Choosing how to ship from China isn't just about speed or cost in isolation — it's about matching the method to your shipment's size, urgency, and budget. Here's how the three main options actually compare, and how to decide which one fits your order.
Sea freight: cheapest for volume, slowest overall
Sea freight is by far the most cost-effective way to move large or heavy shipments, and it's the standard choice for bulk orders. It splits into two types: FCL (Full Container Load), where you rent an entire container for your goods, and LCL (Less than Container Load), where your shipment shares a container with other buyers' cargo. FCL is more cost-efficient once your order is large enough to fill or nearly fill a container; LCL works better for medium-sized orders that don't justify a full container. Typical transit times run 20-45 days depending on the destination port and whether it's a direct or transshipment route.
Air freight: a faster, pricier middle ground
Air freight typically takes 5-10 days door-to-door, making it a practical option when you need stock faster than sea allows but don't want to pay express-courier rates. Air freight is priced by "chargeable weight" — whichever is higher between actual weight and volumetric (dimensional) weight — so it favors dense, compact shipments over bulky, lightweight ones. It's a common choice for restocking inventory during a busy season or covering a gap while a larger sea shipment is in transit.
Express courier: fastest and simplest, most expensive per kilogram
Services like DHL, FedEx, and UPS offer door-to-door delivery in as little as 3-7 days, with customs clearance typically handled as part of the service. This makes them the easiest option to manage — but also the most expensive per kilogram by a significant margin. Express couriers are the right call for samples, small D2C orders, or urgent restocks, but rarely make financial sense for full bulk orders.
How to decide
- •Total weight and volume — small parcels favor express, bulk orders favor sea
- •Urgency — how soon do you actually need the stock in hand?
- •Budget — per-unit shipping cost can significantly affect your margins at scale
- •Product value — high-value goods can often absorb air freight costs better than low-margin bulky items
Hidden costs to watch for
Whichever method you choose, the freight cost itself is rarely the full picture. Import duties and taxes at the destination, destination port or airport handling fees, and storage fees if your goods aren't cleared and collected promptly can all add up. Always ask your freight forwarder or sourcing agent for an all-in landed cost estimate, not just the shipping quote, before comparing options.
Most established buyers end up using more than one shipping method depending on the order — sea for regular bulk restocking, and air or express for urgent gaps or new product samples. If you're unsure which fits your specific shipment, that calculation is exactly what a sourcing agent factors in when arranging your shipping.