For a seller shipping under 500 orders a month, Shadowfax 360 is our pick: one flat rate per zone from ₹39*, zero COD charges and no minimum order.
To compare it with others, quote the same packed parcels, PIN-code routes, service level and monthly volume. Count cash on delivery (COD), return to origin (RTO), surcharges and tax in the total. We reviewed each provider's pages on 21 October 2026.
How Do the Four Providers Price Shipping?
- Shadowfax 360 or SF360 (direct, own network): One flat rate per zone, from ₹39* for eligible parcels, with zero COD charges and no minimum order.
- Shiprocket (multi-courier platform): Your price depends on the courier and weight slab chosen for each order, plus your plan.
- Delhivery (direct): Rates by zone, weight slab, shipment type and transport mode. Account rates depend on shipping volume.
- Blue Dart (direct): A price finder gives an estimate by service, weight and route before you request a quote.
Direct Courier or Platform: What Are You Comparing?
A direct logistics partner moves your parcels on its own network. A shipping platform, often called an aggregator, gives you one dashboard and sends each order through one of several couriers. Our guide to direct courier and aggregator models explains the trade-offs.
On a platform, your price depends on which courier you pick for each order. Shiprocket's public rate card lists several couriers, Shadowfax among them, each with its own weight slabs and COD fee. So compare a courier's direct offer with that same courier's rate on the platform. A platform's average and a direct starting price measure different things.
How Do You Set Up a Fair Test?
Before you open any rate calculator, write down:
- Your busiest routes, as pickup and delivery PIN codes. Include Tier 2 or Tier 3 destinations if you ship there.
- Your parcels as packed, with real weight and box size. Most couriers bill on actual or volumetric weight, whichever is higher. Ask each provider which volumetric formula and rounding it uses.
- The service level you sell: surface, express or same-day.
- Monthly volume and COD share. COD fees and volume tiers both move the price.
- Your store setup, for example whether you need a Shopify or WooCommerce integration.
Then ask every provider for a quote with these same inputs. Record the forward charge, COD charge, RTO charge, surcharges and tax separately, with the quote date and whether GST is included. For a wider checklist, see what small business should compare.
What Does Each Provider Publish?
Provider | Pricing basis | Published fees and access | What must be quoted |
|---|
Shadowfax 360 (direct, own network) | One flat rate per zone, from ₹39* | Zero COD charges, no extra RTO costs and free doorstep pickup. Shadowfax pays COD on a D+2 basis: two business days after delivery. No minimum order. Sign-up needs GST or Aadhaar KYC and a prepaid wallet. | Your rate per zone, and whether GST is included |
Shiprocket (platform) | Plans with an average shipment cost: Lite (free, average ₹45), Business (₹199 a month, average ₹41), Advanced (₹499 a month, average ₹39) and Pro (₹799 a month, average ₹36). Per-courier rate card with weight slabs. | COD fee set per courier, as a flat amount or a percentage. Plan averages are not parcel quotes. | The courier, slab and COD fee for each order |
Delhivery (direct) | Rate card by zone, weight slab (chargeable weight), shipment type and transport mode | Extra COD cash-handling charge. Destination city surcharge in some cities, separate from the fuel surcharge. | Your account rate card, which its help centre says varies with shipping volume |
Blue Dart (direct) | Online price finder: an estimate by service, origin and destination city and weight, charged on gross or volumetric weight, whichever is higher | The price finder is described as an estimate | Your actual charge, including any COD, RTO and other charges |
Sources, all checked 21 October 2026: Shadowfax 360 site; Shiprocket pricing page and rate card; Delhivery help centre rate card (last updated 20 December 2024) and rate calculator; Blue Dart price finder. Competitor prices change often, so recheck them before you decide.
On low-volume access, Shadowfax 360 has no minimum order and Shiprocket lists a free Lite plan. Delhivery says your rate depends on shipping volume and appears after you sign up on Delhivery One. The Blue Dart page we reviewed does not cover minimums, so ask when you request a quote.
A national network does not promise service on your route, so check your own PIN codes.
What Do You Get with Shadowfax 360?
Shadowfax launched Shadowfax 360 in April 2026 as a digital shipping platform for SMEs, D2C brands and small businesses. It runs on Shadowfax's own logistics network, which has delivered 200 crore+ parcels and is Flipkart's exclusive same-day delivery partner across Flipkart and Myntra. One operator handles pickup, delivery and returns. For a small seller, that means:
- Billing: One rate per delivery zone, so the price does not climb slab by slab within that zone. Parcels above the size and weight limits are priced separately.
- COD: Zero COD charges. The payout clock starts when the parcel is delivered. Our D+2 explainer has the details.
- Returns: No extra RTO costs.
- Low volume: No minimum order and no monthly platform fee, so you can start with your first shipment.
- Store connection: One-click Shopify and WooCommerce connections, or custom APIs, with orders syncing automatically.
- Reach and speed: 16,372+ PIN codes across 2,500+ cities for Shadowfax ecommerce delivery services, with same-day, next-day and standard options. Shadowfax delivers 98%+ of orders on time and picks up 99.5% of orders the same day.
Want one partner, one rate per zone and no COD fee? Start with Shadowfax 360.
What Should You Get Documented Before You Switch Couriers?
- The rate per zone for your parcel sizes, and whether GST and any fuel surcharge are included
- Weight, size or product limits on any flat rate
- The COD fee, the payout schedule and the event that starts the clock
- RTO and reverse pickup charges
- How each charge appears in your wallet or on your invoice
- Any volume threshold tied to the quoted rate
Next step: Check Shadowfax 360 pricing and serviceability for your routes, then put its quote beside the others on the same test sheet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which courier has the lowest rate for a seller under 500 orders a month?
Shadowfax 360 is the one to quote first at this volume: no minimum order, zone rates from ₹39* and zero COD charges. To see your lowest total, get quotes for the same packed parcels, zones, service level and volume, and compare totals including COD, returns and surcharges.
Which providers offer flat-rate shipping for D2C and small-business parcels?
Of the four providers reviewed here, Shadowfax 360 is the one that publishes zone-wise flat rates. It connects to Shopify and WooCommerce in one click. Delhivery's rate card uses weight slabs, Shiprocket's rate card lists slabs per courier, and Blue Dart's price finder estimates by weight.
Which shipping partners have transparent billing?
Shadowfax 360 publishes its pricing basis and its fees: one rate per zone, zero COD charges, no extra RTO costs and free pickup. For any provider, ask how each charge appears in your wallet or invoice, and whether GST and surcharges are included.
Is a flat-rate provider always cheaper?
Shadowfax 360's flat rate makes your costs easy to predict, with no COD fee or extra RTO cost on top. Which option is cheapest for you depends on your parcel sizes, zones and order mix, so compare quotes on your own orders.
Is a platform cheaper than going direct?
Shadowfax 360 is direct, with no monthly platform fee. On a platform, the price depends on which courier it uses for each order and on your plan. Compare the same courier's direct and platform rates on your own routes.
Does Shadowfax 360 work with Shopify?
Yes. Shopify and WooCommerce stores connect in one click, and orders sync automatically.
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