ELTA vs ACS vs CourierAPP — which one is actually cheaper when you ship a parcel abroad from Greece in 2026? If you have ever asked three different counters “how much is a 5 kg parcel to Germany?” and got three different answers, you already know the problem. We put the official price lists side by side, with real numbers per weight and destination, so you can decide in two minutes instead of digging through PDFs.
This ELTA vs ACS vs CourierAPP comparison covers how each price list is built, what is included, and where a door-to-door courier wins on price, pickup and tracking.
How to read the ELTA price list for shipping abroad
The Hellenic Post (ELTA) price list for international shipping is not one table — it is several. ELTA publishes separate rates for EMS (express, by air), priority mail and ordinary parcels, scaling by country zone and weight bracket. To find your price you have to locate the destination zone, choose a service and cross-check the bracket. The tables are also revised periodically, so an old price list circulating online may already be out of date.
How the ACS price list compares
ACS publishes its own international price list with a similar zone-and-weight logic. For light documents and small parcels it is competitive and convenient, thanks to a dense shop network across Greece. The catch is the same as with any retail counter: the advertised price rarely includes door pickup, and surcharges — fuel, remote-area, customs handling — can appear at the very end.
ELTA vs ACS vs CourierAPP: who wins by weight
In an ELTA vs ACS vs CourierAPP comparison, weight is the single biggest factor. For very light items (up to about 2 kg) ELTA and ACS retail rates are competitive. But from roughly 5 kg upward, a door-to-door solution over an international network — the model CourierAPP uses — is typically 50-70% cheaper, and pickup from your address is included in the price rather than charged as an extra. The heavier the parcel and the more “mainstream European” the destination (Germany, Cyprus, the UK), the bigger the gap becomes.
You can check the difference yourself: our international shipping rates from Greece show flat, all-in prices with VAT, and you can confirm the exact figure for your parcel at app.courierapp.gr before you book.
Tracking and service: the hidden difference
Price is only half of any honest comparison. With CourierAPP every shipment is booked online, picked up from your door and tracked end-to-end, with customs paperwork handled for you on non-EU routes. That is the part a static price list never shows — and the reason the cheapest sticker price is not always the cheapest shipment.
Four common mistakes when comparing courier price lists
- Comparing a counter drop-off rate against a door-to-door service — they are not the same product.
- Ignoring fuel and remote-area surcharges that are added after the headline price.
- Forgetting customs handling on non-EU destinations such as the UK or Switzerland.
- Using an outdated PDF — both the ELTA and ACS price lists are revised through the year.
What to ask before you book — at a counter or in an app
The ELTA vs ACS vs CourierAPP decision usually comes down to four questions. Whether you choose ELTA, ACS or CourierAPP, ask: Is pickup included? Is the price final with VAT? Are customs handled? And can I track the parcel all the way to delivery? Our complete guide to shipping a parcel from Greece walks through each of these, and our destination guides cover Germany, the UK and Cyprus in detail.
