Chargeable Weight Calculator
Compare actual weight against dimensional weight to find the billable figure your carrier will rate the shipment on, and see which of the two is driving the cost.
Dimensional weight wins by 96.3 lb, so the shipment is billed as if it weighed 276.3 lb. Reducing the box size is the only way to lower this.
Greater of the two, never the average
Chargeable weight is a deliberately one-sided rule. The carrier computes what the shipment weighs and what its volume converts to, and charges whichever is larger. There is no blending and no midpoint: if dimensional weight exceeds actual weight by a single pound, that is the figure on the invoice.
Knowing which side is winning tells you what to do about it. When volume wins, the fix is physical — a smaller carton, less void fill, a tighter pack. When weight wins, the packaging is already efficient and effort is better spent on rate negotiation or consolidation than on box sizing.
Worked example: volume wins
A 40 × 32 × 30 inch carton weighing 180 lb, at a divisor of 139.
Volume is 38,400 in³, so dimensional weight is 38,400 ÷ 139 = 276.3 lb.
That beats the 180 lb actual weight, so the shipment is billed at 276.3 lb — 96 lb of air.
Worked example: weight wins
A 48 × 40 × 60 inch pallet weighing 1,200 lb, at a divisor of 250.
Dimensional weight is 115,200 ÷ 250 = 460.8 lb, well under the actual 1,200 lb, so the shipment bills at 1200 lb. Shrinking this box saves nothing; the freight is already dense enough that volume is irrelevant to the price.
Keep going
- Chargeable weight needs a dimensional weight to compare against; the DIM calculator derives it from dimensions and your carrier's divisor. Dimensional Weight Calculator
- LTL rates on class as well as weight; the freight class calculator covers the other half of what sets the price. Freight Class Calculator
Frequently Asked Questions
What is chargeable weight?
Chargeable weight, also called billable weight, is the weight a carrier actually rates a shipment on: whichever is greater of the actual scale weight and the dimensional weight derived from its volume. It exists so a carrier is paid for whichever resource the shipment consumes more of, mass or space.
Which one usually wins, actual or dimensional?
Dense freight bills on actual weight; light bulky freight bills on dimensional. The crossover point depends entirely on your divisor. At a divisor of 139 a package needs roughly 139 cubic inches per pound to break even; anything airier than that is billed on volume.
How can I lower my chargeable weight?
If dimensional weight is winning, the only lever is making the package smaller, because the divisor is set by the carrier. If actual weight is winning, the packaging is already efficient and shrinking the box will not save anything.
Does chargeable weight apply to LTL freight?
Some LTL carriers apply dimensional rules to low-density shipments, but traditional LTL prices on freight class and weight rather than a chargeable-weight comparison. Chargeable weight is most consistently used in parcel and air freight.
Is chargeable weight rounded?
Usually, and the rounding rule is carrier-specific — some round each package up to the next whole pound, others to the next half kilogram, and air freight often rounds to the next half kilo. This calculator returns the unrounded comparison so you can apply your carrier's rule.
Related Calculators
- CBM Calculator — Dimensions & Weight
- Dimensional Weight Calculator — Dimensions & Weight
- Freight Class Calculator — Freight Classification
- Freight Density Calculator — Freight Classification