Compare the types of shipping companies in Saudi Arabia, learn how the National Address and cash on delivery work, what COD really costs a store, and how to compare courier quotes and connect couriers to your shop.
Shipping companies in Saudi Arabia fall into a few types: the national post, express couriers, and last-mile or same-day services, and many stores use more than one. Cash on delivery is offered by several of them, but it carries real costs and risks for a store. This guide explains the options, how the National Address works, what cash on delivery costs you and how to compare quotes. It is general information, so confirm each service, price and rule with the company or authority concerned.
In short
The right partner depends on what you sell, where customers live and how fast you promise delivery.
| Type | What it is | Examples that describe it on their own sites |
|---|---|---|
| National post | The national postal operator, with branches, lockers and doorstep delivery | Saudi Post (SPL) |
| Express couriers | Door-to-door parcel services for businesses and individuals | SMSA Express, Naqel, Aramex, J&T Express, DHL Express |
| Last-mile and same-day | Short-distance or time-window delivery for online orders | Offered by some of the above: ask |
What each company says on its own site (October 2026):
This is not a ranking or a recommendation. Coverage, services and prices differ by city and contract, so get everything in writing. The Transport General Authority regulates the postal sector, so ask a courier you do not know to confirm that it is licensed.
SPL describes the National Address as an official address for a location, free to register. It has a four-digit building number, a street, a four-digit secondary number, a district, a five-digit postal code and a city. The short address is four letters and four numbers, and residents can find theirs through SPL Online, Maha, Tawakkalna, Sehhaty or Absher. SPL says it speeds up delivery without extra calls.
It is also a rule for parcels. The Transport General Authority announced that from 1 January 2026 parcel delivery companies must not accept or carry a shipment without a National Address, and the Saudi Press Agency reported that enforcement began. Check the authority's notice or your courier for the exact scope. For your store:
Cash on delivery (COD) means the customer pays the courier when the parcel arrives. The usual flow:
Fees, payment schedules and limits are contract terms, and we did not find them published on the pages we read, so ask. In WooCommerce, cash on delivery is a payment method you switch on, orders stay at Processing until the cash is collected, and you can limit COD to certain shipping methods.
Show any COD fee before the customer confirms. The executive regulations of the E-Commerce Law expect the price details given before the order to include delivery costs, taxes and any other costs, with how they are calculated.
| Risk | What happens | Common response |
|---|---|---|
| Failed delivery | The customer is out or refuses, and you pay for the trip and the return | Confirm by phone or message before dispatch; verify the address |
| Slow cash | Money reaches you only after the courier pays it over | Check the payment schedule and plan cash flow |
| Reconciliation | Courier statements must be matched to orders | Put the order number on every parcel |
| Fake orders | Prank or careless orders waste stock and shipping | Verify the phone number; limit COD for new or high-value orders |
| Refunds | You need a way to pay money back for a COD order | Collect refund details when the return is agreed |
This is why stores often add a COD fee, or limit COD by order value, area or customer history. A fee is a business decision and must be shown up front.
Prepaid orders are paid before dispatch, so fewer parcels come back, but they need a payment provider and its fees. COD lowers the barrier for hesitant customers and costs you more to run. Many stores offer both. Our guide to payment gateways in Saudi Arabia covers the prepaid side.
The E-Commerce Law gives customers rights that apply whichever courier you use:
SPL and J&T list reverse logistics for returns, so ask how returns are priced and collected. Groceries and other time-sensitive goods also need delivery slots: see our guide to delivery time slots for grocery stores. The FreshBasket grocery theme on DevMarket is a WooCommerce theme with delivery slots and right-to-left layouts. Ask your courier whether it supports delivery windows or only next-day delivery.
The regulations say the invoice should show the carrier's name and tracking details, if any. Beyond that:
Put the same questions to every courier:
There are three general routes. First, shipping rules inside your platform: WooCommerce shipping zones include flat rate, free shipping and local pickup, and extensions add carrier rates and labels. Second, built-in connectors: Odoo 19's documentation lists connectors such as DHL Express, FedEx and UPS that calculate costs and create labels, so ask whether your local courier has a module. Third, courier APIs and apps: SPL and Naqel mention APIs, and Shopify's help centre notes that some carriers have apps in its App Store. In every case, test with a real parcel.
There is no single answer. The best fit depends on your products, cities, volume and service level, so compare written quotes against the checklist above.
Yes. Many stores use different couriers for different cities or service levels. Keep tracking and customer messages consistent.
That is your decision. Work out what failed deliveries, cash handling and courier COD fees cost you, and show any fee before the customer confirms the order.
By default the customer bears the cost of withdrawing from a contract, unless you agree otherwise, but you bear the cost of faulty or counterfeit goods. Confirm the current rules with the Ministry of Commerce.
Shortlist two or three couriers, ask for written quotes using the checklist, and send one test parcel to a real address. Then read how to start an online store in Saudi Arabia for the wider setup and payment gateways in Saudi Arabia for the payment side. You can browse WordPress plugins on DevMarket and check each listing for what it supports.
The software this guide talks about, ready to look at.
Launch your online grocery store in minutes: a fast, mobile-first WooCommerce theme with delivery date & time slots, dark mode, RTL and a setup wizard.
Dropshipping in Saudi Arabia is not a separate legal category: if your store takes the order, you are the seller. See what the E-Commerce Law expects, what to confirm about registration, VAT and customs, and the real risks.
9 min read
ZATCA e-invoicing phase 2 connects your invoicing system to ZATCA. Learn in plain words what Fatoora, standard and simplified invoices, the QR code, XML and the waves mean for an online store, and what to do now.
9 min read
Compare payment gateways in Saudi Arabia: the methods customers use, the kinds of provider, well-known companies and what each says it offers, what to compare, how SAMA fits in and a decision checklist.
9 min read
Every item on DevMarket has a human-reviewed release, an instant licence key and clear update and support terms.