Guide · Buying and owning
Storage Container Sizes
Yuri Kan Checked against 44 of 88 published sheets Updated
The standard storage container is the 20 ft: 13.9 m² (149 ft²) of inside floor and 33.2 m³ (1,172 ft³), per 15 of 18 sheets; storage containers come in nine sizes in eight lengths. The ISO sizes: 10 ft (6.7 m² / 72 ft² of inside floor, 15.9 m³), 20 ft (13.9 m² / 149 ft², 33.2 m³), 40 ft (28.3 m² / 305 ft², 67.7 m³), 40 ft high cube (76.4 m³) and 45 ft (86.0 m³), all 2.438 m (8 ft) wide — the inside as most published line and maker sheets print it; US domestic 48 ft (97.6 m³, as the one published sheet, Sea Box’s, prints it) and 53 ft (111.8 m³) add length and width; non-ISO portable 8 ft and 16 ft units fill the gaps for tight sites. Sizing rule of thumb: a studio apartment fits a 10 ft, a one-to-two-bedroom home a 20 ft, a three-to-four-bedroom house a 40 ft. A used cargo-worthy 20 ft costs $1,700–2,800 to buy ($1,300–2,300 wind-and-water-tight) or $100–200 per month to rent, so buying breaks even in roughly 9–28 months.
For on-site storage the question is not TEU arithmetic but floor area, door clearance and what actually fits. This guide puts every length on one table — the ISO fleet, the US domestic sizes and the non-ISO portable units that rental firms cut for tight driveways — then works through prices and a five-question sizing framework.
The physical boxes are the same ISO containers documented across this site; “storage container” describes the job, not a different product. Where a size has a full specification page, it is linked.
Buy and rental prices below are US-market figures as of mid-2026 — expect regional and seasonal variation.
The numbers in this chart
| Size | m² | ft² |
|---|---|---|
| 10 ft container | 6.7 | 72 |
| 20 ft container | 13.9 | 149 |
| 40 ft container | 28.3 | 305 |
| 40 ft high cube container | 28.3 | 305 |
| 45 ft high cube container | 31.9 | 343 |
| 48 ft container | 36.2 | 390 |
| 53 ft container | 40.3 | 434 |
Checked : the figures in this chart against 41 of 88 published sheets from 26 lines, lessors, makers and rail and road operators: those that print these figures. A sheet agrees within ±5 mm, or ±2 % for a mass and ±1 % for a volume; a maximum gross is a rating and must be the same. Every figure and its sources
- 10′2.991 × 2.591 m9′10″ × 8′6″
- 20′6.058 × 2.591 m19′10½″ × 8′6″
- 40′12.192 × 2.591 m40′ × 8′6″
- 40′ HC12.192 × 2.896 m40′ × 9′6″
- 45′ HC13.716 × 2.896 m45′ × 9′6″
- 48′ · US domestic14.630 × 2.896 m48′ × 9′6″
- 53′ · US domestic16.154 × 2.896 m53′ × 9′6″
Every figure checked: ISO 668 + 44 published sheets · · Every figure and its sources
Every storage container size at a glance
| Size | L × W × H (m) | Floor area | Volume | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 ft | ≈2.4 × 2.1 × 2.4 (PODS) | — | — | Non-ISO portable; one maker’s approximate size (PODS, in feet), others differ |
| 10 ft | 2.991 × 2.438 × 2.591 | 6.7 m² | 15.9 m³ | ISO; usually cut down from 20 ft |
| 16 ft | ≈4.9 × 2.4 × 2.4 (PODS) | — | — | Non-ISO portable / cut-down; one maker’s approximate size (PODS, in feet) |
| 20 ft | 6.058 × 2.438 × 2.591 | 13.9 m² | 33.2 m³ | ISO; the storage workhorse |
| 40 ft | 12.192 × 2.438 × 2.591 | 28.3 m² | 67.7 m³ | ISO |
| 40 ft HC | 12.192 × 2.438 × 2.896 | 28.3 m² | 76.4 m³ | ISO; +305 mm height for racking |
| 45 ft HC | 13.716 × 2.438 × 2.896 | 31.9 m² | 86.0 m³ | ISO; rare in storage service |
| 48 ft | 14.630 × 2.591 × 2.896 | 36.2 m² | 97.6 m³ | US domestic, 2.591 m wide |
| 53 ft | 16.154 × 2.591 × 2.896 | 40.3 m² | 111.8 m³ | US domestic; the largest |
Three patterns are worth noting:
- Every ISO length shares the same 2.438 m width and the same 2.340 × 2.280 m door opening (2.585 m tall on high cubes) — wide enough for a car, a sofa or a forklift with a pallet.
- The 8 ft and 16 ft rows are not ISO sizes. They are purpose-built or cut-down units sold into the portable-storage trade, with no standard size. So the table gives one maker’s (PODS’) approximate size, which PODS prints in whole feet without saying inside or outside, and no inside figure.
- Floor areas are internal: the external footprint runs 0.9 m² larger on a 20 ft.
Height is the quiet variable. Standard boxes give 2.393 m of internal clearance, high cubes 2.698 m, and that extra 305 mm (a foot) is a full additional shelf level on racking. That is why the 40 ft high cube has become the default for workshop and inventory storage, even when the floor area of a standard 40 ft would do.
Checked : the outside sizes of the ISO boxes (of the 10 ft, its length and width) set by ISO 668, read in IS 6566:2001, GOST R 51876-2008 and GOST R 53350-2009; the US domestic boxes, which no ISO standard covers, and every other figure against 44 published sheets of 28 lines, lessors, makers and rail and road operators. A sheet agrees within ±5 mm, or ±2 % for a mass and ±1 % for a volume; a maximum gross is a rating and must be the same. Every figure and its sources
ISO containers vs PODS: what each holds, how it moves, what it costs
The other branch of the storage market is the moving-and-storage pod. PODS runs 8, 12 and 16 ft containers — 8 × 7 × 8, 12 × 8 × 8 and 16 × 8 × 8 ft (about 2.4 × 2.1 × 2.4, 3.7 × 2.4 × 2.4 and 4.9 × 2.4 × 2.4 m), approximate sizes PODS gives in feet without saying whether they are inside or outside, from one sheet (PODS Enterprises). PODS publishes no volume, and other moving-and-storage firms run similar units.
By those nominal feet, the 16 ft pod, PODS’ largest, comes to about 29 m³ (1,024 ft³), less than the 33.2 m³ a 20 ft ISO container holds inside.
The differences are structural, not just size:
- Pods are built to be lifted loaded. PODS’ hydraulic “Podzilla” lift carries the packed unit to a warehouse or a new address, which is the product’s whole point.
- ISO containers move empty on a tilt-bed (loaded moves need a crane). But they are heavier steel, stackable, buyable outright and far cheaper per cubic metre over any period measured in years.
Rule of thumb: pod for a move with storage in the middle, ISO box for storage that stays on your property.
Note the vocabulary trap: “pods container size” searches usually want PODS-the-company figures, but sellers also use “pod” generically for any portable unit. Check the actual dimensions on the quote — one firm’s “8 ft pod” need not match another’s.
Price works the same way in both markets — a monthly fee plus delivery — but the curves diverge fast. A pod rents by the month plus a charge for every move. A 20 ft ISO container rents for $100–200 per month and can be bought outright for $1,300–2,800, after which the marginal month costs nothing.
Bought cargo-worthy, a 20 ft pays for itself against its own rent in 9–28 months, so for storage that lasts longer the ISO box wins the arithmetic.
What fits in each size?
The reliable estimator is rooms, not square feet of home. As a planning estimate — ours, not a measured figure — allow 5–7 m³ of container space for each furnished room once boxed. From there the mapping is mechanical:
- 10 ft (15.9 m³) — a studio apartment. Contents of one to two rooms: bed, sofa, wardrobe and their boxes. Also the right size for garden equipment, a motorcycle with shelving, or tool storage where a 20 ft will not fit.
- 20 ft (33.2 m³) — a one-to-two-bedroom home. Four to five rooms’ worth: full furniture, appliances and boxes, or a car plus a room of goods. For scale, PODS rates its 16 ft unit — about 29 m³ by its nominal feet, less than a 20 ft holds inside — for a home of about 1,200 ft² (111 m²).
- 40 ft (67.7 m³) — a three-to-four-bedroom house. Seven to eight rooms including garage contents, or a 20 ft load plus workshop racking with a walking aisle. The 40 ft holds more than twice the nominal volume of that 16 ft pod (about 29 m³). For larger homes, or any business keeping palletised stock, this is the floor to start from, and the high cube adds 305 mm of racking height for near-identical money.
If the estimate lands between sizes, size up. A 60 cm walking aisle down a box 2.352 m wide inside takes about a quarter (26%) of the floor, but saves unloading half the container to reach the back wall.
What do storage containers cost?
Expect $100–200 per month to rent a 20 ft storage container or $1,300–2,800 to buy one used, with a 40 ft at $150–250 per month or $1,700–3,400 used. These are the two markets for the same box, in observed US ranges for October 2026:
| Size | WWT | Cargo-worthy | One-trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 ft | $1,900–2,900 | $2,500–3,700 | $3,500–5,000 |
| 20 ft | $1,300–2,300 | $1,700–2,800 | $2,800–4,400 |
| 40 ft | $1,700–2,900 | $2,100–3,400 | — |
| 40 ft high cube | $1,700–3,200 | $2,100–3,500 | $4,000–5,600 |
The arithmetic favours buying early. At $100–200 per month against a $1,700–2,800 cargo-worthy purchase, a 20 ft pays for itself in roughly 9–28 months and then holds resale value. Delivery is extra either way — typically $400–800 within 50 miles of the depot.
The full price picture, including why the same box costs more inland than at a port, is in the container prices guide.
Which size do I need? Five questions
- How much volume, honestly? Count furnished rooms and multiply by the 5–7 m³ estimate above, or measure your boxed goods against container volumes: 15.9 / 33.2 / 67.7 m³ for 10 / 20 / 40 ft.
- Will you need to reach things? Packed solid, plan on about 85% of the volume, the share this site’s calculators plan with. Regular access needs a walking aisle — about a quarter of the floor — so size up.
- What does the site take? Footprint plus about 1.2 m in front for the door leaves (each half the box’s width), plus a straight tilt-bed approach. One dealer, Dry Box, asks for about 18.3 m (60 ft) for a 20 ft and 36.6 m (120 ft) for a 40 ft, with 4.9 m (16 ft) of height. A site that takes two 20s does not necessarily take one 40.
- How long? At current prices a 20 ft bought cargo-worthy pays for itself in 9–28 months of rent: under 9 months, rent; past 28, buy; between, the prices you are quoted decide.
- Will it ever ship? Static storage needs only wind-and-water-tight grade. If the box might ever move internationally, pay for cargo-worthy with a valid CSC plate.
Delivery, ground and condition a storage container needs
A container bears its whole weight on the four corner castings, so it does not need a slab. Compacted gravel, paving flags or railway sleepers under the corners are all standard. Grass works short-term on firm ground: expect it to die underneath, and check the box stays level as corners settle.
What it does need is delivery access: a straight, level run for the tilt-bed. One dealer (Dry Box) prints about 18.3 m (60 ft) for a 20 ft or 36.6 m (120 ft) for a 40 ft, with 4.9 m (16 ft) clear overhead; other dealers ask for less, so ask yours. Methods and costs: moving a shipping container.
Condition is graded, and for storage the cheap grades are the smart ones. Wind-and-water-tight (WWT) keeps rain out for hundreds of dollars less than cargo-worthy, and the difference is certification, not steel. What each grade certifies — and the fifteen-minute inspection that verifies it — is in the container grades guide.
For long-term storage add ventilation against condensation: temperature swings otherwise rain onto your goods from the ceiling.
Frequently asked questions
What sizes do storage containers come in?
Storage containers come mainly in 10, 20 and 40 ft lengths — 15.9 m³ (562 ft³), 33.2 m³ (1,172 ft³) and 67.7 m³ (2,391 ft³) inside, plus the 40 ft high cube at 76.4 m³ (2,698 ft³), per all 18 sheets for the 20 ft. Portable-storage firms add non-ISO 8, 12 and 16 ft units; 45, 48 and 53 ft containers exist but are rare in storage service. All ISO sizes are 2.438 m (8 ft) wide.
What is the standard storage container size?
The 20 ft container: 6.058 × 2.438 × 2.591 m outside (19′10½″ × 8′ × 8′6″), 13.9 m² (149 ft²) of inside floor and 33.2 m³ (1,172 ft³) of volume — outside per ISO 668, inside as most published sheets print it. It holds a one-to-two-bedroom home’s contents and fits on most driveways, which is why it dominates the storage trade.
What are the dimensions of a 20 ft storage container?
A 20 ft storage container is 6.058 × 2.438 × 2.591 m outside (19′10½″ × 8′ × 8′6″) and 5.898 × 2.352 × 2.393 m inside (19′4″ × 7′8½″ × 7′10″) — per ISO 668; inside, per 15 of 18 sheets. The door opening is 2.340 m wide × 2.280 m high (7′8″ × 7′6″), the capacity 33.2 m³ (1,172 ft³) and the empty weight about 2,230 kg (4,916 lb), within 2 % of what 8 of 18 published sheets print (they range 2,080–2,570 kg).
How much does a storage container cost?
$1,300–3,400 buys a used unit in the common sizes — roughly $1,300–2,800 for a 20 ft and $1,700–3,400 for a 40 ft, rising to $2,800–5,600 for one-trip condition — while renting runs $100–250 per month depending on size. US figures, October 2026; delivery and regional spreads come on top.
How much does a 20 ft storage container cost?
To buy: $1,300–2,300 wind-and-water-tight, $1,700–2,800 used cargo-worthy, $2,800–4,400 one-trip. To rent: $100–200 per month. Delivery adds $400–800 within 50 miles of the depot.
What is the smallest and largest storage container?
The smallest ISO storage container is the 10 ft at 15.9 m³ (562 ft³) and the largest box is the US domestic 53 ft at 111.8 m³ (3,948 ft³), per 5 of 8 sheets. Below the 10 ft, non-ISO 8 ft portable units are made to each maker’s own size (PODS gives 8 × 7 × 8 ft, about 2.4 × 2.1 × 2.4 m); for on-site storage the practical ceiling is usually the 40 ft high cube at 76.4 m³ (2,698 ft³).
What is the difference between PODS and a shipping container?
A 20 ft shipping container holds 33.2 m³ (1,172 ft³), per all 18 sheets, more than the largest PODS unit, the 16 ft, comes to by its nominal 16 × 8 × 8 ft (about 4.9 × 2.4 × 2.4 m): about 29 m³ (1,024 ft³), from one sheet (PODS Enterprises). PODS are proprietary rental units in 8, 12 and 16 ft lengths, built to be lifted and trucked while loaded; a shipping container is a heavier ISO steel box that moves empty on a tilt-bed and can be bought outright. Pods suit moves; ISO boxes win for storage that stays put.
Can a storage container be put on grass or gravel?
Yes — the load bears on the four corners, so firm, level support there is what counts. Compacted gravel is the standard base; on grass, put sleepers or paving flags under the corners and re-check level after the first months as the ground settles.
Do I need a permit for a storage container?
Often, for permanent placement — many municipalities regulate containers as accessory structures with setback and duration rules, while temporary jobsite or moving use is commonly exempt. Rules are local: check zoning before delivery day, not after.
What are the 7 types of shipping containers?
The usual list: dry (general purpose), high cube, reefer, open top, flat rack, tank and double door / open side. For storage duty a plain dry box or high cube is almost always the answer; the full nineteen-type taxonomy is in our types of shipping containers guide.