# Free standard shipping, not express, on Shopify

To make only standard shipping free, use a shipping discount that targets rates by name: choose **Choose specific rates**, select Standard, and set it to **Free**. Shopify's own [free shipping discount](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/discounts/discount-types/free-shipping) makes every eligible rate free, express included. Its only rate control is "exclude rates over a certain amount", which filters by price, not by name. [RM: Advanced Free Shipping](https://apps.shopify.com/better-free-shipping) discounts the rates you name, so Express stays full price whatever each rate costs. It costs $9.90 USD every 30 days, with a 7-day free trial, billed by Shopify.

## What the customer gets

In this example, Standard is free over $100. The rates are Standard $8.90 and Express $24.90.

- **A $120 cart:** Standard drops from $8.90 to $0. Express stays $24.90. The customer pays $120 with Standard, or $120 + $24.90 = $144.90 with Express.
- **An $80 cart:** it's under $100, so nothing changes. The customer pays $80 + $8.90 = $88.90 with Standard.

At checkout, Standard shows $8.90 crossed out with your discount's title underneath. Express shows at its normal price. The app discounts rates and never hides them.

![Example checkout for a $120 cart: Standard shows $8.90 crossed out and FREE, labeled Free standard shipping over $100, while Express stays $24.90. Total USD $120.00](/images/checkout-standard120.png)

![Example checkout for an $80 cart: under the threshold, Standard is $8.90 and Express $24.90. Total USD $88.90](/images/checkout-standard80.png)

![Discount setup with Delivery type Shipping, Which rates set to Choose specific rates, the Standard rate selected, and Discount value Free](/images/specific-rates.png)

## Set it up

1. In the app, click **Create Shipping Discount**. Under **Discount method**, choose **Automatic discount** or **Discount code**. Enter a **Title** such as "Free standard shipping over $100".
2. In **Conditions**, click **Add condition**. Keep **Cart total**, set **Is at least** and enter `100`. Leave **Conditions** empty to make Standard free on every order.
3. In **Discount setup**, set **Delivery type** to **Shipping** and **Which rates** to **Choose specific rates**.
4. Click the rate search and select your standard rate from the list. The list comes from your store's shipping settings.
5. Set **Discount value** to **Free**.
6. Click **Create discount**.

Express, overnight and every rate you didn't select stay full price.

## When the rate name changes at checkout

Live [carrier-calculated rates](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/fulfillment/setup/shipping-rates/third-party-carrier-calculated-shipping) often show a longer name at checkout, such as "UPS® Ground" or "Standard (3–5 business days)". A rate picked from the list has to match its name exactly. To match every version, type a keyword such as `Ground` or `Standard` and choose **Add "Standard" (wildcard match)**. It matches any rate whose name contains that word, ignoring upper and lower case.

![Typing Express in the rate search shows matching rates from the list, plus an Add "Express" (wildcard match) option](/images/specific-rates-wildcard.png)

## Variations

- **Free Standard and $10 off Express:** open the **⋯** menu on **Discount setup** and choose **Add delivery discount**. Select Express and set **Fixed Amount Off** `10`. A $120 cart then pays $0 for Standard or $14.90 for Express.
- **Half-price Express:** in that second delivery discount, choose **Percentage** `50`. Express drops from $24.90 to $12.45.
- **Free on whichever rate is cheapest:** choose **Cheapest shipping rate** instead. See [free cheapest shipping rate](/guides/free-cheapest-shipping-rate.md).
- **Only with a code**, for example in a welcome email: choose **Discount code** in step 1. The code makes only Standard free.
- **Only for VIP customers:** add **Customer tag Contains VIP**. See [free shipping for VIP customers](/guides/free-shipping-for-vip-customers.md).

## Good to know

- **To keep Standard free when it costs more than Express**, target it by name, as above. Price filters such as "exclude rates over $20" break when a heavy order's Standard rate costs more than a light order's Express rate.
- **To fix a rate that isn't discounted at checkout**, type a keyword and use the wildcard match. The picked name is probably slightly different from the checkout name.
- **To avoid matching too much with a wildcard**, use a specific word. `Post` matches both "Express Post" and "Parcel Post".
- **To let the discount do the work**, remove any $0 Standard rate from **Settings → Shipping and delivery**. There's nothing left to discount on a rate that's already free.
- **To test it**, turn on **Test mode** and check out with the shipping first name `ABC123`.

## Related

- [Discount specific shipping rates](/discount-specific-shipping-rates.md)
- [Make only the cheapest shipping rate free](/guides/free-cheapest-shipping-rate.md)
- [Percentage off shipping](/guides/percentage-off-shipping.md)
- [What Shopify's free shipping discount can't do](/shopify-free-shipping-limits.md)

[Install RM: Advanced Free Shipping from the Shopify App Store](https://apps.shopify.com/better-free-shipping).