3 ways FedEx, UPS competitors are leveling up in 2026
3 ways FedEx, UPS competitors are leveling up in 2026
Seeking refuge from the delivery giants’ rising prices, many shippers are mulling alternatives. Can better features and coverage make the trend stick?
Published Feb. 26, 2026 Max Garland Senior Reporter A person carries a Veho package. Smaller parcel carriers are launching new features, services and coverage areas to gain volume in a competitive market. Permission granted by Veho Listen to the article 6 min This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have feedback.More favorable rates are a key reason parcel shippers tap into alternative delivery providers, but robust and reliable services get them to stay over the long haul, according to carrier executives.
That's why smaller parcel carriers seeking to attract more customers and wrest volume away from FedEx and UPS want to grow their capabilities, on-time reliability and coverage areas in 2026, rather than resting on their low-cost reputation.
Shippers are taking notice. While cost is an important driver for eyewear maker and distributor EssilorLuxottica, it’s not the only priority.
"I would not be here next year if I go to my CEO or COO and say, 'Look, I saved $1 per delivery and we are [not going] to meet the customer expectation,'" SVP of North America distribution planning and logistics Massimo Sapone said. Sapone's comments came during a session at Manifest 2026 in Las Vegas, in which he detailed the company's partnership with parcel carrier Veho.
As the alternative carrier market looks to build upon heightened customer interest, Supply Chain Dive spoke with delivery providers at Manifest 2026 to learn how they aim to gain and sustain new business in a crowded market this year. Here are three ways FedEx and UPS competitors – including Veho, UniUni, Better Trucks and Gofo – are upping their game.
1. Launching new features
To keep up with the industry giants, alternative carriers are bolstering their capabilities to offer services that either match or provide a niche apart from FedEx and UPS.
Maersk E-Commerce — a parcel delivery service from the ocean shipping giant — recently launched a customer portal enabling clients to monitor carrier performance in real time, according to Sam Coiro, head of Maersk E-Commerce, North America. More new capabilities are around the corner: the service plans to launch a picture proof of delivery feature and push notification tracking for shipments this quarter, followed by weekend delivery capabilities in Q2, Coiro said in an interview.
From a shipping feature standpoint, Maersk E-Commerce is "almost there," but the delivery solution is already building momentum in part due to its connection to Maersk's network and end-to-end supply chain capabilities, Coiro said.
"As opposed to you having to go to multiple vendors, multiple contracts, multiple points of failure, you can do it in one house," Coiro said.
Other delivery providers are tapping into artificial intelligence to expand their capabilities. Earlier this month, Veho unveiled its FlexSave delivery option for its Ground Plus and Premium Economy service. The service, which uses Veho's MaestroAI technology platform to optimize parcel movements, enables shippers to exchange day-certain delivery dates for cost savings on slightly broader delivery windows.
"It will be within three days," CEO and co-founder Itamar Zur said of FlexSave’s delivery window on a Manifest panel. "Most of your customers will still get the stuff delivered on the first day, but there's a chance that they will get it delivered in the second or third day."
New parcel carrier capabilities confirmed in 2026 Delivery provider Capability Better Trucks Delivery coverage expansion in the southeastern U.S., per EVP Josh Fredman. Dragonfly Launched a new cross-border delivery offering from the U.S. to Canada through a partnership with Straightship. Gofo Delivery coverage expansion from over 70% of U.S. population to around 82% by the end of the summer. Jitsu Launched a regional hub in Reno, Nevada, which connects the delivery provider's entire West Coast network. Maersk E-Commerce Picture proof of delivery feature and push notification tracking coming in Q1. Weekend delivery capabilities in Q2. OnTrac Integrated its full delivery network with end-to-end shipping platform ShipStation. SpeedX Will launch an integration with post-purchase platform Narvar providing greater shipping visibility and real-time tracking updates for customers. United Delivery Service Launched 3POD, an AI-assisted multi-image proof of delivery capability that's integrated into the carrier's tracking platform. UniUni Improved monitoring of driver activity to help strengthen package placement and picture proof of delivery quality. Veho Launched FlexSave, which provides cost savings in exchange for broader delivery windows, and has expanded into several new markets.2. Expanding delivery coverage
Emerging providers are shaking off the regional parcel carrier label, with many having grown to offer delivery to the majority of U.S. addresses. Further expansions are en route in 2026, as shippers weigh options beyond national carriers in pursuit of robust, flexible and more cost-effective coverage.
"If you look at the market, there's an evolving and growing kind of position around not relying exclusively on purple, brown and USPS," Vincent D'Amato, Gofo's chief sales officer for the U.S., said, referring to FedEx and UPS' primary colors.
Gofo, a parcel carrier which recently acquired logistics provider Cirro E-Commerce, currently reaches over 70% of the U.S. population and covers more than 8,500 ZIP codes after growing its network footprint. But the company isn't done. By the end of the summer, Gofo plans to have expanded to roughly 82% of the population and around 12,000 ZIP codes, D'Amato said. The company is also focusing on launching new facility access points in its network where shippers can inject volume.
Some carriers are emphasizing specific regions in recent coverage expansions. On Wednesday, Veho announced its launch in several new markets, including western U.S. population centers like Las Vegas and San Diego. Additionally, the parcel carrier opened regional hubs in Phoenix and Ontario, California, a warehouse hotspot due to its proximity to ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach.
Meanwhile, Better Trucks views the southeastern U.S. as "a big area of opportunity" for expanding the delivery provider's coverage area in the near future, according to EVP Josh Fredman. The company plans to bolster its delivery capabilities south of Nashville, Tennessee, targeting areas of Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina, he added.
"We're very opportunistic, so we can grow and scale pretty quickly," Fredman said.
3. Sharpening service quality
While expanding coverage has been a key focus for UniUni in recent years, the carrier will place additional emphasis on increasing delivery quality in 2026. UniUni had a successful peak season but identified areas for improvement in terms of service consistency and operational efficiency, according to Joshua Haun, UniUni's VP of business development USA.
"We don't want to be just a cost-effective solution. We want to be a reliable alternative to a UPS or FedEx, while at the same time saving customers money."
Joshua Haun
VP of business development USA at UniUni
UniUni partners with contractors that use their own drivers and vehicle fleets for delivery. The company launched a proprietary tool in early January to better track driver activity and spur improvements in areas such as package placement and picture proof of delivery quality, Haun said. The company has also enabled "a better, more automated" solution in its network to provide a quicker return of undeliverable packages to the original sender, he added.
UniUni is looking to sharpen its service quality amid a period of rapid growth. The company saw domestic volume surge more than 1,000% from 2024 to 2025 and aims to build on that momentum through more direct partnerships with retailers and brands.
"We don't want to be just a cost-effective solution," Haun said. "We want to be a reliable alternative to a UPS or FedEx, while at the same time saving customers money. We recognize that we're an extension of their own brand, as far as we're the last touchpoint to their customer. So we're highly focusing on that delivery experience as well."
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