Best 3PL for Shopify: How to Choose a Fulfillment Partner
A 3PL (third-party logistics provider) stores your stock, picks and packs each order and ships it. On Shopify it shows up as a fulfillment location: orders assigned to it are sent to the 3PL, and tracking numbers come back into the order. The “best” 3PL is the one whose warehouses sit near your customers, whose fees fit your order profile and whose contract you can leave. This guide explains how the connection works, which 3PLs Shopify lists in its own Fulfillment Network, and how to compare quotes.
Shopify facts below come from the Shopify Help Center on fulfillment; App Store ratings were read on October 21, 2026.
How a 3PL plugs into Shopify
- Through an app. Most 3PLs install an app that creates a fulfillment service location in your store. You can also set up a custom fulfillment service that receives orders by email.
- Per product. You choose the fulfillment method for each product, so one order can be split: the 3PL ships what it stocks, you ship the rest.
- Request and accept. With automatic fulfillment, a request goes to the 3PL when the order is paid. The 3PL accepts or declines, and the result is written to the order timeline. After a request is sent, you can no longer edit the order or refund items from it.
- Canceling. A request that is not yet accepted can be canceled from the admin; an accepted one needs a cancellation request that the 3PL can reject.
- Shipping out yourself. “Mark as fulfilled” is not available on orders assigned to a 3PL location. To ship an order yourself you move it to a location you manage first.
- Shipping rates. Some 3PL apps can pass their own carrier rates to checkout, so customers pay what the 3PL charges you.
Shopify’s Fulfillment Network and its partners
Shopify’s Fulfillment Network is for businesses in the United States or Canada. Shopify’s page on international shipping (read November 1, 2026) says such businesses “might be able to use” it, depending on eligibility. If your business is elsewhere, pick a 3PL that has its own app in the Shopify App Store. For eligible stores, the app is free to install and lets you pick a 3PL, then follow inventory transfers, orders and stock from the admin. The 3PL bills you for receiving, storage and fulfillment. Shopify’s list of partners (logistics partners):
| Partner | How it connects | Notes from its App Store listing |
|---|---|---|
| Flexport | Built into the Shopify admin, extra setup steps | — |
| Amazon MCF and Buy with Prime | App | Amazon MCF: US Fulfillment: ships US orders from FBA inventory in 2–3 business days, automatic SKU mapping; 4.0 (57 reviews) |
| ShipBob | App | 60+ warehouses in the US, Canada, Europe and Australia; same-day pick and pack, branded packaging, B2B to 150+ EDI retailers; 4.2 (287 reviews) |
| Bigblue | App | — |
| DHL Fulfillment | App | — |
| GoBolt | App | — |
| Mayple | App | — |
| Shipfusion | App | — |
Outside the network, independent 3PLs connect with their own apps. ShipMonk (on the App Store since 2017, 4.4 from 102 reviews) lists order fulfillment, inventory auto-sync, multi-warehouse inventory, SKU mapping and discounted carrier rates, and bills pick-and-pack, shipping and storage outside Shopify.
None of these publish one price on their listing: all are “free to install” with charges for orders, storage and receiving billed by the 3PL. That is normal for the industry and is why the questions below matter more than a ranking.
What you pay for
| Fee | What it covers | Ask |
|---|---|---|
| Receiving | Unloading and counting inbound stock | per unit, per carton or per hour? |
| Storage | Space your stock occupies | per bin, shelf, pallet or cubic foot; long-term storage surcharges |
| Pick and pack | Each order and each extra item | first item vs each additional item; inserts and branded boxes |
| Packaging | Boxes, mailers, void fill | included or charged per order |
| Shipping | Postage to the customer | their negotiated rates or your carrier account |
| Returns | Receiving, inspecting and restocking returns | per return; who decides what is resellable |
| Minimums | Monthly spend or order count | monthly minimum, setup fee, contract length, exit terms |
| Special projects | Kitting, labeling, B2B orders | hourly rate |
Ask every 3PL to quote the same thing: your last three months of orders (units per order, weight, destinations) and your current stock (SKUs, units, size). Compare the total monthly cost, not the pick fee.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Where are the warehouses, and where are my customers? One warehouse near most of your buyers often beats a network you will not fill.
- How does stock sync? Real-time, or every few hours? What happens when Shopify and the 3PL disagree on a quantity?
- What is the same-day cut-off, and is it a promise in the contract or a target?
- What are the minimums and the exit terms? Monthly minimums, early-termination charges and the cost of moving your stock out.
- Who handles returns and damaged goods, and how do they appear in Shopify?
- Can I see a live account of a store with a similar order profile?
- Tax: in the US, stock held in a 3PL’s warehouse can create physical nexus for sales tax in that state, as Shopify notes in its Fulfillment Network billing guide. Check with a tax adviser before you split inventory across states.
When a 3PL is not the answer yet
If you ship a few orders a day from one location, Shopify’s own tools may be enough: buy discounted labels in the admin, fulfill in bulk or in batches, and print pick and packing documents across many orders at once. A 3PL starts to pay off when packing time keeps you from running the store, when you need faster delivery in another region, or when storage at home or in a small unit runs out.
Frequently asked questions
Does Shopify have its own fulfillment service? Shopify offers the Fulfillment Network app, which connects you to partner 3PLs such as Flexport, ShipBob, Amazon MCF and DHL Fulfillment. It is available to businesses in the United States or Canada, depending on eligibility. The app is free to install; the 3PL charges for its work.
Can I use a 3PL for some products and ship others myself? Yes. The fulfillment method is set per product, and a single order can be split between the 3PL and your own location.
Can I edit an order after it is sent to the 3PL? No. After fulfillment is requested you cannot edit the order or refund items from it; cancel the request first, or ask the 3PL to cancel if it already accepted.
Is Amazon MCF a 3PL for Shopify? Amazon Multi-Channel Fulfillment ships Shopify orders from your Fulfillment by Amazon inventory. The Amazon MCF app on the App Store covers US orders.