Best Fulfillment Companies for Small Businesses in 2026

ShipBob is my top overall pick because it offers the strongest balance of technology, warehouse coverage, shipping speed, ecommerce integrations, and specialty fulfillment services in this group. It earned a perfect 5 out of 5 for general fulfillment features and remained strong across pricing, support, and advanced services.

The biggest change in how I view ShipBob is accessibility. I used to recommend it more freely to early-stage businesses, but its current minimums make it a better fit for brands that already have steady order volume. If you are shipping well under 400 orders a month, eFulfillment Service may be easier to start with. Once you are consistently moving enough inventory, ShipBob gives you much more room to expand across warehouses, retail channels, B2B orders, and international fulfillment.

Who should use ShipBob

• Growing ecommerce brands that meet ShipBob’s order minimums and need scalable fulfillment
• Businesses that want fast nationwide shipping, distributed inventory, and real-time stock visibility
• Sellers using Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, or other multichannel platforms
• DTC and B2B brands that need one partner for retail, wholesale, subscription, and ecommerce fulfillment

ShipBob charges a single fulfillment fee for each order, which includes pick and pack (up to four items), basic packaging materials, and shipping costs.

I reached out to ShipBob, and they responded with the ballpark pricing information listed below. To get pricing for freight and import services, contact ShipBob.

• Onboarding: Full implementation starts at $975, which includes a dedicated implementation specialist who supports you through setup and stays involved for about 30 days after you go live.
• Storage fees:
• • Pallet (48 x 40 x 54 inches): $40/month
  • Shelf (42 x 12 x 23 inches): $10/month
  • Small Shelf (22 x 12 x 14 inches): $7.50/month
  • Bin (21 x 7 x 11 inches): $5/month
• Receiving
• • Cost for the first two hours: $35
  • Cost for each succeeding hour: $45/hour
• Picking (B2C, fragile): $0.30 per unit
• Picking (dangerous goods/HAZMAT):
• • $0.15 per order containing products marked as dangerous goods for merchants onboarded before January 19, 2025
  • $0.25 per order containing products marked as dangerous goods for merchants onboarded on January 19, 2025, or later
• Kitting fees: ShipBob charges a combination of flat setup fees and per-action fees for kitting. Kitting fees vary based on how many steps your workflow requires. A kitting order includes:
• • Training and workstation setup: $25
  • Per-SKU pick: $0.07
  • Construct box/packaging: $0.56
  • Close box/packaging: $0.04
  • Place item in box: $0.10
  • Pack in ShipBob packaging: $0.15
  • Affix pre-provided label: $0.21
  • Affix ShipBob-printed label: $0.26
  • Exact label placement: $0.07
  • Remove item from package: $0.21
  • Remove packaging/insert: $0.28
  • Add dunnage (yours or ShipBob’s): $0.11
  • Construct divider insert: $0.28
  • Wrap item: $0.28
  • Seal item with tape or sticker: $0.08
  • Inspection: $0.21
  • Change item SKU to kit SKU: $0.02
• Fulfillment minimum fee: ShipBob requires merchants to meet a $275 monthly minimum in combined fulfillment and kitting fees. This includes B2C, B2B, and kitting orders, but does not include storage, inbound receiving, or other non-fulfillment costs. A 90-day grace period begins after your first full month of inventory being stored in a ShipBob fulfillment center. After the grace period, the $275 minimum applies monthly.

Note: Prices are based in the US as the country of fulfillment and are subject to a 3% credit card processing fee.

Clients’ bills are assessed and updated daily, and all charges are visible in a fully itemized format from your dashboard. In the same tab, shipping details can be toggled to estimate variable order costs.

• Large global fulfillment network: More than 60 US and 10 non-US locations in over 200 countries. 
• Two-day shipping options: Expedited shipping across major regions to improve customer satisfaction.
• Ecommerce platform integrations: Seamlessly connects with Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and more.
• Real-time inventory management: Cloud-based dashboard for tracking stock levels, order status, and analytics.
• Customization options: Branding options to enhance customer experience  
• Highly flexible: D2C orders, subscription boxes, and B2B sales with EDI compliance
• Retailer dropshipping service: Items listed on Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, Chewy, Nordstrom, Target, and more ship directly from ShipBob to customers
• Managed freight program: ‘FreightBob’ offers a comprehensive freight and inventory management service, improving transit times and visibility for shipments from China
• WMS (Warehouse Management Software): Proprietary WMS available for use in self-managed warehouses, compatible with ShipBob’s fulfillment services.

Red Stag stands out because it performs particularly well in areas where fulfillment errors can become expensive fast: heavy products, oversized shipments, high-value inventory, and fragile goods. It earned a perfect 5 out of 5 for general fulfillment features and one of the highest specialty-handling scores in my evaluation.

ShipBob and ShipMonk have larger networks and broader ecommerce programs, but Red Stag is a better match if breakage, shrinkage, mispicks, or poorly packed heavy goods pose a serious financial risk. It also does not force smaller merchants into the high monthly minimums imposed by some of the larger providers.

Who should use Red Stag Fulfillment

• Ecommerce sellers shipping heavy, oversized, fragile, or high-value products
• Businesses that need strong accuracy guarantees, damage protection, and low shrinkage risk
• Merchants that require specialized handling, including hazardous or regulated products
• Sellers that want premium fulfillment support without high monthly order minimums
  

See how Red Stag compares to the top-ranking provider in our ShipBob vs Red Stag comparison review.

Red Stag pricing is custom to each client based on a combination of order volume, package weights, and SKU count. I confirmed this with the Red Stag's team, and they said they provide free onboarding and discounted rates with carriers. 

Red Stag Fulfillment allows you to partner with it risk-free for 30 days to see if it’s a good match for your needs. If you’re unsatisfied with its people, processes, and services at the end of the guarantee period, it won’t bill you for any of your fulfillment service fees.

• Specialized handling for heavy, oversized, and fragile products: Designed for bulky and high-value items with secure and damage-free fulfillment.
• 100% order accuracy guarantee: Ensures precise picking, packing, and shipping to minimize errors and returns.
• Secure warehouses with advanced monitoring: Facilities feature 24/7 security, redundant backup systems, and loss prevention measures.
• Seller-Fulfilled Prime (SFP) support: Helps businesses qualify for Amazon Prime without using FBA.
• Service guarantees: Red Stag is so confident in its storage, packing, and tracking systems that it will remedy issues for free and pay you $50 for any errors on its part. It also has guarantees for receiving and unloading inventory within 48 hours of the shipment arriving at Red Stag warehouses.
• Turnaround times: Same-day fulfillment is offered for orders placed before 5 p.m.; compare this to ShipBob, which has same-day with a cutoff of noon.
• Mobile-friendly fulfillment software: Red Stag’s RSF OPS software is specifically designed for use on mobile. Although we didn’t find it as user-friendly as others, it would be helpful if you frequently work on the go. 
• Management and quality control: Video tracking throughout Red Stag warehouses to prevent losses through damages, mistakes, or theft.

Shipfusion is one of the strongest additions to this guide because it earned a perfect 5 out of 5 for general fulfillment features while also scoring well for specialty services and support. Its biggest advantage is the amount of inventory control it provides for products that cannot simply be treated like standard apparel or general merchandise.

Shipfusion 360 supports real-time inventory visibility, stock adjustments, and lot and expiry tracking. Its facilities also support temperature-controlled and regulated-product workflows, making it an especially good match for brands selling supplements, beauty products, food and beverage products, health-related goods, or other products where batch-level inventory records matter.

The downside is its entry point. Shipfusion's pricing materials target established merchants shipping roughly 2,000 or more orders per month, so I would not recommend it to an early-stage seller. eFulfillment Service is a better choice if you are still building volume, while ShipBob is a stronger general-purpose option for a wider range of growing ecommerce brands.

Who should use Shipfusion

• Growing ecommerce brands shipping thousands of orders per month
• Sellers that need lot or expiry tracking
• Businesses selling regulated or temperature-sensitive products
• Brands combining DTC and wholesale fulfillment
• Subscription businesses with recurring assembly or kitting needs
• Merchants that value dedicated account management

Shipfusion uses custom pricing based on monthly order volume, number of SKUs, product characteristics, storage, shipping destinations, packaging, and required services.

Its public pricing information explains the types of fees included in a quote rather than publishing one universal rate card. Pricing can include:

• Receiving and inbound processing
• Inventory storage
• First and additional picks
• Packing materials
• Parcel shipping
• Returns
• Kitting and special projects
• B2B and retail orders
• Account-specific services

• Shipfusion 360: Provides real-time inventory, order status, stock adjustments, and reporting.
• Lot and expiry tracking: Helps businesses manage specific lots, expiration dates, and inventory rotation requirements.
• Regulated-product fulfillment: The rubric confirmed temperature-controlled storage and facilities supporting FDA, Health Canada, and SQF-related requirements.
• High reported accuracy: Shipfusion reports 99.9% order accuracy and 99% of orders shipped within SLA.
• Kitting and subscription fulfillment: Supports assembly, custom projects, and recurring pack-outs.
• B2B and retail fulfillment: Can handle wholesale alongside ecommerce orders.

ShipMonk is my pick for crowdfunding campaigns and subscription businesses because kitting, batch fulfillment, and custom pack-outs are core parts of the service rather than occasional add-ons. It earned the highest advanced/niche score in the new rubric at 4.81 out of 5.

This difference matters more now that eFulfillment Service has joined the guide. I would no longer make general startup accessibility ShipMonk's main selling point. EFS has no order minimums, while ShipMonk sets a monthly fulfillment minimum during onboarding. ShipMonk is the better choice when the real challenge is assembling kits, processing a campaign launch, or shipping recurring subscription orders rather than simply finding a 3PL willing to work with low volume.

Who should use ShipMonk

• Startups, crowdfunding campaigns, and early-stage ecommerce brands
• Subscription box businesses that need kitting, bundling, and recurring shipment support
• Sellers with batch fulfillment needs, pre-orders, or product launch campaigns
• Brands using niche marketplaces such as Etsy, Groupon, or subscription sales channels

See how ShipMonk compares to the top-ranking provider in our ShipBob vs ShipMonk comparison review.

ShipMonk uses a structured fulfillment pricing model with an associated monthly minimum that reflects your typical order volume and pick fees. Here’s how it works:

The monthly minimum is a standardized fee set during onboarding based on your expected monthly orders and your first-item pick fee. ShipMonk determines your pick fees through the sales process, then calculates the monthly minimum by multiplying your projected monthly order volume by your first-item pick fee and reducing that total by 20%. The result is your required minimum spend on fulfillment and pick activity each month.

The monthly minimum helps ShipMonk plan labor, address seasonality, and guarantee accurate volumes to carrier partners.

Unlike some flat-fee models, ShipMonk’s pricing shifts with your activity and ensures that your minimum aligns with your order volume and pick profile.

• Subscription Services: ShipMonk specializes in handling subscription box orders, with special pricing, inventory forecasting, kitting, custom packing procedures from wrapping to inserts, and more.
• Advanced automation: Warehouse automation technologies increase ShipMonk’s efficiency and effectiveness, resulting in quicker fulfillment times, higher picking accuracy, cheaper fulfillment costs, and more secure storage.
• Quality control: Improved order accuracy with features like “Snap n’ Pack,” which takes a photo of packed orders before they’re shipped, and automatic reshipment of orders whose tracking number hasn’t been updated.
• Duty-free import with Section 321: Sellers can ship merchandise to ShipMonk’s Mexico location and then incrementally import it into the US, divided into multiple $800 portions. This eliminates duties for volume importers.

ShipNetwork remains my best option for high-volume ecommerce merchants whose main concern is getting large numbers of DTC packages out quickly across the US. It performs well on shipping speed, receiving, accuracy, ecommerce integrations, and other core fulfillment criteria.

It competes most directly with ShipBob, but I see the two serving slightly different buyers. ShipBob is stronger as an all-around growth platform across DTC, B2B, hybrid fulfillment, and international expansion. ShipNetwork is more focused on established brands that already have substantial ecommerce order volume and want fast domestic delivery.

Who should use ShipNetwork

• High-volume ecommerce brands that need fast one- to two-day US delivery
• Sellers shipping at least 250 orders per month and ready for more structured fulfillment support
• Businesses that prioritize order accuracy, carrier optimization, and nationwide shipping coverage
• Merchants that need specialty capabilities such as lot tracking, refrigeration, or freight support

ShipNetwork does not disclose its pricing online — all onboarding, receiving, storage, pick and pack, and account management costs are custom-quoted. Contact ShipNetwork for a quote.

You can use the pricing calculator on ShipNetwork’s pricing page to get an estimated per-order cost based on your order volume, package weight, SKU count, and packaging type

• Xparcel: This program lets you compare quotes to choose the fastest and least expensive carrier. Others, like Flexport, choose the shipping service for you.
• Freight forwarding: ShipNetwork’s in-house team of freight experts can handle your domestic and international freight service needs.
• Customer support: US-based client service: Unlike many large-scale 3PLs, ShipNetwork does not outsource its customer service outside the US. Clients can receive support via live chat, phone, and email during standard business hours.
• Ecommerce smart tools: ShipNetwork provides online tools, including a shipping optimizer and customs guide with clearing support.
• Lot tracking: Manufacturers and retailers can work with ShipNetwork to track, fulfill by expiration/freshness dates, and properly recall product lots along the supply chain.
• Temperature control: The company offers climate control and refrigeration in some of its facilities. While others like ShipBob, Saltbox, FBA, and Red Stag claim climate control, ShipNetwork is the only one with refrigeration capabilities.
• Guaranteed accuracy: ShipNetwork promises 100% order accuracy and 100% of orders shipping within a day.

eFulfillment Service is the easiest provider on this list for a genuinely small ecommerce seller to start using. Unlike many 3PLs that require hundreds or thousands of monthly orders, EFS does not require a monthly order minimum, setup fee, or long-term contract. Those policies helped it earn the highest pricing score in the entire group at 4.69 out of 5.

That makes EFS a strong bridge between shipping everything yourself and moving to a larger distributed provider. It is especially useful if your order volume is irregular, you are launching a new product, or you simply want to test outsourced fulfillment without committing to a large monthly spend.

The tradeoff is shipping reach. EFS fulfills orders from one primary facility in Traverse City, Michigan, rather than spreading inventory across a multi-node network. If two-day nationwide ground delivery becomes a priority, ShipBob, ShipNetwork, or ShipMonk will give you more options.

Who should use eFulfillment Service

• Low-volume ecommerce sellers
• New businesses testing outsourced fulfillment
• Crowdfunding campaigns with uneven order volume
• Subscription-box brands
• Businesses that need kitting or custom projects
• Sellers that want to avoid long-term contracts and large minimums

eFulfillment Service uses custom pricing, but its contract terms are much more small-business-friendly than most 3PLs.

EFS advertises:

• Order minimum: None
• Setup fees: None
• Integration fees: None
• Long-term contracts: None
• Storage: Quote-based
• Pick and pack: Quote-based
• Receiving: Quote-based
• Shipping: Based on package and carrier
• Kitting and projects: Priced according to work required

The company says there are no hidden fees, although you still need a quote to determine your actual per-order and monthly costs.

• No-minimum fulfillment: Businesses can outsource fulfillment before reaching hundreds of orders per month.
• Flexible contracts: No long-term commitment reduces the risk of trying outsourced fulfillment.
• Kitting and subscription support: EFS supports kits, recurring boxes, campaign rewards, and custom projects.
• Ecommerce integrations: Supports more than 40 integrations with online stores and marketplaces.
• International shipping: Ships internationally from its US facility, although it does not operate a global warehouse network.
• Fulfillment Control Panel: Gives merchants online visibility into orders and inventory.

ShipHero is my pick for brands moving from managing fulfillment themselves to outsourcing some or all of the operation. Its biggest advantage is its WMS-first approach. The same warehouse technology that supports its fulfillment service can also be used by merchants operating their own facilities.

That gives businesses more options than a traditional outsourced 3PL. You can keep part of your fulfillment in-house, outsource another part, and manage both using similar processes and inventory controls. This is especially useful for brands that still want close control over warehouse operations while reducing the amount of fulfillment work their own staff handles.

Who should use ShipHero

• Ecommerce brands moving from in-house fulfillment to outsourced fulfillment
• Businesses that want strong warehouse management software and operational visibility
• Sellers using hybrid fulfillment across their own warehouse and third-party fulfillment centers
• Brands that want predictable shipping costs through zone-free pricing

See how ShipHero compares to our top pick in our ShipBob vs ShipHero comparison guide.

ShipHero uses an ‘all-in-one’ fulfillment fee structure that includes flat-rate postage, pick and pack (for one item), and packaging materials. These rates are custom-quoted; the company states that because fulfillment needs vary, it can better meet expectations by offering personalized quotes.

However, ShipHero universally charges $0.70/cubic foot per day for storage and $0.33 per additional pick. 

ShipHero’s warehouse management system (WMS) is a separate offering from its order fulfillment services. This software is used to manage and optimize day-to-day fulfillment operations and logistics in a self-managed warehouse. Prices start at $1,995/month.

• Fulfillment network: Seven US and two Canadian warehouse locations 
• Warehouse management software: ShipHero WMS is used by large-scale warehouses globally. Although pricey, its comprehensive inventory and shipping management capabilities can offset costs in time and expenses
• No shipping zone pricing: Flat-rate shipping based on parcel size and weight for predictable fulfillment costs.
• Mobile pick and pack technology: Barcode scanning and mobile picking reduce errors by 99.9% for faster, more accurate fulfillment.
• Multi-carrier rate shopping: Optimizes shipping costs with real-time rate comparisons across major carriers.
• Integrations: Over 50 turnkey integrations plus API options
• Batch fulfillment: Offers per-project services for crowdfunding campaigns and product launches
• FBA prep and Seller-fulfilled Prime Eligibility: Power your Amazon sales with ShipHero’s programs and qualify for an Amazon Prime badge
• Operational visibility: See order status in real time, including photos of every packed box
• Accessible customer support: Dedicated support contact for personalized customer service

I chose Fulfillment by Amazon because no other service in this guide can reproduce the advantage of having products fulfilled directly through Amazon's Prime network. If Amazon is your main sales channel, the combination of Prime delivery, integrated returns, customer service, and marketplace visibility makes FBA difficult to replace.

FBA becomes less compelling for a business that gets most of its sales from Shopify, retail stores, wholesale accounts, or other channels. Amazon offers Multi-Channel Fulfillment, but merchants with a broader channel mix may have more flexibility with ShipBob, ShipMonk, or another independent 3PL.

Who should use FBA

• Amazon-first sellers that need Prime-eligible fulfillment
• Merchants trying to improve Amazon visibility, conversion rates, and Buy Box competitiveness
• Sellers that want hands-off storage, shipping, customer service, returns, and refunds through Amazon
• Multichannel sellers already using Amazon and willing to manage FBA’s fee structure

FBA’s pricing structure is complicated, especially if you’re using FBA to fulfill orders from channels other than Amazon. Plus, its fees are slightly higher if your products are apparel or what it considers to be dangerous goods (which is anything that includes lithium batteries or magnetized material).

To address this, Amazon offers a host of useful fee tools to provide transparency and predictability for existing clients and potential customers estimating their profitability.

See how FBA’s pricing and features compare to the top-ranking company in our FBA vs ShipBob comparison review.

• Huge international fulfillment network: FBA has over 150 warehouse locations in the US and 75 international fulfillment centers. This gives FBA the largest fulfillment network in this guide.
• Quick delivery: Shipping times are driven by the Amazon Prime shipping guarantees, which have set the industry standard. Shoppers can select their delivery speed too, and Amazon orders largely arrive as expected.
• Scalability: Sellers that move from 10 products to millions of products monthly can use Amazon FBA. It’s important to monitor stock levels closely to optimize costs as you grow, but you won’t outgrow FBA’s fulfillment capacity.
• Specialty services: FBA items are eligible for Amazon’s gift services, and offering this doesn’t add to your fulfillment costs. Amazon does manage customer service and refunds for orders it fulfills, which is not typical.
• Search rankings: Amazon’s product-search algorithm favors products that are fulfilled by FBA, which can boost the visibility and sales of your goods.

Flexport is one of the few companies in this guide that can manage both the journey into the warehouse and the journey from the warehouse to the customer. Its services cover freight, customs, inventory movement, ecommerce fulfillment, and B2B logistics.

That makes it useful for larger marketplace sellers that import goods and want fewer handoffs between freight forwarders, warehouses, and fulfillment providers. However, Flexport's $5,000 monthly fulfillment minimum means it no longer fits the typical small ecommerce seller. Its current position in this guide is for established businesses that have reached enough volume to justify using one provider for a broader portion of their supply chain.

Who should use Flexport

• Higher-volume marketplace sellers that can meet Flexport’s $5,000 monthly fulfillment minimum
• Businesses that need fulfillment, freight, customs, and inventory movement in one platform
• Importers and global sellers that want stronger visibility across inbound and outbound logistics
• Brands selling across competitive marketplaces such as Shopify, Walmart, SHEIN Marketplace, and other non-Amazon channels

Flexport uses a usage-based pricing model with a monthly minimum fulfillment spend and separate fees for storage, wholesale (B2B), non-compliance, and warehouse value-added services.

As of January 1, 2026, Flexport requires a $5,000 monthly minimum fulfillment spend. This fee is applied only if your non-D2C storage spend (fulfillment, reserve storage, parcel, FTL/LTL booked via Seller Portal, pallet/case handling, label services, prep, and credit card processing) is below the minimum. If you spend less than $500 in a month, Flexport bills the difference on your next invoice.

Flexport also updated several B2B, reserve storage, non-compliance, and value-added service rates last year. Changes include higher pallet storage rates at the San Bernardino reserve facility, new shelf-storage rates for reserve storage, new wholesale order processing and portal management fees, updated non-compliance fees for inbounds, and a standardized set of warehouse special-project rates (such as prep minimums, hourly inspection and cycle count fees, and certified disposals).

• Social selling: In addition to Shopify, Etsy, Walmart, and the other venues most on our list offer, Flexport also works with Facebook, Instagram, and Google. 
• Prime-like badges: Offers badges on marketplace listings to promote fast shipping, automatically displayed for eligible customers on qualifying venues, signaling next-day or two-day delivery.
• Shipping carriers: Support for 12 shipping carriers, including FedEx, UPS, USPS, and DHL. 
• Multi-modal shipping options: Supports ocean, air, truck, and rail freight for flexible transportation solutions.
• Sustainability initiatives: Provides carbon offset programs and tools to track emissions, helping businesses meet environmental goals.
• Advanced logistics: Flexport’s order fulfillment services are backed by an extensive logistics ecosystem, specializing in a broad range of services including freight and customs, with comprehensive logistics tools.

Saltbox is different from every other provider in this guide because it lets ecommerce sellers remain physically close to their products while still getting help with fulfillment.

Instead of sending inventory to a distant warehouse and giving up direct access, you can use Saltbox for workspace, storage, receiving, pick and pack, and on-demand operational help. I like this model for makers, boutique ecommerce brands, local product companies, and growing sellers that have outgrown a garage or home office but are not ready to lease and staff a traditional warehouse.

Saltbox does not have the national fulfillment depth of ShipBob or ShipNetwork, so it is less appropriate once a business needs high-volume multi-node shipping. Its value is control and flexibility rather than large-scale distribution.

Who should use Saltbox

• Small ecommerce brands that want workspace, storage, and fulfillment support in one place
• Sellers that still want hands-on inventory access while outsourcing some logistics tasks
• New or growing brands that need flexible storage without long-term warehouse leases
• Businesses that need help with prep, packing, kitting, photography, or local operational support

Saltbox uses membership and service-based pricing rather than a traditional fulfillment contract.

Current fulfillment pricing starts at about:

• DTC fulfillment: From $3 per order
• Fulfillment and special projects: From $45 per hour
• Flex storage: Around $10 per pallet per day

Workspace and membership charges are separate and vary depending on the location and type of space required.

• Coworking and fulfillment hybrid: Combines office space, warehousing, and fulfillment services for small businesses.
• Flexible services: Create your own hybrid fulfillment arrangement—Saltbox is the only order fulfillment service with this kind of flexibility
• Direct inventory access: Unlike traditional 3PLs, businesses can visit their space to manage products, pack orders, or customize branding.
• On-site logistics support: Provides carrier partnerships, shipping assistance, and fulfillment staff to streamline operations.
• Entrepreneurial community: Networking opportunities and shared resources for ecommerce business owners.
• Integrations: Over 30 integrations available, including Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, Etsy, Magento, and Walmart — plus CSV upload and API options
• Crowdfunding/batch fulfillment: Support for crowdfunding ventures and limited product launches at the same capacity as standard DTC businesses