How courier rates are actually calculated in India
A shipping rate is not one number. Indian carriers price every parcel from four inputs, and changing any one of them changes the bill: the chargeable weight, the zone between the two pincodes, whether the order is cash on delivery, and whether the parcel comes back.
Chargeable weight is the higher of the actual weight and the volumetric weight, calculated as length × width × height in centimetres divided by 5000. A 400 g kurta in a 30 × 25 × 10 cm box has a volumetric weight of 1.5 kg, and that is what you are billed for. Reducing box size is usually the fastest saving available to a seller.
Zones band the distance: within the same city, within the region, metro to metro, the rest of India, and remote areas such as the north-east, Jammu and Kashmir and the islands. On ApnaCourier's live rate card a 0.5 kg surface parcel costs around ₹39 within a city and about ₹70 to a remote zone, both including GST.
- Chargeable weight = higher of actual weight and (L × W × H in cm ÷ 5000)
- Weight is billed in slabs, commonly 500 g, and the per-slab price changes above roughly 3 kg
- COD is charged as the higher of a flat minimum or a percentage of the collected amount
- An RTO is billed separately, roughly as a second leg of freight
- 18% GST applies on freight and on the COD charge
Why the estimate and the final bill can differ
An estimate uses the weight and dimensions you type in. The carrier bills what it measures at its hub, so if a parcel is re-weighed heavier, or the box is larger than declared, the invoice moves up a slab.
Seasonal surcharges also apply during peak periods, and remote pincodes can carry an additional handling charge. The rate card inside a seller account always reflects the current, live numbers for the account, including any platform fee.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does courier delivery cost per kg in India?
- There is no flat per-kg rate. Pricing is banded by zone and weight slab: a 0.5 kg parcel within a city is cheapest, and the same parcel to a remote zone costs roughly 75% more. Heavier parcels move to different slabs, where the cost per additional 500 g falls.
- What is volumetric weight and why am I charged for it?
- Volumetric weight reflects the space a parcel takes in a vehicle: length × width × height in centimetres ÷ 5000. Carriers bill the higher of actual and volumetric weight, because a large, light box occupies space that could have carried denser freight.
- Does cash on delivery cost extra?
- Yes. COD is charged as the higher of a flat minimum or a percentage of the amount collected, plus GST. On the live Delhivery rate card today that is ₹25 or 1.25% before tax, so a ₹10,000 order carries about ₹125 in COD charges.
- What does a return cost?
- A return to origin is billed as a separate movement, roughly equal to another leg of freight. In return-heavy categories the RTO rate usually affects unit economics more than the forward rate.
- Are the estimates the same as my account rates?
- The calculator gives an indicative range. Signed-in sellers see their own live rate card, including their platform fee, and the exact cost for the lane is shown before a label is generated.