LTL vs FTL Shipping: How to Choose the Right Option for Your Freight

One of the most fundamental decisions in freight shipping is whether to book a full truck for your cargo alone or share truck space with other shippers. This choice between Full Truckload (FTL) and Less Than Truckload (LTL) affects everything from cost per unit to transit time to how your goods are handled.

Neither option is universally better. The right choice depends on your shipment's characteristics, your priorities, and the specific circumstances of each load. This guide explains the key differences and provides a framework for making the right decision.

Understanding the Basics

Before diving into when to use each option, let's clarify what FTL and LTL actually mean in practice.

Full Truckload (FTL)

With FTL shipping, you book an entire truck for your cargo exclusively. The vehicle travels directly from your pickup location to your delivery destination without stopping to collect or deliver other shipments. You're paying for the whole truck whether you fill it completely or not.

A standard European curtain-sided trailer offers approximately 80-90 cubic metres of space and can carry around 24 tonnes. It fits roughly 33 EUR pallets (120×80cm) on the floor, or up to 66 if goods are stackable to double-deck height.

Less Than Truckload (LTL)

LTL shipping consolidates multiple shippers' freight onto shared vehicles. You pay for only the space your cargo occupies—measured by pallet positions, weight, or volume. Your shipment travels alongside freight from other companies, with the carrier managing consolidation and deconsolidation.

LTL typically makes economic sense for shipments between 1 and 10-15 pallets, though the exact threshold varies by route and carrier.

Groupage

Groupage is essentially the European term for LTL consolidation services, often with scheduled departure days and established route networks. The mechanics are similar to LTL—shared truck space, consolidated freight—but groupage services frequently operate on fixed schedules rather than on-demand.

Key Differences That Affect Your Decision

Several factors differ significantly between FTL and LTL, and understanding these helps you choose appropriately.

Cost Structure

FTL charges a flat rate for the entire truck, regardless of how much space you use. If you're shipping 30 pallets, you pay the same as shipping 33. The per-pallet cost decreases as you approach full capacity.

LTL charges based on space consumed—typically by pallet position, weight, or cubic metre. You pay only for what you ship, but the per-unit rate is higher than FTL's marginal cost per pallet.

The crossover point varies by route and carrier, but generally: below 10-12 pallets, LTL costs less total; above 15-20 pallets, FTL typically wins on total cost and almost always wins on per-unit cost.

Transit Time

FTL moves directly from origin to destination. No intermediate stops, no consolidation delays. For a 500km route, you might expect next-day delivery.

LTL involves additional handling. Your freight goes to a consolidation point, waits for other shipments, travels on a shared vehicle (possibly with multiple delivery stops), and may pass through distribution hubs. The same 500km route might take 2-4 days.

For time-sensitive freight, FTL's speed advantage often justifies the cost premium.

Handling and Risk

FTL shipments are loaded once at pickup and unloaded once at delivery. Your cargo stays on the same truck throughout. Less handling means lower risk of damage.

LTL freight may be handled multiple times—loaded, unloaded at consolidation, reloaded onto linehaul vehicles, potentially transferred at hubs, then delivered. Each touchpoint introduces damage risk. Packaging must account for this additional handling.

Flexibility and Scheduling

FTL offers flexibility on pickup and delivery timing—the truck comes when you need it. Departure and arrival schedules are negotiated for each shipment.

LTL often operates on fixed schedules. Groupage services may have set departure days (e.g., "departures to Germany every Tuesday and Thursday"). You adapt to the carrier's schedule rather than vice versa.

When to Choose FTL

Full truckload shipping makes sense in several scenarios:

High Volume

The most obvious case: when you have enough freight to fill or nearly fill a truck. If you're shipping 20+ pallets to a single destination, FTL almost certainly offers better economics than LTL.

Time-Critical Shipments

When delivery speed matters—production deadlines, customer commitments, perishable goods—FTL's direct routing delivers faster than consolidated LTL services.

Fragile or High-Value Cargo

Minimising handling reduces damage risk. For fragile goods, sensitive equipment, or high-value cargo where damage costs exceed transport premiums, FTL's single-load-single-unload handling is safer.

Specialised Equipment Needs

Temperature-controlled transport, hazardous goods, oversized cargo—these often require dedicated vehicles anyway. When the truck needs specific equipment or certifications, FTL is typically the only practical option.

Simplified Logistics

One truck, one carrier, one tracking reference, predictable timing. For operations that value simplicity and control, FTL reduces coordination complexity.

When to Choose LTL

Less than truckload shipping fits different circumstances:

Smaller Shipments

For 1-10 pallets, LTL's pay-for-space model beats paying for an entire truck you won't fill. The per-pallet rate is higher, but total cost is lower.

Regular, Predictable Flows

If you ship consistent volumes on regular schedules—say, 5 pallets to Munich every week—groupage services with established routes offer reliable, cost-effective transport.

Cost Optimisation Over Speed

When transit time flexibility exists and cost minimisation is the priority, LTL's lower total spend (for appropriate volumes) wins despite longer delivery windows.

Multiple Destinations

Shipping smaller quantities to multiple destinations? LTL to each beats multiple underutilised FTL movements. Unless volumes justify dedicated trucks to each location, consolidation makes sense.

The Grey Zone: 10-20 Pallets

The trickiest decisions fall in the middle ground—shipments large enough that LTL feels expensive, but not quite filling an FTL truck efficiently.

Calculate Both Options

For shipments in this range, always get quotes for both FTL and LTL. The crossover point varies significantly by lane, timing, and carrier. What's cheaper on one route may flip on another.

Consider Total Cost

Don't just compare transport rates. Factor in: damage risk (LTL's additional handling), transit time value (delays cost money), coordination effort (managing LTL's multiple touchpoints). Sometimes paying slightly more for FTL delivers better total value.

Look for Consolidation Opportunities

Can you combine shipments? Holding freight for a day or two to consolidate multiple orders into one FTL might cost less than sending each as LTL. Similarly, coordinating with colleagues in different departments might reveal consolidation opportunities.

Hybrid Approaches

The choice isn't always binary. Several strategies combine FTL and LTL advantages:

Milk Runs

A dedicated truck making multiple pickups or deliveries on a route can offer FTL-like control with better capacity utilisation than sending partial trucks to each stop.

Consolidation Services

Some carriers offer consolidation where your freight joins a scheduled FTL service at a hub. You get LTL pricing for the first/last mile with FTL speed on the linehaul portion.

Regular Route Commitments

Committing volume on regular routes—even if individual shipments don't fill trucks—can yield FTL-like rates through volume agreements.

Making the Right Choice

The FTL vs LTL decision ultimately comes down to matching your shipment's characteristics with each option's strengths:

FTL excels at: Larger volumes, time-sensitive delivery, fragile cargo, specialised requirements, operational simplicity.

LTL excels at: Smaller volumes, cost-sensitive situations, regular scheduled flows, standard freight, multiple destinations.

For freight platforms like Truckscanner, both options are available. When posting a load, you can specify whether you're seeking FTL, LTL, or open to either—letting carriers quote on the basis that makes sense for your shipment. The platform handles both dedicated and shared-capacity quotes, giving you visibility into your options without needing to manage separate sourcing processes.

The key is matching method to need. Neither FTL nor LTL is inherently better—they serve different situations. Understanding when each applies ensures you're not overpaying for unnecessary truck space or accepting slow, high-handling transit when speed and care matter.

Sources: European road freight market data; transport cost structure analysis; Truckscanner platform shipment analytics.