Frequently asked questions

No. We are an independent comparison service. You book and pay directly with the shipping company you choose. We may earn a referral fee when you visit a provider through our links.

More than 20 countries, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, France, Italy, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia, all to mainland China. Each country has its own directory of shipping companies; choose the country you are sending from in the menu at the top of the page.

Choose a service in the results and select "Visit provider". You book, pay and print labels on the provider's own website or in its store.

The company's details were collected from its own website or an official carrier list but have not yet been confirmed by the company or our team. Always confirm details directly before shipping.

Open the shipping companies page for your country and filter by province or state and city. Companies with a store there are listed first; companies that work online or by pickup are listed separately because you can use them from anywhere.

Estimates are calculated from rates each provider publishes. Our team checks every rate against its source before it is used, and each result shows when its rates were last verified. The final price is always set by the provider.

We only calculate prices from rates we have verified. Many companies do not publish a price list, so they appear in the directory without prices. Contact them directly for a quote. A company is also left out if it cannot carry your parcel, for example because it is too heavy.

Each parcel is priced separately with the same service and the prices are added up. A service is only shown if it can carry every parcel. Put items you will pack together in one parcel, as each parcel usually pays its own first-weight charge.

For light but bulky parcels, providers charge by size: length × width × height divided by a number such as 5,000 (cm) or 139 (inches). You pay for whichever is greater, actual or volumetric weight. Enter dimensions in the calculator for accurate estimates.

In the currency of the country you ship from, for example Canadian dollars, pounds, euros, won or Singapore dollars. When a provider prices in another currency, we convert using the Bank of Canada daily rate and show the provider’s original price and the rate date.

These are fees a provider charges only in some cases, such as remote-area delivery. They are not included in the estimate because we cannot tell from your search whether they apply. Ask the provider if you are unsure.

Not always. Providers re-weigh and measure parcels, may change rates or add fuel and other surcharges, and duties are usually extra. Treat the estimate as a comparison and confirm the price when you book.

Not unless the service is marked "Duties included". Otherwise Chinese customs may charge the recipient tax. If the tax due is ¥50 or less, it is waived. See our customs guide.

Since 1 December 2024, mailed personal items within a total value of ¥2,000 per shipment are taxed as personal items. A single indivisible item over ¥2,000 can also qualify. Larger or commercial quantities are taxed as imported goods.

Tax = value × the combined rate for the item: 13% (e.g. food, drinks, books, computers, toys, medicines), 20% (e.g. clothing and textiles, sports goods, most other goods) or 50% (e.g. alcohol, tobacco, jewellery, high-end watches and cosmetics, batteries). Example: clothes worth ¥1,000 → ¥200 tax; food worth ¥300 → ¥39, which is under ¥50 and waived. Full table in our customs guide.

The provider pays the Chinese tax for you, so the recipient pays nothing on delivery. These lines usually cost more and limit what and how much you can send (for example cans of formula per parcel). Ask exactly which taxes and fees are covered before you book.

Some lines clear parcels in China as personal items under the recipient's name and need the recipient's ID number (sometimes a photo) for customs. The provider tells you when it is required; parcels without it can be delayed.

China prohibits importing, among other things, weapons and ammunition, counterfeit money, narcotics, highly toxic substances, and animals, plants and foods carrying dangerous diseases or pests. Restricted items include radio transmitters, tobacco and alcohol, and endangered species. Each provider also has its own, often stricter list (many refuse batteries, liquids or meat products).

Often yes, in reasonable personal quantities, but check two things first. Food is taxed at 13%, and animal and plant products may face quarantine rules. Many lines also limit quantities (for example bottles of supplements per parcel) or refuse some items, so read the provider's rules before packing.

Computers and similar IT products are taxed at 13%, while batteries are in the 50% group. Many lines do not accept loose batteries, and some limit devices with built-in batteries. Check the provider's list, and declare the true value.

Yes, many lines accept it as food (13% tax group), and some offer dedicated duties-included formula lines. They usually limit the number of cans per parcel and may require unopened original packaging. Check the limits with the provider.

Yes. Luggage sent separately from you must be declared to customs when you enter China (on the written declaration form), with your passport and a list of the items. Once customs agrees, the formalities must be completed within six months of your arrival. Luggage lines and movers in our directory can help with the paperwork.

Under the rules in force since 1 April 2025, customs can auction, sell or destroy luggage whose formalities are not completed within the time limit. Send luggage so it arrives well within six months of your arrival, and keep the declaration form.

Sea freight costs much less per kilogram but takes weeks to months; air or courier luggage lines take days to a couple of weeks. A few boxes usually go best by a luggage line; furniture or a full household by sea with a mover. Compare quotes from several providers.