In our quote data UPS took the cheapest slot most often between 10 and 50 lb. Light parcels tend to go to USPS instead.
UPS label prices across the weight range, quoted 2026-07-27
Each weight below traveled in a box sized for it, quoted through the SMKlog calculator on two lanes. The figure is the complete checkout price of the label; nothing gets added after the quote.
Newark, NJ 07102 to Atlanta, GA 30303
| Packed weight | Cheapest UPS row | UPS Ground | Fast option |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 lb | $10.31 Ground, 3-4 business days | $10.31 | $15.13 3 Day Select |
| 2 lb | $10.52 Ground Saver, 4 days quoted | $11.07 | $16.37 3 Day Select |
| 5 lb | $13.65 Ground Saver, 4 days quoted | $14.05 | $19.94 3 Day Select |
| 10 lb | $17.56 Ground Saver, 4 days quoted | $21.94 | $27.66 3 Day Select |
| 20 lb | $23.00 Ground Saver, 4 days quoted | $27.27 | $37.31 3 Day Select |
| 30 lb | $31.52 Ground, 3-4 business days | $31.52 | $49.61 3 Day Select |
| 50 lb | $45.01 Ground, 3-4 business days | $45.01 | $74.10 3 Day Select |
Los Angeles, CA 90011 to New York, NY 10001
| Packed weight | Cheapest UPS row | UPS Ground | Fast option |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 lb | $12.99 Ground, 6-7 business days | $12.99 | $19.16 2nd Day Air |
| 5 lb | $19.25 Ground Saver, 6 days quoted | $19.30 | $27.17 3 Day Select |
| 10 lb | $25.51 Ground Saver, 6 days quoted | $29.03 | $45.06 3 Day Select |
| 50 lb | $76.04 Ground, 6-7 business days | $76.04 | $131.88 3 Day Select |
Read the Saver column against Ground and a rule of thumb falls out: through the middle weights Saver buys the same trucks a day slower for a few dollars less, then loses its edge as boxes get heavy. At 30 and 50 lb plain Ground held the cheapest UPS slot on both lanes. Our data doesn't include UPS retail counter figures, so we make no claim about what a UPS Store would charge for these boxes; what we can say is that these are the prices our checkout would have collected that day.
The login you skip
Shipping through ups.com means an account, and better pricing there usually means volume history you don't have. Buying through a platform gets you commercial-tier rates on the first label with a guest email and nothing else.
Saver has a floor
Ground Saver only quotes above 1 lb, which is why the 1 lb rows show plain Ground. If your box hovers near the boundary, weigh it packed; a few ounces decide which tiers you'll even see.
Big boxes bill by size
UPS applies dimensional weight once a box is bulky for its heft. A half-empty large carton can quote like a much heavier one, so squeeze the void out before you ask for prices.
UPS label questions
Do I need a UPS account to ship with UPS?
Not through SMKlog. UPS Ground, Ground Saver, 3 Day Select and 2nd Day Air quote side by side in our calculator, and you buy the label as a guest: no ups.com login, no daily-rates negotiation, no registration anywhere in the flow.
What does a UPS label cost right now?
From our 2026-07-27 quotes: a 1 lb box rode UPS Ground from Newark to Atlanta for $10.31, a 10 lb box on the same lane took Ground Saver at $17.56, and a 50 lb box went Ground for $45.01. Coast-to-coast runs higher; the tables on this page show both.
What's the difference between UPS Ground and Ground Saver?
Ground Saver is the economy tier: same network, an extra day or so of transit, and a lower price at most mid weights. Our 10 lb Newark quote made the case, $17.56 for Saver against $21.94 for Ground. Above about 30 lb the pattern flipped and Ground was the cheaper row.
Which fast UPS options appeared in these quotes?
3 Day Select at $15.13 and 2nd Day Air at $16.58 for the 1 lb Newark-to-Atlanta box on 2026-07-27. Next Day Air didn't appear in the rate sets our quotes returned that day, so we won't quote a number for it here.