FREIGHTFree freight calculators, from the people who actually move the containers.
Six tools for the numbers every shipment starts with — CBM, chargeable weight, container loading, loading metres, freight cost and cargo density. All free, all instant, nothing uploaded. When you need a real price to move it from A to B, that's what our app is for.
We're a freight forwarder — we move containers, we don't pack them. These calculators are free because they're the first step of every quote we write. Work out your volume and chargeable weight here, then get a real, bookable price for moving it door to door in the app.
CBM Calculator
Convert carton dimensions into cubic metres. CBM is the base unit for LCL ocean freight pricing and for working out how much of a container your cargo will fill.
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CBM = (L ÷ unit) × (W ÷ unit) × (H ÷ unit) × quantity
Got your volume? The next question is what it costs to move.
Price this shipment →Chargeable & Volumetric Weight Calculator
Carriers bill on whichever is greater — actual gross weight or volumetric (dimensional) weight. This is the single number that decides your freight invoice.
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Volumetric weight = CBM × divisor · Chargeable weight = max(gross weight, volumetric weight)
This is the number your rate gets multiplied by. Want the rate?
Get a real rate →Volumetric divisors by mode
| Mode | Divisor | kg per CBM | Typically applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air freight | 6000 cm³/kg | 167 kg | IATA standard airfreight, airport-to-airport |
| Courier / express | 5000 cm³/kg | 200 kg | DHL, FedEx, UPS, TNT parcel and express |
| Sea LCL (W/M) | 1 CBM = 1 tonne | 1000 kg | Ocean groupage, weight-or-measure billing |
| Road freight (EU) | 3 m³/tonne | 333 kg | European groupage and LTL trucking |
Container Load Calculator — 20ft, 40ft & 40ft High Cube
Estimate how much of a container your cargo fills, how many containers you need, and whether FCL beats paying per CBM on LCL.
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Know what you need? Find out what it costs to move it.
Price this container →Standard container capacities
| Container | Internal volume | Usable CBM | Max payload | Internal L×W×H |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft Standard | ~33 CBM | 25–28 CBM | ~28,000 kg | 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m |
| 40ft Standard | ~67 CBM | 55–58 CBM | ~26,500 kg | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m |
| 40ft High Cube | ~76 CBM | 62–66 CBM | ~26,000 kg | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.69 m |
| 45ft High Cube | ~86 CBM | 72–76 CBM | ~27,700 kg | 13.56 × 2.35 × 2.69 m |
Usable CBM is always below internal volume — pallet footprints, stacking limits and dunnage typically cost 12–18% of the box.
Loading Metre (LDM) Calculator
European road freight is priced per loading metre — one metre of trailer floor across its full 2.4 m width. Standard trailers offer 13.6 loading metres.
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LDM = (length(m) × width(m) ÷ 2.4) × qty ÷ stack layers · Chargeable weight ≈ LDM × 1750 kg
We run door-to-door road freight across Europe and beyond.
Get a road freight price →Freight Cost Estimator
Apply your lane rate and the surcharges that appear on every freight invoice — terminal handling, bunker adjustment, customs clearance and documentation — for an all-in number.
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All-in = (chargeable units × rate) + THC + BAF + clearance + documentation
This is only as good as the rate you put in. Ours are live and bookable.
Get our actual rate →Cargo Density Calculator
Density in kg/CBM tells you instantly whether your cargo will be billed on weight or on volume — before you ever ask for a rate.
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Density = total gross weight (kg) ÷ total volume (CBM)
Density tells you how you'll be billed. We'll tell you what it costs.
Get a quote →Freight calculation questions
How do you calculate CBM?
CBM = length × width × height, with every dimension in metres. A 120 cm × 100 cm × 80 cm carton is 1.2 × 1.0 × 0.8 = 0.96 CBM. Multiply by the number of cartons for the total shipment volume. Always use the outer packed dimensions of the carton, measured at the widest point.
What is the volumetric weight divisor for air freight?
Air freight uses the IATA volumetric factor of 6000 cm³/kg, which is the same as 167 kg per cubic metre. So an air shipment of 3 CBM has a volumetric weight of 501 kg. Courier and express carriers commonly use 5000 cm³/kg, which equals 200 kg per CBM.
How many CBM is a 20ft container?
A standard 20ft container has an internal volume of about 33 CBM, with a realistic usable loading capacity of 25 to 28 CBM. A 40ft standard is about 67 CBM internal and 55 to 58 CBM usable. A 40ft High Cube is about 76 CBM internal and 62 to 66 CBM usable. Usable capacity is lower because of pallet footprints, stacking limits and dunnage.
At what volume does FCL become cheaper than LCL?
The break-even is typically between 13 and 15 CBM on most trade lanes. Below that, LCL groupage billed per cubic metre is usually cheaper. Above it, a flat-rate 20ft FCL container tends to win, and it also avoids LCL consolidation delays and extra destination handling charges.
What is a loading metre (LDM)?
A loading metre is one metre of trailer floor space across the full 2.4 metre width of a standard European trailer. LDM = (length in metres × width in metres) ÷ 2.4 per item. European road freight is priced per loading metre, and one LDM is conventionally converted to 1750 kg of chargeable weight.
Are these freight calculators free?
Yes. Every calculator on this site is completely free, requires no signup or email address, and runs entirely in your browser — none of your cargo data is sent anywhere.
Now turn that number into a booked shipment
Freight Calculator gives you instant quotes for deep-sea, road and air transport, with transparent pricing, customs clearance and real-time tracking.