Cartons Per Pallet Calculator
Enter carton dimensions, pallet dimensions and maximum stack height to calculate how many cartons fit per layer and in total. Automatically compares both carton orientations (0° and 90°) and selects the most efficient layout.
Enter carton and pallet dimensions to calculate how many cartons fit per pallet layer and in total. Automatically tries both carton orientations (0° and 90°) and selects the best layout.
Carton Dimensions
Pallet Dimensions
Max stack height = cargo height only — exclude pallet base if entering just cargo height, or include it for total stacked height from floor.
Formula
Cartons per layer = floor(Pallet L ÷ Carton L) × floor(Pallet W ÷ Carton W) | Layers = floor(Max Height ÷ Carton H) | Total = Cartons per layer × Layers
Both 0° and 90° carton orientations are checked — the orientation giving more cartons per layer is selected. Stacking height uses the carton height as-is, so partial layers are not counted. Total capacity is a theoretical maximum assuming uniform stacking.
Worked Example
Carton 40 × 30 × 25 cm on a Euro pallet 120 × 100 cm, max height 150 cm:
Orientation A: floor(120÷40) × floor(100÷30) = 3 × 3 = 9 per layer
Orientation B: floor(120÷30) × floor(100÷40) = 4 × 2 = 8 per layer
Best orientation: A — 9 cartons per layer
Layers: floor(150÷25) = 6 layers
Total: 9 × 6 = 54 cartons per pallet
Orientation A gives 9 cartons per layer vs 8 for orientation B — a 12.5% improvement. Turning cartons 90° can significantly change pallet density. If the carton height were 28 cm instead of 25 cm, layers would drop to 5 (floor(150÷28) = 5), reducing total to 45 cartons — worth checking before changing carton spec.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Use this in your workflow
Use cartons per pallet to plan the Pallet Loading Calculator — enter total carton quantity to get pallet count and utilisation. Then use Pallet CBM Calculator to get shipment volume for freight quoting. Browse all Free Business Calculators.
When to use this calculator
- →Planning pallet build before a warehouse despatch run or factory shipment
- →Checking whether a new carton size fits efficiently on your standard pallet
- →Verifying supplier packing lists — confirming the stated cartons per pallet matches dimensions
- →Optimising carton dimensions to maximise pallet density and reduce freight cost per unit