Shipping Cost Calculator

Shipping cost is rarely just weight times rate, and understanding the base fee and the zone multiplier is what stops a parcel quote coming as a surprise.

Chargeable weightKilograms. Use the greater of actual and volumetric weight.Base feeFlat handling charge per parcel, in your currency.Rate per kilogramCharge for each kilogram above the base.Zone multiplier1 for a local zone, higher for distant or remote areas.

Total shipping cost

$27.00

Weight charge: $12.50
Base fee: $10.00
Effective cost per kilogram: $5.40

Values update as you type. This calculator covers the single scenario its formula assumes — see Common Mistakes for what it leaves out.

The formula this calculator uses

cost = (base fee + weight x rate per kg) x zone multiplier

cost: Total shipping charge
base: Flat handling fee charged per parcel
w: Chargeable weight of the parcel
rate: Charge per kilogram
zone: Distance or region multiplier

How to check the result by hand

1
Weigh the parcel as packed
Include the box, the filler and the label. The shipping weight is the finished parcel, not the item inside it, and packaging can easily add a kilogram.
2
Work out the volumetric weight as well
Multiply the three dimensions and divide by the carrier's divisor. If that number is larger than the actual weight, it is what you will be charged on.
3
Apply the per kilogram rate
Multiply the chargeable weight by the rate. Five kilograms at two fifty is twelve fifty, and this is the variable part of the cost.
4
Add the flat base fee
Ten of base fee brings the subtotal to twenty two fifty. The base fee applies once per parcel regardless of weight, so consolidating two parcels into one saves it.
5
Multiply by the zone factor
A zone multiplier of 1.2 turns twenty two fifty into twenty seven. Check whether the carrier's zone table is applied before or after the base fee, because the order changes the answer.

For worked examples, common mistakes and the limits of this formula, read the full How To Calculate Shipping Cost page.