China 3PL fees in 2026: what six providers publish about pick and pack, storage and shipping
Some China fulfilment providers publish their fees; others quote after a call. We compared what Honest FulPhilment, NextSmartShip, ChinaDivision, Wefulfil, an Australian 3PL and ShopRest put on their own websites in October 2026, and what to ask for when a number is missing.
Why compare published fees?
A China 3PL bill usually has three parts: handling (receiving, pick and pack), storage, and shipping. Providers differ less in their prices than in how much of each part they publish. Knowing which parts are public helps you see what you still need to ask for. We are ShopRest, one of the providers below; everything about the others comes from their own websites, checked on 22 October 2026.
What does pick and pack cost?
Honest FulPhilment publishes USD 2.00 per order on days with fewer than 20 orders, falling in steps to USD 1.00 per order above 148 orders a day, plus USD 0.25 to 1.00 for each additional SKU or unit. NextSmartShip publishes USD 0.50 for the first pick and USD 0.10 for each additional pick, including standard packing materials. Wefulfil and ChinaDivision quote handling after a consultation. ShopRest states its China warehouse handling on the formal quote rather than on the website. For comparison, the Australian side of our own worked example uses USD 1.50 pick and pack per order.
What does storage cost?
Honest FulPhilment and NextSmartShip both publish two months of free storage, after which storage is charged by volume. ShopRest charges China storage by cubic metre per day, multiplied by the storage method, and its overseas warehouse prices already include storage, putaway, dispatch and packaging. Wefulfil describes low-cost storage in Shenzhen and Guangzhou without a public rate.
How do providers publish shipping prices?
Shipping is where public numbers are rarest, because prices depend on lane, weight and destination. ChinaDivision and Honest FulPhilment offer online shipping calculators. NextSmartShip gives shipping on request. Wefulfil publishes delivery times (5 to 8 days to Australia, 3 to 10 days to the US, UK and EU) and a delivered-duty-paid model, with prices after a consultation. ShopRest publishes reference parcel prices on each route page, for example AUD 6.89 for a 0.2 kg garment to Melbourne and USD 7.77 for a 0.25 kg apparel parcel to the US, fuel included and duties excluded.
Who includes duties in the price?
This matters more since the US ended duty-free treatment for low-value parcels. Wefulfil describes its lanes as delivered duty paid, so the customer should not face a bill at the door. Prices from most other providers, including ShopRest's reference freight prices, cover freight only, and duties are handled separately. When comparing two quotes, check whether one includes duties and the other does not; otherwise the cheaper-looking quote may not be cheaper.
What should you ask for when a fee is not published?
Ask for four numbers in writing: handling per order with one item and with three items, storage per cubic metre per month, freight for your real packed weight to your three main destinations, and any minimum monthly charge. Also ask how fuel surcharges are applied, whether volumetric weight is used, and what each lane pays if a parcel is lost.
How do these fees add up for one order?
For a single 0.25 kg garment to the US, freight is by far the largest part: USD 7.77 on ShopRest's published US apparel lane, against handling of USD 0.50 to 2.00 on the rate cards above. That is why the shipping lane, not the pick-and-pack fee, decides most comparisons for light products. For heavy or bulky goods the balance changes, and storage and local warehouse prices matter more.
Is a published price always better?
Not necessarily. A public rate card makes it easy to compare, but a quoted price can include things a rate card leaves out, such as duties, packaging or insurance. Use published fees to shortlist, then compare full quotes for the same SKU and the same destinations.