LTL vs. full truckload vs. volume/partial
A practical framework for choosing the right mode, and knowing when the obvious choice isn't the cheapest one.
Last updated: July 16, 2026 · Written by the GET Express freight desk
Picking a freight mode comes down to three questions: how many pallets, what's on them, and how fast it needs to move. Pallet count gets you most of the way to an answer. High-value freight, a hard deadline, or a shipment in the 6 to 18 pallet zone are the cases where the obvious choice isn't always the cheapest one.
What LTL, full truckload, and volume/partial actually mean
LTL, or less-than-truckload, means your pallets share a trailer with other shippers' freight. You pay for the space you use, not the whole truck. Pricing runs on freight class and weight, with class driven mostly by density, so LTL works best for freight that is palletized, not fragile, and not in a rush.
Full truckload, or FTL, is the opposite setup. One shipment gets one dedicated trailer, and nothing else goes on it. The truck loads at your dock and runs straight to the destination, with no other stops to drop or pick up freight along the way.
Volume and partial truckload sit in between. Volume LTL is still priced by an LTL carrier, but at a negotiated rate built for a larger shipment instead of the standard class-and-weight formula. Partial truckload shares one trailer with one or two other loads and is priced closer to truckload rates. Both exist for the same reason: your shipment is too big for LTL pricing to make sense, but not big enough to justify paying for an entire trailer. See our full breakdown of each mode, including equipment and typical transit times.
The pallet-count rule of thumb
Pallet count is the fastest way to narrow this down, and it's where most shippers should start.
Roughly 1 to 6 pallets, LTL is almost always the cheaper way to move it. You're sharing trailer space, so you're only paying for a fraction of the truck.
Roughly 6 to 18 pallets is the gray zone. This is volume and partial territory, and it's worth pricing out both volume LTL and partial truckload rather than defaulting to either one. Which is cheaper depends on your specific lane and on carrier availability that week, not on a fixed rule.
At 10 or more pallets, or anywhere close to a full trailer's worth of freight, full truckload usually wins. Once the extra charges that come with LTL, such as liftgate fees or a reweigh, start adding up, you're often better off paying for the whole trailer and skipping the terminals entirely.
When the pallet count doesn't decide it
Pallet count is a starting point, not the whole answer. A few factors override it regardless of how many pallets you have.
High-value or fragile freight favors full truckload even at a size that would normally be an easy LTL call. LTL freight gets loaded and unloaded at multiple terminals on its way to the destination, and every touchpoint is a chance for damage. A dedicated trailer that loads once and unloads once cuts that risk down substantially.
A hard deadline works the same way. LTL freight typically routes through one or more terminals, which adds time and unpredictability to the schedule. Full truckload goes directly from origin to destination, so if a delivery date genuinely cannot move, FTL is the more reliable way to hit it.
Freight that's oddly shaped, oversized, or needs special equipment, such as flatbed or a liftgate at both ends, can also point you toward full truckload or a specific piece of equipment regardless of pallet count.
A simple framework for choosing
Start with pallet count. Under 6, lean LTL. At 10 or more, or close to a full trailer, lean full truckload. In between, you're in the zone worth shopping.
Then check the overrides. If the freight is high-value, fragile, oddly shaped, or the deadline is fixed, that can push you to full truckload even if the pallet count alone would have said LTL.
If neither the pallet count nor the overrides give you a clear answer, get it quoted both ways before you book. Give us the pallet count, weight, and any special handling needs, and we'll price it as LTL, volume, partial, and full truckload side by side, then tell you which one actually costs less for your shipment.
Quick answers
How many pallets do I need before full truckload makes sense?
Full truckload usually makes sense at around 10 or more pallets, or any shipment that's close to filling a trailer on its own. Below that, you're generally paying for space you don't use. Between roughly 6 and 18 pallets, the math is close enough that it's worth pricing both full truckload and volume or partial truckload before booking either one.
Is full truckload always more expensive than LTL?
No. LTL is usually cheaper for small shipments, but the price gap narrows as pallet count grows, since LTL carriers add extra charges as a shipment gets larger and heavier. Past a certain size, often in the 10-plus pallet range, full truckload can cost about the same as LTL or less.
Should I ship high-value or fragile freight LTL to save money?
You can, but it's usually not worth the risk. LTL freight gets handled at multiple terminals between pickup and delivery, and each touchpoint adds a chance of damage. Full truckload's single dedicated trailer with no terminal stops is usually worth the extra cost.
Not sure which mode you need?
Send us the pallet count and weight and we'll quote it every way that makes sense.