CBM Calculator
Cubic metres for cartons, pallets and containers.
Calculate CBM (cubic metres) from carton dimensions in cm, metres or inches, with container fill and the volumetric weight the same volume implies.
Identical cartons. For a mixed load, run each size and add the results.
Total volume
0.480 CBM
1 × 0.4800 CBM
Measure the outer carton at its widest point, including packaging. Carriers charge on the space given up, not on the flat-packed spec.
How the CBM Calculator works
CBM is the unit almost all international freight is quoted in, and it is the one number a forwarder will ask for before quoting anything. It is simply length times width times height in metres, multiplied by the number of cartons, but the mistake that costs money is arithmetic in centimetres: a carton measured in cm has to be divided by a million, not by a hundred, and an order of magnitude in either direction turns a quote into nonsense.
Also known as: cubic metre calculator · cubic meter calculator · volume weight calculator · m3 calculator
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 you calculate CBM?
Multiply length by width by height with all three in metres, then multiply by the number of cartons. From centimetres, divide the product by 1,000,000; from inches, convert each side by 0.0254 first. A 100 x 80 x 60 cm carton is 0.48 CBM.
How many CBM fit in a shipping container?
A 20ft container holds roughly 33 CBM and a 40ft around 67, with a 40ft high cube near 76. Those are internal capacities, not what you will actually load: real stuffing rates run 75-85% because boxes do not tessellate perfectly and pallets waste height.
Is CBM the same as volumetric weight?
No, though they are calculated from the same measurements. CBM is a volume; volumetric weight converts that volume into a billable weight using the carrier's divisor. One CBM is about 167 kg by air and 200 kg by express courier.
Should I measure the carton or the product?
The carton, including any packaging, because that is the space the carrier has to give up. Measure the outer dimensions at their widest points; a bulging box is charged on the bulge, not on the flat-packed dimensions printed on the spec sheet.
Put this calculator on your own site
Free to use, on any site, commercial or not. Paste this where you want it to appear. It is a plain iframe, so it works in WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, Webflow, Ghost and anything else that accepts HTML.
<iframe src="https://www.thecalclibrary.com/embed/cbm-calculator" width="100%" height="640" style="border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:12px" loading="lazy" title="CBM Calculator"></iframe>The only condition is that the credit line stays visible. It sits inside the frame, so you do not have to do anything to keep it.