Top 6 Sendle Alternatives for Australian SMEs

Feb 3, 2026
Top 6 Sendle Alternatives for Australian SMEs

Interest in Sendle alternatives surged after the shipping company ceased its operations, stopping all parcel pickups and new bookings in early January 2026. 

For many small and medium-sized businesses, the shutdown brought fulfilment to a standstill overnight. Orders stopped moving, pickups were cancelled, and businesses that relied on Sendle for day-to-day parcel shipping were forced to find replacements quickly. Beyond the immediate disruption, the situation exposed a broader issue for SMEs. When a business relies on a single courier, any service change or pause can stop orders from moving.

This guide explores practical Sendle alternatives in Australia that better support continuity, scale, and different shipment types.

How to Ship Your Parcels After Sendle Shuts Down: Key Considerations

  • Coverage and shipment type matter. Some Sendle alternatives only handle lightweight parcels, while others support bulky items, pallets, or interstate freight. SMEs shipping mixed order types need a solution that does not break down as order sizes change.
  • Relying on one courier creates risk. When a single provider pauses bookings, changes pricing, or limits coverage, fulfilment can stop without warning. This is why many businesses reassess their setup after disruptions like Sendle’s shutdown.
  • Parcel pricing is only part of the decision. Weight limits, size restrictions, delivery zones, and service exclusions often matter more than the base rate when replacing Sendle.
  • Multi-carrier access reduces disruption. Using one platform to access multiple couriers allows SMEs to choose the right carrier per shipment without rebuilding their process every time conditions change.
This guide compares Sendle alternatives in Australia and explains when switching to a multi-carrier shipping platform like Couriers & Freight is the more practical long-term option.

6 Best Sendle Alternatives for Australian SMEs

1. Couriers & Freight: Best Alternative to Sendle

Alt text: Couriers & Freight homepage

About the Company

Couriers & Freight is positioned as the strongest Sendle alternative because it removes reliance on any single courier and supports parcels, freight, and scale within one platform. Instead of switching from one standalone provider to another, SMEs gain access to multiple parcel and freight carriers through a single digital platform.

This matters for businesses shipping more than lightweight parcels. Orders that exceed parcel limits, require palletisation, or need time-definite delivery can be matched to a carrier that actually supports those requirements, without changing systems or opening new accounts.

Services

Australian SMEs can access the following carrier services through the Couriers & Freight platform:

Verdict: What Makes It a Good Sendle Alternative?

For businesses moving on from Sendle, Couriers & Freight provides continuity instead of another short-term fix. It allows shipping to continue when volumes grow, shipment types change, or a carrier becomes unavailable, which is why it ranks as the strongest alternative.

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2. Australia Post

Alt text: Australia Post homepage

About the Company

Australia Post is Australia’s national postal service and a major provider of domestic and international parcel delivery. It operates a nationwide delivery network that reaches residential and business addresses across metro, regional, and remote areas, making it a familiar option for Australian SMEs shipping standard parcels.

Services

Verdict: What Makes It a Good Sendle Alternative?

Australia Post can replace Sendle for SMEs shipping standard parcels that need broad national coverage and minimal changes to existing fulfilment processes. Its domestic parcel and express services are suitable for routine deliveries, but the offering remains parcel-focused. 

For SMEs with exceeding shipment sizes or mixed order types, Australia Post often needs to be supplemented with additional carriers, making it better suited as part of a broader shipping setup.

3. StarTrack

Alt text: StarTrack homepage

About the Company

StarTrack is an Australian parcel and freight carrier owned by Australia Post, focused on business-to-business deliveries and faster domestic services. It operates a national road and air network and is commonly used by SMEs shipping heavier parcels or time-critical consignments.

Services

Verdict: What Makes It a Good Sendle Alternative?

StarTrack works as a Sendle alternative for SMEs that need faster delivery options or to handle heavier parcels than standard postal services allow. Its road and express offerings suit priority shipments and business consignments, but its services are less suited to high volumes of small, low-value parcels. 

For SMEs replacing Sendle, StarTrack is useful when speed or weight matters, but it is typically used alongside other carriers rather than as a full parcel-only replacement.

4. CouriersPlease

Alt text: CouriersPlease homepage

About the Company

CouriersPlease is an Australian parcel delivery service operating since 1983. It uses a network of independent couriers across hundreds of franchise territories. It focuses primarily on domestic parcel delivery for e-commerce businesses and SMEs shipping within defined weight bands.

Services

Verdict: What Makes It a Good Sendle Alternative?

CouriersPlease can replace Sendle for SMEs shipping lightweight parcels within standard satchel and parcel limits. Its domestic parcel services suit routine e-commerce deliveries, but the network is not designed for bulky, palletised, or irregular freight. 

For businesses with simple parcel requirements, it can function as a replacement. But SMEs with mixed or growing shipment profiles usually need additional carriers to cover larger consignments.

5. TNT

Alt text: TNT homepage

About the Company

TNT is a global express and freight carrier with a strong domestic road network in Australia. It specialises in time-definite delivery services for business shipments, particularly heavier parcels and business-to-business freight.

Services

Verdict: What Makes It a Good Sendle Alternative?

TNT suits SMEs that need predictable, time-definite domestic delivery for heavier parcels or business consignments. Its express road services provide tighter delivery windows than parcel-focused couriers, but they are often unnecessary for everyday lightweight shipments. 

As a Sendle replacement, TNT works best for specific use cases rather than general parcel shipping, making it more suitable as part of a broader carrier mix than a direct substitute.

6. Aramex

Alt text: Aramex homepage

About the Company

Aramex Australia operates a domestic and international parcel delivery network following its merger with Fastway Couriers. It services metropolitan and many regional areas and focuses on standard parcel delivery through a franchise-based courier model.

Services

Verdict: What Makes It a Good Sendle Alternative?

Aramex can replace Sendle for SMEs shipping standard domestic and international parcels that fall within typical size and weight limits. Its delivery options cover routine parcel needs, but it does not natively support bulky or palletised freight. 

For SMEs with simple parcel requirements, Aramex can serve as a replacement, while businesses shipping larger or mixed consignments usually need to supplement it with additional carriers.

Why SMEs Should Use a Multi-Carrier Shipping Platform Instead of One Courier

Relying on a single courier exposes SMEs to the same risk that many experienced with Sendle. When a provider pauses pickups, changes pricing, limits coverage, or exits the market, orders stop moving, and businesses are forced to react under pressure.

A multi-carrier shipping platform removes that dependency. Instead of locking into one courier, SMEs can choose a carrier per shipment based on size, destination, and urgency. If one service becomes unavailable, others are already set up and ready to use.

This approach also supports growth. As order volumes increase or shipments move beyond standard parcels into heavier, bulky, or palletised goods, businesses do not need to rebuild their shipping process or open new accounts. They keep using the same system and select a different carrier.

For SMEs moving on from Sendle, a multi-carrier platform like Couriers & Freight provides a more durable setup than switching to another standalone courier.

FAQs About Sendle Alternatives in Australia

What happened to Sendle in Australia?

Sendle abruptly ceased operations in Australia in January 2026, halting new parcel bookings and pickups after more than a decade in the market.

The company sent customers an email stating it would no longer accept new bookings, and pickups scheduled from 12 January onwards were cancelled. Parcels already in transit were said to be completed “at the discretion of the delivery partner.”

What is the best Sendle alternative for Australian SMEs?

There’s no one universal replacement. For pure parcel shipping, national carriers like Australia Post or dedicated services like StarTrack and CouriersPlease can work well. 

But many SMEs find broader flexibility in multi-carrier platforms that let them choose the best courier per shipment type, which supports resilience against service changes and variability in parcel size or volume.

Should SMEs use a multi-carrier shipping platform instead of one courier?

A multi-carrier platform reduces the risk that comes with relying on a single courier. SMEs gain the ability to switch to another service when pricing, coverage, or capacity shifts, and they can match carriers to parcel size, destination, or urgency without rebuilding workflows. 

Can small businesses ship bulky or palletised items without Sendle?

Yes. Many couriers and freight partners specialise in larger, heavier, or palletised shipments that Sendle did not support or struggled with at scale. Using a multi-carrier strategy or freight-capable services ensures SMEs can move a wider range of goods across Australia and beyond, without being limited to small-parcel-only channels.

Switch from Sendle to Couriers & Freight

Replace Sendle and book parcel and freight shipments across multiple carriers with Couriers & Freight.

Get a Quote Now
robert lynch headshot

Robert Lynch

Founder of Australia’s largest outside hire company Couriers & Freight, Robert Lynch is a seasoned business leader in the shipping industry with over 20 years of experience. His expertise spans from outside hire, taxi truck, and last-mile services to freight management, freight forwarding and warehousing. 

Robert has also incorporated technology into his business through custom software to enhance growth and efficiency. Robert is a valuable resource for business owners looking to improve their logistics operations.
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Connect with Robert Lynch on LinkedIn.

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