LCS vs Rider side by side
| LCS (Leopards) | Rider | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1983, Karachi | 2019, Karachi |
| Who it serves | Anyone: individuals, businesses, online sellers | Online sellers (merchants) |
| Coverage | Nationwide; 1,300 locations by 2000 | 16 hubs serving 60 cities (TechCrunch, June 2022); no current list on its site |
| Walk-in counters | Yes, Express Centers | No counters described; pickups from merchants |
| Speed | Overnight: next working day. Economy: 2 to 3 days | After-hours pickups for next-morning delivery, per its website |
| When sellers get paid | Retail COD: weekly, within a week of delivery | “Merchants are paid when the Rider picks up the product” |
| Tracking | CN number on public trackers | Live tracking on its merchant portal and customer app |
| Helpline | 021 111 300 786 | Not listed on its website |
| Rates | Official rate calculator | Not published |
Confirm Rider still serves your city before you switch. Its website doesn’t list cities, prices or a phone number, and its company status has changed since the 2022 figures above.
What’s known about Rider
TechCrunch reported in June 2022 that Rider was founded in 2019 by Salman Allana, a former UPS Pakistan executive. At that point it ran 16 hubs serving 60 cities, had delivered 3 million parcels for about 650 online sellers, and had raised US$5.4 million. In October 2023, Dawn reported that Rider was looking into buying the e-commerce logistics business of BlueEx; that report didn’t describe a completed deal. Y Combinator’s company page, checked on 17 October 2026, lists Rider as “Acquired” and gives no buyer or date.
Rider’s own website (checked the same day) describes pickup, transport and delivery for merchants, after-hours pickups for next-morning delivery, safe cash collection with “instant or 24 hour cash reconciliation”, and live tracking in its merchant portal and customer app.
Which one should you use?
A judgement based on what each company publishes, not a ranking:
| If | Lean towards |
|---|---|
| Cash flow is your biggest problem | Ask Rider about its pay-at-pickup model, and get terms, fees and cities in writing first |
| You ship to small towns or need a counter | Leopards, with its Express Center network and published services |
| You send documents or personal parcels | Leopards. Rider describes itself as a service for merchants. |
| You want public tracking your buyers can use | Leopards: CNs work on our homepage tracker and the official tracker |
Many sellers use two couriers, one for the big cities and one for everywhere else. If you do, keep each parcel’s courier name next to its tracking number so buyers know where to look. For Leopards’ COD details, see the Leopards COD guide. Other comparisons: LCS vs TCS and LCS vs M&P.
Frequently asked questions
Is Rider still operating?
Its website was live on 17 October 2026, and Y Combinator lists its status as “Acquired”. Ask Rider directly whether it covers your cities before booking.
Does Rider pay sellers faster than Leopards?
Rider says merchants are paid when it picks up the product. Leopards Retail COD pays weekly, within a week of delivery. Confirm Rider’s fees and terms before comparing.
Can I track a Rider parcel on LCS Tracking?
No. LCS Tracking reads Leopards CN numbers only. Rider parcels are tracked in Rider’s app or merchant portal.
Sent it with Leopards?
Enter the CN on the homepage to follow it.
Sources
Rider website (services, pay-at-pickup, tracking) · TechCrunch, 19 June 2022 · Dawn, 6 October 2023 · Y Combinator company page · Leopards Express services · Leopards Retail COD.
Also see: How to track an LCS parcel · Leopards helpline · Disclaimer