3PL Cost Calculator
Third-party fulfilment against doing it yourself.
Include your own labour at a real rate.
3PL cost per order
$3.19
more than in-house
Excluding shipping, which both models pay. Compare on your fully loaded in-house cost — a 3PL quote against a postage-only figure is the usual mistake.
How the 3PL Cost Calculator works
3PL pricing is built from several separate charges — receiving, storage, pick, pack, materials, shipping — and comparing it to in-house fulfilment only works if your own labour is costed at a real rate. Done honestly the comparison is often closer than either side expects.
Not financial advice. Marketplace fees change, and they vary by country, plan and seller status. Every rate here is an editable default, not a quoted price — check the platform's current fee schedule before you price a product against it. This is not tax or business advice.
Frequently asked questions
How do 3PLs charge?
Typically a receiving fee per pallet or carton, monthly storage per pallet or bin, a pick fee for the first item and a smaller one for each additional, a pack fee, packaging materials, and the shipping itself. Some add account management or minimum monthly charges.
When does a 3PL become worth it?
When order volume makes your own time the binding constraint, or when you need geographic coverage you cannot provide. Below a few hundred orders a month, in-house is usually cheaper on paper — the question is what your hours are worth elsewhere.
What costs get overlooked in the comparison?
On the in-house side: your own labour, space, insurance, and the equipment. On the 3PL side: long-term storage surcharges, receiving fees on every inbound shipment, and the minimum monthly charge that applies in quiet periods.
How do I compare fairly?
Total cost per order across a full month, including your labour at what you would pay someone else, and including storage on average inventory rather than peak. Comparing a 3PL quote against a postage-only in-house figure is the usual mistake.