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Choosing the right courier partner is one of the most important decisions for an eCommerce business. In the early days, you may be able to pack, ship, and track orders yourself. But as your business grows, so does the complexity of managing deliveries, customer expectations, and rising order volumes.
That is when third-party logistics providers step in to take the load off your shoulders. The challenge is that the market is full of courier companies, each claiming to be the best. For sellers, this often leads to confusion and second-guessing.
Table of Contents
- Understanding the Courier Partners: Shadowfax vs Delhivery
- Who is a Better Shipping Partner for Your eCommerce Businesses—Shadowfax vs Delhivery: Features at a Glance
- Network Coverage
- Delivery timeline
- Warehouse fulfilment
- Cost
- Shipment Tracking
- Customer Support
- COD & Return Logistics
- Technology
- A Brief Comparison Among Features: Shadowfax vs Delhivery
- In a Nutshell
Two names that frequently come up in these discussions are Shadowfax and Delhivery. Both are leading players in the eCommerce delivery space, and both have their own strengths. The question is, which one works better for your specific business needs?
In this blog, we will break down the differences between Shadowfax and Delhivery, compare them on key parameters, and help you see which partner might be a better fit. By the end, you will have a clearer idea of how each can support your growth journey and where they stand in terms of reliability, cost, and service quality.
Let’s get started!
Understanding the Courier Partners: Shadowfax vs Delhivery
Shadowfax
Headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka, Shadowfax’s foundation dates back to 2015. It is an Indian logistics and supply chain company that provides hyperlocal, same-day, and next-day delivery services across the eCommerce, food, grocery, pharmacy, and courier segments. It acts as a technology-driven delivery partner, partnering with businesses to handle last-mile delivery efficiently.
Shadowfax stands out as a reliable logistics partner, particularly for businesses operating in fast-paced urban environments. Backed by a robust technology platform, Shadowfax enables real-time order tracking, smart route optimisation, and seamless order management for efficient operations. What also makes it appealing is its transparent pricing model with weight-based charges, eliminating the risk of hidden costs. Additionally, Shadowfax offers responsive customer support, ensuring swift resolution of issues and minimal disruption to delivery workflows.
Delhivery
Delhivery is one of India’s leading logistics and supply chain technology companies, founded in 2011. Over the years, it has scaled rapidly to become a trusted partner for a wide spectrum of businesses, ranging from small startups and mid-sized D2C and eCommerce brands to large enterprises. The company specialises in nationwide last-mile delivery services.
One of Delhivery’s key advantages is its marketplace-agnostic model, allowing it to collaborate freely with multiple eCommerce platforms, D2C brands, and independent sellers—unlike some logistics firms that are tied to specific marketplaces.
At the heart of Delhivery’s operations is its proprietary technology platform, which powers real-time tracking, smart route management, and delivery optimisation. With a vast logistics infrastructure, Delhivery has expanded its service coverage to over 18,600+ pin codes across India, along with select international destinations, ensuring fast, reliable, and tech-enabled deliveries at scale.
Who is a Better Shipping Partner for Your eCommerce Businesses—Shadowfax vs Delhivery: Features at a Glance
Network Coverage
| Shadowfax | Delhivery |
| Shadowfax operates across 18,000+ pin codes, offering extensive coverage in both urban and semi-urban regions. Its strong hyperlocal delivery network makes it an ideal choice for businesses seeking fast and reliable same-day delivery services. Designed for short-haul, high-frequency logistics, Shadowfax ensures exceptional speed and operational efficiency, particularly in densely populated areas where timely deliveries are critical. | Delhivery boasts an extensive pan-India network, covering over 18,600+ pin codes with a strong presence across metros, tier-1 and tier-2 cities, and even remote areas. Backed by advanced fulfilment capabilities and a widespread dark store network, they enable rapid scaling for businesses looking to expand efficiently across the country. |
Delivery timeline
| Shadowfax | Delhivery |
| They have a standard delivery timeline of 1–3 days, with their operations finely tuned to support faster lead times for time-sensitive shipments. It is widely recognised as a leader in hyperlocal logistics, enabling ultra-fast deliveries within 30–60 minutes for high-demand categories like food, groceries, and daily essentials. Additionally, the company excels in rapid last-mile and reverse logistics, providing services such as doorstep quality checks to ensure smooth returns and a seamless customer experience. | Delhivery ensures standard delivery within 2–4 days across most pin codes, with express delivery options available for quicker turnarounds in metro and tier-1 cities. Their efficient line-haul operations and tech-enabled sorting systems further enhance delivery speed and reliability. |
Warehouse fulfilment
| Shadowfax | Delhivery |
| Their prime focus is on the last-mile delivery network, with limited emphasis on warehousing and storage infrastructure. This makes it an excellent choice for businesses that prefer to outsource only the final leg of their delivery process, without relying on full-scale fulfilment services. With its strength in fast, lightweight fulfilment solutions, especially for hyperlocal orders, Shadowfax is well-suited for brands looking to ensure rapid deliveries within tight urban and semi-urban zones. | They offer extensive 3PL and fulfilment infrastructure, including multi-tenant warehouses, dark stores, and micro-fulfilment centres to accelerate order processing. With comprehensive in-house warehousing solutions, they cater efficiently to inventory-heavy businesses, ensuring faster turnaround times and streamlined logistics. |
Cost
| Shadowfax | Delhivery |
| Shadowfax offers flexible, volume-based pricing models that are particularly well-optimised for hyperlocal and last-mile delivery operations. Its competitive rates make it an attractive option for businesses handling short-distance, quick-turnaround shipments. This pricing approach is especially beneficial for brands aiming to reduce last-mile logistics costs without compromising on delivery speed or service quality. | Delhivery provides cost-effective pricing tailored for high-volume eCommerce shippers, offering volume-based discounts and flexible rates for large enterprises. Their economies of scale make them an ideal logistics partner for long-distance and large-scale shipping needs. |
Shipment Tracking
| Shadowfax | Delhivery |
| Shadowfax tracking offers advanced logistics features designed to streamline your operations, including real-time, multi-point shipment tracking with live location updates, automated Non-Delivery Report (NDR) management to reduce order failures, and deep integration with leading Order Management Software for smooth and efficient order processing from start to finish. | Delhivery tracking offers advanced, API-based real-time tracking to keep shipments visible at every step. Customers receive timely notifications and alerts, while powerful data analytics help businesses plan and manage their logistics more effectively. |
Customer Support
| Shadowfax | Delhivery |
| Shadowfax customer care offers swift and agile support, specifically designed to resolve issues quickly and keep your operations running smoothly. With a high level of responsiveness ideal for hyperlocal and fast-paced businesses, their support framework includes efficient escalation processes to ensure time-critical shipments are handled with speed and accuracy. | Delhivery provides dedicated account managers for large clients, offering strong tech support and customer service to handle complex logistics needs. They prioritise building long-term relationships with their enterprise partners. |
COD & Return Logistics
| Shadowfax | Delhivery |
| They streamline returns management with doorstep quality checks, ensuring a smooth and reliable experience for both businesses and customers. Their efficient Cash-on-Delivery (COD) handling accelerates cash flow, making them an ideal logistics partner for businesses dealing with high return volumes and frequent last-mile deliveries. | Delhivery delivers strong COD support with fast remittance cycles, advanced Return to Origin (RTO) management for smooth returns, and optimized solutions tailored for high-volume eCommerce businesses. |
Technology
| Shadowfax | Delhivery |
| Shadowfax courier provides a robust API that enables real-time order tracking and live updates, ensuring complete shipment visibility. Seamless integration with Order Management Systems simplifies operations, while advanced NDR management tools help improve delivery success rates and reduce operational bottlenecks. | Delhivery offers an advanced API with real-time order synchronization and powerful data analytics. Their seamless integration with popular eCommerce platforms and ERP systems, combined with a strong focus on predictive analytics, helps optimize logistics operations effectively. |
A Brief Comparison Among Features: Shadowfax vs Delhivery
| Features | Shadowfax | Delhivery |
| Delivery | 1-2 days (standard shipping), 30-60 min (hyperlocal) | 2-4 days (standard shipping) |
| Coverage | 18,000+ pin codes | 18,600+ pin codes |
| Pricing | Flexible pricing | Economical for high-volume shippers |
| Same day/Next Day | Holds a major market in hyperlocal deliveries | Express service in metros |
| Tracking | Real-time tracking with automated NDR panel | Real-time API-based tracking |
| International Coverage | Mainly B2B (domestic) | Limited |
| Support | Quick resolution | Resilient tech support, dedicated KAM |
| Warehousing | Limited | Extensive 3PL fulfilment centres |
| Tech Integration | Easy OMS integration, robust API | Data analytics, advanced API |
In a Nutshell
Both Delhivery and Shadowfax have carved out strong positions in the Indian eCommerce logistics space. Each comes with its own strengths, so the right choice really depends on your business priorities, product category, and delivery needs. The good news is that you do not have to limit yourself to just one.
With a logistics aggregator like NimbusPost, you can access both these courier partners along with many others, all through a single dashboard. Our advanced shipping rate calculator and AI-driven courier allocation engine help you choose the best-matched courier partner for each shipment, saving you time and effort.
If you are looking to scale without getting tangled in logistics, platforms like NimbusPost make it easier to ship smarter, faster, and at the lowest possible cost.
