Free Calculator

Should You Switch to a 3PL or Keep Fulfillment In-House?

Enter your real numbers. We'll calculate the true all-in cost of both options — including the hidden costs most brands miss.

In-House Fulfillment

Your current (or planned) warehouse costs

ShipStation, barcode scanners, WMS, etc.

3PL Fulfillment

Typical Canadian 3PL pricing (edit to match quotes)

Same as in-house — auto-synced

3PLs often get volume discounts

Spread over 12 months

Monthly Cost Comparison

3PL Saves More
$1,200
saved per month with 3PL fulfillment

In-House Breakdown

Warehouse rent$3,500
Staff costs$8,000
Packaging$2,250
Shipping$12,750
Software & tools$250
Insurance & misc$300
Total Monthly$27,050
Cost per order$18.03

3PL Breakdown

Pick & pack$4,875
Storage$420
Receiving$180
Shipping$10,500
Platform fee$500
Setup (amortized)$250
Total Monthly$16,725
Cost per order$11.15

When 3PL Makes Sense

  • Order volume is growing and hard to predict
  • You're spending management time on warehouse ops
  • You need multi-region shipping (e.g., US + Canada)
  • Seasonal peaks cause staffing headaches
  • You want to focus on product and marketing, not logistics

When In-House Makes Sense

  • Custom packaging or kitting is a brand differentiator
  • You need same-day turnaround for local delivery
  • Products require special handling (fragile, temp-controlled)
  • Order volume is stable and you have cheap warehouse space
  • You already have a well-trained, reliable warehouse team
Need help evaluating 3PLs? Book a free call →
Scroll to Top