If you ship with more than one UK courier — or you're considering switching — it helps to know where their label requirements genuinely differ and where they're functionally identical. The good news is that the physical label format is almost entirely standardised; the differences are mostly in software and account setup.
Label size and format
Royal Mail, DPD and Evri all default to the same 100 × 150mm (4×6") label size for parcel shipping. This isn't a coincidence — it's the industry standard covered in our 4×6 label size guide — which means a single thermal printer and label stock works across all three without any hardware changes.
Barcode and QR requirements
Each courier encodes its own tracking barcode and, increasingly, a QR code for depot scanning, but the technical requirements (print contrast, minimum quiet zone around the barcode, symbology) are broadly similar across all three. A label that scans reliably for one courier will typically scan reliably for the others too, provided your printer's darkness setting is correctly tuned — see our guide to barcode scanning failures if you're having intermittent scan issues.
Returns labels
This is where things diverge more: Royal Mail, DPD and Evri each run their own returns portals with different formats for QR-based paperless returns versus printed labels. If you sell across multiple platforms and offer returns via more than one courier, it's worth keeping the setup instructions for each handy rather than assuming they work identically — our Royal Mail returns guide covers that courier specifically.
Multi-carrier accounts
Sellers shipping meaningful volume often end up with accounts across more than one courier — Royal Mail for standard tracked parcels, DPD or Evri for next-day or bulkier items. This is entirely compatible with a single thermal printer setup, since the label size and print method don't change between them; only the account you're logged into and the service you select does.
If you're thinking about switching
Because the physical label format is so consistent across couriers, switching from one to another rarely requires new hardware — it's mostly an account and workflow change. We've written a full guide on switching couriers without breaking your label workflow if you're weighing that decision.
One label size, every courier
Our 100 × 150mm direct thermal labels work identically across Royal Mail, DPD and Evri — no hardware changes needed if you switch.
Shop 4×6 Labels