How Many Boxes Fit on a Pallet? Free Calculator

How it works

This calculator treats a single box size and a single pallet footprint, then solves two questions: how many boxes cover one layer, and how many layers stack within a target cargo height. The default pallet is the North American GMA / 48 x 40 in footprint.

The formula has two parts:

Boxes per layer = max of the two flat orientations, where each orientation count is floor(48 / sideA) x floor(40 / sideB).
Layers = floor(cargo height / box height), using a typical 60 in cargo stack.
Total = boxes per layer x layers.

We test only the two right-angle orientations of an upright box (no diagonal or mixed packing), so the answer is a clean, repeatable pattern your team can actually build by hand.

Worked example (page defaults)

Default box: 12 x 10 x 8 in on a 48 x 40 in GMA pallet.

Orientation A: floor(48 / 12) = 4 along the length and floor(40 / 10) = 4 across the width, so 4 x 4 = 16 boxes per layer.
Orientation B (box rotated): floor(48 / 10) = 4 and floor(40 / 12) = 3, giving 12 per layer, worse, so we keep orientation A.
The 12 x 10 in footprint tiles the deck perfectly: 16 boxes use 1,920 in2 of the 1,920 in2 deck, 100% footprint coverage.
Layers: floor(60 / 8) = 7 layers.
Total = 16 x 7 = 112 boxes, a cargo stack of 56 in (about 61.6 in including the 5.6 in pallet deck).

Pallet footprints you can switch to

Pallet standard	Footprint (in)	Footprint (mm)	Deck area (in2)
GMA / North American	48 x 40	1219 x 1016	1,920
Euro / EPAL 1	47.24 x 31.5	1200 x 800	1,488
Industrial / EUR 2	47.24 x 39.37	1200 x 1000	1,860
ISO / Asian	43.3 x 43.3	1100 x 1100	1,875

The count of boxes per layer changes the moment the footprint changes, so always confirm which pallet you are loading before you trust a layer pattern.

This page assumes uniform boxes in one orientation. Mixed sizes, overhang allowances, or interlocked (brick-laid) layers will shift the result. For a full load that also reports cube and tracks weight, use the pallet calculator; to optimize the layer pattern itself, see the Ti-Hi calculator. If your unit is a retail master case rather than a plain box, the cases per pallet calculator uses the same method with case-sized defaults.

Frequently asked questions

How many 12 x 10 x 8 in boxes fit on a standard pallet?

On a 48 x 40 in GMA pallet, 16 boxes tile one layer (4 along the 48 in length by 4 across the 40 in width). At 8 in tall, 7 layers fit within a 60 in cargo height, for 112 boxes total and full footprint coverage.

How many layers of boxes can I stack on a pallet?

Divide your target cargo height by the box height and round down. For 8 in boxes and a 60 in cargo stack, that is floor(60 / 8) = 7 layers. Lower the target height if your warehouse, trailer door, or stack-strength rules require it.

Does box orientation change how many fit per layer?

Yes. The calculator tests both right-angle orientations and keeps the better one. For 12 x 10 in boxes, the long side along the 48 in length gives 16 per layer, while rotating them yields only 12, so orientation alone can change the count by a quarter.

Should I count the pallet deck in the stack height?

Keep them separate. The GMA deck is about 5.6 in, so a 56 in cargo stack stands roughly 61.6 in overall. Compare the cargo height to your fit limit, then add the deck when checking total clearance against a door or container ceiling.

How Many Boxes Fit on a Pallet?

How it works

Worked example (page defaults)

Pallet footprints you can switch to

Frequently asked questions

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