Shipping Cost Calculator

Compares a package's actual weight against its volumetric (dimensional) weight — calculated from its dimensions and a carrier's dim factor — and estimates shipping cost using the greater of the two, the same way most carriers bill.

Enter the actual weight in kg, the length, width and height in cm, your carrier's dim factor, and the cost per kg. Results update immediately as you change any field.

With the defaults of 2 kg actual weight, 30×20×15 cm dimensions, a dim factor of 5000, and 8 per kg, volumetric weight = (30 × 20 × 15) ÷ 5000 = 1.8 kg. Since the 2 kg actual weight is higher, billable weight is 2 kg, and shipping cost = 2 × 8 = 16.00.

Volumetric weight = (length × width × height) ÷ dim factor. Billable weight = the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight. Shipping cost = billable weight × cost per kg.

A large, lightweight box takes up as much space on a truck or plane as a small, heavy one, so carriers bill by whichever is greater — actual or volumetric weight — to account for space rather than only mass. A common dim factor is 5000 for cm/kg, used by many international air-freight carriers, but express couriers and ground carriers often use 4000, 5000 or 6000; always check your specific carrier's published rate sheet before relying on this estimate.

This estimates a single package's shipping cost from one flat rate per kg — it doesn't include fuel surcharges, remote-area fees, customs duties, insurance, minimum charges, or the tiered/zone-based pricing many carriers actually use. Treat the result as a rough estimate, not a quote.

The greater-of-actual-or-volumetric-weight billing method follows standard practice across air and ground freight carriers, though the exact dim factor and rate structure vary by carrier and service level. The calculation runs entirely in your browser; the values you enter are never uploaded.