Postage is the cost sellers most often guess wrong, and in Australia it can be more than the item is worth. Here's what the main carriers charge for a small parcel, so you can put a real figure into the calculator.
Updated 13 Oct 2026 · prices checked 13 Oct 2026
Quick answer: Australia Post Parcel Post costs $11.70 for a parcel up to 500 g in your own packaging, or $12.05 in a small prepaid satchel. Sendle is often cheaper for small parcels, from $7.44 for 500 g in the same city. On Vinted you don't need to choose: the buyer pays.
Small parcel prices
Carrier and service
Size and weight
Price
Australia Post Parcel Post, own packaging
Up to 500 g, anywhere in Australia
$11.70
Australia Post Parcel Post, own packaging
500 g to 1 kg, anywhere in Australia
$16.00
Australia Post prepaid satchel, extra small
21.5 × 28 cm
$10.55
Australia Post prepaid satchel, small
35.5 × 22.5 cm
$12.05
Australia Post prepaid satchel, medium
39 × 27 cm, up to 5 kg
$16.40
Australia Post Express Post satchel, small
35.5 × 22.5 cm
$15.55
Sendle Standard, satchel
Up to 500 g
$7.44 same city, $9.13 national
Sendle Standard, handbag
Up to 1 kg
$10.23 same city, $11.87 national
Australia Post prices from its post charges guide effective 1 Sep 2026; satchel prices include the satchel. Sendle prices from Sendle's pricing page, as shown for Sydney, including GST but not the fuel surcharge. Prices checked 13 Oct 2026. Aramex (formerly Fastway) also sells prepaid satchels; see its rates tool.
Who sorts the postage on each platform
Vinted: the buyer pays for postage at checkout, and the parcel goes with Australia Post. You print the prepaid label or show a barcode at the Post Office, or use an Australia Post Parcel Locker with a printed label.
eBay: you set the postage price. From 1 June 2026, private sellers must buy the label through eBay for orders of $20 or more, with some exceptions.
Depop and Etsy: you set the postage price in your listing and buy the label.
Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree: usually local pick-up, so there's no postage at all.
How to pay less
Weigh before you list. Going just over 500 g moves a Parcel Post item from $11.70 to $16.00.
Compare a satchel with your own packaging. A prepaid satchel includes the bag, and for light clothes the extra small satchel at $10.55 can be cheapest.
Check Sendle for light parcels, especially within the same city.
Pack flat. Clothes folded flat in a mailing bag usually fit the smallest sizes.
Keep proof of postage until the buyer has confirmed they're happy.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to post a small parcel in Australia?
Australia Post Parcel Post is $11.70 for up to 500 g in your own packaging, and $16.00 for 500 g to 1 kg, from 1 Sep 2026. Sendle starts from $7.44 for 500 g within the same city.
Who pays postage on Vinted in Australia?
The buyer, at checkout. You send the parcel with Australia Post using the prepaid label.