Volumetric Weight Calculator
Work out volumetric and chargeable weight in kg from box size in cm for express courier, air, road or sea freight, plus total volume in m³.
Couriers and freight forwarders charge by volumetric weight when a shipment is bulky for its weight. Volumetric weight converts the space a parcel or pallet takes into kilograms, and the chargeable weight is whichever is greater: that figure or the actual weight. This calculator works in centimetres and kilograms and compares express courier, air, road and sea freight for the same shipment.
How to use this tool
- Choose the shipping method, or a custom divisor from your quote.
- Enter the length, width and height of one piece in centimetres and its actual weight.
- Enter the number of identical pieces.
- Read the chargeable weight, and compare methods in the table.
Formula
Volumetric weight (kg) = L × W × H (cm) × Pieces ÷ Divisor
Chargeable weight = the greater of volumetric and actual weight
Express couriers commonly use 5,000 cm³ per kg (200 kg per m³). A common air-freight divisor is 6,000 (about 167 kg per m³). Road freight often uses 1 m³ = 333 kg, and sea freight charges per freight ton: the greater of cubic metres and metric tonnes. Rounding is applied once to the total shipment, after adding identical pieces.
Example
A 60 × 40 × 40 cm carton weighing 15 kg has a volume of 96,000 cm³ (0.096 m³). By express courier that is 96,000 ÷ 5,000 = 19.2 kg, so it is charged as 19.5 kg after rounding up to the next half kilo. As air freight the same carton is 96,000 ÷ 6,000 = 16 kg. Road freight at 1 m³ = 333⅓ kg counts it as 32 kg, and sea freight at 1,000 kg per m³ as 96 kg — sea rates per freight ton are far lower, so the bigger figure does not mean a bigger bill.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between volumetric and dimensional weight?
They are the same idea. "Volumetric weight" is the usual term with metric units and international couriers; "dimensional weight" is common in the US with inches and pounds.
Why do courier and air freight divisors differ?
Express networks move small parcels through planes, vans and sorting hubs where space is scarce, so they use a smaller divisor (5,000), which makes bulky parcels heavier on paper than the common air-freight divisor of 6,000.
How do I measure the box?
Measure the outside of the packed box at its longest, widest and highest points, including any bulges or pallet overhang.
Sources
Last updated: 2026-10-30