DHL eCommerce vs DHL Express: International Shipping Service Comparison

Understanding DHL Services

DHL operates two distinct service lines for U.S. e-commerce sellers: DHL eCommerce (economy international) and DHL Express (premium international). Understanding the differences helps optimize international shipping costs.

Service Overview

Feature	DHL eCommerce	DHL Express
Service Type	Economy	Premium
Transit Time	5-20 days	2-5 days
Tracking	Limited/regional	Full door-to-door
Delivery Partner	Local postal services	DHL network
Duties Handling	DDU typically	DDP available
Weight Limit	66 lbs	150 lbs
Insurance	Optional	Included

Rate Comparison

To United Kingdom (1-5 lbs)

Weight	DHL eCommerce	DHL Express	Atoship Rate (eCommerce)
1 lb	$15.50	$52.80	$12.20
2 lbs	$18.80	$58.50	$14.85
3 lbs	$22.40	$65.20	$17.50
5 lbs	$28.50	$78.40	$22.40

To Germany (1-5 lbs)

Weight	DHL eCommerce	DHL Express	Atoship Rate (eCommerce)
1 lb	$16.20	$55.40	$12.80
2 lbs	$19.50	$62.80	$15.40
3 lbs	$23.80	$70.20	$18.60
5 lbs	$30.20	$84.50	$23.80

To Canada (1-5 lbs)

Weight	DHL eCommerce	DHL Express	Atoship Rate (eCommerce)
1 lb	$12.80	$42.50	$9.85
2 lbs	$15.20	$48.80	$11.80
3 lbs	$18.50	$55.20	$14.20
5 lbs	$24.80	$68.40	$19.50

To Australia (1-5 lbs)

Weight	DHL eCommerce	DHL Express	Atoship Rate (eCommerce)
1 lb	$22.50	$68.80	$18.20
2 lbs	$28.40	$78.50	$22.80
3 lbs	$34.20	$88.20	$27.40
5 lbs	$45.80	$108.50	$36.80

Transit Time Comparison

DHL eCommerce Transit Times

Destination	Economy	Parcel Direct	Packet
Canada	6-12 days	5-10 days	8-15 days
UK	8-15 days	6-12 days	10-20 days
Germany	8-18 days	6-12 days	10-20 days
Australia	12-22 days	8-15 days	15-25 days
Japan	10-18 days	7-12 days	12-22 days

DHL Express Transit Times

Destination	Express Worldwide	Time Definite
Canada	2-3 days	1-2 days
UK	2-4 days	2-3 days
Germany	2-4 days	2-3 days
Australia	3-5 days	2-4 days
Japan	2-4 days	2-3 days

DHL eCommerce Services Breakdown

DHL Parcel International Direct

Transit: 5-10 days
Tracking: Full tracking
Delivery: Direct to address
Best for: Medium-priority international

DHL Packet International

Transit: 8-20 days
Tracking: Limited (origin + destination)
Delivery: Via local postal service
Best for: Low-cost economy shipping

DHL eCommerce Parcel Standard

Transit: 10-22 days
Tracking: Milestone tracking
Delivery: Via local postal service
Best for: Budget international shipping

DHL Express Services Breakdown

DHL Express Worldwide

Transit: 2-5 business days
Tracking: Real-time door-to-door
Customs: Brokerage included
Best for: Time-sensitive shipments

DHL Express Time Definite

Transit: 1-3 business days
Tracking: Full visibility
Guarantee: Time-definite delivery
Best for: Critical shipments

When to Choose Each Service

Choose DHL eCommerce When:

Scenario	Reason	Service
Budget-conscious	50-70% cheaper	Packet
Non-urgent orders	Transit time acceptable	Standard
High volume	Per-package cost matters	Parcel Direct
Low value goods	Express cost > margin	Packet

Choose DHL Express When:

Scenario	Reason	Service
Time-critical	Guaranteed delivery	Time Definite
High-value goods	Better insurance/tracking	Worldwide
B2B international	Professional delivery	Worldwide
Documents	Fast document delivery	Express Envelope
Perishables	Speed critical	Express

Customs and Duties Handling

DHL eCommerce (DDU - Delivered Duties Unpaid)

Aspect	eCommerce Approach
Duties payment	Recipient pays at delivery
Customer experience	May cause delivery delays
Hidden costs	Customer surprised by fees
Refusal risk	Higher if duties unexpected

DHL Express (DDP Options Available)

Aspect	Express Approach
Duties payment	Seller can pre-pay (DDP)
Customer experience	Smoother delivery
Transparency	All costs upfront
Refusal risk	Lower with DDP

Tracking Comparison

DHL eCommerce Tracking

Origin acceptance scan
Export scan
In-transit updates (limited)
Customs clearance (when available)
Delivery confirmation

DHL Express Tracking

Piece-level tracking
Real-time location updates
Customs status visibility
Attempted delivery notifications
Signature capture
Photo proof of delivery

Country-Specific Recommendations

Country	Recommended Service	Reason
Canada	eCommerce Parcel Direct	Fast enough, significant savings
UK	eCommerce Parcel Direct	Good balance cost/speed
Germany	eCommerce Parcel Direct	Reliable postal system
Australia	Express for urgent, eCommerce for rest	Long distance = big time difference
Japan	eCommerce Packet	Excellent local postal delivery

Volume Discounts and Thresholds

DHL eCommerce Volume Tiers

Monthly Volume	Discount
< 100	Standard rates
100-500	5-10% off
500-2000	10-20% off
2000+	Custom pricing

Access via Atoship

No minimum volume required
Commercial rates from first package
Multi-carrier comparison included

Integration Considerations

eCommerce Integration

API available
Batch label generation
Manifest required for pickup
Drop-off at DHL locations

Express Integration

Robust API
Real-time rates
Scheduled pickups
Account billing

Atoship DHL Features

Both services available: eCommerce and Express
Rate shopping: Compare DHL vs other international options
Commercial rates: Discounted pricing on all DHL services
Single integration: One platform for all carriers

Start Shipping Internationally with DHL

Create your Atoship account for commercial DHL rates on both eCommerce and Express services.