LTL vs truckload: which one should you book?
LTL shares a trailer and prices your slice of it; truckload buys the whole trailer. The crossover depends on pallet count, weight, how much floor your freight takes and how far it's going. Here's where it happens, with real LTL prices.
Short answer: Ship LTL for 1 to 6 pallets under about 10,000 lb; that covers most freight (57% of the LTL shipments in the benchmark were a single pallet). Past roughly 6 pallets, 10,000 lb or 12 linear feet, price it as volume LTL and as a truckload, and once freight takes most of a 53' trailer or tops about 20,000 lb, a truckload is usually cheaper, faster and handled less. LTL shipments of 10,000 to 20,000 lb had a median all-in price of $1,775 cross-country in September 2025 – August 2026.
Updated November 2, 2026 · By the GetShippingRates team at Armstrong Transport Group
LTL and truckload compared
| LTL | Truckload | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical size | 1 to 6 pallets, up to about 10,000 lb | A full 53' trailer: 26 to 30 standard pallets on the floor, about 44,000 lb |
| How it's priced | Lane, weight, freight class and accessorials, plus fuel | One price for the trailer, per load or per mile, fuel included or added |
| Handling | Picked up, cross-docked at terminals, often moved between trailers | Loaded once at pickup, unloaded once at delivery |
| Transit | Median 1–4 business days in the benchmark, depending on distance | Usually faster on the same lane: the truck drives straight there |
| Freight class | Required; density and handling set it | Not used |
| Accessorials | Liftgate, residential, appointments and inside delivery priced separately | Detention, layover and extra stops priced separately |
| On GetShippingRates | 50+ carriers rated at once; book online | An all-in price in seconds; Armstrong's team confirms the truck |
How LTL cost climbs with pallet count
Median all-in price by number of pallets, with the middle half under it. Watch the long-haul column: that’s where a truckload quote most often beats a large LTL shipment.
| Pallets | Within one state | Regional | Long haul |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 pallet | $225$165–$300 | $295$225–$410 | $400$300–$555 |
| 2 pallets | $285$210–$415 | $430$315–$590 | $655$490–$865 |
| 3 pallets | $350$260–$480 | $550$405–$750 | $840$645–$1,125 |
| 4 pallets | $395$295–$565 | $645$465–$860 | $1,020$755–$1,375 |
| 5–6 pallets | $460$330–$635 | $760$570–$1,055 | $1,260$935–$1,675 |
| 7–12 pallets | $550$405–$835 | $1,080$730–$1,475 | $1,765$1,270–$2,425 |
| Weight | Within one state | Regional | Long haul |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10,000–20,000 lb | $625$470–$850 | $1,080$755–$1,470 | $1,775$1,350–$2,415 |
Historical benchmark, not a quote. 96,685 LTL shipments arranged by Armstrong Transport Group, picked up September 2025 – August 2026. Middle 50% of the all-in price billed to the shipper (linehaul, fuel and accessorials), median in bold, rounded to $5. How these are built.
Only 3% of the LTL shipments in the benchmark weighed 10,000 lb or more. Shippers moving freight that size usually do better pricing a truckload beside the LTL rates. Truckload prices aren’t in the benchmark: the market reprices weekly, so they are quoted live.
A quick rule for your shipment
- 1 to 6 pallets, under 10,000 lb: LTL. Compare carriers; regional carriers often win short lanes.
- 7 to 14 pallets or 10,000 to 20,000 lb: price volume LTL, partial truckload and full truckload. The cheapest depends on the lane.
- More than half a trailer, over 20,000 lb, or fragile freight that shouldn’t be cross-docked: truckload.
Get the exact linear feet with the pallet and trailer space calculator, or run the whole shipment through the shipping cost calculator. More detail on each mode: LTL shipping and truckload rates.
Frequently asked questions
How many pallets is too many for LTL?
Most LTL carriers treat shipments over 6 pallets, 10,000 lb or about 12 linear feet of trailer as volume LTL, priced by space instead of class. Volume LTL usually works up to about 12 to 14 pallet positions or 20,000 lb; past that, book a truckload.
Is LTL cheaper than truckload?
For small shipments, by a wide margin, because you only pay for your share of the trailer: the median single pallet cost $330 in the benchmark. As shipments grow, LTL costs climb with weight and space while a truckload price stays the same for the whole trailer, so at some size the truckload wins. Where that happens depends on the lane, so price both.
Is truckload faster than LTL?
Usually. A truckload drives straight from pickup to delivery. LTL moves through terminals: in the benchmark the median LTL transit was 1 business day within one state, 2 regionally and 4 cross-country, and 80% delivered within 5 business days on long hauls.
What is a partial truckload?
A shipment that shares a truck with one or two others but isn't handled at LTL terminals. It suits freight too big for standard LTL that doesn't fill a trailer, especially fragile freight that shouldn't be cross-docked.
More shipping cost guides
Price it both ways
Send the pallets, weight and lane. Armstrong's team prices LTL, volume LTL and truckload for the same shipment so you can see which is cheaper. Choose LTL or truckload in the form; mention you'd like both.
Prefer to talk? Call 877-240-1181 or email info@getshippingrates.com. Shipping several modes? Request a free multimodal shipping review.