The short answer
Yes, several 3PLs take small sellers. The catch is the monthly floor: a minimum, an account fee or a platform fee you pay even in a slow month. At low volume that floor matters more than the per-order price. At 100 orders a month, the lowest bill we can work out from published fees is $410.00 (Amplifier, before postage). The table shows the lowest bill each provider’s published fees allow at 50, 100 and 250 orders.
| Provider | Minimum or monthly fee | 50 orders | 100 orders | 250 orders | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| eFulfillment Service (EFS)checked Oct 22, 2026Visit eFulfillment Service (EFS) | No minimum | No minimum, fees by quote | No minimum, fees by quote | No minimum, fees by quote | Visit eFulfillment Service (EFS) |
| Amplifierchecked Oct 26, 2026Visit Amplifier | $100 a month account fee | $255.00 | $410.00 | $837.50 | Visit Amplifier |
| Fulfillritechecked Oct 22, 2026Visit Fulfillrite | $399 a month minimum | At least $458.99 | At least $458.99 | At least $458.99 | Visit Fulfillrite |
| ShipHero Fulfillment (now LVK)checked Oct 26, 2026Visit ShipHero Fulfillment (now LVK) | $500 a month tech fee | At least $500 | At least $500 | At least $500 | Visit ShipHero Fulfillment (now LVK) |
| Saltboxchecked Oct 22, 2026Visit Saltbox | $349 a month membership | From $499 | From $649 | From $1,099 | Visit Saltbox |
| Simpl FulfillmentPostage included · checked Oct 22, 2026Visit Simpl Fulfillment | $750 a month minimum | From $750 | From $750 | From $1,750 | Visit Simpl Fulfillment |
| FulfyldPostage included · checked Oct 26, 2026Visit Fulfyld | Not published | $399 | $798 | $1,995 | Visit Fulfyld |
| ShipCalmchecked Oct 22, 2026Visit ShipCalm | $6,000 a quarter minimum | $2,000 | $2,000 | $2,000 | Visit ShipCalm |
| Flexport eCommerce FulfillmentPostage included · checked Oct 22, 2026Visit Flexport eCommerce Fulfillment | $5,000 a month minimum spend | At least $5,000 | At least $5,000 | At least $5,000 | Visit Flexport eCommerce Fulfillment |
"At least" = the provider publishes its minimum or monthly fee but not its per-order fee, so the real bill is higher. "From" = its lowest published price (lightest package). Storage, receiving and packaging are extra unless the provider includes them; the calculator below adds storage.
Who turns small sellers away
These providers say on their own pages that they’re built for bigger shippers, or set a floor most small shops won’t reach:
- Flexport eCommerce Fulfillment: $5,000 a month minimum spend. In its words: "merchants who spend less than $5,000 on fulfillment activities will be charged the difference on a monthly basis."
- ShipCalm: $6,000 a quarter minimum. In its words: "We don’t have any type of minimum monthly order volume"
- Shipfusion: 2,000+ orders a month. In its words: "Built for fast-growing brands shipping 2,000+ orders per month"
- ShipNetwork: no stated minimum. In its words: "ShipNetwork pricing is built for high-volume brands"
Your first month: receiving and returns
The per-order fee isn’t your whole first bill. Sending stock in costs money at most 3PLs, and so do returns. Here is what the small-seller options publish:
- Fulfyld: receiving $40 per hour after the first 2 free hours; returns $3.50 first item returned, plus $0.50 per additional item.
- Simpl Fulfillment: receiving $0 standard receiving (guideline-compliant inbound); returns not published.
- Amplifier: receiving $45 per hour (receiving/warehouse labour); returns $2 per return, plus $0.50 (the page does not say what the $0.50 is for).
- ShipCalm: receiving $39.50 per ASN received, plus per pallet or per carton; returns $4.95 per item returned (inspected and restocked).
- eFulfillment Service (EFS): receiving not published; returns not published.
- Fulfillrite: receiving not published; returns not published.
- Saltbox: receiving $10 per package over the Scale allowance of 100 packages + 10 pallets/month; returns not published.
Fulfyld also gives the first 2 hours of receiving free when you start. Ask every 3PL how it bills a delivery that arrives without notice: ShipCalm, for example, publishes a charge for a delivery without an ASN (its advance notice form).
Price your own volume
Set to 100 orders a month. Change any number to see each provider’s monthly bill.
Still deciding whether to outsource?
If the floors above are more than you spend packing orders now, doing it yourself with discounted labels may still be cheaper. Compare shipping software for small business, or see every 3PL we track, including the quote-only ones. New to outsourcing? Here is what a 3PL is and what it bills you for.
Get told when these prices change
Providers change fees with little notice. Alerts start soon, and we'll send nothing else.
Common questions
What is the minimum order volume for a 3PL?
It varies a lot. eFulfillment Service says it has no order minimums and Amplifier says it has no shipment minimums. Others set a dollar floor instead: Simpl Fulfillment bills at least $750 a month, and Fulfillrite has a $399 monthly pick-and-pack minimum. Shipfusion says it works with brands shipping 2,000+ orders a month.
Is a 3PL worth it for a small business?
It depends on whether the monthly floor fits your volume. A fixed fee or minimum spread over few orders makes each order expensive: Simpl's $750 minimum is $15 an order at 50 orders. Put your own numbers in the calculator on this page before you call anyone.
Which 3PL has no minimum?
On their own pages, eFulfillment Service states no order minimums, no setup fees and no long-term contracts, but its prices are now quote only. Amplifier states no shipment minimums and publishes its rates, but charges a $100 monthly account fee on its standard plan.