One direction leaves a strip empty
A 40 × 30 cm carton on a 120 × 100 cm pallet: nine fit when every carton points the same way, and a strip 10 cm wide stays empty.
Free pallet calculator
Find out how many cartons fit on a pallet. Enter the carton size and pick a pallet to get the best pattern for one layer, the number of layers, the load height and weight, and how many pallets your order needs. Free to use, and calculated in your browser.
Arrow keys turn the view. Plus and minus zoom.
- Load height
- 166.2 cm
- with the pallet
- Load weight
- 575 kg
- with the pallet
- Pallets needed
- 34
- 33 full and 1 with 20 cartons
No layout fits more cartons on this pallet. Height is the limit: one more layer would reach 191.2 cm.
How to work out a pallet load in 3 steps
Everything happens on this page. Nothing to install.
- Step 1
Enter the carton
Type the length, width and height of one carton and its weight. Switch to inches and pounds if that is how your cartons are measured.
- Step 2
Choose the pallet
Pick a Euro, standard or US pallet, or type your own size. Set the tallest and heaviest load your warehouse or carrier accepts.
- Step 3
Read the pattern
See how one layer is laid out, how many layers fit and how many cartons that makes. Compare the fullest pattern with plain straight rows, then download the plan for the people who stack it.
Cartons per layer for common carton sizes
Seven common carton footprints on the two pallets used most in export, as this calculator lays them out.
| Carton | Euro pallet · 120 × 80 cm | Standard pallet · 120 × 100 cm |
|---|---|---|
| 60 × 40 cm | Euro pallet4per layer100% of the pallet | Standard pallet5per layer100% of the pallet · 4 in one direction |
| 50 × 40 cm | Euro pallet4per layer83% of the pallet | Standard pallet6per layer100% of the pallet |
| 50 × 30 cm | Euro pallet6per layer94% of the pallet · 4 in one direction | Standard pallet8per layer100% of the pallet |
| 40 × 30 cm | Euro pallet8per layer100% of the pallet | Standard pallet10per layer100% of the pallet · 9 in one direction |
| 40 × 20 cm | Euro pallet12per layer100% of the pallet | Standard pallet15per layer100% of the pallet |
| 35 × 25 cm | Euro pallet10per layer91% of the pallet · 9 in one direction | Standard pallet13per layer95% of the pallet · 12 in one direction |
| 30 × 20 cm | Euro pallet16per layer100% of the pallet | Standard pallet20per layer100% of the pallet |
Cartons flat on the pallet with no overhang and no gaps. Lighter cartons in a drawing are turned a quarter turn.
Why the pattern changes the count
Dividing the pallet area by the carton area gives the most that could ever fit. The pattern decides how close you get.
Two directions fill the pallet
Turn one row a quarter turn and the strip disappears. The same carton now fits ten per layer and covers the whole pallet.
A less obvious layout finds one more
A 35 × 25 cm carton fits twelve in rows, in one direction or two. Blocks of both directions fitted against each other fit thirteen.
Pallet sizes and how many fit a container
The three pallets this calculator starts from. Choose More sizes for half pallets, Australian pallets and your own dimensions.
| Pallet | Size | Where it is common | In a 20 ft container | In a 40 ft container |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Euro pallet | Size 120 × 80 cm, 144 mm high120 × 80 cm | Common in Europe | In a 20 ft container 11 pallets | In a 40 ft container 25 pallets |
| Standard pallet | Size 120 × 100 cm, 162 mm high120 × 100 cm | Common in Asia, UK and export worldwide | In a 20 ft container 10 pallets | In a 40 ft container 22 pallets |
| US pallet | Size 48 × 40 in, 141 mm high48 × 40 in | Common in North America | In a 20 ft container 10 pallets | In a 40 ft container 21 pallets |
Container counts are one level on the floor with no gaps between pallets. In practice loaders leave a little room, so expect one pallet fewer in a 40 ft container.
What the calculator checks and what it does not
It answers how many cartons fit on a pallet and how to lay them.
Checked: fit, height and weight
Cartons stay inside the pallet edge unless you allow overhang. Layers stop at the height you set, and at the weight you set if that comes first.
Not checked: how much a carton can carry
The calculator does not know how strong your cartons are. Heavy products may need fewer layers than the height allows.
Your numbers stay with you
The pattern is calculated in your browser. The sizes you type are not uploaded.
Turning every other layer makes a stack hold together, and a column stack carries more weight. If your cartons are heavy, ask your packaging supplier which one to use.
Pallet questions, answered
What to know before you stack.
Is the pallet calculator free?
Yes. Calculating a pallet, viewing the pattern and downloading the plan are free.
How many boxes fit on a pallet?
It depends on the box. A 40 × 30 × 25 cm carton fits 10 per layer on a 120 × 100 cm pallet, and 6 layers under a height of 180 cm, which makes 60 cartons. Enter your own carton to get your number.
What do TI and HI mean?
TI is the number of cartons in one layer, also called the tier. HI is the number of layers. TI × HI is the number of cartons on the pallet. The example above is TI 10, HI 6.
How high can I stack a pallet?
That depends on your warehouse and carrier. Many set a limit between 150 and 180 cm with the pallet, and between 115 and 130 cm when two pallets are stacked in a container. Type your limit and the calculator stops there.
Should the layers be turned or stacked in columns?
Turned layers lock into each other and hold together better in transport. Columns line the carton corners up, where cartons are strongest, so they carry more weight. The calculator shows either.
Does it work in inches and pounds?
Yes. Switch the units at the top of the calculator. The US pallet is 48 × 40 inches.