Canpar vs UniUni: Which One to Choose in Canada?

Canpar vs UniUni: service levels, guarantee, Saturday, delivery without signature, missed deliveries and PO boxes, from both carriers’ own pages.

Quick answer

Canpar fits best when you need a specific service level: Ground (1-4 business days per Canpar), Select, or Express guaranteed next day, with a Saturday option in some places. UniUni is a last-mile courier for online orders, next day up to 7 days, with a photo at delivery. Neither reliably delivers to a PO box.

Two different models

Canpar Express was founded in 1976 and has been part of TFI International since 2002. It describes itself as Canadian, with more than 55 terminals and over 800 SMARTSpots for dropping off or picking up a parcel. Its offer is built around service levels: Ground, Select and Express.

UniUni presents itself as a last-mile delivery service for e-commerce that reaches 80% of Canada, according to its website. Its offer runs from next-day delivery to up to 7 days, depending on the service the shipper chose and the address. Parcels are dropped off at a UniUni Store or UniUni Point.

Canpar vs UniUni: what each one publishes

From Canpar's official pages (2025 guide, terms of July 9, 2026, FAQ) and UniUni's (website, help centre), checked October 12, 2026.
	Canpar	UniUni
Published timeline	Ground: 1-4 business days Canada-wide; Select: 1-3; Express: next day	Next day up to 7 days, depending on the service
Guarantee	Refund or credit when a qualifying Select, Express or Priority shipment is late	No delivery guarantee found on its pages
Saturday	Option for certain Express services to select destinations; otherwise Monday to Friday	No current weekend schedule published
Drop-off	Over 800 SMARTSpots	UniUni Stores and UniUni Points; drop off by noon for next-day delivery
At delivery	Some packages need an in-person signature; no unattended delivery in apartment or condo buildings	No signature required; the driver photographs the delivery spot
Recipient away	Package left at a pickup location, usually available within 24 hours (Monday to Friday); bring the notice	Automatic new attempt within 24 hours; after a second failure, held 30 days at the warehouse
PO box	Terms of service list a PO box address among reasons a package can be undeliverable	Does not deliver to post offices or PO boxes

Canpar's timelines are the speeds the company publishes, not a promise for every address: its Days in Transit calculator gives the time by postal code. At UniUni, an estimated date appears only once UniUni has received the parcel from the shipper.

Delivery at the door

This is often where the two differ most. UniUni does not ask for a signature: the driver leaves the parcel in a safe spot and takes a photo, shown in tracking under "View Delivery Confirmation". If delivery fails, UniUni tries again automatically within 24 hours.

At Canpar, some packages need an in-person signature, and the driver cannot leave a package unattended in an apartment or condo building. If nobody is home, the package goes to a pickup location. For a recipient who is never in, you can redirect the package to a SMARTSpot before the attempt.

Which costs less?

The price varies with actual or dimensional weight, size, postal codes, service and your account discounts. Compare like with like: Canpar Ground against a standard UniUni service for a parcel that is not urgent, an Express or next-day service for a rush shipment.

Get both prices for the same packed parcel, the same postal codes and the same options, then look at the total with tax next to the date offered.

How to choose

You need a guarantee: pick Canpar Select or Express; we found no published guarantee at UniUni.
Online order to a consumer in a city: UniUni is built for this, with a delivery photo and an automatic new attempt.
Recipient in an apartment building, often away: UniUni can leave the parcel at the front desk or in a locker; Canpar takes it to a pickup location.
Saturday delivery: only Canpar publishes a Saturday option, for certain Express services and destinations.
PO box address: neither one; use an eligible Canada Post service.

Official sources

Frequently asked questions

Is Canpar or UniUni faster?

Canpar publishes Express next day, Select in 1-3 business days and Ground in 1-4. UniUni advertises next day up to 7 days depending on the service. For a specific route, compare the dates offered for your parcel.

Does UniUni offer a delivery guarantee like Canpar?

We found none on UniUni's pages. Canpar provides a refund or credit when a qualifying Select, Express or Priority shipment is late, under its terms of service.

What happens if the recipient is not home?

UniUni tries again automatically within 24 hours, then holds the parcel 30 days at the warehouse after a second failure. Canpar takes the package to a pickup location, usually available within 24 hours, Monday to Friday.

Do Canpar and UniUni deliver to PO boxes?

UniUni says it does not deliver to post offices or PO boxes, and Canpar's terms list a PO box among reasons a package can be undeliverable. For a PO box, use an eligible Canada Post service.

This guide is published by MesColis.ca Inc., which operates MesColis and ShipSmarter. Lire en français