Five ways to weigh a pallet, and a straight answer on which one fits your space, your volume, and your budget.
If you ship anything on a pallet, you need to weigh it. The catch is there are five very different ways to do that, and the right one depends on how you actually work. Most guides just list them without telling you which one fits you.
This guide fixes that. We’ll walk through the five best scales for warehouses (floor scales, pallet jack scales, weigh bars, forklift scales, and pallet wrappers with a built-in scale), and for each one you’ll get the honest trade-off: what it’s great at, what it costs you, and exactly when it’s the right call. By the end you’ll know which one fits your operation, not just what exists.
Chapter 01How to Choose a Warehouse Scale
Before the five options, here’s the part most people skip. The “best” scale isn’t the fanciest one. It’s the one that matches how you actually work. Four things decide it:
- Volume: how many pallets do you ship a week? A few, or 40 and up?
- Space: do you have room to give up a few square feet permanently, or are you tight?
- Speed: can you afford to stop and walk a pallet to a scale, or does every second count?
- Budget: what’s the most economical option that still does the job?
The rule of thumb Low volume plus plenty of room: keep it simple and economical. High volume plus no time to waste: pay for speed. Everything else is matching one of the five options below to where you land on those four questions.
Keep those four in mind as you read. There’s also a 3-question recommender near the bottom that points you to a starting place.
Chapter 02Floor Scales, the Workhorse
A floor scale is the most common scale you’ll see in any warehouse, and for most operations it’s the right first answer.
“This is the most common type of scale you’ll see in pretty much any kind of warehousing or shipping application.”
It’s a flat platform you set a pallet on. They come in a wide range of sizes to fit whatever you ship: 2×2, 3×3, 4×4, 5×5, 5×7, 6×6, and plenty of sizes in between. You load it two ways: roll a pallet on with a pallet jack (if you add a ramp, usually on a 4×4 or 5×5), or set the pallet down with a forklift.
Why it wins: it’s the most economical option compared to a forklift scale or a pallet wrapper, and it’s versatile. It’ll weigh almost anything you can set on it.
Best for Warehouses with room to spare, on a budget, that won’t be weighing constantly. If that’s you, a floor scale is hard to beat.
→ See our floor scales.
Chapter 03Pallet Jack Scales, Weigh While You Move
A pallet jack scale is exactly what it sounds like: a pallet jack with the weighing mechanism built right into the forks. You slide it under the pallet, pump it up off the ground, and it captures the weight as you lift.
It’s not usually the most cost-effective option, but it earns its keep when floor space is the constraint.
“Instead of using a floor scale, which takes up a four-foot-square platform area, you can actually move this around and use it in different locations, and store it away under a pallet when you’re not using it.”
You can spec them with printers, different capacities, and powered or electronic versions depending on how hard you’ll run it.
Best for Tight warehouses that need to weigh in more than one spot, and want the scale out of the way when it’s idle.
→ See our pallet jack scales.
Chapter 04Weigh Bars, the Light, Low-Cost Option
Weigh bars are two long bars, typically 36, 40, 48, or 60 inches, that you spread apart and connect to a digital readout with cables. Set a pallet across the two bars and you’ve got a weight.
They’re the most portable option on this list: very light, easy to store, and quick to pull out when you need them. They handle different pallet sizes well, and if your pallet jack can lift at least about 7 inches, you can set a pallet right onto the bars with the jack instead of a forklift.
Best for Limited space and occasional weighing, when you want the most economical, most portable option. Pull them out, weigh, put them away.
→ Browse warehouse scales, including weigh bars.
Chapter 05Forklift Scales, Weigh the Instant You Lift
A forklift scale builds the scale right into your forklift. You pick up a pallet and the weight shows up immediately, with no driving it over to a separate scale, setting it down, and reading it.
“This makes your efficiency go way up, because you don’t have to take your pallet, drive it over to where the scale is, and set it down. As soon as you pick it up, it’s going to show your weight right there.”
That speed is the whole point. It integrates with the forklift you already use and makes the whole flow seamless.
Best for Operations with the budget that ship 40 to 50 pallets a week and can’t waste time getting product out the door. If speed is the priority, this is the one.
→ See our forklift scales.
Chapter 06Pallet Wrappers with a Built-In Scale, Wrap and Weigh in One
Most pallets get wrapped before they ship anyway. A pallet wrapper with a built-in scale turns that step into two jobs at once: set the pallet on the wrapper, get your weight, then wrap it and send it out the door, with no separate weighing step at all.
You’ve got two paths here: add a scale to a wrapper you already own, or buy a wrapper with the scale built in for a true two-in-one.
It’s the highest-cost option on this list, so it has to be justified by volume. For a high-throughput shipping floor, doing two steps in one is where it pays off.
Best for High pallet volume (think 50 or more a week) where you’re already wrapping every load and need the line to move as fast as possible.
→ See our pallet wrappers with scales.
Chapter 07Which One Fits You
Not sure where you land? Answer three quick questions and we’ll point you to the right starting place:
Or compare all five at a glance:
| Scale | Best for | Strength | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floor scale | Room and budget, lighter use | Cheapest, most versatile | Takes permanent floor space |
| Pallet jack scale | Tight space, weigh on the move | Portable, stores away | Pricier than a floor scale |
| Weigh bars | Tight space, occasional use | Lightest, lowest cost | Less convenient for constant use |
| Forklift scale | High volume, speed | Weigh while you lift | Higher cost, needs a forklift |
| Pallet wrapper scale | High volume, already wrapping | Wrap and weigh in one | Highest cost |
Still on the fence? This is exactly the call Fred makes with customers every day. Give him your volume and your space, and he’ll tell you straight which one to buy so you get the right scale the first time.
Chapter 08Common Questions
What’s the best scale for a warehouse on a budget?
A floor scale is usually the most economical option that still does everything most warehouses need. If you’re tight on space too, weigh bars are the lowest-cost, most portable choice.
What size floor scale do I need for a pallet?
Floor scales run from 2×2 up to 6×6 feet and beyond, with sizes in between. A 4×4 or 5×5 fits a standard pallet and lets you add a ramp to roll pallets on with a pallet jack. Match the platform to your largest pallet.
How do I weigh a pallet without taking up floor space?
Use a pallet jack scale or weigh bars. A pallet jack scale weighs as you move the load and stores under a pallet, and weigh bars are light, portable, and put away in seconds.
When is a forklift scale worth the cost?
When you ship roughly 40 to 50 or more pallets a week and can’t afford to stop and weigh separately. Weighing on the forks as you lift removes a whole step and speeds up your entire shipping flow.
Can I add a scale to a pallet wrapper I already own?
Yes. You can add weighing to an existing wrapper, or buy a wrapper with the scale built in. Either way you set the pallet down, get the weight, and wrap it in one step. Give us a call and we’ll match it to your wrapper.
Not sure which one’s right? Let’s figure it out.
Tell us your weekly volume, your space, and how fast you need to move, and we’ll point you to the right scale so you buy it once and buy it right. 📞 800-917-7205
Last updated: 2026-06-04