LTL vs. FTL Shipping: Which One Saves You More Money?
A plain-English guide to less-than-truckload and full truckload freight, when to use each, and how to cut shipping costs without slowing down delivery.
Choosing between LTL (less-than-truckload) and FTL (full truckload) shipping is one of the most important decisions you make for your freight budget. Pick the wrong one and you could be paying for empty trailer space — or splitting up a load that should have shipped together.
Here is how to know which is right for your shipment.
What is LTL shipping?
LTL stands for less-than-truckload. It is the right choice when your freight does not fill an entire trailer — typically anywhere from one pallet up to about six to twelve pallets, or under roughly 15,000 pounds.
With LTL, your freight shares trailer space with shipments from other businesses. You only pay for the portion of the trailer you use, which makes it dramatically cheaper for smaller loads.
When LTL makes sense
- You are shipping 1 to 6 pallets
- Your freight weighs less than ~15,000 lbs
- You can be flexible on transit time
- You want to keep per-shipment costs low
What is FTL shipping?
FTL stands for full truckload. Your freight gets a dedicated trailer that travels directly from pickup to destination with no shared stops.
When FTL makes sense
- You have enough freight to fill a trailer (10+ pallets)
- Your shipment is time-sensitive
- You are shipping high-value or fragile goods
- You want the fastest, most direct transit
The cost trade-off
The general rule: LTL is cheaper for small loads, FTL is cheaper per-unit for large loads. Somewhere in the middle there is a break-even point where filling a full truck actually costs less than paying LTL rates for a lot of space.
That crossover depends on your lane, freight class, and current market rates — which is exactly where a freight partner earns its keep.
How Route 89 helps you decide
We look at your weight, dimensions, lane, and timing, then shop both LTL and FTL options across our carrier network to find the lowest total cost. You get the cheaper answer without having to run the math yourself.
Request a free quote and we will tell you which option saves you the most.