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Australia's courier, express, and parcel networks carried an estimated 967 million parcels in 2025, and a growing share of that volume is business freight rather than personal mail. For businesses moving that freight, choosing between Australia Post or StarTrack usually comes down to shipment type, not brand loyalty.
The wrong carrier costs money or time. Australia Post handles standard parcels, PO Boxes and regional delivery, while StarTrack offers business-focused freight services for larger and time-critical consignments. This guide compares both carriers by delivery speed and business type to help you choose the right service for every shipment.
Book standard parcel and PO Box delivery through Australia Post.
Get a Quote NowCompare rates, book shipments, and track both Australia Post and StarTrack through Couriers & Freight from a single platform.
StarTrack offers specialised services for heavier, palletised and time-critical business freight, including Road Express and Next Flight, which may be more suitable than standard parcel services.
Road Express provides scheduled interstate freight services, while Next Flight ships urgent consignments on the next available commercial flight when capacity is available. Transit times vary by route, collection time and destination, so businesses should confirm delivery estimates before booking.
For example, a manufacturer sending replacement machinery parts from Melbourne to Brisbane may benefit from Road Express because the shipment moves through StarTrack's dedicated freight network instead of the standard parcel network. Businesses shipping large cartons, pallets or time-sensitive inventory are more likely to gain from StarTrack's specialised freight services than from a single carrier.
Book palletised and interstate freight through StarTrack.
Get a Quote NowAustralia Post remains the better option for everyday shipments to residential, regional and remote addresses across Australia. Parcel Post delivers within two to six business days, while Express Post generally delivers within one to three business days between participating postcodes. Delivery times vary according to origin, destination and lodgement time.
Its national delivery network also reaches PO Boxes, Parcel Lockers and virtually every Australian address, making it a practical choice for businesses sending consumer orders.
For example, an online retailer shipping clothing to customers across regional Australia is likely to benefit more from Australia Post's nationwide delivery network than a freight-focused carrier. Australia Post delivered a record 102.8 million parcels during the 2024 peak period.
The right carrier usually comes down to what you're shipping and how fast it needs to arrive. Australia Post and StarTrack are designed for different shipment profiles, so picking the service that matches each delivery can help control costs and improve delivery performance.
Australia Post tracking allows senders and recipients to check parcel progress using a tracking number through the Australia Post website or mobile app. StarTrack tracking is designed for business freight, using a consignment number to provide shipment updates through its online tracking portal and integrated business systems. Businesses can manage bookings and track consignments through a single Couriers & Freight dashboard instead of switching between carrier portals.
Australia Post is the appropriate choice for international parcels because it operates an established international mail and parcel network covering more than 220 destinations. StarTrack focuses on domestic freight and does not provide a comparable international parcel service, making Australia Post the right option for overseas shipments.
A business might send customer orders through Australia Post while arranging a pallet of stock for urgent delivery between Sydney and Melbourne with StarTrack in the same week. Managing separate carrier accounts means checking rates, booking shipments and tracking consignments across different systems.
Couriers & Freight lets businesses compare rates and estimated transit times across Australia Post and StarTrack before selecting the most suitable service for each shipment. Booking and tracking stay in one system. Instead of committing to a single carrier, businesses can switch between carriers for each shipment based on delivery speed, freight size and destination.
Compare Australia Post and StarTrack rates by delivery speed and freight size, then get a courier quote today.
Book palletised and interstate freight through StarTrack.
Get a Quote Now
MHP
No Surcharge*
$16.50
$14
$15.50
$0
$15.50
$14.75
$0
$0
$0
$0
MHP Large Item
No Surcharge*
$16.50
$75
$62
$62
$60.10
$14.75
$0
$0
$0
$0
Residential Pickup
No Surcharge*
$6
$0
$9
--
$9
$10.60
$0
$0
$0
$38.50
Reidential pick up 30-99kgs
No Surcharge*
$63
$0
$9
$0
$9
$74.15
$20
Won't carry
Won't carry
$38.50
Residential pick up 100kgs+
No Surcharge*
$198
$0
$9
$0
$9
$158.87
$50
Won't carry
Won't carry
$38.50
Residential Delivery up to 29kgs
No Surcharge*
$6
$0
$9
--
$9.00
$10.60
$0
$0
$0
$38.50
Residential Delivery up 30-99kgs
No Surcharge*
$63
$0
$9
$0
$9
$74.15
$20
Won't carry
Won't carry
$38.50
Residential Delivery 100kgs+
No Surcharge*
$198
$0
$9
--
$9
$158.57
$50
Won't carry
Won't carry
$38.50
Tail Lift Pick up 50-99kgs Sydney / Melbourne
No Surcharge*
$45
$50-$250
$88
$88
$88
$44.07
$120
Won't carry
Won't carry
$61.50
Tail Lift Pick up 100-299kgs Sydney / Melbourne
No Surcharge*
$85
$50-$250
$88
$88
$88
$44.07
$120
Won't carry
Won't carry
$61.50
Tail Lift Pick up 300-499kgs Sydney / Melbourne
No Surcharge*
$120
$50-$250
$88
$88
$88
$44.07
$120
Won't carry
Won't carry
$61.50
Tail Lift Pick up 500kgs + Sydney / Melbourne
No Surcharge*
$250
$50-$250
$88
$88
$88
$44.07
$120
Won't carry
Won't carry
$61.50
Tail Lift Delivery 50-99kgs Sydney / Melbourne
No Surcharge*
$45
$50-$250
$88
$88
$88
$44.07
$120
Won't carry
Won't carry
$61.50
Tail Lift Delivery 100-299kgs Sydney / Melbourne
No Surcharge*
$85
$50-$250
$88
$88
$88
$44.07
$120
Won't carry
Won't carry
$61.50
Tail Lift Delivery300-499kgs Sydney / Melbourne
No Surcharge*
$120
$50-$250
$88
$88
$88
$44.07
$120
Won't carry
Won't carry
$61.50
Tail Lift Delivery 500kgs + Sydney / Melbourne
No Surcharge*
$250
$50-$250
$88
$88
$88
$44.07
$120
Won't carry
Won't carry
$61.50
Dead weight over 32KGS carton freight
No Surcharge*
$16.50
$75
$70
$70
$70
$14.75
$0
Won't carry
Won't carry
$0
Oversize Surcharge 1.20 - 1.54
No Surcharge*
--
$0
$0
$0
$0
$5.40
$10
$15
Won't carry
$0
Oversize Surcharge 1.55 - 1.85
No Surcharge*
$17
$20
$0
$0
$0
$11.93
$10
$15
Won't carry
$0
Oversize Surcharge 1.86 - 2.20
No Surcharge*
$37
$40
$0
$0
$0
$11.93
$10
Won't carry
Won't carry
$0
Pallet Surcharge
No Surcharge*
--
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
Won't carry
Won't carry
$0
Hand Unload Fee Carton
No Surcharge*
--
$0
$70
$70
$70
$47
$0
Won't carry
Won't carry
$61.50
Western Australia Regional Surcharge
No Surcharge*
%10
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
*Surcharges may apply to areas/deimensions not listed
**Prices correct of 16th September 2024
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