Does UPS Deliver on Sunday? What You Should Know

You’ve got a stack of weekend orders, your customers are expecting lightning-fast delivery—and it’s Saturday night. You package everything up, slap on the labels, and pause for a moment. Wait… does UPS deliver on Sunday? If you’ve asked yourself that while staring down a pile of ready-to-go shipments, you’re not alone.

This article breaks down the shocking truth about UPS’s Sunday delivery options—and the gaps you might not know about. We’ll explore who really delivers on Sundays, which UPS services (if any) apply, and how you can work smarter with tools like Rollo to meet weekend demand without the chaos.

Does UPS Deliver on Sunday?

The simple answer is no, at least not for most standard UPS services. If you hand a box to UPS on Saturday, it likely won’t arrive until Monday or later. This is bad news for buyers who expect near-instant shipping—especially if they’re used to companies that promise weekend deliveries.

For small business owners and online sellers, timing is everything. A missed delivery window can mean more than just a late package—it can mean disappointed customers, bad reviews, and lost revenue. And while giants like Amazon seem to deliver 24/7, many SMBs are stuck trying to figure out what’s actually possible when Sunday rolls around.

UPS’s Delivery Schedule Explained

UPS normally operates Monday through Friday, covering both residential and commercial areas under what’s called a “business day” model. They also deliver on Saturdays for certain services, including UPS Ground, UPS Next Day Air, and UPS 2nd Day Air (when you select the Saturday delivery upgrade). However, Sunday service is a whole different story.

It’s important to note how UPS breaks down its overall schedule. The company bases its timetables on:

• 📅 Business days: Monday through Friday
• ⏰ Weekend services: Saturday pickups, some Saturday deliveries
• 🎁 Holidays: Limited or no pickups and deliveries

UPS Ground, popular with many small businesses, typically delivers packages Monday to Friday. If you add Saturday service, you might get coverage for that day in certain regions. But the question remains: does UPS deliver on Sunday in any capacity?

The Truth About UPS Sunday Delivery

For most sellers, standard UPS services do not include Sunday delivery. UPS’s official stance is that they’re closed for regular operations on that day, sticking to the Monday–Saturday window. However, UPS Express Critical is the exception:

• ⚡ UPS Express Critical: This premium, round-the-clock service is available 365 days a year, including Sundays. It’s designed for immediate delivery and urgent shipments (think medical or other high-priority needs). But it’s expensive, so most SMBs don’t choose it unless they absolutely must.
• 🔍 UPS SurePost Changes (2025): Until late 2024, UPS SurePost sometimes handed packages off to the United States Postal Service (USPS) for the final delivery, which could tap into USPS’s Sunday options.

However, as of January 2025, UPS no longer partners with USPS for SurePost. Now UPS handles those shipments door to door within the contiguous 48 states under a model called UPS Ground Saver, which does not include standard Sunday service. Also, because USPS is the only carrier allowed to reach P.O. Boxes and APO/FPO addresses, SurePost can no longer serve those locations.

So does UPS deliver on Sunday as a standard service? Not really. Aside from Express Critical, you can’t rely on UPS for consistent Sunday deliveries. And with the SurePost update, any Sunday hope you had via USPS handoff is now off the table.

How Rollo Helps with Multi-Carrier Shipping

Since UPS doesn’t truly cover Sunday under its standard services, you may need to look beyond one carrier to keep your customers happy. That’s where Rollo Ship can make a huge difference. Rollo Ship is an all-in-one platform that lets you manage orders, compare rates, and print labels for multiple carriers in one place. If you decide to add USPS or FedEx for Sunday coverage, Rollo Ship helps you stay organized.

Here’s why Rollo Ship is a smart tool for SMBs:

• 🚀 Single Dashboard: Import orders from your online store, see all shipping options at once, and manage them without hopping between different websites.
• 💻 Rate Comparison: Compare UPS Ground, USPS Priority Mail Express, FedEx Home Delivery, and more. This makes it easy to pick the best service for each order, including Sunday arrivals.
• ⚙️ Easy Label Printing: Print labels in seconds with the Rollo Printer—no ink or toner needed. This saves time if you’re rushing to get weekend orders out the door.
• 🤝 Seamless Integration: Connect Rollo Ship to Shopify, Amazon, Etsy, or other popular platforms so orders flow in automatically. Less manual entry means fewer mistakes.
• 🗓️ Weekend-Ready: If you’re mixing UPS for weekdays and another carrier for Sundays, Rollo Ship ensures each package gets the right label and tracking info.

By using Rollo Ship, you can keep UPS for what it does best—affordable weekday ground services, Saturday options, or even Express Critical if needed—while still having a plan B for Sunday deliveries. This flexibility ensures you won’t disappoint customers who expect delivery every day of the week.

What Weekend Services Does UPS Offer?

H3: Saturday Delivery Options for SMBs

While Sunday is off the table for standard UPS, Saturday is a different story. UPS’s weekend delivery services usually include:

• 📦 UPS Ground (with Saturday delivery upgrade)
• ✈️ UPS Next Day Air
• ⏱ UPS 2nd Day Air

These options are handy if you need to move orders before Monday morning. Here’s what to keep in mind:

• 💲 Extra Fees: UPS often charges additional fees for Saturday pickups or deliveries.
• 🌍 Limited Coverage: Saturday availability may vary by region, so confirm at checkout or through your UPS account.
• ⏳ Cutoff Times: Many UPS stores and access points have Friday cutoff times for Saturday shipments, so plan your label printing carefully.

For SMBs, scheduling a Saturday pickup can improve your weekend workflow. If you process orders late on Friday, you’ll ensure timely delivery on Monday or Tuesday instead of waiting until the next week.

Comparing UPS to Other Carriers

It’s a good idea to look beyond UPS if you want consistent weekend coverage. Here’s a quick snapshot of how UPS compares to some alternatives:

Because UPS no longer works with USPS for SurePost final-mile delivery, UPS alone can’t carry your entire weekend load if you want guaranteed Sunday coverage. But you don’t have to ditch UPS altogether—you just need a strategic plan, possibly with Rollo Ship to help manage multiple carrier options for those crucial weekend deliveries.

Who Delivers on Sunday Besides UPS?

USPS, FedEx, and Local Courier Services

When Sunday rolls around, having a Plan B (or C) can be a lifesaver. Below are your main alternatives:

• 📮 USPS: Known for its Priority Mail Express Sunday service. While there’s a higher fee involved, it’s more widely available than UPS’s Express Critical.
• 🚚 FedEx: FedEx Home Delivery reaches many residential areas seven days a week, though you’ll want to confirm Sunday coverage by ZIP code.
• 🏙️ Local Couriers: Some businesses rely on smaller delivery services for urgent deliveries. These couriers often provide immediate delivery for a premium, especially in major cities.

Why should you care about all these carriers? Because a single carrier approach might lead to frustrated buyers if your packages can’t arrive on Sundays. Variety is what keeps you agile and able to meet customer satisfaction standards.

Why Knowing Your Carrier Matters

Shipping isn’t a one-size-fits-all scenario. Different carriers have different strengths, and each can help you streamline your weekend services.

• 💰 Cost Control: Maybe USPS is cheaper for lightweight items, while UPS offers better rates for heavier parcels or international shipments.
• 🙋‍♀️ Customer Expectations: If your customers want weekend arrivals, you must know each carrier’s schedule.
• ⏱️ Time-Sensitive Shipments: High-value or perishable goods might warrant the added security of premium carriers.
• 📬 Final Delivery Reliability: Having backup options ensures your business doesn’t grind to a halt on Sundays.

How to Handle UPS’s Sunday Limitations Like a Pro

Smart Weekend Shipping Workflows

Let’s say you’ve decided that Sunday coverage matters. Great. Now, how do you handle weekends, especially if UPS can’t fulfill your Sunday needs?

1. 🗓️ Plan Early: Process Friday and Saturday orders by midday Saturday. That allows time for a scheduled Saturday pickup if you’re using UPS or another carrier.
2. 📦 Use a Multi-Carrier Tool: Rollo Ship, for instance, lets you import orders from various platforms (Shopify, Amazon, etc.) and compare delivery times across different services.
3. 🖨️ Label Printing Efficiency: Speed matters. If you’re printing dozens of labels on a Saturday afternoon, a fast thermal printer like the Rollo Printer makes quick work of it.

By thinking a day (or two) ahead, you’ll avoid scrambling late Saturday night. This approach also helps you minimize mistakes, keep shipping costs down, and set accurate estimated delivery dates for your customers.

Rollo Tools for Multi-Carrier Shipping

A multi-carrier strategy is crucial for weekend success. With Rollo, you can take advantage of several key features:

• 💸 Rate Comparison: Instantly see whether UPS, USPS, or FedEx provides the best deal for your specific package.
• 📋 Unified Dashboard: Manage all orders in one place and keep track of delivery status in real time.
• 🏷️ Batch Label Printing: Speed is everything when you have time-sensitive shipments. Rollo’s thermal printer cranks out labels at up to one label per second.

This integrated approach ensures your packages get delivered urgently when UPS can’t handle Sunday. Meanwhile, you’re still using UPS for what they do best—efficient ground or Saturday deliveries.

Prevent Lost Sales from Missed Deliveries

If you’re banking on UPS alone, your customers might not receive their packages over the weekend. That can mean negative feedback and abandoned carts. One surefire way to avoid that?

• 💬 Communicate: Let buyers know at checkout if Sunday delivery isn’t available with certain carriers.
• 🚀 Offer Alternatives: USPS Priority Mail Express can be a lifesaver, even if it costs more.
• 🔔 Automate Tracking: Use your Rollo Ship platform to send tracking notifications so customers know precisely when to expect their packages.

Keeping these steps in place ensures you’re not scrambling to contact UPS customer service when an impatient buyer is demanding a Sunday arrival. By diversifying your weekend delivery options, you’re much less vulnerable to the Sunday shutdown.

Managing Weekend Deliveries Without UPS

Picture a small candle business called Luna & Wick. They run flash sales every Friday night, and orders skyrocket over the weekend. In the past, they relied solely on UPS Ground to keep costs down. However, they quickly noticed a pileup of weekend orders that didn’t even start moving until Monday, which upset a few loyal customers who really wanted next-day or Sunday arrivals.

Now, Luna & Wick has a better plan:

1. 🖨️ Print all late-Friday orders using Rollo on Saturday morning.
2. 📦 Send some packages via USPS Priority Mail Express for Sunday.
3. 🚛 Use UPS Ground or 2nd Day Air for cheaper, non-urgent deliveries that still go out Saturday.
4. 📊 Track everything in one Rollo Ship dashboard and ensure shipping notifications go out immediately.

This hybrid approach keeps their customers happy—even the ones who order on Saturday night expecting next-day delivery. They’ve stopped losing weekend sales due to inflexible shipping schedules, and all it took was a multi-carrier strategy plus a bit of label printing magic.

Final Words

So, does UPS deliver on Sunday? Not really—unless you’re shelling out for Express Critical. And with the 2025 update to SurePost, you can no longer count on USPS for those last-mile Sunday drop-offs either.

That might sound like a problem, but it doesn’t have to be. Smart sellers know it’s all about the mix. By combining carriers like UPS, USPS, and FedEx—and using a tool like Rollo Ship to manage them all—you can cover your bases without losing your mind (or your margins). Need Sunday coverage? USPS Priority Mail Express has your back. Want to keep shipping costs low? UPS Ground still plays a key role.

The trick is planning ahead, printing fast, and keeping customers in the loop. If you can do that, Sunday deliveries don’t have to be a stress fest.

*Discounts off UPS daily rates. Rates are limited to shipping from the U.S. only. Rates and any applicable discounts are subject to change at any time without notice.**UPS®, the UPS® brandmark and the color brown are trademarks of United Parcel Service of America, Inc. Used with permission. © 2020-2025 United Parcel Service of America, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Frequently Asked Questions About UPS Delivering on Sunday