The 20ft and the 40ft are the two containers almost every buyer ends up choosing between. A 40ft gives you double the floor for well under double the price, which makes it the better value on paper. Whether it is the better buy depends almost entirely on your site.
On this page
Side by side
| Specification | 20 ft | 40 ft |
|---|---|---|
| External length | 20 ft 0 in (6.06 m) | 40 ft 0 in (12.19 m) |
| Internal length | 19 ft 4 in (5.90 m) | 39 ft 5 in (12.03 m) |
| Internal width | 7 ft 8 in (2.35 m) | 7 ft 8 in (2.35 m) |
| Internal height (standard) | 7 ft 10 in (2.39 m) | 7 ft 10 in (2.39 m) |
| Floor area | 150 sq ft (13.9 sq m) | 305 sq ft (28.3 sq m) |
| Capacity (standard) | 1,172 cu ft (33.2 cu m) | 2,390 cu ft (67.7 cu m) |
| Capacity (high cube) | 1,320 cu ft (37.4 cu m) | 2,700 cu ft (76.4 cu m) |
| Tare weight | 4,850 lb (2,200 kg) | 8,270 lb (3,750 kg) |
| Maximum payload | 62,350 lb (28,280 kg) | 58,930 lb (26,730 kg) |
| Pallets on the floor | Around 10 to 11 | Around 20 to 22 |
| Delivery vehicle length | Around 40 ft | Around 55 ft |
Note the payload line. A 40ft container carries slightly less weight than a 20ft, because the maximum gross weight is capped at the same figure and the 40ft shell itself is heavier. If you are storing something dense, two 20ft units beat one 40ft.
Cost per square foot
A 40ft container is typically somewhere around fifty to eighty per cent more expensive than a 20ft equivalent, while giving you slightly more than double the floor area. On a per-square-foot basis the 40ft is clearly the cheaper storage, and the gap widens further once you account for a single delivery instead of two.
Because container pricing moves with the shipping market, compare the live prices on our 20ft listings and 40ft listings rather than relying on a fixed ratio.
Access is the real decider
A 40ft container is delivered on a vehicle around 55 ft long, and a tilt-bed off-load needs roughly 95 ft of straight, firm run. That single fact rules the 40ft out of most domestic driveways, many urban yards and any site with a tight entrance or a turning circle.
A 20ft unit arrives on a vehicle around 40 ft long and needs about 55 ft of run. It fits sites the 40ft cannot reach, and it can be craned into position far more cheaply because it is lighter and shorter. Read the delivery preparation guide before you commit either way.
Choose the 20ft when
- Access is restricted, or the site has a tight entrance or turning area.
- You are storing something dense and weight is the limit, not volume.
- You may want to move the unit again later, or resell it quickly.
- 150 sq ft genuinely covers the requirement with a little headroom.
- You want a lower single outlay and a shorter footprint on your yard.
Choose the 40ft when
- You have a clear commercial yard, a hardstanding or an open site.
- You are storing pallets, long materials, vehicles or plant.
- You want the lowest possible cost per square foot of secure space.
- You are converting the unit and need room for more than one space.
- One delivery is preferable to two on a busy site.
Two 20ft units instead of one 40ft
This is worth considering more often than people do. Two 20ft containers give you the same floor area, more total payload, and the flexibility to place them apart, at right angles, or in two different locations. They are also easier to sell on individually.
The trade-offs are two delivery charges, two sets of doors to secure, and a slightly higher total unit cost. If your access will not take a 40ft, this is almost always the answer rather than compromising on volume.
Worth remembering as well: whichever length you choose, the high cube version adds a foot of internal height for a modest premium. Our high cube guide explains when that pays for itself.
Tell us the site and we will tell you the size
Send your postcode, what you are storing and a photograph of the approach. We will confirm whether a 40ft can physically be delivered and quote both options if it can.
Questions answered
No. It is usually somewhere around fifty to eighty per cent more, for slightly more than double the floor area, which is why it is the cheaper option per square foot. Prices move with the shipping market, so compare the live listings.
Sometimes, but rarely on a standard driveway. A 40ft delivery vehicle is around 55 ft long and a tilt-bed off-load needs about 95 ft of straight run. Most residential deliveries end up being 20ft units, or a 40ft placed by crane.
A 20ft, marginally. Both share the same maximum gross weight limit, and because the 40ft shell weighs more, its usable payload is slightly lower. For dense loads such as tiles, stone or metal, two 20ft units are the better answer.
Around twenty to twenty-two standard pallets on the floor, roughly double a 20ft. Double-stacking increases that considerably if the load allows, which is where a 40ft high cube earns its premium.
Slightly, because the pool of buyers with suitable access is smaller. Both sizes hold value well, but 20ft units tend to move faster on the second-hand market.
Containers are designed to stack at the corner castings, so a 20ft can sit on a 40ft only if its castings align with the 40ft corner or midpoint castings, and it should be twist-locked. Stacking on land raises wind loading and safety questions, so take advice first.