Amazon Monthly Storage Fee 2026: Rates, Q4 Surge, Cubic Foot Math
Model storage costs alongside FBA fees and referral in the full P&L calculator
Run the numbers →2026 monthly storage fee rates
| Product type | Jan–Sep | Oct–Dec (Q4) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard-size | $0.78/cu ft | $2.40/cu ft |
| Oversize / large bulky | $0.56/cu ft | $1.40/cu ft |
| Standard-size (DG/hazmat) | $0.99/cu ft | $3.63/cu ft |
| Oversize (DG/hazmat) | $0.78/cu ft | $2.43/cu ft |
How the cubic foot calculation works
cubicFeet = (L × W × H inches) / 1,728
4" × 3" × 2" product: (4 × 3 × 2) / 1,728 = 0.0139 cu ft
500 units, Jan: 500 × 0.0139 × $0.78 = $5.42/month
500 units, Oct: 500 × 0.0139 × $2.40 = $16.67/month
Amazon uses your product dimensions as listed in the catalog, not the actual measured dimensions. If your listing has incorrect dimensions, your storage fee will be wrong — sometimes by a factor of 2–3×. Check your catalog dimensions in Seller Central > Inventory > Manage Inventory > Edit > Product Details and compare against your actual product.
Q4 storage strategy
The 3× storage jump from September to October hits brands two ways: the direct cost of inventory you already have, and the sunk-cost trap of sending too much in October to "save on shipping" versus paying high storage rates. A few rules of thumb:
- Don't build more than 8–10 weeks of Q4 inventory in FBA unless your velocity is proven. At $2.40/cu ft/month, dead inventory in November and December is expensive to dig out of.
- Plan your FBA inventory so you sell down to near-zero by December 31 — the January 1 snapshot resets to the low Jan–Sep rate. Inventory left in FBA Jan 1 costs the same as any other January — but it starts its clock toward the day 181 aged inventory threshold.
- For large bulky items, the Q4 rate is $1.40/cu ft — expensive on high-volume items. Consider self-fulfillment (SFP) or 3PL for your heaviest bulky products in Q4.
What most brands miss
Storage fees are the easiest cost to underestimate because they vary monthly and aren't tied to units sold. A brand running a $29.99 product might have $0.80 in storage cost per unit at peak inventory (before Q4) and $2.50/unit in October. That swing isn't captured in a static P&L model. The OBG calculator models storage based on average units held — use the months-of-cover field to see the impact of different stock strategies.
Frequently asked questions
What is Amazon's monthly storage fee? ▾
A per-cubic-foot fee Amazon charges for inventory stored in its fulfillment centers, billed monthly. Standard-size items: $0.78/cu ft (Jan–Sep) and $2.40/cu ft (Oct–Dec). Oversized/large bulky: $0.56/cu ft (Jan–Sep) and $1.40/cu ft (Oct–Dec). The fee is in addition to any aged inventory surcharges or the storage utilization surcharge.
How is the monthly storage fee calculated? ▾
Amazon measures the daily average volume of your inventory (in cubic feet) over the month and multiplies by the applicable rate. Volume is calculated using your product's dimensions as stored in the catalog: (length × width × height) / 1,728 = cubic feet per unit. If your dimensions are wrong in the catalog, your fee will be wrong.
When is the monthly storage fee charged? ▾
Amazon charges storage fees between the 7th and 15th of the month following the storage period. January storage is billed in February. Amazon takes a daily snapshot of inventory levels and uses the average over the month.
Is Q4 storage really that much more expensive? ▾
Yes — 3× more expensive for standard-size items ($2.40 vs $0.78/cu ft). For a product with 0.1 cu ft/unit storing 500 units, Q4 storage is $120/month vs $39/month. For brands with seasonal spikes, understocking to avoid Q4 storage fees can actually cost more in lost sales than the storage itself.
Does the storage fee apply to dangerous goods? ▾
Dangerous goods stored in dedicated hazmat fulfillment centers have different storage rates: $0.99/cu ft (Jan–Sep) and $3.63/cu ft (Oct–Dec) for standard-size, $0.78/cu ft and $2.43/cu ft for oversized. If your product is classified as DG, you're on the hazmat schedule.
What's the difference between monthly storage fees and the storage utilization surcharge? ▾
Monthly storage is the base fee for holding inventory at all. The storage utilization surcharge is a penalty for having a high ratio of stored inventory to recent sales (weeks of cover above 26 weeks). You pay both if you're overstocked relative to your velocity.