Evri for Cheap Shipping
Evri gets a lot of bad press, but for the right parcel it is unbeatable on price. Here is when to use it and when to avoid.
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Evri (the rebrand of Hermes) is the cheapest mainstream courier in the UK for small parcels. A 1kg parcel to a ParcelShop costs around £2.65, which is less than a 1st Class stamp for the equivalent size. That price advantage is real — the question is whether the trade-offs are worth it.
Evri pricing at a glance
| Weight | ParcelShop drop-off | Home collection |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1kg | £2.65 | £3.95 |
| 1–2kg | £3.15 | £4.45 |
| 2–5kg | £4.05 | £5.35 |
| 5–10kg | £5.85 | £7.15 |
| 10–15kg | £8.45 | £9.75 |
ParcelShop vs home collection
Evri has around 8,000 ParcelShops, mostly in newsagents and convenience stores. Drop-off is consistently £1.30 cheaper than collection. If you live or work near one, always choose drop-off — it is also more reliable because the parcel enters the network immediately, rather than waiting for a driver to pick it up the next day.
Home collection is fine for bulky parcels or when you cannot get out, but Evri drivers are self-employed and collection windows are usually all-day. Do not rely on it for time-critical shipments.
Tracking quality: the honest take
Evri tracking is the weakest of the major couriers. Scans can be sparse — it is common to see a parcel sit at "arrived at depot" for 24–48 hours before the next update. The tracking app gives an estimated day but no one-hour window. Photos on delivery are standard, which helps resolve disputes.
For low-value items (books, clothes, non-urgent), sparse tracking is not a big deal. For anything a customer paid good money for, the lack of visibility will generate "where is my parcel" messages.
When to avoid Evri
- Anything over £100 in value — standard compensation is only £20. You can upgrade, but claims handling is slow.
- Fragile or glass items — Evri's network involves more touch points than DPD or Royal Mail.
- Time-critical deliveries — no guaranteed next-day service, and standard delivery is 2–3 working days.
- Anything you need a signature for — the standard service does not signature-capture reliably.
When Evri is the right choice
- Selling clothes or books on Vinted, eBay or Depop under £50 in value.
- Shipping bulky-but-lightweight items where volumetric pricing hurts on other couriers.
- Regular low-value B2C shipments where 5–10% lost parcels is a manageable cost.
For everything else, run a comparison — the price gap between Evri and DPD often narrows on parcels over 5kg.