How much does a 3PL actually cost? A real, line-by-line breakdown
At CHG, a typical D2C order costs around $6 all-in — pick, pack and shipping together — and drops toward $5 per order once you’re above ~10,000 orders a month. Pick-and-pack itself starts at $2.50, and shipping is capped so a sub-1 lb parcel never exceeds $5. But that all-in number is built from seven separate fees — and the ones that blow up your bill usually aren’t the obvious ones.
The 7 fees every 3PL charges
Every fulfillment quote, no matter how it’s packaged, breaks down into these seven line items. Here’s what each covers, the typical 2026 market range, and what CHG charges.
| Line item | What it covers | Typical 2026 market range | CHG |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Receiving / intake | Unloading, counting, and putting away your inbound inventory | $25–$50 / hr or per-unit | $35–$45 / hr |
| 2. Storage | Holding inventory — per pallet, shelf, or bin per month | $20–$45 / pallet / mo | $25–$35 / pallet |
| 3. Pick & pack | Picking items and packing the order — the core fee | $2.50–$4.00 first item | From $2.50 |
| 4. Packaging materials | Boxes, mailers, dunnage, tape | Included or $0.25–$1.50 | Billed separately, at cost |
| 5. Outbound shipping | The carrier label (UPS/USPS/FedEx) | Carrier rate ± markup | ≤$5 sub-1 lb · $5–$7 (1–5 lb) |
| 6. Returns | Receiving, inspecting, restocking a return | 2–3× the outbound pick | $3–$5 / return |
| 7. Account minimum | Monthly floor if volume is low | ~$500 / mo avg | None (D2C) · $2,000 B2B |
The one that matters most: shipping markup. Many 3PLs quote a low pick fee, then quietly add margin to the carrier rate on every single order. On 2,000 orders a month, a $0.75 markup is $1,500 — more than the pick fee itself. So always ask: “Do you pass carrier rates through at cost, or do you mark them up?” At CHG the answer is simple: we pass our discounted carrier rates straight through with no per-order markup — which is why a sub-1 lb parcel never costs more than $5.
The hidden fees to watch for (named)
These are the charges that turn a “cheap” quote into an expensive bill. Ask about every one in writing before you sign.
- Setup / integration fees — one-time charges to connect your store. CHG: $0 — no setup or integration fees, ever.
- Account-management fees — a monthly charge just to have a rep. CHG: $0 — a dedicated contact is included.
- Long-term storage penalties — surcharges once inventory sits 30/60/90+ days. CHG: none — standard per-pallet storage, no age penalty.
- Receiving penalties — fees for inbound that isn’t labeled or palletized to spec. CHG: only for non-compliant inbound (unlabeled or not palletized to spec).
- Relabeling / rework — per-unit charges to fix or relabel product. CHG: none for standard handling.
- Minimum-spend shortfall — you’re billed the difference if you don’t hit the minimum. CHG: no D2C minimum; B2B is a straightforward $2,000/mo floor.
- Branded-packaging surcharge — extra to use your own boxes/inserts. CHG: $0 — bring your own boxes and inserts at no surcharge.
Here’s exactly what CHG charges
Most 3PLs route you to a “contact sales” form. We think that’s backwards. Here’s our published starting pricing — the same numbers we’d quote you on a call.
| Service | CHG price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| D2C order, all-in (pick + pack + shipping) | ~$6 → ~$5 | ~$5 above ~10,000 orders/mo |
| Pick & pack (first item) | From $2.50 | Scales down with volume; box & shipping separate |
| Each additional item | $0.50 | Per extra item in the same order |
| Shipping — under 1 lb | Never over $5 | Discounted carrier rate, passed through |
| Shipping — 1 to 5 lb | $5–$7 | No per-order markup |
| Storage (per pallet / mo) | $25–$35 | No long-term-storage age penalty |
| Returns processing | $3–$5 | Receive, inspect & restock |
| Setup fee | $0 | No setup fees, ever |
B2B & wholesale pricing
B2B is a different game — you’re moving pallets and cases, not single parcels, so it’s priced differently. CHG B2B starts at a $2,000/month minimum for accounts shipping at least 15 pallets and 15 outbound shipments a month, on a transparent pallet-in / pallet-out model. The fastest way to see your exact number is our live calculator:
Run your numbers in the CHG calculator →
A real monthly bill, worked out
Say you’re a supplement brand shipping 1,500 orders a month, ~2 items each. At an all-in of about $6 per order, here’s roughly where you land on CHG pricing:
| Line | Calculation | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Fulfillment, all-in (pick + pack + shipping) | 1,500 orders × ~$6 | ~$9,000 |
| Storage | 6 pallets × ~$30 | ~$180 |
| Estimated total | ~$9,180 / month |
At 10,000+ orders/month, the all-in drops toward ~$5/order — so the same math scales in your favor as you grow.
How to compare 3PL rate cards apples-to-apples
Quotes look different on purpose — it makes them hard to compare. Normalize every quote to cost per order, all-in, using your real numbers:
- Take your average order (items per order, weight, destination mix).
- Add up receiving + pick + pack + materials for that order.
- Add the real shipping label — and confirm whether it’s marked up.
- Divide monthly storage + minimums by your order count and add per-order.
- Add an estimate for returns at your real return rate.
That single “all-in cost per order” number is the only fair way to compare providers. If a 3PL won’t give you the inputs to calculate it, that’s your answer.
Frequently asked questions
Does CHG charge a setup fee?
Do you mark up shipping rates?
Is there a monthly minimum?
How much does fulfillment cost for a small brand?
Get your real number
A transparent, itemized quote for your exact order profile — free 15-minute call, no setup fees, no pressure.
Book a meetingMarket ranges cited from 2026 industry benchmarks including Red Stag Fulfillment and ShipBob pricing breakdowns. CHG figures reflect our own published rates.