ShipBob review: outsourced fulfillment for DTC brands scaling past 500 orders per month
ShipBob
Third-party logistics (3PL) with owned fulfillment centers. Handles storage picking packing and shipping for DTC and B2B orders.
Best for DTC brands past 500 orders per month that want to outsource fulfillment
ShipBob is built for DTC brands that are done packing boxes and want distributed inventory for 2-day delivery without running their own warehouse. It is expensive. It is worth it when the per-order math checks out.
Pricing reality
ShipBob
Pros
- 40+ warehouses with distributed inventory for 2-day US delivery
- Software layer included at no extra cost (order management, inventory, analytics)
- Branded packaging options including custom boxes and inserts
- Dedicated account manager starting at mid-volume tiers
- Per-unit pick and pack pricing is transparent once you get a quote
Cons
- Quote-based pricing means no self-serve evaluation
- 500 orders per month effective minimum for reasonable economics
- Less control over packaging details than doing it yourself
- Storage fees can spike during Q4 inventory-heavy months
ShipBob delivers on what it promises. The economics work above 500 monthly orders. Below that, they fall apart. Run your projections for the next 12 months before signing.
Who it is for
ShipBob is not cheap. Our 500 orders per month quote came in at roughly $2,000-4,000 per month all-in. That covers receiving, storage, pick, pack, and outbound shipping. Per order, that works out to $4-8. Compare that to running your own small warehouse once you add rent, labor, and software. The numbers are competitive. At 2,000 orders per month the per-unit cost drops meaningfully. Below 300 orders per month the per-order cost is hard to defend.
Who it is for
DTC brands processing 500 or more orders per month who want to stop doing fulfillment in-house or need 2-day delivery to compete with Amazon. Not for subscription boxes with predictable patterns, where self-fulfillment is usually cheaper. Not for multi-marketplace sellers who need razor-thin margins per unit. Not for brands under 300 orders per month, where the minimums break the economics.
Methodology How we evaluated this software
We requested formal quotes at 500 and 2,000 orders per month to test the pricing story.
- Quote process: responsiveness, transparency, itemization quality
- Warehouse network: distributed inventory delivery speeds (tested via test orders)
- Software layer: OMS quality, inventory visibility, reporting depth
- Hidden costs: receiving, storage, peak season surcharges
Testing period: January - March 2026
Frequently asked questions
What is the real minimum to start with ShipBob?
The published floor is flexible, but the economics demand roughly 500 orders per month. Below that, per-order cost balloons because storage and account management fees are roughly fixed. Many brands report waiting until 800-1,000 orders before the numbers actually work.
Does ShipBob handle international shipping?
Yes. They ship internationally from their US warehouse network. They also have limited EU and CA fulfillment nodes. For dedicated EU coverage, Sendcloud or Easyship partners typically beat ShipBob on both cost and delivery speed.
Can I use ShipBob alongside my own warehouse?
Yes. Many brands keep slow-moving SKUs in-house and ship high-velocity SKUs through ShipBob. The software layer handles split inventory reasonably well. You still need to manage SKU allocation manually.