What is FedEx Home Delivery? (Complete Guide)

Are you a small business owner looking for the best shipping option for your customers?

You may have heard of FedEx Home Delivery, Ground, and other services.

What is FedEx Home Delivery, and how does it differ from other options?

I’ll tell you all you need to know about this economical solution from FedEx, including transit times, costs, and more.

Let’s start. 

What Is FedEx Home Delivery?

FedEx Home Delivery is a grounding shipping option that delivers packages to residential areas in 50 states. It’s a low-cost, effective solution for shipping standard packages.

This service is part of the FedEx ground shipping network, but its weekend deliveries are what sets it apart. For this reason, its shipping rates are slightly higher than that of the standard FedEx ground shipments. 

Benefits of FedEx Home Delivery

Although FedEx Home Delivery has slightly higher shipping rates than normal ground shipment, this shipping service offers distinct benefits: 

• Date Certain Home Delivery
  Ecommerce and other B2C companies can tailor the delivery schedule to accommodate the recipients’ busy schedules. Depending on the shoppers’ convenience, they can choose day-definitive, evening, and appointment delivery times. 

• Weekend and Evening Schedule
  As its name suggests, the service ships to residential addresses every day, including weekends and evenings, at no additional charge. 

• Money Back Guarantee
  FedEx offers a money-back guarantee for their home delivery services. This remedy can help shippers in the event of a service failure.

How Does FedEx Home Delivery Delivery Work?

If you’re considering using this service to deliver to your customers’ homes, here are a few things you should know about.

What Are the Other Services of Home Delivery?

FedEx Home Delivery offers other services to make it more convenient for you and your customers. To ensure someone is at home to receive the package, you can choose from the following services:

• FedEx Date Certain Home Delivery

  FedEx will deliver the package on the exact date you choose. It must be within 10 days of pickup, but not sooner than the standard delivery date.

• FedEx Evening Home Delivery

  Choose this option if the recipient is not available during the day. The package will arrive between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.

• FedEx Appointment Home Delivery

  FedEx will call the recipient in advance to set an appointment. The courier will then deliver the package on the chosen date within the scheduled two-hour delivery window.

If you have a FedEx account, you can add any of these services when you create a shipping label online. You can also contact the courier’s customer service.

How Much Is FedEx Home Delivery?

FedEx calculates the shipping costs based on different factors, such as the shipment’s origin and destination, weight, packaging, and shipping time. 

To immediately determine how much shipping would cost for you, use the FedEx Rate Calculator on the courier’s website.

Example

Let’s say we’re shipping from California to a residence in Arizona.

And we’re delivering a package that weighs 20 lbs. and with dimensions of 20L x 24W 8H in.

Here’s the estimated total, according to the FedEx calculator.

Other Charges

Aside from the base rate, you might also have to pay other charges, such as:

• Delivery Area Surcharge

• Insurance

• FedEx Signature

If you want to use more convenient options, you must pay more:

• FedEx Date Certain Home Delivery – $4.10 per shipment 

• FedEx Evening Delivery – $9.25 per shipment 

• FedEx Appointment Home Delivery – $21 per shipment 

Check out the complete list of FedEx surcharge rates, or refer to your local FedEx to receive an accurate quote.

What Is The FedEx Home Delivery Weight Limit?

FedEx only accepts home delivery packages within the following restrictions:

• Maximum weight of 150 lbs.

• 108 inches in length

• 165 inches in girth (L+2W+2H)

If you have larger or heavier packages, you can use freight instead. Measure your boxes properly to get a more accurate estimate.

How Long Does FedEx Home Delivery Take?

If you wonder how fast is FedEx Home Delivery, note that the exact delivery time largely depends on the shipment’s origin and destination.

Here are the average transit times:

• Contiguous U.S. – one to five days

• Alaska and Hawaii – three to seven days

How Do I Track How Many Days Is FedEx Home Delivery?

When you use FedEx, you will usually get an estimated arrival date, but it’s not a guarantee.

If you want to know an updated estimate of when the package arrives, you can track the package in four ways:

1. Visit the FedEx website to use its tracking system. 

2. Download the FedEx mobile app. Next, enter your tracking number or scan the barcode on your door tag. 

3. Call 1.800. GoFedEx (1.800. 463.3339) and say Track my package. Follow additional prompts. 

4. Text Follow and your door tag number to 48773.

You need your package’s tracking number, reference number, or other details to track its location.

What Days Are FedEx Home Delivery Services Available?

FedEx Home Delivery is available seven days a week, except Holidays.

How Does FedEx Home Delivery Service Define Residential Deliveries?

Here are the location types that fall under the courier’s definition of a residential address: 

• Apartment buildings

• Condominiums

• College dorms 

• Other types of multiple-unit dwellings 

• Clergy house 

• Convent 

• Rectory 

• Home-based business 

Does Someone Need To Be at Home To Receive FedEx Home Delivery?

FedEx Home Delivery will only need your signature if the sender or the courier’s policy requires it. If you’re not sure about it, check the tracking information the sender emailed to you. Alternatively, visit fedex.com and enter the shipment’s tracking number. 

If the package requires an indirect signature, you can sign electronically by visiting the FedEx website. Next, click on the FedEx Delivery Manager link.

Alternatively, someone else at your address or a neighbor/building manager may sign for the package.  

If your package requires a direct or adult signature, you or someone in your family must be at home to sign and receive it in person. In the event that no one is at home, the driver will leave a door tag or reattempt delivery. 

FedEx Home Delivery vs. Ground Shipping

FedEx Home Delivery and FedEx Ground are two shipping options that are part of the FedEx ground network.

FedEx Ground Delivery, formerly FedEx Smartpost, is the courier’s standard shipping service that offers an economical way to ship packages to most addresses in the country.

It uses trucks, trains, and other overland transportation to move packages. As its name suggests, it doesn’t use ships or planes.

The main difference between FedEx Ground and Home Delivery is the type of addresses they cater to. While FedEx Ground Economy delivers to commercial customers, the latter is for residential customers.

Here are the key differences between FedEx Ground Economy vs. Home Delivery services at a glance:

What Is FedEx Ground Home Delivery vs. Express?

Ground and Home Delivery services have the same transit times because they use the same shipping network. Both have convenient options, as well.

However, if you want a faster delivery timeline, you must choose FedEx Express instead.

There’s no specific FedEx Express Home Delivery because the courier’s expedited shipping service delivers to both residential and business locations.

The Express shipping options can deliver faster because it uses planes to get to the destination quickly.

How Fast Is FedEx Ground Home Delivery Compared to Express?

You can choose among several Express shipping options, depending on how soon you want the package to arrive.

• Same-day delivery

• Overnight delivery

• 2-day delivery

• 3-day delivery

To recap, the FedEx Home Delivery times can take up to five or seven days, depending on the location.

FedEx Home Delivery vs. UPS Ground

These two couriers offer reliable services and almost the same shipping rates. However, UPS Ground does not deliver on Sunday, unlike FedEx Home Delivery service which offers standard Sunday delivery.

In terms of shipping times, UPS Ground is clearly the winner, as it can deliver packages in three days or less (around 90% of the time). On the other hand, a FedEx Home Delivery package typically arrives in one to seven days.

When To Consider FedEx Home Delivery Shipment

Why should you choose FedEx Home Delivery over other services?

Here are a few considerations:

Address Type

For residential delivery, FedEx Home Delivery is the way to go. As long as the recipient understands the costs and timeframe, this is the more economical choice.

Recipient’s Availability

If the recipient is only available in the evenings or on the weekend, the add-on convenient options can help you accommodate their needs.

For Sunday deliveries, FedEx’s Home shipping option is your best bet, as UPS Ground doesn’t deliver on Sundays.

Transit Time

FedEx strives to deliver packages at the soonest possible date. Some packages arrive within one to three days, but it’s never a guarantee. For Home Delivery, the courier has up to five (or seven, if the recipient is in Alaska or Hawaii) days before they consider a package to be late.

You may consider UPS Ground for an economical option with fast delivery. According to the courier, 90% of Ground packages get delivered within three days or less with more on-time deliveries than FedEx.

Alternatively, use an expedited shipping option to ensure the package arrives when you need it.

Shipping Costs

FedEx’s economy options have fair pricing, and they’re definitely cheaper than UPS Ground. However, it’s not your cheapest choice.

Rather than FedEx Home Delivery, USPS is far cheaper. You can simply drop off your package at any post office, which has various locations in the country.

Here are the prices from FedEx, UPS, and USPS for the same details in our example earlier:

Shipping Volume

How often do you send packages?

For fewer packages delivered to your customers’ residences, choose FedEx Ground Home services. However, if you frequently ship a large volume, consider freight or trucking options.

Type of Package

What type of package are you shipping? If it’s less than 150 lbs., it’s suitable for FedEx Home Delivery.

If it’s more than that or your package is larger than the allowed limits, you have no other choice but to choose other services.

Note: FedEx has a list of prohibited or restricted items. For example, you can’t ship hazardous materials through Home Delivery.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Does FedEx Home Delivery Ship on Weekends?

Yes. FedEx Home Delivery is an everyday shipping service that offers Saturday and Sunday delivery to most residential locations.

How Long Does FedEx Ground Home Delivery Take?

FedEx Home Delivery shipping time is one to five days within the contiguous US. However, shipping to/from Alaska or Hawaii takes three to seven business days.

Is FedEx Home Delivery Cheaper Than Ground?

No. They have the same rate because they use the same ground shipping network in their fulfillment process. However, rates may change depending on the add-on services you choose.

What Is FedEx Home Delivery vs. FedEx Ground?

These two delivery options use ground shipping, which means “shipped by ground.” In short, trucks, vans, and other types of land vehicles deliver packages instead of planes and ships.

However, FedEx Home Delivery focuses on shipping to residential locations every day of the week, including Saturday and Sunday. In contrast, FedEx Ground service delivers to commercial addresses from Monday to Friday

What Time Does FedEx Home Delivery Deliver?

You can expect to receive your parcel between 8 am and 8 pm. If you choose Appointment Home Delivery, you can get delivery on a specific date and select a two-hour window that works best for you.

Does FedEx Home Delivery Require Signature?

It depends. But generally, FedEx prefers to have their customers’ signatures. However, FedEx drivers may leave the package without a signature on the following conditions:

• There is a secure location to leave the package.

• The recipients have their signatures on the delivery attempt notice.

Even with these conditions, FedEx may not leave packages with valuable content and hazardous materials and parcels delivered through certain shipping services.

Is FedEx Home Delivery Ground or Express?

FedEx offers home deliveries using its ground shipping network (using trucks and vans).

By contrast, FedEx Express services use planes to deliver perishable and time-sensitive packages.

FedEx Express services every US ZIP code and more than 220 countries and territories.

The delivery time for express services is between one to two or three days, while the shipment services via FedEx ground hub take one to seven days.

How Do I Ship My Package?

You can drop off your package at any FedEx location and other participating stores, like Dollar General, Walgreens, Albertsons, etc.

FedEx Ground picks up packages from homes, as well, but you have to schedule it.

Is FedEx Ground or Home Delivery Faster?

These two shipping options have the same transit time, which is between one and seven days. The exact shipping time depends on the origin and destination of the package.

Can You Use FedEx Home Delivery to Business Addresses?

No. FedEx will ask you the type of address you’re delivering to. If it’s a commercial address, you will have to choose FedEx Ground.

Is FedEx Home Delivery Reliable?

Yes. FedEx services are reliable, especially in terms of their on-time performance. Consequently, the courier is one of the top choices of merchants who need a fast and dependable shipping partner.

In particular, FedEx Home Delivery services are popular among retailers and other B2C companies because of their weekend deliveries.

The Bottom Line

FedEx Home Delivery is a popular shipping option as it gives customers greater flexibility when receiving their packages from retailers. With this service, small businesses can offer low-cost shipping with a reasonable delivery timeframe.

Is it the right choice for you?

It depends on you and your customers’ needs. Review standard shipping and expedited options to see which one can accommodate your requirements best.