The best courier for South African online stores in 2026: rates, lockers and pickup points compared
Delivery is the cost most SA stores get wrong. We compared The Courier Guy and its Lockers (formerly PUDO), Pargo, Paxi, PostNet, Aramex, Fastway, RAM and the aggregators Bob Go, Shiplogic and ShipRazor on published 2026 rates, delivery times, network size, liability and Shopify and WooCommerce integrations. There’s a free calculator to price your own parcels.
The short answer
For most Shopify and WooCommerce stores, the best setup is The Courier Guy for door-to-door, plus a locker or pickup-point option at checkout. Lockers and pickup points are now the cheapest way to ship in South Africa: R49 for a small parcel locker to locker, against roughly R90 or more for door-to-door economy.
If you send more than about 100 parcels a month, use an aggregator such as Bob Go or ShipRazor to get discounted rates from several couriers in one dashboard. Offer at least two delivery options at checkout: a cheap one and a fast one.
Shipping cost calculator
Enter your parcel size and weight to compare every option side by side, with monthly cost and a free-delivery threshold.
PUDO is now “Lockers”. The Courier Guy dropped the PUDO brand in June 2025. The lockers, sizes and apps are the same network, now sold as The Courier Guy Lockers.
Quick picks
TCG Lockers
R49 locker to locker for 2 kg, R59 for 5 kg. Roughly 2,300 lockers nationwide.
Pargo
4,000+ pickup points in retail stores. Good Shopify app. From about R75.
Paxi
R59.95 via 2,800+ PEP, Tekkie Town and Shoe City stores. Slow (7–9 days) at that price.
The Courier Guy
Same-day, overnight and economy, plus the most-used WooCommerce plugin in SA.
Bob Go
TCG, Fastway, RAM, SkyNet, Pargo and more, with discounted rates on paid plans.
Aramex Store to Door
R89.99 per 45 x 35 cm sleeve, dropped at Pick n Pay, FreshStop or selected Checkers.
The full comparison
| Courier | Cheapest published option | Delivery time | Network | Shopify / WooCommerce |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Courier Guy Lockers | R49 locker to locker (XS, 2 kg) | 1–2 days main centres, 2–4 regional | ~2,300 lockers + 220 kiosks | Yes / Yes |
| The Courier Guy (door) | Economy road from about R90 ex VAT (last published, 2024) | Overnight 1–2 days; economy 2–4 | National | Yes / Yes (4,000+ installs) |
| Pargo | About R75 (range R75–R140, up to 15 kg) | 2–5 days | 4,000+ pickup points | Yes / Yes |
| Paxi (PEP) | R59.95 standard bag, store to store | 7–9 days (3–5 days for R109.95) | 2,800+ stores | Coming soon / API |
| Bob Box (Bob Go) | R50 door to locker, small (incl. VAT) | Gauteng only | 13 lockers | Yes / Yes |
| Fastway | National satchel from R82.69 ex VAT | Next day | Franchise network | Yes / Via Bob Go, Shiplogic |
| Aramex | R89.99 Store to Door sleeve | 24–72 hours | Pick n Pay, FreshStop, Checkers drop-offs | Third-party plugins |
| PostNet | R99 prepaid flyer (2 kg); R109 for 5 kg counter to counter | 2–3 working days | 515+ stores | Not found |
| RAM | Account rates only | Express 24–48 h; economy 48–72 h | 40+ branches | Via Bob Go, Shiplogic |
The cheapest way to send a small parcel
Lowest published 2026 price per courier for a small parcel. Lower is better.
Bob Box is Gauteng only and incl. VAT; Fastway is an account rate ex VAT; Paxi at this price takes 7–9 days. Other sources do not state VAT. Sources listed below.
The Courier Guy and TCG Lockers
The Courier Guy (TCG) is the default courier for most SA online stores. It covers same-day, overnight and economy door-to-door delivery, and since absorbing PUDO it runs the country’s largest parcel locker network: about 2,300 lockers and 220 staffed kiosks as of July 2026, adding roughly three lockers a day.
| Locker size | Max size / weight | Locker to locker | Locker to door | Locker to kiosk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 60 x 17 x 8 cm, 2 kg | R49.00 | R73.31 | R59.00 |
| S | 60 x 41 x 8 cm, 5 kg | R59.00 | R83.94 | R69.00 |
| M | 60 x 41 x 19 cm, 10 kg | R69.00 | R115.81 | R79.00 |
| L | 60 x 41 x 41 cm, 15 kg | R89.00 | R165.75 | R109.00 |
| XL | 60 x 41 x 69 cm, 20 kg | R119.00 | R222.06 | R139.00 |
Door-to-door rates are now quoted per account. The last published national rates (2024, ex VAT) were economy road from R90 for 0–5 kg and R150 for 6–15 kg. Expect your account rate to differ, especially through an aggregator. TCG offers a prepaid wallet (topped up via PayFast or Ozow) or a 30-day credit account after credit checks.
Integrations: the official WooCommerce plugin runs on the Shiplogic API, has 4,000+ active installs and supports door-to-locker. On Shopify there are separate TCG and TCG Locker apps; reviews are mixed, so many Shopify stores connect TCG through Bob Go or ShipRazor instead.
Watch out: TCG’s default liability is R1,000 per consignment, and locker parcels carry no liability cover at all. Extra cover up to R30,000 is available for a fee. Parcels left in a locker for 36 hours move to a kiosk.
Pargo
Pargo runs the largest pickup-point network in the country: more than 4,000 staffed counters in retail stores. Customers collect while doing their normal shopping, which is a strong option for shoppers who are not home during the day. Pargo does not publish a rate card; published 2026 pricing puts it at about R75 to R140 for parcels up to 15 kg, with 2 to 5 business days delivery. Pargo itself quotes an average of 1.25 days.
The Shopify app (“Pargo Smart Logistics”) is free to install with a per-parcel fee and rated 4.6 out of 5; the WooCommerce plugin needs a myPargo account. Pargo is also available through Bob Go and ShipRazor. Default cover through Bob Go is R1,000.
Paxi (PEP)
Paxi sends parcels between PEP, Tekkie Town and Shoe City stores, with 2,800+ points, many in towns and townships other networks don’t reach. It is the right choice when price matters more than speed.
| Service | Bag | Delivery time | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Store to store | Standard (45 x 37 cm, 5 kg) | 7–9 business days | R59.95 |
| Store to store | Standard | 3–5 business days | R109.95 |
| Store to store | Large (64 x 51 cm, 10 kg) | 7–9 business days | R119.95 |
| Store to store | Large | 3–5 business days | R139.95 |
| Store to home | Standard / large | 3–5 business days | R119.95 / R149.95 |
| Store to home express | Standard / large | Next business day (selected Gauteng and North West stores) | R89.95 / R119.95 |
Businesses use the Paxi portal, with free home collection from 25 parcels. There is a checkout widget and an API on request; the Shopify plugin is listed as coming soon.
PostNet, Aramex and Fastway
- PostNet: PostNet2PostNet costs R109 for the first 5 kg and R25 per extra kg, up to 15 kg, in 2 to 3 working days across 515+ stores. A prepaid 2 kg flyer is R99 incl. VAT, but with no insurance. Useful for occasional parcels; no store integrations found.
- Aramex Store to Door: R89.99 per 45 x 35 cm sleeve, dropped at Pick n Pay, FreshStop or selected Checkers stores, delivered to the door in 24 to 72 hours. Good for small flat items. Store integrations are third-party only.
- Fastway: a franchise courier with next-day national delivery. Account rates start at R82.69 ex VAT for a national satchel and R104.74 for a next-day parcel. It has its own Shopify app (wallet-based) and is available through Bob Go and, since March 2026, Shiplogic. Default and maximum cover through Bob Go is R1,000.
RAM, Courier IT, Dawn Wing and SkyNet
These are account couriers without public rate cards. RAM offers same-day, early-bird and next-day services, express road (24–48 hours) and economy (48–72 hours) for parcels up to 120 x 60 x 60 cm and 30 kg, and is available through Bob Go and Shiplogic. Courier IT joined Shiplogic in May 2026. SkyNet is on Bob Go with cover up to R50,000, the highest of the aggregator options. Ask for quotes once you ship regular volume.
Aggregators: Bob Go, Shiplogic and ShipRazor
An aggregator gives you several couriers in one account, live rates at checkout and one dashboard for labels and tracking. For most stores sending more than about 100 parcels a month, this is the simplest way to get better than retail rates.
| Bob Go | ShipRazor | Shiplogic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Multi-courier shipping platform for merchants | Multi-courier shipping platform for merchants | Software that couriers run on (TCG, Fastway, RAM and others) |
| Couriers | TCG, Fastway, RAM, SkyNet, Internet Express, Pargo, Bob Box, WumDrop and more | 20+ domestic and cross-border partners | Used through each courier’s portal |
| Pricing | Pay as you go R0/month; plans R249 to R1,999/month ex VAT with discounted rates | Free Shopify app; rates per shipment | Via the courier |
| Shopify / WooCommerce | Yes / Yes | Yes / Yes | Via courier plugins |
| Read more | – | Our ShipRazor review | – |
Liability and insurance
Default cover is low across the board. If you ship anything worth more than R1,000, buy extra cover or use a courier that offers it.
| Courier | Default cover | Maximum cover |
|---|---|---|
| The Courier Guy | R1,000 per consignment | R30,000 (paid) |
| TCG Lockers | None | – |
| RAM | R1,250 | R5,000 |
| SkyNet | R1,000 | R50,000 |
| Fastway | R1,000 | R1,000 |
| Pargo | R1,000 | R1,000 |
| PostNet prepaid flyer | None | – |
Cover figures for RAM, SkyNet, Fastway and Pargo are as listed by Bob Go; TCG’s come from its terms and conditions.
Volumetric weight: the hidden cost
Door-to-door couriers charge on the higher of the actual weight and the volumetric weight: length x width x height in cm, divided by 5,000. A boxed air fryer at 40 x 40 x 35 cm weighs 6 kg on the scale but 11.2 kg volumetrically, so you pay for 11.2 kg. Lockers and Paxi bags price by size band instead, which is why lockers often win for light, bulky items. Measure your most common parcels and run them through the shipping calculator.
Where your customers can collect
Number of pickup points or lockers, 2026.
Pargo, Paxi and PostNet official sites; TCG via MyBroadband (July 2026); Bob Go.
How to choose: a checklist
- Measure your top five parcels (packed size and weight) and price each one in the calculator.
- Offer two to three options at checkout: a cheap locker or pickup option, standard door-to-door, and express for urgent orders.
- Match the network to your customers. Pargo and Paxi reach shoppers who are not home during the day or live outside the metros.
- Check the integration first. A courier without a working Shopify or WooCommerce connection costs you hours of manual labels.
- Use an aggregator past about 100 parcels a month for better rates and a fallback when one courier has problems.
- Insure high-value parcels. Default cover is usually R1,000.
- Set a free-delivery threshold about 25% above your average order value. The calculator works it out.
Want live courier rates and lockers at your checkout? We set up TCG, Pargo, Bob Go and ShipRazor on Shopify and WooCommerce stores. See our Shopify development and WooCommerce development services, or get a quote within 24 hours. For setup steps, read WooCommerce shipping in South Africa and shipping and delivery for SA online stores.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest courier in South Africa for online stores?
For small parcels, The Courier Guy Lockers at R49 locker to locker (2 kg) is the cheapest national option. Bob Box lockers in Gauteng start at R50 incl. VAT, and Paxi’s standard bag is R59.95 if your customer can wait 7 to 9 business days.
What happened to PUDO?
The Courier Guy dropped the PUDO brand in June 2025. The same locker network now runs as The Courier Guy Lockers, with the same sizes and apps.
Which courier works best with Shopify in South Africa?
Pargo has the best-rated direct Shopify app. For The Courier Guy and multiple couriers, most Shopify stores connect through an aggregator such as Bob Go or ShipRazor, which give live rates at checkout.
Which courier works best with WooCommerce?
The Courier Guy’s official WooCommerce plugin is the most used, with 4,000+ active installs and door-to-locker support. Bob Go and ShipRazor also integrate with WooCommerce.
Should I offer free delivery?
Usually only above a threshold. Set it about 25% above your average order value so it lifts basket size. Our calculator shows how much of your gross profit delivery currently takes.
Are courier parcels insured?
Most couriers include limited liability of about R1,000 per parcel; locker parcels and some prepaid flyers carry none. Buy extra cover for valuable items.
Sources
- MyBroadband: R49 to send packages anywhere in South Africa (30 Aug 2026)
- WiseMove: The Courier Guy services and prices explained (Aug 2026)
- The Courier Guy: FAQs and integrations
- Hypertext: PUDO delivery service is no more (June 2025)
- Pargo and Pargo Shopify app
- Paxi: prices and services
- Bob Go pricing, Bob Box and insurance
- Shiplogic: our story
- Business Day: ShipRazor raises R55m (May 2026)
- Aramex Store to Door
- Fastway: services and prices
- PostNet2PostNet
- RAM: FAQ
We have built 400+ online stores for South African businesses since 2014. Read more about WooCommerce development in South Africa and Shopify development in South Africa.
