge	Set weekly, from the FCAC diesel price	Updated weekly, posted on ups.com
International	None today; parcel service to Europe announced as coming soon	Service area of more than 200 countries and territories

The remote-area row is the one to check for your own postal code. UPS charges a fixed amount by tier, while GLS charges by zone, from under a dollar to over $300, and many GLS zones are small. Both carriers update fuel every week, so compare GLS's and UPS's current percentages rather than assuming one is lower.

Sources: GLS Canada Tariff 100, 2026 UPS Canada Rate and Service Guide

On the three fees both publish, GLS is lower on all of them. GLS's amounts are from its Tariff 100, effective January 1, 2026; UPS's are from its 2026 Canada Rate and Service Guide, dated September 6, 2026.

Fee	GLS	UPS
Residential delivery	$4.50 per shipment	$5.05
Address correction	$15.25 per shipment ($39.55 outside its direct network)	$19.65 per package
Over the carrier's maximum	$495.00 per piece within its direct network ($1,335.00 outside)	$1,380.75 per package, and prohibited

Watch the units. UPS charges its address correction per package, so on a multi-box shipment the gap with GLS's per-shipment fee grows with every box. Outside its direct network GLS charges more, so check where your postal code sits in GLS's Points List. GLS's full list is in our GLS Surcharges & Fees guide.

120 in maximum length

$4.50 residential fee

$15.25 address correction, per shipment

Next day GLS Express by air

For long items and everyday home deliveries, GLS stands out:

Longer pieces: up to 120 in (304 cm) within GLS's direct network, against UPS's 108 in.
A lower residential fee: $4.50 per shipment against UPS's $5.05.
A cheaper address correction: $15.25 per shipment, against $19.65 per package at UPS.
A far lower over-maximum charge: $495.00 per piece within GLS's direct network, where UPS charges $1,380.75 per package and prohibits it.
Next-day air from Ontario and Quebec: GLS Express to 20 cities in 8 provinces. The cities are in our GLS Services guide.

Free Saturday home delivery

Money-back guarantee

60 seconds late = refund

200+ countries

On weekends, promises and reach, UPS has the edge:

Free Saturday home delivery: UPS states UPS Standard delivers to residences in Canada on Saturdays with no special processing or surcharge. GLS's Saturday service starts at $38.55 and covers only Quebec and Ontario.
A money-back guarantee on UPS's guaranteed services delivered more than 60 seconds late. GLS publishes none.
Beyond Canada: UPS's service area covers more than 200 countries and territories. GLS Canada ships within Canada today.

When to Use GLS vs UPS

Use GLS when...	Use UPS when...
The piece is longer than 108 in, up to 120 in	A home delivery has to arrive on a Saturday
You ship to homes on weekdays and want the lower fee	The delivery has to be backed by a money-back guarantee
A multi-box shipment might need an address correction	The parcel is leaving Canada
It has to reach a major city by tomorrow from Ontario or Quebec	The remote address falls in a low UPS tier and a high GLS zone

📅

Check the day

A Saturday home delivery outside Quebec and Ontario points to UPS. On weekdays, GLS's lower residential fee comes into play.

📍

Check the postal code

For a remote address, compare UPS's Delivery Area tier with GLS's Beyond zone for that exact postal code. Either one can come out ahead.

📏

Check the size

Both stop at 150 lb and 165 in in length plus girth, and both bill Large Packages at 90 lb or more. A piece between 108 and 120 in long fits GLS only.

🚀

Get both prices in one go

Secureship's group rates come from volume pooled across thousands of businesses. Enter the parcel once and see GLS and UPS together, with no accounts, contracts, or minimum volume.

Compare GLS and UPS Rates Now

Enter your shipment and Secureship shows live GLS and UPS rates side by side, along with every other major carrier. Takes 30 seconds, no account required.

Compare Rates Now

Is GLS cheaper than UPS?

On extra fees, mostly yes. GLS charges less to deliver to a home ($4.50, against $5.05 at UPS), to fix a wrong address ($15.25 per shipment, against $19.65 for each package at UPS), and for a piece over the size or weight limit ($495.00, against $1,380.75 at UPS). The exception is Saturday: UPS delivers to homes on Saturday for free, while GLS charges $38.55 or more. Fees are only part of the price, though, and the base rate for your route matters most, so compare both live to see which costs less.

Does GLS or UPS deliver on Saturday?

UPS does, at no extra charge: UPS states UPS Standard delivers to residences in Canada on Saturdays with no special processing or surcharge. GLS delivers Monday to Friday, with paid Saturday service ($38.55 and up) in Quebec and Ontario, within its direct network. See our GLS Delivery Times guide.

Do GLS and UPS charge for large packages the same way?

On the minimum weight, yes: both bill a Large Package at a minimum of 90 lb. Both cap a piece at 150 lb and 165 in in length plus girth, and GLS allows pieces up to 120 in long against UPS's 108 in. Past the maximum they part ways: GLS charges $495.00 per piece within its direct network, while UPS charges $1,380.75 per package and prohibits it.

Which charges more for remote areas, GLS or UPS?

It depends on the postal code. UPS charges a Delivery Area Surcharge in four tiers: $5.40, $19.70, $23.75 and $152.50. GLS charges a Beyond location surcharge by zone, from $0.75 to $308.65 per shipment, and more on several fees outside its direct network. GLS's Points List shows the zone for each postal code, or get a quote for both.

Can I ship internationally with GLS or UPS?

With UPS, yes: its service area covers more than 200 countries and territories. GLS Canada ships within Canada today, with parcel service to Europe announced as coming soon. Compare international rates from every carrier in one quote.

More GLS Guides

GLS Guide
Shipping in Canada

Complete guide to GLS Canada parcel shipping, weight limits, pickup, and how to save on every shipment.

GLS Guide
Shipping Rates

How GLS Canada prices a parcel, including dimensional weight, plus how to get a live quote.

GLS Guide
Services Overview

GLS Ground, next-day GLS Express, Same-day, MaxPak and DexPak, plus the add-ons and what GLS won't carry.

GLS Guide
Delivery Times

GLS Canada transit times, Saturday delivery, and the holiday schedule explained.

GLS Guide
Surcharges & Fees

The GLS Canada fuel surcharge, the Quebec Fuel Premium, and the residential and handling fees, explained.

GLS Guide
Alternatives

When GLS Canada is the right call, and when Canada Post, Purolator, FedEx, UPS or Canpar fits your shipment better.

GLS vs
Canada Post

Personal items, PO boxes, weight limits and fees compared between GLS Canada and Canada Post.

GLS vs
Purolator

Coverage, timed delivery, fuel and fees compared between GLS Canada and Purolator.

GLS vs
FedEx

Guarantees, size limits, handling charges and fees compared between GLS Canada and FedEx.

Sources

GLS figures are sourced from official GLS Canada documentation. UPS figures are UPS's own published claims. Last updated: November 5, 2026.

GLS Canada Parcel 2026 Rules and Regulations (Tariff 100), effective January 1, 2026, last updated October 2026. gls-group.com
GLS Canada: Fuel and Carbon Surcharges. gls-group.com
GLS Canada: 2026 Points List (Parcel), Coast to Coast, effective July 13, 2026. gls-group.com
2026 UPS Canada Rate and Service Guide, dated September 6, 2026. ups.com
UPS Canada, fuel surcharges. ups.com
UPS Standard Saturday Delivery. ups.com

GLS vs UPS

Same size limits, different weekends and fees. Compare Saturday delivery, residential and remote-area charges head-to-head, then see both rates side by side with Secureship.

Get Estimate