Volumetric Weight Calculator — which carrier bills you least?
Enter one carton's size and weight and we compare the chargeable (dimensional) weight across DHL, FedEx, UPS, air and sea at once, right-size your box, and send the result straight to the Profit Margin tool.
Volumetric Weight Calculator
Adds an estimated freight cost for each lane, and flows to Profit Margin as per-unit shipping. Leave blank to skip.
Chargeable weight = the greater of actual gross weight and volumetric (dimensional) weight. Couriers (DHL/FedEx/UPS) divide by 5,000; IATA air freight by 6,000; sea freight bills on actual weight. Divisors and rate rules vary by carrier and commodity — confirm with your freight forwarder.
Every shipping number in one place
Volumetric weight is step one of landed cost. SellHandy links it to duty and profit so you stop re-typing numbers.
MOQ Calculator
Is that minimum order worth it — and what to negotiate to.
LiveCBM Calculator
Cartons → cubic meters, and what fits a 20ft / 40ft container.
LiveVolumetric Weight
Air-freight chargeable weight vs actual, across carriers.
LiveHS Code Lookup
Find the tariff code for your product in seconds.
LiveImport Duty
Estimate landed duty by HS code and destination.
LiveProfit Margin
True net margin after fees, shipping and returns.
LiveWhy volumetric weight silently eats your margin
A light but bulky carton can bill as "heavier" than a dense one. Know the chargeable weight before you quote.
What volumetric weight is
Volumetric (or dimensional) weight converts a parcel's size into a weight so carriers can price light-but-bulky cargo fairly. The formula is length × width × height (cm) ÷ a divisor. Express couriers (DHL, FedEx, UPS) use 5,000; IATA air freight uses 6,000. A bigger divisor means a smaller volumetric weight — which is why "air freight" can bill lighter than the couriers for the same box.
Actual vs chargeable
Carriers bill on the chargeable weight = the higher of actual gross weight and volumetric weight. A 40×30×25 cm carton weighing 8 kg has a volumetric weight of 5 kg (÷6000) — so it bills on its actual 8 kg. But a 60×40×40 cm carton at 3 kg has a volumetric weight of 16 kg and bills on 16 kg, not 3. This calculator shows the chargeable weight for every carrier side by side so you can pick the cheapest lane and avoid surprises.
Right-size to save
Open Compare an alternative box and type a tighter carton. We show its volumetric weight and the saving versus your current box — often the quickest way to cut shipping cost. Trim 2 cm off each side across 200 cartons and the freight saving adds up fast.
Works as your dimensional-weight checker
Use it as a volumetric weight calculator, a DHL/FedEx/UPS chargeable weight calculator, and a quick dimensional weight checker before you lock a freight quote. Then hit Send to Profit Margin — your chargeable weight (and an optional per-kg shipping estimate) flows straight into the profit math with no re-typing.
Worked example
One carton 40 × 30 × 25 cm, 3 kg, 200 cartons — a light, bulky box:
| Carrier | Chargeable weight |
|---|---|
| DHL / FedEx / UPS (÷5000) | 1,200 kg (volumetric 1,200 > actual 600) |
| Air freight (÷6000) | 1,000 kg (volumetric 1,000 > actual 600) |
| Sea freight | 600 kg (actual only) |
For a light, bulky carton the volumetric weight sets the bill on every air lane, while sea stays on actual weight. Actual weight is the floor for every lane; the highest volumetric is the ceiling.