If you are thinking about outsourcing your warehousing and order fulfillment, the first question is usually the same: how much does a 3PL cost in Canada? The honest answer is that it depends on what you ship, how much you store and how many orders you send out each month. But 3PL pricing is not a mystery. Almost every provider builds its price from the same handful of fees.
This guide explains each fee, gives typical 2026 price ranges in Canadian dollars, and shows how to estimate your own monthly cost before you ask for quotes.
Quick answer: typical 3PL costs in Canada (2026)
Industry pricing guides and warehouse surveys put most Canadian 3PL fees in these ranges. Use them as a starting point, not a price list: your quote will depend on your products and volume.
| Fee | Typical range (CAD) | How it is charged |
|---|---|---|
| Receiving | $6 to $20 per pallet; $300 to $600 per container | Per pallet, carton, container or hour |
| Pallet storage | $15 to $40 per pallet per month | Per pallet, shelf, bin or cubic foot |
| Pick and pack (first item) | $2.50 to $4.00 per order | Per order |
| Each additional item | $0.25 to $0.75 | Per extra unit in the same order |
| Packaging | Varies by box or mailer | Per order, or supplied by you |
| Kitting and special projects | $35 to $60 per hour | Per hour or per kit |
| Returns processing | $2 to $7 per return | Per return |
| Shipping | Often 50% to 70% of the total | Per shipment, by carrier rate |
Put together, many direct-to-consumer brands land somewhere between $8 and $15 per order all-in for a typical domestic parcel, with shipping making up the largest share.
The fees that make up a 3PL quote
1. Receiving
Receiving covers unloading your inventory, counting it, checking it against your purchase order and putting it away. It is usually charged per pallet, per carton or per hour, and full containers often have a flat unloading fee. Canadian warehouses tend to charge a little more for receiving than US ones. Clean, well-labelled shipments with a packing list cost less to receive than mixed, unlabelled cartons.
2. Storage
Storage is a monthly fee for the space your inventory uses. Pallet storage is the most common unit, but many warehouses also offer shelf storage and bin storage for smaller products, so you are not paying for a full pallet position when you only have a few cartons. Watch for long-term storage surcharges: some providers charge more for stock that sits for six or twelve months.
3. Pick and pack
This is the fee for picking the items in each order off the shelf, packing them and labelling the parcel. It is normally a per-order fee for the first item plus a smaller fee for every additional item. B2B orders, such as cartons or pallets going to a retailer, are priced differently from single parcels going to a customer.
4. Packaging and materials
Boxes, poly mailers, void fill, tape and inserts are either included in the pick and pack fee or billed separately. If you use branded boxes or inserts, you can usually supply your own and the 3PL will use them.
5. Shipping and freight
Shipping is usually the biggest single cost in fulfillment. A 3PL with good carrier accounts can often get better parcel and LTL rates than a small brand can on its own, so compare the shipping rates in each quote, not only the warehouse fees.
6. Value-added services
Extra services are priced separately: kitting and custom packaging, Amazon FBA prep, Walmart WFS prep, relabelling, and returns processing. Hourly work like kitting is common, and the minimum billable time varies by provider.
7. Setup fees and monthly minimums
Some 3PLs charge a one-time onboarding or integration fee, and many set a monthly minimum spend. Industry surveys show average monthly minimums rising over the last few years. Always ask about both before you sign, because a low per-order rate with a high minimum can cost more than it looks for a growing brand.
Example: estimating your monthly 3PL cost
Here is a simple example using mid-range figures for a small online brand. It is an illustration only, not a Newsom 3PL quote.
| Item | Assumption | Monthly cost (CAD) |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | 6 pallets at $25 | $150 |
| Receiving | 2 pallets received at $15 | $30 |
| Pick and pack | 500 orders at $3.25 (first item) | $1,625 |
| Additional items | 250 extra units at $0.50 | $125 |
| Packaging | 500 mailers at $0.60 | $300 |
| Warehouse total | Before shipping | $2,230 |
That works out to about $4.50 per order before shipping. Add your carrier rates on top to get your true cost per order, then compare it with what it costs you today to store, pack and ship in-house, including staff time, space and packaging.
What affects the price you will be quoted
- Order volume: higher, steadier volume usually means a lower per-order rate.
- Items per order: more units per order adds per-item picking fees.
- Product size and weight: bulky or heavy items take more space and handling.
- Inventory turnover: fast-moving stock costs less to store than slow-moving stock.
- Special handling: fragile, high-value or lot-tracked products take more care.
- Sales channels: Shopify, Amazon, Walmart and retail orders each have their own requirements.
- Location: a warehouse close to your customers cuts shipping costs and delivery times. For brands selling across Ontario, a 3PL in Mississauga puts inventory next to Toronto and the GTA.
Tips to lower your 3PL costs
- Send inventory in clearly labelled cartons with a packing list to keep receiving fees down.
- Use the smallest storage unit that fits: bins or shelves instead of full pallets for small SKUs.
- Choose packaging sized to your products to cut packaging and dimensional shipping costs.
- Clear out slow-moving stock before long-term storage fees apply.
- Ask for a quote based on your real order data, not a generic package.
How Newsom 3PL prices fulfillment
At Newsom 3PL, every quote is built around the services you actually use, from warehousing and storage to ecommerce fulfillment and shipping, all from our Mississauga warehouse. See how our quotes work, or read our guide on how to choose a 3PL in Toronto.
Share your monthly order volume, products and storage needs on our contact page and we will send you a custom quote.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 3PL cost per order in Canada?
Pick and pack fees typically run about $2.50 to $4.00 for the first item in an order, plus $0.25 to $0.75 for each additional item. Once packaging and shipping are added, many brands pay roughly $8 to $15 per order all-in for domestic parcels.
How much does pallet storage cost in Canada?
Pallet storage at Canadian 3PLs generally costs about $15 to $40 per pallet per month, depending on the location, the type of storage and how long the inventory stays.
Do 3PLs have minimum order requirements?
Many do. Some providers set a monthly minimum spend or a minimum number of orders, while others work with smaller brands. Ask each 3PL about minimums, setup fees and contract length before comparing prices.
Is a 3PL cheaper than fulfilling orders yourself?
Often, once you count rent, staff, equipment, packaging and the shipping discounts a 3PL can access. It depends on your volume. Compare your current all-in cost per order with a real quote to see the difference.
What information do I need to get a 3PL quote?
Have your average monthly orders, items per order, number of SKUs, product sizes and weights, how much inventory you hold, and the channels you sell on. The more accurate your data, the more accurate your quote.
Price ranges are based on 2025 to 2026 industry pricing guides and warehouse surveys and are shown in Canadian dollars as a general guide. Actual pricing varies by provider and by account.