KubovaHow Many Boxes Fit on a Pallet — and How the Wrong Pallet Costs a Container
By Kubova Team
“How many boxes fit on a pallet?” sounds like a single number, but the same carton can swing by more than half depending on the pallet you put it on — and the wrong base can quietly cost you a whole container. Here are real engine-measured counts and how to pick the base that doesn’t waste space.
Same carton, four pallets
We packed a 40×30×25 cm carton onto four common pallet templates, each stacked to a 2 m height. Every figure is a direct engine output.
| Pallet | Footprint (cm) | Boxes (40×30×25) |
|---|---|---|
| US Pallet 48×40 in | 122 × 102 | 80 |
| EPAL 3 (120×100) | 120 × 100 | 80 |
| EUR / EPAL 1 (120×80) | 120 × 80 | 64 |
| EPAL CP5 | 114 × 76 | 51 |
Why footprint beats intuition
Boxes-per-pallet is layers × boxes-per-layer. The stack height is similar across these pallets, so the difference comes almost entirely from how the carton tiles the base. A 40×30 footprint tiles a 120×100 base cleanly; on a 120×80 base it leaves a strip; on a 114×76 base it leaves more. Those per-layer losses repeat on every layer.
Stack height is the other lever
Everything above assumes a 2 m stack. Taller-rated pallets (or a taller container like a High Cube) add layers, but two limits cap you: the pallet’s rated stack height and the crush strength of the bottom cartons. Don’t plan a stack your cartons can’t carry.
How to choose
- Pick a pallet footprint your carton tiles cleanly (minimal overhang and gap per layer).
- Make sure that pallet fits your container floor in whole rows.
- Check the pallet’s stack-height and payload ratings against your cargo.
Find the best pallet for your carton
Compare pallet templates and see boxes-per-pallet and container fit. Free to start.
Open the calculatorRelated reading
Frequently asked questions
How many boxes fit on a pallet?
It depends on the carton and the pallet base. For a 40×30×25 cm carton stacked to a 2 m height, our engine fit 64 cartons on a EUR 120×80 pallet, 80 on a US 48×40 pallet, 80 on a 120×100 EPAL 3, and 51 on a CP5. Same carton, +57% boxes on the best base versus the smallest — the pallet footprint matters as much as the carton.
How do I calculate boxes per pallet?
Boxes per layer = how many cartons tile the pallet footprint (trying both orientations), and layers = usable stack height ÷ carton height. Multiply them. The catch is the footprint: cartons that don’t tile the base leave overhang or gaps, so the simple multiplication overstates it unless you account for the real fit.
Does the pallet size really change the container result?
Yes — and it compounds. Fewer boxes per pallet means more pallets, and once a row of pallets no longer fits the container floor cleanly, you can lose a whole bay. A base that wastes a few centimetres of footprint per pallet can cost you a pallet position, which can cost part of a container.
Which pallet should I use?
Match the pallet footprint to your carton so cartons tile the base with minimal overhang, and use a base that fits your container floor in whole rows. There’s no universal best pallet — the right one depends on your carton dimensions and your container.
Who: Written and reviewed by the Kubova team, who build and operate the packing engine described here.
How: Drafted with AI assistance for research and structure; the technical claims, examples and product details are owned and verified by the team.
Why: To help logistics and engineering teams decide whether to let an AI agent plan their loads — not to chase a keyword. Published 2026-06-08.