How it works

The three weights that decide your shipping bill.

Carriers don't just charge for how heavy your parcel is — they also charge for how much space it takes up. Here's how CartonCue thinks about it.

Actual weight

What the parcel weighs on a scale, in kilograms or pounds. Simple.

Volumetric (dimensional) weight

A weight derived from the parcel's size, not its mass. Carriers use a divisor:

metric (cm/kg):   L × W × H ÷ 5000
imperial (in/lb): L × W × H ÷ 139

A big-but-light box (say, a pillow) can have a much higher volumetric weight than its actual weight.

Billable weight

The higher of the two. That's what you pay for.

billable = max(actual, volumetric)

Using a tighter box lowers volumetric weight, which often lowers your bill.

How CartonCue picks a box

1Adds padding to every side based on your selected level (1, 2, or 4 cm).
2Sorts your item's and each box's dimensions so rotation is allowed.
3Finds the smallest standard box (by volume) that can fit the padded item.
4Computes volumetric weight from the chosen box's dimensions, then billable weight.
5Flags warnings when the box is too empty, or when volumetric weight is much higher than actual weight.

Standard box sizes

All in centimeters.

Box	L × W × H	Volume
Small Box	20 × 15 × 10 cm	3,000 cm³
Medium Box	30 × 22 × 15 cm	9,900 cm³
Large Box	40 × 30 × 20 cm	24,000 cm³
XL Box	50 × 40 × 30 cm	60,000 cm³
Oversized Box	60 × 45 × 35 cm	94,500 cm³

A note on accuracy. CartonCue uses common industry divisors. Your carrier may use different ones (e.g. 4000, 6000, 166). Always double-check against your carrier's official rules — this tool gives estimates only.

Try the calculator