To make only UPS Ground free, use a shipping discount that targets the rate by name: choose Choose specific rates, type Ground, add it as a wildcard match and set it to Free. Shopify’s own free shipping discount makes every eligible rate free, UPS Next Day Air included. Its only rate control is “Exclude shipping rates over a certain amount”, which Shopify says applies to shipping rates only and is unrelated to order amounts. It filters by price, not by service. RM: Advanced Free Shipping discounts any rate Shopify shows at checkout, including live carrier-calculated UPS rates, so Ground is free and every other UPS service keeps its price. It costs $9.90 USD every 30 days, with a 7-day free trial, billed by Shopify.

Barbank (US) wrote in their App Store review that they had been looking for a way to discount specific shipping methods, “in our case, discount UPS Ground only”, and that our support team helped them set it up.

What the customer gets

In this example, UPS Ground is free over $75. The rate names and prices are illustrative, because live UPS rates change with the parcel and the address.

  • A $90 cart: the rates are UPS Ground $12.85, UPS 3 Day Select $21.40, UPS 2nd Day Air $29.60 and UPS Next Day Air $58.15. UPS Ground drops from $12.85 to $0. The rest stay full price. The customer pays $90 with Ground, or $90 + $29.60 = $119.60 with 2nd Day Air.
  • A $60 cart with the same rates: it’s under $75, so nothing changes. The customer pays $60 + $12.85 = $72.85 with Ground.
  • A heavy $200 cart: UPS Ground is $31.20 and UPS 2nd Day Air is $64.80. Ground drops to $0, and 2nd Day Air stays $64.80. The customer pays $200 with Ground.

The heavy cart shows why the name matters. Its Ground rate costs more than the light cart’s 2nd Day Air. A price filter such as “exclude rates over $30” would leave this Ground rate full price and make that 2nd Day Air rate free. Matching by name keeps Ground free at any price.

Example checkout for a $90 cart: UPS Ground drops from $12.85 to FREE, labeled Free UPS Ground over $75, while UPS 3 Day Select stays $21.40, UPS 2nd Day Air $29.60 and UPS Next Day Air $58.15. Total USD $90.00

Set it up

  1. In the app, click Create Shipping Discount. Under Discount method, choose Automatic discount, and enter a Title such as “Free UPS Ground over $75”.
  2. In Conditions, click Add condition. Keep Cart total, set Is at least and enter 75.
  3. In Discount setup, set Delivery type to Shipping and Which rates to Choose specific rates.
  4. In the rate search, type Ground and choose Add “Ground” (wildcard match). It matches any rate whose name contains “Ground”, ignoring upper and lower case.
  5. Set Discount value to Free.
  6. Click Create discount.

Typing Express in the rate search shows the rates Express and Express Overnight, plus an Add "Express" (wildcard match) option, with Discount value Free

The screenshot shows a search for Express. For this offer, type Ground instead.

Copy the name from your checkout

The rate list in the app comes from your shipping settings and can include carrier service names. A rate picked from the list has to match the checkout name exactly, and carrier names can carry extras such as “UPS® Ground”. Run a test checkout, copy the exact service name you see, and use a keyword from it as a wildcard. That’s why this guide uses Ground rather than the full name.

Variations

  • Free Ground and $10 off 2nd Day Air: open the ⋯ menu on Discount setup, choose Add delivery discount, add a 2nd Day wildcard and set Fixed Amount Off 10. On the $90 cart, 2nd Day Air drops from $29.60 to $19.60.
  • Free Ground to the lower 48 states only: add Shipping country Is one of United States and Province / State Is not one of Alaska and Hawaii in the same rule group. See free shipping by state.
  • Free Ground, but not on very costly parcels: tick Exclude rates over a certain amount and set the Maximum eligible rate to 35. The $31.20 rate stays free, and a $38.40 Ground rate stays full price.
  • Free on whichever rate is cheapest: choose Cheapest shipping rate instead. See free cheapest shipping rate.

Good to know

  • If you also show USPS or FedEx rates, use a more specific keyword. Ground also matches “USPS Ground Advantage” and “FedEx Ground”. Type the UPS part as it appears at checkout instead, such as UPS® Ground.
  • To fix a Ground rate that isn’t discounted, check its name at checkout and use a wildcard keyword. A picked name that differs by one character won’t match.
  • To test it, turn on Test mode and check out with the shipping first name ABC123. Try carts at $74 and $75.

Install RM: Advanced Free Shipping from the Shopify App Store.