Volumetric Weight Calculator
Box size to volumetric and chargeable weight — per parcel or per shipment, with cost.
Weight by package
How this was calculated
About the Volumetric Weight Calculator
Couriers and airlines charge for the space a parcel takes up as well as its weight. The volumetric weight is length × width × height ÷ a divisor — 5,000 or 6,000 cm³ per kg, or 139 or 166 in³ per lb — and the chargeable weight is whichever is higher, the actual or the volumetric weight, usually rounded up to the next half kilo or whole pound.
Enter one or more boxes with their quantities to see each one’s volumetric and chargeable weight, the totals for the shipment counted both per package and as a whole, the volume in cubic metres and cubic feet, and how small a box would have to be to be charged on its actual weight. Add your carrier’s rate card — per kilo, first-plus-additional or weight slabs, with fuel surcharge and tax — for a cost estimate.
How to use it
- Choose centimetres and kilograms or inches and pounds.
- Pick the divisor from your carrier’s rate card, or enter your own — as a divisor (cm³/kg, in³/lb) or as a density (kg per m³, kg or lb per cubic foot).
- Enter each box’s length, width, height, actual weight and quantity. Measure at the widest points, including any bulges.
- Choose how the carrier rounds: the chargeable weight (for example up to the next 0.5 kg) and, if it does, each dimension.
- Choose per package or per shipment, and optionally add a rate card for the estimated cost.
Examples
60,000 cm³ ÷ 5,000 = 12 kg volumetric → chargeable 12 kg (billed on size)
24,000 cm³ ÷ 5,000 = 4.8 kg → chargeable 5 kg (billed on actual weight)
960,000 cm³ ÷ 6,000 = 160 kg → chargeable 160 kg
1,728 in³ ÷ 139 = 12.43 lb → chargeable 13 lb
Per package 5 + 5 + 19.5 = 29.5 kg · per shipment max(18 kg, 28.8 kg) = 29 kg
₹40 + 23 × ₹30 = ₹730 before fuel surcharge and tax
Which divisor?
Use the one in your carrier’s rate card — it varies by carrier, service and country:
- 6,000 cm³/kg is the volume ratio for air cargo in the IATA rules (6,000 cm³ count as 1 kg).
- 5,000 cm³/kg is used by many international express and courier services.
- 139 in³/lb is used, for example, for US daily rates by FedEx and UPS.
- 166 in³/lb is the inch-and-pound form of 6,000 cm³/kg, and 139 in³/lb is close to 5,000 cm³/kg.
Some freight rate cards give a density instead: kilograms per cubic metre or per cubic foot. A divisor of 5,000 cm³/kg is the same as 200 kg per m³, and 6,000 cm³/kg is 166.67 kg per m³. Enter whichever your rate card shows; the calculator converts it to the units you measured in.
Per package or per shipment
Couriers usually work out each parcel on its own: each box’s chargeable weight is rounded and the boxes are added up. Air cargo is normally charged on the whole shipment: the total actual weight is compared with the total volumetric weight. The two can differ — a light, bulky box and a small, heavy one balance out when counted together — so the calculator shows both and lets you choose which to price.
Pay less for space
A box is charged on its actual weight as long as its volume is no more than actual weight × divisor. For a 6 kg item at 5,000 cm³/kg that is 30,000 cm³ — for example 40 × 30 × 25 cm. The calculator shows this limit, and a box of the same proportions that meets it, for every package billed on its size.
Limitations
- No carrier’s rates or rules are built in: enter the divisor, rounding and rate card from your carrier.
- Surcharges for oversize or overweight pieces, irregular shapes, remote areas or cash on delivery are not included.
- Measure each box at its largest points; carriers may re-measure and re-bill a parcel.
Privacy
Everything happens in your browser. What you enter or open here is not uploaded or stored by MySmartCoPilot.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate volumetric weight?
Multiply the length, width and height, then divide by the carrier’s divisor. In centimetres with a divisor of 5,000: 50 × 40 × 30 ÷ 5,000 = 12 kg.
What is chargeable weight?
The weight you are billed for: the higher of the actual weight and the volumetric weight, rounded up to the carrier’s step (for example the next 0.5 kg).
Why did my courier charge more than the parcel weighs?
The box was large for its weight, so its volumetric weight was higher than its actual weight. A smaller box, or one packed with less empty space, can bring the charge down.
What is the difference between 5,000 and 6,000?
A smaller divisor gives a higher volumetric weight. The same 50 × 40 × 30 cm box is 12 kg at 5,000 but 10 kg at 6,000.
Can I enter inches and pounds?
Yes. Switch to inches and pounds; any divisor — including one in cm³/kg — is converted using 1 in = 2.54 cm and 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg.