If you are trying to figure out how much a 3PL costs, you hit the same wall every time. You fill out a form, you sit through a call, and you still leave without a number you can put in a spreadsheet. A lot of 3PL pricing is built that way on purpose.

So here is the number, and everything behind it. What fulfillment costs in 2026, what each line item actually means, and the fees that eat your margin if you do not catch them before you sign.

The short answer: what a 3PL costs

For most small and mid-size brands, pick-and-pack runs about $2 to $4 per order. That covers the labor of pulling your items, packing them, and handing the box to the carrier. Add storage, receiving, and returns, and a typical domestic DTC order usually lands around $8 to $15 all-in once you include shipping.

Why such a wide range? Because your cost depends on what you sell and how your orders look. A one-item supplement order is cheap to pack. A five-item apparel bundle with tissue paper and a thank-you card is not.

What you are actually paying for

A real quote has six or seven moving parts: receiving and intake, storage, pick and pack, packaging materials, shipping, returns, and account management. Some 3PLs fold these into one rate; many bill them separately. Container unloading alone can run $200 to $400, storage is usually $20 to $40 per pallet per month, and returns run $3 to $10 each.

The three pricing models

Every quote follows one of three shapes: per-order all-in (one flat fee, easiest to forecast), per-item (fair for single-item sellers, rough on bundles), or hybrid (a base fee plus per-item charges, the most common). Nearly every 3PL also sets a monthly minimum. ShipBob, for example, runs a $275 monthly minimum plus setup fees, with pick-and-pack near $5 an order.

A realistic monthly example

Ship 500 orders a month, one item each, one pallet of inventory: pick and pack around $1,500, storage about $30, returns about $75. That puts you near $1,600 a month before postage, or about $3.20 an order. You should be able to run this math off any quote in 90 seconds. If you cannot, the quote is too vague to trust.

How to compare quotes without getting played

Tap each one as you confirm it:

• Get the all-in cost per order at your real volume and SKU mix.
• Get receiving, storage, and returns in writing, not “we’ll figure it out later.”
• Confirm the monthly minimum and any setup fee.
• Ask about peak surcharges before you sign for a year.
• Find out who runs your account and how fast they answer.

How we price it at Shiplakes

We built our pricing to pass that 90-second test. Pick-and-pack starts from $1.98 per order, and the tiers are published, so you can build your P&L without booking three sales calls first. No receiving fees hidden in the fine print. Billing is weekly on Net 7, itemized by service line. We fit brands shipping 50 to 1,000 orders a month, out of Warren, Michigan.