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Tool · import duty, parcel by parcel

Import Duty Calculator: Several AliExpress Parcels Against One Combined Box

Checked · the AliExpress Spreadsheet editors

Straight answer

Since 2025–26, small parcels from China pay tax almost everywhere, and the number of parcels now matters as much as the price. In the EU each parcel under €150 owes €3 per item category plus VAT; five AliExpress orders from five stores can mean five €3 charges, where one combined agent parcel with three categories pays €9. This calculator compares the two routes for the EU, UK, Canada and Australia, and explains the US, where rates depend on the product. In the worked example below (Germany), five AliExpress parcels land at €136.85 and the agent box at €123.76. It runs in your browser; nothing is sent anywhere.

€3per category, per EU parcel
£135UK no-duty limit
CAD 20Canada's threshold
10%Australian GST
Open the calculatorWorked example💬 Want a real quote? Ask

8 finds to try in the calculator

Weidian listings with dollar and yuan prices; add a few to route B to see what one agent parcel would cost. Tiles open repbuysheet.com. 8 finds chosen for this page, drawn from 10,000+ products.

Sponsored links. Tapping the picture, the title or the button takes you to the same item on repbuysheet.com, which shows every photo, the size list and the original shop link. The dollar and yuan figures are that site's, as they stood on our last check.

Compare several AliExpress parcels with one agent box

Route A — AliExpress, separate parcels

Route B — one agent parcel

Enter amounts in your own currency. An estimate, not a customs ruling: standard VAT rates only; product-specific duty above thresholds, reduced rates and carrier handling fees are left out. Route A assumes goods split evenly across parcels.

Worked example: five items to Germany

Five items bought from five AliExpress stores, one category each, free shipping, €100.00 in total, delivered to Germany (VAT 19%). The same five items bought on Taobao and Weidian through an agent cost €70.00, ship in one parcel with three categories, and the agent's freight and fees come to €25.00.

Worked example: Germany
Route A: 5 AliExpress parcelsRoute B: 1 agent parcel
Goods€100.00€70.00
Shipping / freight€0.00€25.00
€3 duty charges€15.00 (5 × 1 × €3)€9.00 (3 × €3)
VAT at 19%€21.85€19.76
Landed total€136.85€123.76
Per item€27.37€24.75

Computed with the calculator's formula. Goods prices and freight are illustrative, not quotes.

Here the agent box wins by €13.09, but notice why: mostly the lower goods price, then the fewer €3 charges. Set route B's goods to the same €100.00 and route A wins, because €25.00 of freight is more than the duty saved. That's the honest rule of thumb — the parcel count helps, but the agent route only pays if the goods are genuinely cheaper at source.

Verdict: Fewer parcels cut the duty. Cheaper source prices decide whether the agent route wins overall.

The small-parcel rules behind the numbers

Small-parcel rules for goods from China
DestinationRuleIn practice
United StatesNo low-value exemption left: China lost the $800 allowance on May 2, 2025, every other country on August 29, 2025.Check the import line at checkout.
European UnionSince July 1, 2026, parcels worth under €150 owe €3 for each item category, with VAT still charged via IOSS.Fewer product types, lower bill.
United KingdomUp to £135 there is no duty; the seller adds 20% VAT when you pay. The relief is set to go by October 2028.Keep hauls under £135.
CanadaPostal parcels and couriers from outside the US and Mexico become taxable above CAD $20.Assume tax on most hauls.
AustraliaAt A$1,000 or below, 10% GST is added at checkout instead of at the door.GST shows up in the price.

Sources: Council of the EU (Dec 12, 2025); GOV.UK; CBSA; Australian Taxation Office; US position via a CBP summary on importcostcalculator.com.

Three nuances the calculator handles. In the UK, parcels of £135 or less pay no customs duty and VAT is collected at checkout; one big agent parcel over £135 is handled at the border, so splitting isn't always worse there. In Canada, parcels under CAD 20 usually pay nothing, so several tiny AliExpress orders can undercut one bigger box. In the US, there's no duty-free allowance left and the rate depends on the product and current trade measures, so the calculator counts customs events rather than guessing a rate.

Keeping import tax predictable

Whatever the route, a few habits keep tax predictable. Declare real values; under-declaring can hold a parcel and reduces any insurance payout. In the EU, fewer categories per parcel means fewer €3 charges — a box of tees and hoodies is cheaper than tees, a cap, a bag and trainers. And watch AliExpress's checkout: on many orders it now shows import charges or includes them, which is the figure to put in route A.

Country pages go further: US, UK, Germany, France and Australia.

Import duty questions

Do AliExpress parcels pay import duty?

In most countries, yes. The US has no duty-free allowance since August 2025; EU parcels under €150 owe €3 per item category plus VAT since July 2026; the UK adds 20% VAT at checkout up to £135.

Is one parcel cheaper than several?

In the EU usually, because the €3 charge is per parcel and category. In Canada, several tiny parcels under CAD 20 can be cheaper. The calculator shows both.

Why doesn't the calculator give a US duty figure?

US duty on goods from China depends on the product's classification and trade measures that have changed repeatedly. It counts customs events instead.

What counts as an item category in the EU?

A kind of goods — tees, shoes, bags — not the number of items. Five tees are one category; tees and a cap are two.

Does AliExpress collect VAT at checkout?

For EU and UK buyers on eligible orders, yes, and many US orders now show import charges. Put the checkout figure into route A.

Is this a customs ruling?

No. It's an estimate using standard rates. Product-specific duty, reduced VAT rates and carrier fees aren't included.

Does the calculator store my numbers?

No. It runs entirely in your browser.

Next questions on Duty: one parcel or five?

Duty: one parcel or five? — references

Compiled by the AliExpress Spreadsheet editors and re-read line by line on . AliExpress terms come from its own help and policy pages; agent fees, storage and review counts come from the sources listed below. If two sources give different numbers, both are printed. Product tiles point to repbuysheet.com, and any tile whose lead photo showed a different product from the link was dropped before publishing.