Carrier SLA Comparison
What do carriers guarantee? Compare service level agreements and refund policies.
| Feature | USPS | UPS | FedEx | DHL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Money-back guarantee | Priority Express only | Most services | Express services | Express |
| Guaranteed delivery time | 6 PM next/2nd day | 8 AM, 10:30 AM, 3 PM options | 8 AM, 10:30 AM, 3 PM | End of next day |
| Included insurance | (Priority) | Varies | ||
| Refund for late delivery | Full refund (Express) | Full refund | Full refund | Full refund |
| Claim filing window | 30 days | 15 days | 15 days | 30 days |
| Automatic refund? | No — must request | No — must request | No — must request | No — must request |
| Ground guarantee? | No | No (suspended 2020) | No (suspended 2020) | N/A |
| Lost package search | Yes — USPS Missing Mail | Yes — Package trace | Yes — Trace investigation | Yes — DHL support |
| Damage claim | Up to insured value | Up to declared value | Up to declared value | Up to declared value |
⚠ Important: UPS and FedEx suspended money-back guarantees on Ground services during COVID and have NOT fully restored them. Always check current policy before shipping.