FedEx Home Delivery vs. FedEx Ground
Anish
June 8, 2023
FedEx offers multiple standard delivery services you can use to ship your package. However, the sheer number of options may leave you feeling overwhelmed.
When should you use FedEx Home Delivery? Is FedEx Home Delivery faster than FedEx Ground?
If you’re confused between FedEx Home Delivery and FedEx Ground, read this article to help you decide which service suits you better.
This article discusses when to use FedEx Home Delivery. It gives insight into whether FedEx Home Delivery is faster than FedEx Ground.
The write-up also discusses the rate of both services, helping you determine whether FedEx Home Delivery is cheaper than FedEx Ground. We also give tips on what to do when the recipient of your package isn’t home to receive the delivery.
FindPostOffice.org provides you with an easy and accessible post office lookup in San Diego, San Antonio, Phoenix, Cleveland, New York, and other cities in United States. Our site lets you access information related to FedEx, including its services, such as FedEx Home Delivery and FedEx Ground, as well as their differences.
FedEx Ground vs. Home Delivery: What’s the Difference Between FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery?
FedEx Ground ships packages of 150lbs or less to commercial addresses or businesses from Mondays through Fridays.
Meanwhile, FedEx Home Delivery is part of the FedEx Ground network.
FedEx Home Delivery ships packages of 150 pounds or less to residential addresses every day of the week. Customers must pay an additional $4 residential surcharge per package with FedEx Home Delivery.
Locations That Are Not Considered Residential and, Thus, Do Not Qualify for FedEx Home Delivery
Here are the locations that don’t qualify for FedEx Home Delivery:
- Church
- Prison
- Funeral home
- Nursing home
- Farm
- Firehouse
- Dental clinic
- Medical care clinic
- Veterinary clinic
- Retail shop
- Insurance agency
Is FedEx Home Delivery Better Than FedEx Ground?
FedEx Home Delivery is better than FedEx Ground in terms of delivery days. FedEx Home Delivery ships packages daily, unlike FedEx Ground which only delivers packages five days a week.
Which Is Faster: FedEx Home Delivery or FedEx Ground?
FedEx Ground and Home Delivery provide cost-effective shipping services in one to five days. Both services ship by the end of the day, so they’re the same in terms of delivery time.
Which Is Cheaper: FedEx Home Delivery or FedEx Ground?
FedEx Ground is cheaper than FedEx Home Delivery. In 2022, there were delivery area surcharges for both services.
FedEx Ground (commercial) was $3.10 per package in 2021. The cost for this particular service went up to $3.40 per package in 2022.
Meanwhile, FedEx Home Delivery (residential) was $4.30 per package in 2021. The cost for this particular service went up to $4.80 per package in 2022.
Why Is FedEx Home Delivery More Expensive?
FedEx Home Delivery is more expensive than FedEx Ground because the former ships to residential addresses. Delivering individual parcels to one location costs extra. On the other hand, business owners tend to buy in bulk, more than individuals at home do. Thus, they are more likely to use FedEx Ground.
FedEx Ground vs. Home Delivery: How These Two FedEx Services Stack Up Against Each Other
When you compare FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery, you’ll notice that they have more commonalities than differences.
Both services offer cost-effective delivery in one to five business days and ship by the end of the day. However, if you don’t want to spend more money on Saturday delivery, choose FedEx Home Delivery over FedEx Ground.
FedEx Home Delivery ships packages to residential areas every day of the week. Requesting evening or appointment delivery is also possible with this service.
You can get deliveries between 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM. This option is great if your recipient isn’t available to receive your package during the day.
You can also get delivery on a specific date. With FedEx Appointment Home Delivery, FedEx will contact your package’s recipient to schedule the delivery.
Let’s say you want to deliver a package to a business location. Then choose FedEx Ground over FedEx Home Delivery.
FedEx Ground ships packages to commercial addresses from Mondays through Fridays.
What Is FedEx Ground Shipping?
FedEx Ground primarily delivers to businesses. FedEx Ground delivery is available throughout all 50 states to all business addresses in the U.S.
The weight limit and maximum package size are up to 150lbs, 108 inches in length, and 165 inches in length plus girth (L+2W+2H).
Calculate Your Ground Shipping Rates
FedEx offers rates tools to help you find the most cost-effective ground shipping options that suit your needs. Click here to calculate the shipping costs.
Some factors determine FedEx Ground rates, including the following:
- The Distance to the Destination
The number of ground shipping zones your parcel travels through for delivery determines the pricing for a FedEx shipment.
FedEx Ground has seven zones for shipping in the United States. Expect higher shipping rates as your package crosses more zones.
- The Destination Being Classified As a Commercial Address or Residential Address
There’s an additional $4 residential surcharge for each package if you’re using FedEx Home Delivery through the FedEx Ground network.
- The Destination Being in the United States or Canada
The main cost added for shipping outside the U.S. is for duties and taxes. Aside from these additional costs, more fees are required when shipping to destination countries.
- Packaging Type, Size, Weight, and Density
Boxes and envelopes have different sizes and weights. For this reason, packaging can affect your parcel’s overall density and weight.
How Can You Save on FedEx Ground Shipping?
You can save on FedEx Ground shipping by doing the following:
- Opening a FedEx Business Account
Save 15% on eligible ground shipments, including ground return shipments and home delivery, when you open a FedEx business account.
A FedEx business account lets you access tools like online billing, address books, and reporting. Your credit card information is safely stored in your business account, allowing you to create shipments faster.
A FedEx business account lets you easily find and track previous shipments and schedule pickups.
You can also save 10% on FedEx Office print and copy services and 70% on FedEx Freight less-than-truckload services.
Lastly, you can seamlessly integrate your FedEx account number into your merchant account across numerous platforms and marketplaces.
- Having Your Package Held at a FedEx Location for Pickup
You can have your parcel held at a FedEx location for pickup to avoid paying an additional $4 residential delivery surcharge per package.
Does FedEx Home Delivery Require a Signature?
FedEx Home Delivery doesn’t always require a signature unless a sender requests it.
Generally, items such as hazardous materials, pharmaceuticals, firearms, alcoholic drinks, or goods that are of high value always require a signature. You may use your tracking number to determine whether your shipment needs a signature.
You can sign your package electronically if your shipment requires an indirect signature. On the other hand, if your shipment needs a direct or adult signature, someone must be available to sign in person.
Suppose the recipient is away from home to receive the package. The delivery person will leave a door tag or reattempt delivery. The tag usually contains essential information, such as the date of the next delivery attempt and tracking information, should you wish to track the package online.
On June 28, 2022, FedEx Ground and FedEx Express enabled I.D. scanning functionality for deliveries across the United States. This additional process, which eliminates the need for manual data entry of recipient information, requires an adult signature.
How Long Does FedEx Ground Shipping Take?
FedEx Ground shipping takes one to five business days. FedEx Ground’s delivery time to and from Alaska and Hawaii is three to seven business days.
The delivery window for FedEx Ground is between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM. Check out the FedEx Ground Service Maps to see the transit times.
Pros and Cons of FedEx Ground
Pros
- FedEx Ground delivers to nonresidential addresses
- FedEx Ground packages show up at delivery addresses a day or two earlier than projected
- FedEx Ground delivery window is between 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM
- FedEx Ground can deliver hazardous materials in the contiguous United States
Cons
- FedEx Ground doesn’t deliver packages on the weekend
- FedEx Ground can’t ship packages to P.O. Boxes
What You Need to Know About FedEx Home Delivery: What Is FedEx Home Delivery?
FedEx Home Delivery is a ground shipping service. It offers home delivery every day of the week and flexible holiday shipping.
In the contiguous U.S., FedEx Home Delivery ships packages within one to five days. However, transit times may take three to seven days for Hawaii and Alaska.
Using FedEx Home Delivery, you can ship packages up to 150 pounds, 108 inches in length, and 165 inches in length plus girth (L+2W+2H).
FedEx Home Delivery – A Quicker Option
With FedEx Home Delivery, your recipient doesn’t have to wait until Monday if you ever make late shipments in the week. FedEx Home Delivery ships packages every day of the week.
There’s also an option to request evening or appointment delivery if your recipient is not home during the day to receive the package.
When to Use FedEx Home Delivery
Use FedEx Home Delivery to ship packages to someone’s house or apartment.
If you create a shipping label on the FedEx website, select the check box “This is a residential address.” You can also choose “Perform detailed address check” if you can’t tell whether your destination is a commercial or residential address.
Why Use FedEx Home Delivery in the First Place?
Use FedEx Home Delivery for residential shipments. Packages for residential areas are generally lighter, and the delivery for such packages requires larger distances between stops. Residential shipments also require more care since they’re relatively smaller in size compared to commercial packages.
Residential deliveries are rising due to the rapid growth of online shopping. The door-to-door deliveries increased residents’ accessibility to the retail sector.
B2C or business-to-customer is a commerce transaction between a business, particularly an online retailer, and an end consumer.
Suppose you’re running a B2C eCommerce business. Then you may benefit more from FedEx Home Delivery.
FedEx Home Delivery ships to most residential customers on Saturdays and Sundays at no additional cost.
However, suppose you’re likely to serve customers needing heavier items at a higher volume. In that case, it’s better to go with FedEx Ground.
How Fast Is FedEx Home Delivery?
The shipment’s origin and the distance to the destination determine how fast FedEx Home Delivery is. FedEx Home Delivery usually takes one to five days to ship packages within contiguous U.S. territories. However, delivery time may take three to seven days to residential addresses in Hawaii or Alaska.
How Many Days Does It Take FedEx Ground to Deliver?
According to the FedEx website, FedEx Ground delivers within one to five business days. However, some sites claim that this service can deliver packages within three business days.
Several factors, like inclement weather, incorrect address, or missing documentation, may cause delivery delays.
Let’s say FedEx reported that your package had been delivered. However, you can’t find your parcel anywhere. If that’s the case, the delivery person may have left your item at a nearby address similar to yours.
Go to the FedEx tracking page to locate your missing package, and follow these simple steps:
- Enter your reference or tracking number
- Choose “Manage Delivery”, then “Report Missing Package”
- Click “Yes” to confirm that you’ve checked every possible location your parcel might have been left in
- Provide your contact information, including your name, mobile number, and email address
- Specify your preferred contact method (text or email) and confirm that it’s okay for FedEx to contact you
- Click “Submit” to receive the case number
- Click “Done” so FedEx can help you locate your missing package
Does FedEx Home Delivery Go by Air?
FedEx Home Delivery doesn’t go by air. It’s a ground shipping service, so the courier only ships packages through ground transportation. FedEx Home Delivery usually uses trucks and trains to ship parcels.
Pros and Cons of FedEx Home
Pros
- FedEx Home Delivery ships packages every day of the week
- Businesses that focus exclusively on B2C operations may benefit from FedEx Home Delivery since it offers flexibility in terms of schedule
Cons
- FedEx Home Delivery applies a $4 residential surcharge per package
- FedEx Home Delivery can’t ship packages to P.O. Boxes
Customize When Your Shipment Arrives
You can customize your delivery using FedEx Delivery Manager, allowing you to manage your shipments through special delivery instructions and alerts.
Using FedEx Delivery Manager, you can request to have your packages delivered to any of the 60,000 plus retail network locations and pick your parcel up on your schedule, avoiding possible theft and damage.
You can also schedule a delivery at your convenient time or leave instructions for your delivery driver.
Tracking Your Home Delivery Shipment
You can track your home delivery shipment using one of the convenient tools featured on this page. Keep track of your package delivery by providing these pieces of information:
- Tracking number
- Reference number or purchase order number
- Destination country or territory
- TCN (transportation control number) for government orders
- Ship date
Types of FedEx Home Delivery Services
Here are the three types of FedEx Home Delivery services:
- FedEx Appointment Home Delivery
- FedEx Evening Home Delivery
- FedEx Date Certain Home Delivery
What Is FedEx Address Validation Service, and How Does It Help?
FedEx Address Validation is a special service that helps FedEx confirm whether the address on record is residential or commercial. You must contact a FedEx representative to activate this specific feature for your account.
Does FedEx Home Delivery Support Collect on Delivery?
FedEx Home Delivery doesn’t support FedEx Collect on Delivery, a feature exclusively available for FedEx Ground shipments. Once your package is delivered, FedEx Ground indicates the fees the delivery driver needs to collect from the recipient.
Does FedEx Home Delivery Support FedEx One Rate?
FedEx Home Delivery doesn’t support FedEx One Rate.
FedEx One Rate is a flat-rate pricing service for qualifying FedEx Express U.S. shipments. It requires such packages to be shipped in FedEx Express packaging.
Other FedEx Shipping Services: Compare FedEx Ground to Other Shipping Options
Look at the table below to compare FedEx Ground to other shipping options:
| FedEx Services | Shipping Where | Transit Time | Day |
| FedEx Ground | To a business | One to five days (by the end of the day) | Mondays through Fridays (determined by the shipping distance) |
| FedEx Home Delivery | To a house or apartment | One to five days (by the end of the day) | Every day of the week (determined by the shipping distance) |
| FedEx Express | To anyone | Urgent delivery in one to three days (by a specific time) | Monday through Friday (Saturday with a fee on the chosen day) |
Sending Several Packages to the Same Place
Suppose you’re shipping several packages from the same origin to the same destination. You may benefit from a better rate if you handle them as a single shipment.
FedEx Ground Multiweight, a rating logic that you can add to your account, can automatically compare the total cost of sending several shipments versus treating all the parcels as a single shipment.
Adding multiweight to your account applies low prices automatically.
What if You Need Quicker Shipping?
You may consider a form of next-day shipping. FedEx and UPS (United Parcel Service) offer overnight shipping services that are much quicker in terms of delivery but also more expensive.
For instance, you may try UPS Next Day Air Saver if you need your parcel to reach the recipient within 24 hours. For early morning delivery, you may opt for FedEx First Overnight, which delivers packages the next business day by 8:00 AM, 8:30 AM, 9:00 AM, or 9:30 AM to most delivery areas.
FedEx First Overnight provides additional extended and guaranteed delivery options up to 2:00 PM.
Meanwhile, USPS (United States Postal Service) offers Priority Mail Express, which provides a next-day or two-day delivery service by 6:00 PM. It also has a money-back guarantee.
UPS Ground – Low Cost
UPS offers UPS Ground, a cost-effective ground delivery. UPS Ground ships packages within one to five days with 24/7 free tracking information for your shipment.
This UPS delivery option lets you ship packages up to 150lbs and 108 inches long. UPS Ground delivers to homes and businesses in all 50 states, including Puerto Rico.
As a standard, UPS Ground offers Saturday delivery to most residential addresses. If you want to accurately calculate UPS Ground shipping rates, consult a UPS calculator.
Which FedEx Service Should You Use?
Choosing which FedEx service to use depends on when, how, and where you would like FedEx to deliver your package.
Let’s say you want to deliver a special gift to your best friend on her birthday. Then go with FedEx Home Delivery. If your best friend isn’t home to receive the package during the day, you can choose delivery in the evening on a scheduled day.
FAQs
- Is FedEx delivery guaranteed?
FedEx delivery is guaranteed. As of January 3, 2023, FedEx reinstated its money-back guarantee for select FedEx Express services for U.S. domestic and export shipments. The services include the following:
- FedEx International Priority Freight
- FedEx International Priority Express
- FedEx International Priority
- FedEx International First
- FedEx Standard Overnight Extra Hours
- FedEx Priority Overnight Extra Hours
- FedEx First Overnight Extra Hours
- FedEx Standard Overnight
- FedEx Priority Overnight
- FedEx First Overnight
- How do I get my packages to FedEx?
Make sure you have a FedEx account to use its online tool to schedule package pickup. You should also pay a small fee.
- What are addresses considered residential by FedEx?
FedEx considers these locations as residential addresses:
- College dormitories
- Condominiums
- Apartment buildings
- Parsonage
- Convent
- Rectory
- Residents where products are sold and distributed
- What is the difference between FedEx One Rate and FedEx Ground Home Delivery?
FedEx One Rate is a flat-rate pricing option for qualifying FedEx Express U.S. shipments. Such items should be in FedEx Express packaging.
Meanwhile, FedEx Home Delivery is part of the FedEx Ground network. FedEx Home Delivery delivers 150lbs packages or less to residences each day of the week. FedEx applies a $4 residential surcharge per package.
- How costly is residential shipping compared to commercial shipping?
Let’s take FedEx Ground (residential) and FedEx Ground (commercial) as examples of how costly residential shipping is compared to commercial shipping.
In 2022, there were delivery area surcharges for specified FedEx services. FedEx charged $4.80 per package for its FedEx Ground (residential) service. Meanwhile, the company only charged $3.40 per package for its FedEx Ground (commercial) service.
- Does FedEx take pictures of delivered packages?
Yes. FedEx takes pictures of delivered packages. FedEx Ground and FedEx Express provide picture proof of delivery without requiring an account or login for U.S. and Canadian residential shipments released without a signature.
For U.S. shipments, you can ask FedEx to leave your package in a specific location through FedEx Delivery Manager. You’ll receive a notification, including a photo of your parcel, once it has been delivered.
- Can FedEx Ground ship to P.O. Boxes?
FedEx Ground can’t ship to P.O. Boxes, but you can have your package held for pickup at a FedEx location.
- How can I get my ground packages to FedEx?
You can schedule a package pickup for a small fee to get your ground packages. You can also use those pickups to ship your returns and set up recurring pickups to save time.
Meanwhile, you can drop off your ground packages at the FedEx office or retail network locations, such as Walgreens and Dollar General stores.
- Can FedEx Ground ship hazardous materials?
You can ship hazardous materials with FedEx Ground in the contiguous United States but not to or from Hawaii or Alaska. Check out the FedEx Ground Hazardous Materials Shipping Guide for complete details.
- How do I print FedEx shipping labels?
You can print shipping labels at home using your mobile app or computer. You can also ask a team member to print shipping labels at a FedEx office.
First, search for a nearby FedEx location by entering your ZIP code into the search box. Select the correct city from the displayed options.
Click the “Copy and Print” button to narrow your search to the options that offer printing services. Go to the most convenient location.
Let’s say you have a QR code created on the mobile app or from a retailer. Show the QR code to a team member so they can print your shipping label.
You can also ask a team member for the retail store’s email address if you have a shipping label in your email. Send the label to that address, and a team member will print it from your email.
Note that a small fee for printing shipping labels at a FedEx office may apply.
- What’s the transit time for shipping within the contiguous U.S.?
Generally, the transit time for shipping within the contiguous U.S. is one to five business days. You can see how fast your shipments will arrive at their destination through FedEx Ground Service Maps.
- What’s the transit time for shipping to or from the contiguous U.S. to or from Alaska or Hawaii?
Shipping to and from Hawaii and Alaska requires three to seven business days. Check out FedEx Ground Service Maps to know the transit time for shipping to or from the contiguous U.S.
- What’s the FedEx Home Delivery weight limit?
FedEx Home Delivery weight limit is up to 150lbs. Suppose your shipment is over the allowable weight. You can ship your heavy packages with FedEx Freight.
FedEx Freight is an LTL (less-than-truckload) trucking service that costs less than expedited shipping.
- Can I ship hazardous materials with FedEx Home Delivery?
You can’t use FedEx Home Delivery to ship hazardous materials.
- Can FedEx Home Delivery ship to P.O. Boxes?
FedEx Home Delivery can’t ship to P.O. Boxes. However, you can have your package held for pickup at a FedEx location.
- My package’s recipient won’t be home during the day to accept the delivery. What can I do?
You can use FedEx Evening Home Delivery if your recipient isn’t home to accept the parcel. By using such a service, you can choose a delivery time between 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM on the standard days of delivery.
- My packages’ recipients need their packages delivered by a specific date. What can I do?
Suppose the recipient wants to get the package by a specific date. If that’s the case, you can choose FedEx Date Certain Home Delivery.
The parcel will arrive on their chosen date from Monday to Sunday, excluding holidays. Note that the date must be within 10 days from the pickup date and can’t be before the expected delivery date.
- My package’s recipient wants to know exactly when the shipment will be delivered. What can I do?
Choose FedEx Appointment Home Delivery if the recipient wants to arrange the specific time and date their residential delivery will arrive.
FedEx will contact them in advance to set a schedule. They can also use FedEx Delivery Manager or track their shipment to stay updated with notifications.
- I’m unsure if my package’s destination is a business or a residence. Can you help?
Examples of residences include college dorms, apartment buildings, and convents. Meanwhile, examples of business locations include churches, nursing homes, prisons, farms, firehouses, and doctors’ offices.
- What time does FedEx Home Delivery deliver?
FedEx Home Delivery doesn’t have official delivery hours. Each delivery time is dependent on the destination and the parcel.
- Does FedEx Home Delivery deliver on Sunday?
FedEx Home Delivery delivers on Sundays to most residential locations. The company reaches about 80% of U.S. residential addresses on Sundays.
- Does FedEx Home Delivery deliver on Saturday?
FedEx Home Delivery delivers on Saturdays. Shippers and their recipients don’t have to wait until Monday to get packages sent late in the week. There’s no extra fee, and expedited service for weekend delivery is also unnecessary.
- How late does FedEx Home Delivery deliver?
FedEx Home Delivery delivers packages up to 8:00 PM. Sign up for FedEx Delivery Manager to track and manage your incoming shipments.
References
- What is FedEx Ground shipping?
https://www.fedex.com/en-us/shipping/ground.html - 2022 changes to FedEx Express & FedEx Ground surcharges & fees
https://www.fedex.com/content/dam/fedex/us-united-states/services/FXE_FXG_Surcharges_and_Fees_2022.pdf - What is FedEx Home Delivery?
https://www.fedex.com/en-us/shipping/home-delivery.html - Open a free business account for discounts on shipping and more
https://www.fedex.com/en-us/open-account.html - Quick FedEx customer support, with shipping and delivery help at your fingertips
https://www.fedex.com/en-us/customer-support/faqs/receiving/fedex-says-delivered-but-no-package.html - Deliveries to residential units: A rising form of freight transportation in the U.S.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0968090X15002442 - Balancing cost and speed for your online business shipping
https://www.fedex.com/en-us/ecommerce/shipping-options.html - Tracking options for all of your shipping needs
https://www.fedex.com/en-us/tracking.html - FedEx One Rate Pricing
https://www.fedex.com/content/dam/fedex/us-united-states/services/OneRate-Pricing_2022.pdf - What is FedEx overnight shipping?
https://www.fedex.com/en-us/shipping/overnight.html - Priority Mail Express
https://www.usps.com/ship/priority-mail-express.htm - Shipping Inside the United States?
https://www.ups.com/us/en/support/shipping-support/shipping-services/domestic.page - Money-Back Guarantee
https://www.fedex.com/en-us/service-guide/money-back-guarantee.html - Picture proof of delivery is now here.
https://www.fedex.com/en-us/tracking/picture-proof-delivery.html - How to create, print, and manage shipping labels
https://www.fedex.com/en-us/shipping/create-shipping-label.html - FedEx Ground® Service Maps
https://www.fedex.com/grd/maps/ShowMapEntry.do