Amazon MCF vs a 3PL: which costs less for your non-Amazon orders?

At every weight and zone in the table, up to 2 lb, MCF costs less per order than Amplifier plus a USPS label, even at holiday rates. A 3PL’s own label rates may be lower than USPS commercial prices, so ask for them before you decide.

What Amazon MCF is

Multi-Channel Fulfillment ships orders from your other sales channels, like your own store, out of the stock you keep at Amazon for FBA. In Amazon’s words: "Fulfillment fees include picking, packing, and shipping." It bills one fee per unit, and its rate card covers orders shipped within the US.

Everything else is billed as FBA: "All non-fulfillment fees, such as storage, labeling, or fees to inbound and remove your inventory from Amazon fulfillment centers, will continue to be the same for MCF as for FBA." Storage for standard-size items runs $0.78 per cubic foot a month from January to September and $2.40 from October to December, at FBA’s base rate (stock that sits for months can add a surcharge).

Every MCF fee beyond the base rate

• Fuel and logistics surcharge: 3.5% on every MCF fee, from May 2, 2026. It is included in the table above.
• Holiday peak: higher rates from Oct 15, 2026 to Jan 14, 2027. The peak fee for an 8+ to 12 oz item is $8.38 before the surcharge, against $8.17 the rest of the year.
• More units, lower rate: every unit in a multi-unit order is charged at that order size’s rate. A two-item order of 8+ to 12 oz items comes to $11.76 with the surcharge, against $4.25 in Amplifier fees plus one label.
• Blocking Amazon’s own delivery: 5% extra if you stop Amazon Logistics from delivering your MCF orders, waived until Jan 14, 2027.
• Remote areas: 100% extra on standard-size items shipped to Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
• Lithium batteries: $0.11 more per unit.
• A discount for some sellers: Amazon says eligible sellers "can save up to 15% on outbound MCF fulfillment fees and earn up to a $1 FBA credit per MCF unit shipped."

Amazon’s full rate card lists every weight and Expedited speed: MCF fees, standard rates and holiday peak rates.

When a 3PL is the better fit

The per-order fee is only part of the bill. Before you move your own-store orders to MCF, compare:

1. Storage. MCF uses FBA’s per-cubic-foot rate, which rises in October to December. Most 3PLs bill by bin, shelf or pallet: see what each 3PL publishes.
2. Order size. MCF’s per-unit fee falls as units per order rise, while a 3PL adds an item fee. Run your typical order in the 3PL cost calculator.
3. Volume. Amplifier’s fees fall at higher monthly tiers, and quote-only 3PLs price large accounts individually.

3PL for Amazon sellers

Sellers who search “3PL for Amazon” usually want one of two things:

• A 3PL that preps stock for FBA, labeling and bagging it and sending it into Amazon’s warehouses. We don’t track prep fees yet. Simpl Fulfillment, for one, offers FBA prep next to its own-store fulfillment but publishes no prep rate.
• A 3PL that ships your Amazon orders itself, when you fulfill them yourself instead of using FBA. You pay the 3PL’s fees plus postage, and Amazon still charges its selling fees. Compare every 3PL’s published fees.

FBA vs a 3PL comes down to the same math as this page: FBA’s fee includes delivery, a 3PL’s usually doesn’t. Run both in the calculator.

Walmart Fulfillment Services

Walmart runs its own fulfillment for Walmart Marketplace sellers. Its standard fee starts at $3.45 per unit for a shipping weight of 1 lb or less, delivery included. For items under 1 lb, Walmart adds 0.25 lb for packaging and rounds up to the next pound. Storage is $0.75 per cubic foot a month from January to September.

That rate card covers your Walmart orders. For orders from other channels, Walmart offers Multichannel Solutions, which its fee page does not price, so we don’t compare it here.

Visit Walmart Fulfillment Services →