LTL vs FTL: What's the Difference?
You’ve got pallets to move, and two ways to move them. LTL puts your freight on a shared truck and charges you only for the space you use. FTL books the whole trailer for one direct run. This guide breaks down when each mode makes sense for a growing brand.
What is LTL shipping?
LTL, or less-than-truckload, is freight that doesn’t need a whole trailer. Your shipment shares space with loads from other companies, and you pay for the portion of the truck your pallets take up, based on weight, dimensions, and freight class. It’s the standard choice for one to six pallets.
Because the trailer carries several shippers’ freight at once, an LTL run makes multiple stops. The truck picks up from more than one origin and drops at more than one destination, so your pallets pass through terminals along the way. That keeps the cost low, but it adds transit days and handling touches compared with a direct route.
Booking LTL usually runs through a freight broker or a 3PL. They hold carrier relationships and negotiated rates, so they can quote a lane, classify your freight, and schedule pickup on your behalf. For a brand shipping a few pallets a month, that beats calling carriers one by one, since a broker or 3PL already knows which carriers run your lanes and what a fair rate looks like.
What is FTL shipping?
FTL, or full-truckload, reserves an entire trailer for your freight alone. People also call it truckload or full truckload shipping. Nothing else rides with your load, and the truck runs straight from your origin to your destination with no terminal stops in between.
You pay for the whole trailer, not per pallet. That sounds more expensive, and for a few pallets it is. But once your shipment fills most of a 53-foot trailer, the per-pallet math flips: spreading one flat truck rate across a full load often costs less than paying LTL space charges pallet by pallet.
FTL also cuts risk. On an LTL run your freight gets loaded, unloaded, and re-sorted at terminals several times, and each touch is a chance for damage. A full-truckload shipment gets loaded once and unloaded once, so fragile or high-value cargo arrives with fewer bumps along the way. Transit is faster too, since the truck skips the terminal network and drives direct. Brands reach for FTL when they’re moving large volume or shipping time-sensitive, fragile freight that can’t afford the extra handling of a shared trailer.
LTL vs FTL: side-by-side comparison
| Factor | LTL | FTL |
|---|---|---|
| Shipment size | 1 to 6 pallets, or any load that doesn't fill a trailer. | Enough freight to fill most or all of a 53-foot trailer, often 10+ pallets. |
| Typical use case | Restocking a few pallets of inventory or shipping partial freight that isn't time-critical. | Moving large inventory volume or freight that needs a direct, on-schedule run. |
| Cost model | Priced by weight, dimensions, and freight class. You pay for the space you use. | One flat rate for the whole trailer, regardless of how full it is. |
| Transit time | Slower. The truck makes multiple pickups and terminal stops along the route. | Faster. The load goes direct from origin to destination with no stops. |
| Freight handling | Loaded and unloaded several times at terminals, which adds handling touches. | Loaded once and unloaded once, so cargo sees minimal handling. |
| Best fit for | Brands shipping small pallet counts that want to keep freight costs down. | Brands moving high volume or fragile, time-sensitive freight. |
Which freight mode does your shipment need?
Start with your pallet count and your calendar. If you’re moving one to five pallets and you can live with a flexible delivery window, LTL is almost always the right call. You share the trailer, you split the cost, and a few extra days in transit won’t hurt you. Cost-sensitive restocks and steady inventory replenishment are LTL’s home turf.
Reach for FTL when the shipment gets big or the clock gets tight. Ten or more pallets, loads over 10,000 lbs, a hard delivery date, or fragile cargo that can’t take repeated handling all point to a full truck. The direct route and single load-unload cycle are worth the flat trailer rate.
When you’re near the line, run the per-pallet math both ways before you book. This is where a 3PL earns its keep. A good one quotes both modes, classifies your freight, and books whichever wins on your specific lane, so you’re not guessing. That’s the part Simpl handles for the brands we fulfill for, coordinating inbound freight into our Austin warehouse so your inventory lands ready to ship.
How Simpl handles freight
Fulfillment starts at $7/order.
That rate covers picks, packing, and postage for outbound customer orders. Storage is billed by the space your inventory uses—bin, shelf, or pallet—not by cubic foot.
There’s a $750 monthly minimum, billed pay-the-difference. If your order charges for the month come in under $750, you pay only the gap. No onboarding fee.
LTL vs FTL FAQs
- What is LTL shipping?
- LTL stands for less-than-truckload. Your freight shares a trailer with other shippers' loads, and you pay only for the space your pallets take up. It's the go-to mode for one to six pallets that don't need a whole truck.
- What is FTL shipping?
- FTL stands for full-truckload. You book the entire trailer for your freight, and it runs direct from pickup to delivery with no shared stops. You pay one rate for the truck, and your cargo gets handled far less along the way.
- When should I use LTL vs FTL?
- Use LTL when you're shipping one to five pallets and can accept a flexible delivery window. Switch to FTL once your load passes roughly 10 pallets or 10,000 lbs, or when a direct, on-time run matters more than sharing the cost.
- Is LTL or FTL cheaper?
- For small loads, LTL wins on price because you split the trailer with other shippers. As your shipment approaches a full truck, FTL usually costs the same or less per pallet and moves faster. The break-even point depends on the lane, but it tends to land around 10 to 15 pallets.
- Can a 3PL help me arrange LTL or FTL freight?
- Yes. A 3PL holds carrier relationships and can often quote better rates than a small shipper booking direct. Simpl coordinates inbound freight from your supplier into our Austin warehouse, then ships your customer orders from there, starting at $7/order.
Ship smarter with a 3PL that knows freight
Send inventory to our Austin warehouse once and ship every channel from the same pool, starting at $7/order. We handle the logistics; you focus on the brand.
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