3PL vs. In-House Logistics: What’s the Right Move for Your Business?

When your company starts growing, logistics gets more complicated. That’s when many businesses face a key question:Should we handle logistics ourselves—or outsource to a third-party logistics (3PL) partner?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. But the right choice comes down to your priorities—cost, control, flexibility, and how much time you want to spend managing freight. Let’s break it down.

What Is Third-Party Logistics (3PL)?

A 3PL handles freight, shipping, and supply chain services for your business—so you don’t have to.

You get access to a network of vetted carriers, logistics tech, and freight support without hiring your own team. At Accurate, for example, we manage everything from rate quoting and booking to real-time tracking and delivery support.

What 3PLs typically offer:

• Freight quoting and management

• Load planning and carrier coordination

• Real-time tracking and visibility tools

• Access to LTL, FTL, drayage, flatbed, and more

What Is In-House Logistics?

In-house logistics means you handle everything yourself:Staffing, systems, booking loads, managing carriers, and resolving delays. For some larger businesses with built-out infrastructure, this model works. But for smaller teams—or companies growing quickly—it can stretch resources thin.

What you manage in-house:

• Internal staff for logistics coordination

• Direct carrier relationships

• Custom tracking systems

• Inventory and warehouse operations

3PL vs. In-House: Pros and Cons

Here’s how they compare at a glance:

	3PL	In-House
Control	Shared with your provider	Full control
Cost	Lower overhead; pay-as-you-go	High fixed costs
Scalability	Easy to scale up/down	Slower to adapt
Technology	Included with most 3PLs	You manage yourself
Carrier Access	Large vetted network	Build your own contacts

How to Know What’s Right for You

Ask yourself:

• Is your shipping volume growing or seasonal? → A 3PL offers flexibility when demand shifts.

• Do you need to cut costs or save time? → Outsourcing reduces staffing and system investments.

• Is your team stretched thin managing freight? → A 3PL frees up internal resources.

• Do you have complex, high-volume needs and logistics staff already? → In-house might make sense.

What We See at Accurate

Many small to midsize companies come to us after trying to manage everything on their own. It works—until it doesn’t. As freight needs grow, delays increase, and systems break down, they realize it’s time to let the logistics experts handle the heavy lifting. That’s where we come in.

Need a Smarter Way to Handle Shipping?

We help businesses move freight faster, with fewer headaches. Whether you’re exploring 3PL for the first time or just need better support, we’ll walk you through the options—and help you make the right call. Talk to our team or request a custom quote →