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StoreOS Team9 min read

Pathao vs Steadfast vs RedX: Courier Guide (2026)

Pathao vs Steadfast vs RedX for online stores: delivery charges, COD fees and returns from each courier's own site, dated 3 Oct 2026, plus what to verify.

InsightsGuides

Three couriers, three different pricing pages. Pathao has a rate table. Steadfast has a calculator. RedX has a coverage list. None answers the question you actually have: which one should carry my COD parcels?

We cannot answer that for you, and StoreOS is not a courier. What we can do is collect what each courier publishes on its own site, put a date on it, and mark what we could not confirm. Rates move, and big merchants often negotiate their own. Check your merchant panel before you quote a customer.

How we checked these numbers

Every figure below comes from the courier's own website, read on 3 October 2026. Pathao and Steadfast say their charges exclude VAT and tax; we did not find that statement for RedX. Where a courier's pages disagree, or we could not read a page, we say so and write "verify" instead of picking a number. Sources are at the end.

The short version

PathaoSteadfastRedX
Delivery charge, same city, up to 1 kgTk 60 (up to 500 g) / Tk 70 (500 g to 1 kg)Use the calculator (verify)Tk 65 for 1 kg in listed Dhaka areas
COD fee0.5% in Dhaka metro and 1% outside, but the same page also says 1% (verify)1%0% inside Dhaka, 1% outside
Returns50% return charge outside Dhaka, none Dhaka metro to Dhaka metroStates no charge for returned parcels, delivery charge still appliesVerify
PayoutNext-day payment stated in merchant termsNext dayNext day
In StoreOSYes, on Silver and ProYes, on Silver and ProComing soon

Pathao

Delivery charges

Pathao publishes a table on its courier page. Prices are in taka, exclusive of VAT and tax:

RouteDelivery timeUp to 500 g500 g to 1 kg1 to 2 kg
Same district or city24 hours607090
Dhaka metro to Narayanganj, Gazipur, Keraniganj, Savar72 hours80100130
Inside Dhaka and suburbs to outside Dhaka, and back72 hours110130170
Outside Dhaka to outside Dhaka (different city)72 hours120145180

Above 2 kg, the page lists Tk 15 per extra kilo within a city and Tk 25 per extra kilo on the other routes.

The COD fee: Pathao's pages disagree

This is where you should read carefully. Pathao's courier page lists "1% COD charge" under each table. The FAQ on the same page says 0.5% for parcels inside Dhaka Metropolitan City and 1% outside. Pathao's help-centre price page says a 1% COD charge applies to all deliveries. We cannot tell you which is current. Verify your COD rate in your Pathao merchant panel before you price your products.

Returns and payout

For returns outside Dhaka, Pathao says 50% of the delivery charge is added as a return charge on top of the delivery charge. It says no return charge applies to Dhaka-metro-to-Dhaka-metro orders, though partial and exchange deliveries there can carry one. Pathao's merchant terms say COD money is paid the next day after the service fee is deducted. Its courier page also describes InstaPay, which pays out COD money in daily cycles or on demand, and says payouts go to a bank account or a personal bKash account.

Pathao also lists same-day delivery within Dhaka (entry by 12:00).

Steadfast

Delivery charges

Steadfast prices by route, weight and service, and it publishes a calculator rather than a table. You choose the route, the weight (0.5 kg up to 10 kg on the slider), regular or express (same day, within one district), and home or point delivery. The page says charges can change with parcel size.

We could not read a fixed rate card from the calculator. A copy of an older Steadfast merchant page returned by search listed Tk 70 inside Dhaka, Tk 100 for Dhaka suburban and Tk 130 outside Dhaka for a 1 kg parcel, but that wording is not on Steadfast's current homepage. Third-party sites publish different numbers again. Run Steadfast's own calculator for your top five delivery areas. The calculator page also notes a minimum charge of Tk 80 for its "pick and drop" service; check whether that applies to merchant parcels.

The COD fee

Steadfast says a 1% cash-on-delivery and risk-management charge applies. Its terms describe it as 1% of the collected amount after the delivery charge is deducted.

Returns, payout and extras

Steadfast's terms say merchants pay the delivery charge on every parcel handed over, delivered or cancelled, and that Steadfast does not charge for return parcels. Customised rates are possible for merchants who meet its criteria. It describes next-day payout and daily pickup with no volume cap. Its panel also has a number check that shows how many parcels a buyer took and returned. Steadfast says it covers 64 districts and 495 upazilas (its own figures).

RedX

Delivery charges

RedX's coverage-area page lists charges per area. For the Dhaka areas shown (Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi, Gulshan, Mirpur and others) it lists Tk 65 for 1 kg, Tk 80 for 2 kg and Tk 95 for 3 kg. We did not confirm outside-Dhaka charges. RedX has a delivery calculator (weight up to 10 kg, pickup and delivery area) on its homepage. Use it for your top districts. RedX says it delivers in 64 districts in about 3 days.

The COD fee

RedX's homepage text says COD charge is 0% inside Dhaka and 1% outside Dhaka. Note: that page loads its content with JavaScript, and we read this text through a search index rather than a browser. Please confirm it on the live site.

Returns and payout

RedX says merchants are paid the next day after delivery. We could not confirm a return charge. RedX's privacy policy says a package refused or undeliverable because of a wrong address is returned to the merchant within 15 days. Ask RedX for its return-fee rules.

What the COD fee costs on a Tk 2,000 parcel

This is only the COD fee, using the percentages above. It leaves out the delivery charge.

  • Pathao: Tk 10 inside Dhaka metro if the 0.5% figure is current, Tk 20 if the 1% figure is. Tk 20 outside Dhaka.
  • Steadfast: about Tk 19 to Tk 20. If the delivery charge were Tk 70 (an example, not a quote), 1% of Tk 1,930 is Tk 19.30.
  • RedX: Tk 0 inside Dhaka, Tk 20 outside.

The fee is small next to the delivery charge and, above all, a returned parcel. A courier with a slightly higher fee can still cost less if fewer of your parcels come back.

How to choose

  • Mostly Dhaka, light parcels. Compare delivery charge and COD fee for Dhaka-to-Dhaka. RedX lists 0% COD inside Dhaka and Pathao may list 0.5%. Confirm both.
  • Many districts. Price your ten best-selling districts on all three calculators. Rates depend on the route, not just "inside" versus "outside" Dhaka.
  • High return rate. Read the return rules first. The cheapest delivery rate can lose to the courier with the lowest return cost.
  • Cash flow. All three describe next-day payout. Ask how it works on weekends and holidays.
  • Growing volume. Steadfast's terms say rates can be customised for merchants who qualify. Ask all three once you ship regularly.

Many sellers use two couriers, one for Dhaka and one for districts. That is a normal setup.

Using these couriers with StoreOS

StoreOS lets you book Pathao and Steadfast from the order list on Silver (Tk 499/month, 7-day trial) and Pro (Tk 1,190/month). The COD amount on the order goes with the parcel. You still need your own merchant account with each courier. RedX is listed as coming soon in the plugin catalog, so it is not available to book from StoreOS yet. The Free plan does not include courier booking. See Pathao and Steadfast booking from your order list and pricing.

StoreOS does not guarantee courier rates. The delivery fee your customer sees at checkout is yours to set by region. Here is how.

What to do this week

  1. Open each merchant panel or calculator. Write down the delivery charge and COD fee for your five best routes.
  2. Write down each courier's return rule in one line.
  3. Test one courier for Dhaka and one for districts on 20 parcels each.
  4. Review returns and payout time after a month, not after a day.

Create a free store, or talk to us on WhatsApp.

FAQ

Which is cheaper: Pathao, Steadfast or RedX?

It depends on your routes, weights and returns. For a parcel within a city up to 1 kg, Pathao lists Tk 60 to Tk 70 and RedX lists Tk 65 in the Dhaka areas it shows. Steadfast's rate needs its calculator. Compare your own routes.

Do all three charge a COD fee?

Steadfast states 1%. Pathao states 1%, with an FAQ line giving 0.5% inside Dhaka metro, so verify it. RedX states 0% inside Dhaka and 1% outside. Confirm each in your merchant panel.

What happens when a COD parcel is refused?

It depends on the courier. Pathao adds a 50% return charge for returns outside Dhaka. Steadfast says it does not charge for returns, but delivery charges still apply. RedX's return fee should be verified. Our post on when a COD parcel comes back covers the order side.

Can I use more than one courier?

Yes. Many sellers split by area. On StoreOS Silver and Pro you can book Pathao or Steadfast from the same order list.

Does StoreOS support RedX?

Not yet. RedX is shown as coming soon in the plugin catalog.

Sources (all read 3 October 2026)

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