What’s the difference between UPS Mail Innovations and UPS Ground Saver?

Ordoro supports UPS Mail Innovations and UPS Ground Saver, both affordable shipping options for residential delivery. These services are often confused but are used for different package types, sizes, and weights.

Use this guide to compare the two services and decide which is right for your shipments.

Note: To learn more about using UPS Ground Saver and UPS Mail Innovations in Ordoro, check out these helpful articles:

  1. How do I use UPS Ground Saver inside Ordoro?
  2. How do I use UPS Mail Innovations inside Ordoro?

UPS Mail Innovations

This service is ideal for small, lightweight shipments that don’t require fast delivery. It’s often used for books, catalogs, media, and flat parcels.

Available service types:

  • Flat Mail
    • Best for: Booklets, magazines
    • Weight: 1 oz to 15.99 oz
  • Bound Printed Matter
    • Best for: Books, catalogs, directories
    • Weight: 1 lb to 15 lbs
  • Parcels under 1 lb
    • Best for: CDs, clothing, poster tubes
    • Weight: 1 oz to 15.99 oz
  • Media Mail
    • Best for: Binders, educational films, medical content
    • Weight: 1 lb to 70 lbs
    • Max combined package size: 108 inches (length + width + height)

For more information on UPS’s Mail Innovations services, please click on this link.

UPS Ground Saver

UPS Ground Saver is great for residential deliveries and can handle heavier packages. While commonly used for items between 2 and 20 pounds, it also supports lighter shipments.

Available service types:

  • Ground Saver Less than 1 lb
    • Weight: 1 oz to 15.9 oz
    • Max size: 130 inches (length + 2x width + 2x height)
  • Ground Saver 1 lb or Greater
    • Weight: 1 lb to 70 lbs
    • Max size: 130 inches (length + 2x width + 2x height)
  • Ground Saver Bound Printed Matter
    • Used only for printed materials
    • Weight: 0.05 kg to 15 lbs
    • Requires a Bound Printed Matter contract with UPS
  • Ground Saver Media
    • For items like binders and medical films
    • Weight: 0.45 kg to 70 lbs
    • Requires a Media contract with UPS

For more information on UPS’s Ground Saver services, please click on this link.

When to use each service

Choosing between UPS Mail Innovations and UPS Ground Saver depends on your package type, weight, and how quickly it needs to arrive. Here are some common scenarios:

Use UPS Mail Innovations when:

  • Shipping a single t-shirt or small accessory
    Lightweight, non-urgent apparel can be shipped cost-effectively using Mail Innovations under 1 lb.
  • Sending catalogs or promotional materials
    Items like booklets, brochures, or magazines fit the Flat Mail or Bound Printed Matter categories.
  • Mailing educational DVDs or training binders
    These qualify for Media Mail and fall within the 1–70 lb range.
  • Your shipments don’t require detailed tracking
    Mail Innovations offers limited tracking compared to Ground Saver, which may be fine for low-value items.

Use UPS Ground Saver when:

  • Fulfilling bulkier orders for home delivery
    Household items, shoe boxes, or larger apparel orders between 2 and 20 lbs are a good fit.
  • Shipping to residential addresses with flexible timelines
    Ground Saver is designed for low-cost, non-urgent delivery and often costs less than standard UPS Ground.
  • You want more consistent tracking
    Ground Saver tracking is generally more detailed than what’s available through Mail Innovations.
  • You already have a Ground Saver contract that allows Bound Printed Matter or Media shipments
    These specialized services can be used when you’re shipping qualifying content like books or binders and have the required agreements in place.