llms.txt
# 3PL Hub
> The largest curated directory of vetted third-party logistics (3PL) and fulfillment providers in North America and the UK. Free for ecommerce brands to search; 5,000+ vetted 3PLs (200+ fully vetted and authenticated) filterable by location, vertical, technology stack, and certifications.
3PL Hub is a directory and matchmaking platform that helps ecommerce brands find third-party logistics providers. Beyond the directory itself, 3PL Hub publishes free tools (rate checker, dimensional weight calculator, fuel surcharge tracker, pallet optimizer), educational guides on 3PL pricing and selection, and a logistics glossary. All listings are 3PL-agnostic: brands can compare and contact providers directly without sales gatekeeping. Coverage spans the United States (all 50 states plus major metros), Canada (all 10 provinces), and the United Kingdom.
## Core directory
- [Search the 3PL directory](https://www.3plhub.co/3pl-directory): Filtered search across the full directory by location, service type, certifications, WMS, and tech stack.
- [Find a 3PL in the United States](https://www.3plhub.co/find-a-3pl-in-the-united-states): Country-level landing page with a state-by-state breakdown of US 3PL providers.
- [3PLs in California](https://www.3plhub.co/find-a-3pl-in-the-united-states/california): California state page with top-10 providers and statewide fulfillment market context.
- [3PLs in Los Angeles](https://www.3plhub.co/find-a-3pl-in-the-united-states/california/los-angeles): LA metro page covering in-city providers and Inland Empire 3PLs within 75 miles of downtown.
- [Find a 3PL in Canada](https://www.3plhub.co/find-a-3pl-in-canada): Canadian 3PL providers organized by province.
- [Find a 3PL in the United Kingdom](https://www.3plhub.co/find-a-3pl-in-the-united-kingdom): UK 3PL directory.
## Industry verticals
- [Health & Beauty fulfillment](https://www.3plhub.co/industries/health-and-beauty-fulfillment): 3PLs that specialize in cosmetics, skincare, supplements, and personal care.
- [Apparel fulfillment](https://www.3plhub.co/industries/apparel-fulfillment): 3PLs that handle fashion, footwear, and accessories — including kitting and returns processing.
## Free tools
- [3PL Rate Checker](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/tools/3pl-rate-checker): Standardized RFQ form for getting comparable quotes from multiple 3PLs.
- [Dimensional Weight Calculator](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/tools/dimensional-weight-calculator): Calculate dimensional weight for major carriers (FedEx, UPS, USPS, DHL).
- [Freight Density Calculator](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/tools/freight-density-calculator): Calculate freight density to determine NMFC class for LTL pricing.
- [US Fuel Surcharges](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/tools/united_states_fuel_surcharges): Weekly-updated fuel surcharge rates for FedEx, UPS, USPS, DHL, and major LTL carriers.
- [Pallet Optimizer](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/tools/pallet-optimizer): Calculate optimal pallet stacking and case-per-pallet counts.
- [3PL vs. In-House Fulfillment Calculator](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/tools/3pl-vs-inhouse-fulfillment): Compare total cost of running fulfillment in-house versus outsourcing.
- [3PL M&A Tracker](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/tools/3pl-m-and-a-tracker): Database of 3PL acquisitions, mergers, and consolidations.
- [De Minimis Search](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/tools/deminimis-search-by-country): Country-by-country de minimis import thresholds for cross-border ecommerce.
- [CPG Investor Database](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/tools/cpg-investor-database): Investors active in consumer packaged goods.
- [Find a Co-Manufacturer](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/tools/find-a-co-manufacturer): Directory of contract manufacturers for CPG brands.
## Guides
- [3PL Pricing and Rates Guide](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/guides/3pl-pricing-and-rates): What a 3PL costs in 2026, from 17 fulfillment RFPs and 145 real 3PL bids: median order fee $1.85 with first pick, additional unit $0.35, pallet storage $20 per month, receiving $9.20 per pallet, returns $2.89 per order, account management $750 per month, courier $6.50 per parcel and a median 67% of total spend. Rates by monthly order volume (under 1,000; 1,000 to 5,000; 5,000 to 20,000; 20,000+), cost per order with and without courier ($2.54 to $6.06 excluding courier), regional storage medians, a worked example, and the fees that appear after signing (minimums, peak surcharges, long-term storage, packaging markups, dim weight corrections, exit fees).
- [How to Compare 3PL Quotes](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/guides/how-to-compare-3pl-quotes): The six-step method 3PL Hub uses to normalize 3PL bids: fix twelve months of real volumes, restate every bid on one sheet (order fee plus first pick, storage converted to monthly dollars, packaging added back), rate the actual parcel export on each courier card from each 3PL's proposed warehouse, add residential, DAS, EDAS, fuel and peak surcharges as numbers and apply each bidder's dim divisor, add fixed fees as annual dollars, then rank on cost per order with and without courier. Includes the worked example of two rate cards crossing (a 3PL cheaper at 4 lb zone 5 is more expensive once 20% of parcels are 10 lb), and quotes from founder Ryan Bennett.
- [How to Negotiate 3PL Rates](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/guides/how-to-negotiate-3pl-rates): Which 3PL fees move in negotiation (order fee, unit pick, account management, onboarding, courier) and why storage does not; negotiate at the finalist stage with two or three finalists rather than round one; structural asks worth more than a rate cut (waived setup, reduced receiving on the first inbound, a 90 day rate review, a volume step-down, a higher dim divisor); measure the result as cost per order and as a percentage of average order value; renegotiating an existing contract only works when the brand's profile has changed. Quotes from founder Ryan Bennett.
- [Why Fulfillment Costs Go Up After Switching 3PLs](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/guides/why-fulfillment-costs-rise-after-switching-3pls): The four causes of invoices above the bid after a 3PL switch (courier surcharges quoted at cost, dim weight not modeled, conceptual rate cards; missing product dimensions and parcel export; storage practices such as a per-pallet storage fee on receipt; minimums, account, software and B2B order fees that start after the ramp), prevention for each, the first-invoice audit checklist, what is fixable after signing, and 3PL Hub's invoice audit service. Includes anonymized client stories and quotes from founder Ryan Bennett.
- [How to Choose a 3PL](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/guides/how-to-choose-a-3pl): 8-step, 30 to 45 day selection process built from 300+ fulfillment RFPs: operational profile, shortlist, structured RFP and bid sheet, modeled-month quote comparison, reference calls, negotiation of minimums and exit terms, parallel-run onboarding, and 90-day monitoring. Includes the questions to ask, red flags, and service and rate benchmarks.
- [How to Run a 3PL RFP](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/guides/how-to-run-a-3pl-rfp): 8-stage, 6 to 9 week process for running a third-party logistics RFP the way 3PL Hub runs managed RFPs: qualify the brand, build the pack (overview document plus order export, SKU master, shipping export), invite 5 to 8 3PLs with a 2 to 4 week window, blind bids with no rates or names shared, one bid sheet for every bidder, normalization of courier accessorials (residential, DAS, EDAS, fuel), blended rate cards and dim divisors (139 vs 166 to 400), scoring on cost per order, fit, SLAs and references, and contract terms (SLAs tied to termination for cause, no website-hosted T&Cs, 30 to 60 day notice, indexed rate increases). Includes a free Excel bid sheet template: https://www.3plhub.co/images/3PL-Hub-RFP-Bid-Sheet-Template.xlsx
- [In-House Fulfillment vs 3PL](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/guides/in-house-vs-3pl): Cost benchmarks for rent, labor, and software vs a real 3PL quote, plus breakeven volumes (500 to 2,000 orders/month is the gray zone).
- [Dropshipping vs 3PL](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/guides/dropshipping-vs-3pl): When dropship makes sense, when owning inventory at a 3PL wins on margin and speed, and the hybrid model most brands run.
- [Amazon FBA vs 3PL](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/guides/fba-vs-3pl): 2026 FBA fees (fuel surcharge, Q4 storage spike, aged inventory surcharges) compared with real 3PL rates, plus the FBA-plus-3PL hybrid setup.
- [Guide to EDI for 3PLs](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/guides/3pl-hub-guide-to-edi): EDI 850, 856, 940, 945 explained for brands evaluating 3PL integrations.
- [3PL Certifications Explained](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/guides/3pl-certifications): What FDA, GMP, SQF, organic, kosher, halal, and other 3PL certifications mean and when they matter.
## Reference
- [Logistics Glossary](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/glossary): Definitions of 3PL, fulfillment, supply chain, and shipping terminology.
- [3PL Hub FAQ](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/faq): Common questions about how the directory works and how to use it.
- [3PL Hub Blog](https://www.3plhub.co/blog): Industry analysis, 3PL comparisons, fulfillment economics, and case studies.
## Carrier services
- [Next Day Air explained](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/glossary/next-day-air): What overnight means across UPS, FedEx and USPS, what drives the cost, the order-cutoff versus carrier-pickup trap, and the cheapest ways to ship overnight.
- [UPS Next Day Air](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/glossary/ups-next-day-air): The three UPS overnight tiers, current Service Guarantee status, the 2021 residential commitment change to 12:00 p.m., and the dim divisors 139 and 166.
- [UPS 2nd Day Air](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/glossary/ups-2nd-day-air): Why plain 2nd Day Air is not covered by the UPS Service Guarantee while 2nd Day Air A.M. is, and when UPS Ground delivers on the same day for far less.
- [UPS Mail Innovations](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/glossary/ups-mail-innovations): UPS linehaul with USPS final-mile delivery, compared side by side with UPS Ground Saver, including the $50 coverage cap and the 2026 non-compliant label fee.
## About
- [About 3PL Hub](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/about): Mission and how the directory is curated.
- [Customer testimonials](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/about/testimonials): What brands and 3PLs say about working with 3PL Hub.
- [Partner network](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/partnerships): Vetted partners across software, consulting, real estate, returns, and supply chain infrastructure (18 partners, 22 categories).
- [Contact 3PL Hub](https://www.3plhub.co/resources/about/contact): Reach the editorial team for listings, partnerships, or press.
