How Much Does FBA Prep Cost in 2026? Real Rates and Hidden Fees

FBA prep runs between $0.50 and $1.50 per unit in 2026, depending on your monthly volume, your sourcing model and how much handling each product needs. That range hides a lot, though. Some fees are standard, some should make you walk away, and the headline per-unit rate is rarely the number you actually pay. We'll use our own published Delaware rates as the reference, since they're public anyway.

What Is Included in a Per-Unit Prep Fee?

A standard per-unit fee covers everything Amazon requires before inventory reaches an FBA warehouse:

• Visual inspection for damage, count check against your order
• FNSKU labeling (covering or replacing the manufacturer barcode)
• Packing into shipment-ready boxes
• Creating the shipment in your Seller Central account
• Handing boxes to the carrier

Polybags, bubble wrap, bundling several products into one SKU — that's extra, billed per unit as add-ons.

Real Per-Unit Rates by Seller Type (2026)

Prep pricing follows your sourcing model, because the handling differs. A hundred identical cartons from a factory process fast; fifty mixed Target boxes do not. Our current rates:

Flat Fees That Come on Top

• Receiving parcels and pallets — free. Plenty of warehouses charge $5–15 per parcel. This line should be $0, full stop.
• Containers: $300 for a 20′, $600 for a 40′.
• Storage — free while goods wait for prep; $0.70–$1.20 per pallet per day long-term, $0.08 per cubic foot for boxes.
• Supplies: polybags $0.25–$0.95 by size, bubble wrap $0.35 per foot, boxes $2–$4.50.
• Oversized items over 20 lbs carry a $2–$20 surcharge.

Hidden Fees to Watch For

Four things to ask about before you sign with anyone:

1. Monthly minimums (MOQ). A "cheap" $0.40/unit rate with a 1,000-unit monthly minimum still costs $400 in a slow month. We run no MOQ on principle.
2. Account or subscription fees. $50–$200/month just to keep the account open is more common than it should be.
3. Receiving fees. $10 per parcel adds up brutally in online arbitrage, where a single haul arrives in dozens of retail boxes.
4. Sales tax on your inventory. In most states, buying inventory that ships to that state can create sales-tax exposure. Delaware has no sales tax, which is a big part of why sellers pick a Delaware prep center in the first place.

Worked Example: 500 Units per Month, Online Arbitrage

• Prep: 500 × $1.30 = $650
• Receiving 25 retail parcels: $0
• Polybags for 200 units: 200 × $0.25 = $50
• Storage: goods move to FBA within days, so $0
• Total: ~$700/month, or $1.40 per unit all-in

Same volume at a center with a $99 subscription, $8/parcel receiving and a nicer-looking $0.90/unit rate? About $749, before storage. Compare all-in cost per unit, not the number on the banner.

Prep Center Cost vs Doing It Yourself

Self-prep from home costs maybe $0.20–0.40 per unit in supplies. Plus your time. At 20 units an hour, 500 units is roughly 25 hours a month of labeling and taping. Value your time at even $25/hour and self-prep "costs" about $1.60/unit — more than outsourcing, and that's before the mistakes. A mislabeled batch can get refused at FBA check-in or sit stranded for weeks.

FAQ: FBA Prep Costs

Is prep cheaper at Amazon's own FBA prep service? Usually not. Amazon charges $0.55–$3.15 per unit and only takes eligible SKUs. For most catalogs an independent center is cheaper and far less picky.

Do I pay for storage while goods wait for prep? Not here. Free while it's in the prep pipeline. You only pay for long-term pallet storage.

Are there discounts for new sellers? Yes — StartUp plan, first two months, from $0.50/unit for wholesale. No volume requirements attached.

All the rates above sit openly on our pricing page. Questions about your specific catalog? Get a quote — we answer the same business day.