Hello, we are looking for an app that allows us to change our shipping rate based on the city/zip code our customer is located in. Does anyone know any good apps to solve this issue? Because in Shopify’s shipping zone settings, it only lets you change your shipping rate based on country/state.
Topic summary
A merchant seeks an app to set shipping rates based on city or ZIP code, as Shopify’s native settings only support country/state-level zones.
Key Requirement:
- Stores need Carrier Calculated Shipping (CCS) API enabled (available on Advanced/Plus plans, annual billing, or via paid add-on for monthly plans) to display custom rates at checkout.
Recommended Apps:
- ShipZip – Flexible rules by ZIP, distance, product tags; free plan + premium from $9.99/month
- Shipping Rates by Postcode Extension – Advanced location/weight/quantity rules; starts at $20/month
- Zapiet – Industry standard for local delivery zones; $14.99/month with 14-day trial
- Advanced Shipping Rules / Intuitive Shipping – Detailed postal code and cart-based rules
- PH MultiCarrier Shipping Label – ZIP-based zones plus carrier rates, label printing, and tracking emails
Status: Multiple solutions identified; merchant needs to verify CCS eligibility and choose app based on complexity and budget.
Recommended Apps for ZIP/City-Based Shipping Rates
ShipZip – Shipping & Delivery
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Features: Set rules by ZIP/postal code, distance, product tags, delivery date, pickup options, and more Shopify App Store+11Shopify App Store+11calcurates.com+11.
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Pricing: Free plan available; premium starts around $9.99/month. Trial available Shopify App Store+4Shopify App Store+4Shopify App Store+4.
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Why it stands out: Very flexible—not just for location-based rates but also for creative conditions like cart weight, tags, or store pickup.
Shipping Rates by Postcode Extension
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Features: Define shipping rules by location, weight, quantity—supports real-time rates Wikipedia+15Shopify App Store+15Shopify App Store+15.
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Pricing: Starts at $20/month, with a free sandbox/tier for setting up testing rules postcodeshipping.com.
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Pros: Ideal for global and local shipping with advanced rule-based flexibility.
Zapiet – Rates by Zip Code
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Features: Tiered pricing by ZIP/postal code, weight, price—advanced matching logic for multiple countries calcurates.com+14zapiet.com+14Shopify App Store+14.
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Pricing: $14.99/month with a 14-day free trial zapiet.com.
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Bonus: Seamless integration if you’re already using Zapiet Pickup + Delivery.
Octolize – Postcode Shipping Rules & Zones
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Features: Set zones by city, postcode, country, with advanced rule layers such as weight, quantity, product tags, time-of-day Shopify App Store+1Shopify App Store+2Shopify App Store+2.
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Pros: Great for highly granular control and multiple shipping methods per zone.
Calcurates – Advanced Shipping Zones
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Features: Supports postal code ranges, city-, address line-based conditions, carrier restrictions, etc. Shopify App Store+4calcurates.com+4Shopify App Store+4.
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Best for: Enterprise-level needs and complex geographic restrictions.
ShipX – Shipping Rates & Rules
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Features: Covers ZIP/postal codes, distances, AI-based packaging logic, rate blending, and customizable surcharge rules calcurates.com+11Shopify App Store+11Shopify App Store+11.
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Pricing: Starting from free testing plan; paid tiers range from $9.99/month to $34.99/month.
Quick Comparison Table
| App | Key Strengths |
|---|---|
| ShipZip | Flexible, rule-based, affordable for small to mid shops |
| Postcode Extension | Detailed rate control—ideal for global/local shipping |
| Zapiet | Reliable, good UI, supportive, integrates well |
| Octolize | Powerful zoning rules, smart for time-sensitive setups |
| Calcurates | Best for enterprise needs and complex geofencing |
| ShipX | Smart packing + postal logic—great value for scale |
Hello @lykan
You’re correct, Shopify’s built-in settings don’t allow for zip code-based shipping rates, so you’ll need a third-party app.
The most important first step is to ensure your plan has the Carrier Calculated Shipping (CCS) API enabled, as this is what allows apps to show custom rates at checkout. You have CCS if you’re on the Shopify Advanced or Plus plans, if you pay for your plan annually, or if you contact Shopify Support to add it to your monthly plan for a fee.
Once CCS is active on your store, you can install a powerful app like Advanced Shipping Rules or Intuitive Shipping to create detailed shipping rules for specific postal codes, cart contents, and more.
If your main goal is specifically to manage local delivery zones with different fees, an app like Zapiet - Store Pickup + Delivery is the industry standard and designed perfectly for that purpose.
In short, after enabling CCS, one of these apps will solve your problem.
Hope this helps!
Shopify’s default zones only work at the country or state level, making it tricky if you want more control for specific cities or ZIP codes.
A great option is the PluginHive’s PH MultiCarrier Shipping Label app. It lets you configure zones down to exact postal codes, so you can set custom rates by ZIP codes and even combine them with rules like product quantity, order weight or value. Plus, it includes carrier-calculated rates displayed in checkout, label printing, and sending live tracking emails to customers all within Shopify.