How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- "Palletizing software" covers three different jobs: designing pallet patterns on a PC, planning mixed-case pallets for warehouse orders, and running a palletizing robot. Pick the job first, then the tool.
- The cheapest real option is StackBuilder, which is free. Quick Pallet Maker is a one-time license at US$379 for one or two licenses, which suits a single packaging designer.
- Cargo-Planner is the only tool here with public monthly pricing for team use: $59 (Lite) and $99 (Standard) per month, with a 10-day free trial.
- Robot-facing tools (Pally, Yaskawa PalletSolver, Pallet Designer) usually tie you to specific robot brands or an integrator, so check hardware compatibility before you compare features.
- Several enterprise tools (TOPS Pro, Cape Pack, Optioryx Pulse) do not show a simple list price. Expect a quote or a bundle choice, and ask about contract length.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Cape Pack | Packaging engineers optimizing case and pallet design | See website (sold as Essentials, Advanced and Prime bundles) | Free trial |
 TOPS Pro | Package design with pallet layout and truck loading | See website | Free trial |
 Cargo-Planner | Mixed-case pallet builds and load plans for small teams | $59 per month (Lite), $99 per month (Standard) | Free trial (10 days, no credit card) |
 Quick Pallet Maker | One packaging designer who wants a one-time license | US$379 per license (1 to 2 licenses) | Free trial (demo version) |
 StackBuilder | Free pallet pattern and case-fill calculations | Free | Yes |
 Pally | Teams putting a collaborative robot on a palletizing job | See website | Free trial (30 days, via Universal Robots marketplace) |
 Yaskawa PalletSolver | Plants running or buying Yaskawa Motoman palletizing robots | See website | Free trial |
 Pallet Designer | Integrators who design palletizing layouts for customers | Quote on request | No |
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We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
The best palletizing software solutions
#1
Cape Pack
Best for: Packaging engineers optimizing case and pallet design
Visit esko.com
Starting priceSee website (sold as Essentials, Advanced and Prime bundles)
Free planFree trial
Cape Pack from Esko is the big name for companies that design the package and the pallet together. It sits upstream of the warehouse floor. A packaging engineer uses it to test whether a slightly different case size, or a different count per case, puts more product on each pallet and cuts freight cost.
The suite is modular. Esko's shop page lists three bundles (Essentials, Advanced and Prime) with a try-for-free option and a choice of monthly or yearly billing. The figures on that page were not clear enough for us to quote a reliable starting price, so confirm the number and the billing terms directly before budgeting.
The catch is scope. If your question is "how do I stack these eight SKUs on one outbound pallet today," Cape Pack is more than you need. It earns its price when you ship large volumes of the same products and a small design change pays back across thousands of pallets.
What we like- Covers product size, case size, pallet pattern and compression strength in one suite
- Cloud-based workflow
- Modular bundles so you buy only what you need
Watch out for- Built for packaging engineering teams, so it is heavy for a simple pallet count
- Bundle pricing needs careful reading
#2
TOPS Pro
Best for: Package design with pallet layout and truck loading
Visit topseng.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial
TOPS Pro is aimed at people who design cartons and pallet layouts for prepackaged products. The vendor describes it as software for packaging design, product and carton sizing, pallet layout and truck loading, with a free trial offered on its site. Version notes from industry coverage mention a mixed-load generator and container loading features.
It fits a manufacturer with a packaging or logistics engineer who owns the decision. That person can use the tool to cut corrugate use and improve pallet stability on a regular basis. A small warehouse that only needs quick pallet plans for orders may find it more than necessary.
Pricing is the weak point for buyers who like to compare quickly. We could not verify a list price, so plan for a sales conversation. Ask whether the license is perpetual or annual, and how upgrades and support are charged.
What we like- Combines package design, pallet layout and truck loading
- Long track record in corrugated and consumer goods
- Mixed-load generation tools
Watch out for- No public price list
- Desktop-style workflow takes some training
Starting price$59 per month (Lite), $99 per month (Standard)
Free planFree trial (10 days, no credit card)
Cargo-Planner is cloud software for load planning, and it has a dedicated pallet module. You import an order list, set height and weight limits, and it returns a 3D plan with stable stacking that you can drag and adjust. Its pallet page also says it respects what each carton can bear and keeps heavy items low.
Pricing is refreshingly clear. The pricing page lists Lite at $59 per month and Standard at $99 per month, plus an Enterprise tier for multi-site companies. The trial runs 10 days with no credit card, per the vendor's pallet page.
The honest limit is that this is planning software for people, not a controller for a palletizing robot. It suits a distributor or a manufacturer that builds mixed pallets by hand and wants a repeatable plan. If you want a robot to execute the pattern, look at the cell-focused tools further down.
What we like- Public monthly pricing
- Turns an Excel order list into a 3D pallet plan
- REST API for ERP, TMS or WMS data
Watch out for- Pallet planning is one feature of a wider load planning product
- No robot output
#4
Quick Pallet Maker
Best for: One packaging designer who wants a one-time license
Visit koona.com
Starting priceUS$379 per license (1 to 2 licenses)
Free planFree trial (demo version)
Quick Pallet Maker is a small, focused desktop application from Koona Software. It helps a package designer arrange boxes on a pallet or in a container so that more product fits. The vendor offers a demo so you can test all features before you pay.
The price is easy to follow. Koona lists US$379 per license for one or two licenses, 10% off for three or four, and 20% off for five or more. The Mac App Store version is listed at US$349.99.
This is a good match for a small manufacturer or a freight team with one person who does the pallet math. It is a weaker match if several planners need shared projects or if you want it connected to an order system. Check the vendor's terms on updates and support before buying.
What we like- One-time license rather than a subscription
- Volume discounts from 3 licenses
- Available for Windows and Mac
Watch out for- Single-user desktop tool with no collaboration features
- Aimed at design, not live warehouse orders
#5
StackBuilder
Best for: Free pallet pattern and case-fill calculations
Visit treedim.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
StackBuilder is the tool to try first if you have no budget. The project describes itself as free software for optimizing palletizing, packing and truck loading. A public repository summarizes it as simple palletization software for homogeneous case stacking, covering the best layout for a case on a pallet and case fill for cartons.
For a business that ships one or two products per pallet, that may be all you need. You enter case and pallet sizes, and it gives you layer layouts and a report you can hand to the warehouse. There is no license cost and no subscription.
The trade-off is support and scope. There is no account manager, and mixed-SKU orders are outside what it is designed for. It also will not drive a robot. Treat it as a calculator and a way to learn what good patterns look like before you buy something larger.
What we like- Free and open source
- Handles boxes, cylinders and bundles
- Box and pallet databases with automatic analysis reports
Watch out for- Aimed at uniform case stacking rather than complex mixed pallets
- No vendor support contract
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial (30 days, via Universal Robots marketplace)
Pally is palletizing software from Rocketfarm that runs on collaborative robots. The Universal Robots marketplace lists it as software for existing UR palletizing robots, with a 30-day free trial. Rocketfarm also offers a version for Doosan robots and lists integrator partners.
This one is for a plant that wants to automate end-of-line stacking without writing robot programs. Pattern setup is visual, and operators can change patterns for new products. A third-party buyer guide estimated about $5,000 plus $2,000 per year for the software, but we could not confirm that on a vendor page, so ask for a quote.
Because it is tied to robot hardware, the real cost is the cell, not the license. Compare it against the free palletizing template that Universal Robots provides, which Rocketfarm itself discusses in a comparison article. Ask an integrator which features you would miss without it.
What we like- Built for cobot palletizing with drag-and-drop pattern setup
- Available for Universal Robots and Doosan
- Sold in robot bundles and as a software upgrade
Watch out for- Only useful if you own or plan to buy a supported robot
- Price not published on the vendor site
#7
Yaskawa PalletSolver
Best for: Plants running or buying Yaskawa Motoman palletizing robots
Visit motoman.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial
PalletSolver is Yaskawa Motoman's robotic palletizing software. The vendor says you can set pallet patterns from your PC and send the jobs to the robot, and it offers a free trial download. Coverage of the product describes an offline PC component for pattern and cell definition and an online component that runs on the controller.
It is a natural choice if you already run Yaskawa robots, or an integrator has proposed them. Offline setup means a pattern change does not have to stop the line while someone teaches positions at the robot. That is a real saving on plants with many SKUs.
Outside the Yaskawa ecosystem it has no use. Pricing was not available on the pages we found, so request a quote and ask whether licenses are tied to a controller or to each cell.
What we like- Set pallet patterns on a PC and send jobs to the robot
- Separate offline and controller-based components
- Free trial download
Watch out for- Built for Yaskawa robots only
- No public price
Starting priceQuote on request
Free planNo
Pallet Designer is a newer palletizing configurator built for automation integrators. Its pricing page describes three components: an integrator team licence, an end-customer configurator, and machine integration elements. Each one is quoted on request.
The integrator licence covers designing layers and pallets, mixing products, testing gripper variants and live validation. It also exports data to the machine, creates files for robot simulation and produces PDF documentation. The end-customer configurator lets an operator build a new layout in minutes based on machine parameters your team set up earlier.
That makes it most useful to a robotics integrator who wants to hand customers a safe, limited tool. A plant that is not buying a machine through an integrator is unlikely to be the target. Since it is a newer vendor, ask for references and check how long the company has supported its customers.
What we like- Designs layers and pallets, mixes products and tests gripper variants
- Exports data for the machine and robot simulation
- Works without a constant internet connection
Watch out for- Pricing only by quote
- Aimed at integrators more than end users
How we chose
We did not run hands-on tests of these products. We built the list from vendor pricing pages, product documentation, vendor-published feature descriptions, and public review sites such as G2 and Capterra, then cross-checked claims against more than one source where we could. Where a vendor does not publish a price, or the page was unclear, we wrote See website or quote on request instead of guessing.
We kept to tools that handle palletizing directly: pattern design, mixed-case pallet planning, or robot palletizing software. We looked at who each tool is built for, the type of pricing (license, subscription or quote), integrations, trial availability, and company-size fit. We left out pure container-loading tools and general warehouse suites where pallet building is a minor feature.
How to match palletizing software to your operation
Start with the job, not the feature list
Most buying mistakes come from mixing up three categories. Pattern design tools (StackBuilder, Quick Pallet Maker, TOPS Pro, Cape Pack) answer "what is the best way to stack this case." Order planning tools (Cargo-Planner, Optioryx Pulse) answer "how do I build this particular mixed pallet." Robot software (Pally, PalletSolver, Pallet Designer) answers "how does a machine place these boxes."
Write down which of those you need. Many small companies only need the first, and can start with a free tool or a one-time license.
Check the robot and the hardware
If you plan to automate, the software choice often follows the robot. Pally supports Universal Robots and Doosan, and PalletSolver supports Yaskawa. Ask an integrator which controllers a license works with, and whether you can move the license to a new cell later.
Ask about data and integration
Mixed-case planning depends on clean item data: length, width, height, weight and how much weight each carton can bear. Bad master data produces unstable pallets, whatever the software. If you want orders to flow in automatically, look for an API or import options. Cargo-Planner lists a REST API for ERP, TMS or WMS data, and Optioryx offers an API for its tools.
Understand the real cost
Compare total cost over three years, not just the first license. Include training, annual support, upgrades, and extra seats. For robot software, include the robot, gripper, safety equipment and integrator time, which usually dwarfs the license.
Use the trial properly
Most tools here offer a trial or demo. Load your five most common SKUs and your two ugliest mixed orders, then check whether the plans match what your warehouse would actually build. A plan that is mathematically dense but unstable on a forklift is not a good plan.
Frequently asked questions
What is palletizing software?
Palletizing software calculates how to arrange cases on a pallet and, in some products, sends those patterns to a palletizing robot. It can improve pallet density, stability and freight cost. Some tools design patterns, some plan mixed pallets for orders, and some control robots.
How much does palletizing software cost?
It ranges from free (StackBuilder) to one-time licenses such as US$379 for Quick Pallet Maker, to monthly subscriptions such as Cargo-Planner at $59 or $99 per month. Enterprise and robot tools such as TOPS Pro, Cape Pack and Pallet Designer are quote-based or bundle-based. Always confirm current pricing with the vendor.
Do I need software if I am not using a robot?
Not always, but it helps. A pattern calculator can improve how many cases go on each pallet. A planning tool can give warehouse staff a repeatable plan for mixed orders, which reduces damage and rework.
Can palletizing software handle mixed-SKU pallets?
Some can. Cargo-Planner and Optioryx Pulse are built for mixed-case plans, and robot tools such as PalletSolver market mixed-case capability. StackBuilder is designed for uniform case stacking, so it is not the right fit for mixed pallets.
What is the difference between pallet pattern software and robot palletizing software?
Pattern software calculates and shows a layout. Robot palletizing software turns a layout into movements for a specific robot and manages the pick and place sequence. Robot software is usually tied to a robot brand, while pattern software is not.
Sources we checked (18)
- https://www.esko.com/en/products/cape-pack
- https://www.esko.com/en/products/cape-pack/buy
- https://www.largeformatreview.com/print-software/esko-launch-its-latest-version-of-cape-palletization-software/
- https://topseng.com/tops-package-design-pallet-configuration-software/
- https://www.packagingdigest.com/packaging-technologies/palletizing-software
- https://www.cargo-planner.com/pricing
- https://cargo-planner.com/pallet-calculator-software/
- https://www.koona.com/en/qpm/buy/index.html
- https://www.treedim.com/stackbuilder/en/
- https://github.com/siranen/PalletBuilder
- https://www.universal-robots.com/marketplace/products/01tP40000071NgbIAE/
- https://www.rocketfarm.no/resource-center/insights/pally-palletizing-software-vs-ur-palletizing-template-comparison/
- https://www.rocketfarm.no/software-products/pally-doosan/
- https://www.cobotfinder.com/guides/cobot-palletizer
- https://www.motoman.com/en-us/products/software/applications/pallet-solver
- https://www.robots.com/articles/better-palletizing-with-motoman-palletsolver-software
- https://palletdesigner.com/en/pricing/
- https://www.optioryx.com/blog/best-palletization-software
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.