InPost shipping means sending parcels to a self-service InPost locker, an InPost Shop or a home address instead of relying only on doorstep delivery. In the UK you buy a digital label in the InPost app or on the website, drop the parcel at any locker or shop by scanning a QR code, and the recipient collects it within 3 days. UK prices start at £1.99 for a small locker parcel, the maximum weight is 15 kg and locker deliveries take up to 3 working days.
InPost has grown from a Polish locker network into one of Europe's biggest out-of-home delivery companies, and for online shops it is now a real alternative to classic courier delivery. This guide covers how InPost works, what fits in each locker, what it costs and how to send an InPost parcel without errors. If you already ship with several carriers, a multi-carrier shipping platform lets you add InPost next to your other couriers, and pickup points at checkout let customers choose a locker before they pay.
InPost is a European parcel delivery company built around out-of-home delivery: parcels go to a locker or a partner shop near the customer, instead of a courier knocking on the door. It started in Poland and now runs in nine countries: Poland, the UK, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal and Italy, with Ireland reported together with the UK.
When people search "whats InPost" or "InPost meaning", they usually mean the lockers: the InPost boxes outside supermarkets and petrol stations. But InPost now covers three delivery types: lockers, InPost Shops (partner stores that handle parcels over the counter) and home delivery by an InPost van and courier. Many people type the name with a space, searching "In Post send a parcel", "In Post locker size", "24/7 In Post" or "how does In Post work", but it is the same company and the same service.
According to InPost's full-year 2025 results, the group ended 2025 with 61,196 parcel lockers and 94,536 out-of-home points across its markets, and handled about 1.36 billion parcels, up 25%. The UK had 13,721 locker sites. In April 2025 InPost also bought Yodel's UK to-door business, which is why InPost parcels can now arrive at a home address too.
A sender creates a label and drops the parcel at a locker or shop. InPost collects it and delivers it to the locker, shop or address the recipient chose, and the recipient gets a QR code to collect it when it suits them. So the short answer to "how does InPost work" or "InPost how does it work" is: you choose a pickup spot, and InPost does the rest.
An InPost locker is a self-service parcel terminal with compartments of different sizes, placed at supermarkets, petrol stations and along commuter routes. You use it to collect orders, send parcels and drop off returns, opening a compartment by scanning a QR code or remotely from the InPost app. InPost lockers are the core of the network: the customer never misses a delivery, and the courier can drop dozens of parcels in one stop, which makes "deliver to locker" one of the cheapest ways to reach a customer.
InPost Shops are partner stores where staff accept, scan and hand over parcels during the shop's own opening hours. They suit customers who prefer dealing with a person. You can send, collect and return parcels there just as at a locker.
InPost home delivery is the door-to-door option: a courier brings the parcel to the customer's address or a chosen safe place and confirms delivery with a photo or signature. In the app, customers can change the day or divert the parcel to a locker or shop, and missed deliveries get up to three more attempts.
Most are. InPost says most of its lockers can be used 24/7, so customers can collect, send or return parcels at night and at weekends. Not every locker is, so check the locker's details in the app first. This InPost 24/7 access is the biggest difference from a shop or post office counter.
Before you drop off, run a quick InPost check in the app: it shows which compartment sizes are free at each locker and suggests nearby alternatives if one is full. Lockers usually have more free space at weekends.
InPost sizes are fixed by compartment, so it pays to know them before you pack. These are the current UK compartment sizes from InPost's locker page:
| Compartment | Dimensions (cm) | Maximum weight |
|---|---|---|
| Extra Small (XS) | 4 x 23 x 40 | 15 kg (not at every locker) |
| Small (S) | 8 x 38 x 64 | 15 kg |
| Medium (M) | 19 x 38 x 64 | 15 kg |
| Large (L) | 41 x 38 x 64 | 15 kg |
The InPost large locker size UK customers get is 41 x 38 x 64 cm. That InPost locker large size is also the InPost locker maximum size: anything bigger needs another delivery option. In Italy, InPost uses the same S, M and L dimensions, but the weight limit is higher at 25 kg.
The small compartment is 8 x 38 x 64 cm: shallow but long, so it suits folded clothing. A box deeper than 8 cm needs a medium.
If the parcel doesn't fit, close the door without it and tap "My parcel doesn't fit" on the locker screen to pick a bigger size. Wrong-size label? Cancel it in the app and buy a new one. Never send UK locker parcels over 15 kg.
For individuals and small sellers in the UK, InPost cost depends only on parcel size and destination type, not on weight or distance. These are the prices for labels bought in the app or online, according to InPost's parcel prices page at the time of writing:
| Size | To an InPost locker or shop | To a home address |
|---|---|---|
| Small | £1.99 | £2.89 |
| Medium | £2.59 | £3.99 |
| Large | £3.99 | £5.99 |
Unused labels that you cancel are refunded to your original payment method. Prices change, so confirm them on inpost.co.uk. To compare InPost with other carriers on every order, use a shipping cost optimizer does the maths for you.
If you send by InPost regularly, the public prices are only a starting point. Businesses agree their own rates and service levels, so to get an InPost quote, contact InPost's sales team with your monthly volumes, parcel sizes and destinations. Once you have a contract, an invoice analysis checks you are billed what you agreed.
InPost delivery times in the UK depend on where the parcel is going:
For home delivery, InPost drivers work from 7am to 9pm, Monday to Saturday. Sunday deliveries only happen in busy or special periods. On delivery day, the app shows a 2-hour delivery window once the driver starts their route. Lockers are usually filled early in the morning, and busy lockers may get several courier visits a day.
Here is how the three InPost options compare for UK online shops:
| Criteria | InPost locker | InPost Shop | InPost home delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where the parcel goes | Self-service compartment | Partner store counter | Customer's door or safe place |
| Price from (small, UK) | £1.99 | £1.99 | £2.89 |
| Delivery time | Within 3 working days | Within 3 working days | Within 4 working days |
| Size limit | 41 x 38 x 64 cm, 15 kg | Same size bands as lockers | Same size bands as lockers |
| Access hours | Most lockers 24/7 | Shop opening hours | 7am to 9pm, Monday to Saturday |
| Best for | Commuters, low-cost shipping, returns | Customers who want staff help | Bulky orders, less mobile customers |
Product & Resources
Let shoppers pick a locker or pickup point on a map before they pay.
Discover Ship & Collect →A branded tracking page, emailed to your customers automatically.
See tracking →A return portal on your site where customers request returns themselves.
Explore returns →Services and features of the InPost integration in ShippyPro.
View InPost on ShippyPro →Create labels, track parcels and handle returns from one place. Try ShippyPro free for 14 days.
Sending a parcel with InPost in the UK is label-free: you need your phone, not a printer, and sending InPost returns works the same way. Here is the InPost how-to: send a parcel in five steps, based on InPost's own sending guide:
In the InPost app or on the website, enter the recipient's details and choose locker, shop or home delivery. You get a QR code instead of a printed label.
Choose XS, S, M or L based on your packed box. Pricing is by size, so measure first.
Protect the item with padding and seal the box with strong tape. Check InPost's list of restricted items before you send.
At a locker, scan the QR code on the screen, place the parcel in the compartment that opens and close the door. At a shop, hand over the parcel and show the QR code to staff.
The courier adds the label when they collect the parcel, and you can follow it in the app until it is delivered.
The InPost send a parcel flow in the app works for occasional parcels. But if you need to send InPost parcel after parcel every day, buying labels one by one is slow. Businesses usually connect InPost through its API or shipping software, so labels are created from each order automatically (see the last section).
For your customers, collecting is just as quick. They get a QR code by email or in the InPost app, scan it at the locker (or open the compartment in the app), take the parcel and tap the screen to finish. They can also share the collection details with someone else.
The 3-day collection window can't be extended. After that, the parcel goes back to the sender and the customer has to contact the shop. A clear shipping notification from your store, sent when the parcel lands, helps cut uncollected parcels.
Every InPost parcel has a tracking number, and the app shows live updates for all InPost parcels in one place. For home delivery, the customer also gets an email when the parcel is on its way.
When a customer picks InPost as the return method on your website, InPost emails them a QR code. Returns are print-free: they scan the code at any locker or InPost Shop and drop the parcel in. InPost says returns should reach the retailer within 5 working days. A returns portal lets you offer this without handling every request by email.
Lockers do occasionally break. According to InPost's help centre, a locker that is out of order is usually back within a day or two. Here is what your customers (or you) can do in the meantime:
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Locker screen not working | Locker out of order | Use Remote Opening in the InPost app, try again later, or go to another locker |
| QR code won't scan | Screen brightness or angle | Increase brightness, hold the phone 15 cm away, or type the tracking number |
| No free compartment | Locker full | Check free sizes in the app, which suggests nearby lockers |
| Parcel doesn't fit | Wrong size chosen | Tap "My parcel doesn't fit" and choose a bigger compartment |
| Parcel not collected in time | 3-day window passed | Parcel goes back to the sender; the customer contacts the shop |
If none of this helps, the InPost number for UK customer service is 0330 335 0950, charged at local rate (Monday to Friday 7am to 10pm, weekends 8am to 8pm).
InPost international shipping depends on where you are sending from. In continental Europe, InPost's consumer service lets you send parcels between its markets. For example, InPost Portugal lists eight destinations (Spain, France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland and Italy), with locker parcels up to 25 kg and 64 x 38 x 41 cm, and delivery in roughly 3 to 6 business days. Sending to the UK through that service isn't currently possible.
For businesses, InPost international options are agreed in a contract with InPost directly. If you sell into Poland, Italy or other InPost markets, offering InPost lockers there is worth considering.
More online shops now post with InPost alongside a classic courier, for good reasons:
Customers are more likely to choose a locker when they see the nearest ones on a map while paying. Read more about the advantages of drop-off points for e-commerce.
If you use InPost alongside other carriers, ShippyPro lets you manage InPost shipments in the same place as the rest. You connect your own InPost contract with the credentials InPost gives you, then create labels, track parcels and handle returns from one dashboard, together with your store and marketplace integrations.
Today, ShippyPro supports InPost for domestic shipping in Poland and Italy:
| Integration | Credentials needed | Services | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| InPost PL | Organization ID and Token | Standard, Locker Standard, returns, cash on delivery | Poland to Poland |
| InPost Italia | Organization ID and Token | Locker Standard, Locker to Locker, courier C2C (mainly returns) | Italy domestic |
| InPost Global | Client ID and Client Secret | Outbound and returns, tracking, lockers and pickup points | Italy domestic |
You get the credentials from your InPost contact, then open Carriers in ShippyPro, select the InPost logo, enter them and choose your service and label format. For InPost Italia, parcel size is set automatically from its height. Full setup is in the InPost Italia connection guide.
ShippyPro's Checkout tool can also show InPost lockers on a map at checkout, and developers can work directly with the ShippyPro API. Want to try it with your InPost account? Start a free trial.
InPost is a European parcel company that delivers to self-service lockers, partner shops and home addresses in nine countries, including the UK, Poland and Italy.
You buy a label, drop the parcel at any InPost locker or shop, and InPost delivers it to the locker, shop or address the recipient chose. Locker parcels must be collected within 3 days.
Buy a digital label in the InPost app or on inpost.co.uk, choose the size, then scan the QR code at a locker or show it at an InPost Shop. No printer is needed.
The largest UK compartment is 41 x 38 x 64 cm, with a 15 kg weight limit for every size.
UK prices start at £1.99 for a small parcel to a locker or shop and £2.89 to a home address. Pricing is by size, not weight.
Most InPost lockers can be used 24/7, including at weekends. Not all are, so check the locker's details in the InPost app before you go.
InPost home deliveries run from 7am to 9pm, Monday to Saturday, with Sunday deliveries only in busy periods.
It is usually fixed within a day or two. Meanwhile, use Remote Opening in the InPost app, try another locker or call InPost customer service on 0330 335 0950.
Related Articles
Why pickup points and parcel lockers cut failed deliveries and costs.
Read more →How the main UK couriers compare on price, strengths and best use.
Read more →How shoppers can choose a collection point on a map while they pay.
Read more →Step-by-step setup: credentials, services and label formats.
Open the guide →Connect InPost and your other couriers, create labels and keep customers updated. Try ShippyPro free for 14 days.