Metal vs plastic pallets: steel, aluminum and plastic compared

Metal and plastic pallets both solve problems wood can't: they don't absorb moisture, don't need ISPM 15 treatment and last many trips. They differ in weight, price and what they tolerate. Metal is fabricated, heavy-duty and expensive; plastic is molded, lighter and cheaper, but limited to catalog designs and to what a polymer can carry over time.

#Side-by-side comparison

Ranges are indicative 2026 US figures from manufacturer and distributor data. For example, one US distributor lists a seal-welded 40 × 48 in aluminum pallet at 6,000 lb dynamic and 30,000 lb static. Always use the specific model's published ratings.

#Load and stiffness

Steel is about 30 times stiffer than polyethylene or polypropylene, which is why many rackable plastic pallets embed steel tubes. A metal pallet holds its shape under long-term load and heat; a plastic pallet slowly creeps, so its racking rating depends on span, temperature and duration. For die sets, castings, coils, engines and other heavy, concentrated loads, metal is the usual answer. See pallet racking and deflection and pallet load capacity.

#Weight and freight

Tare weight costs money on every trip. A steel pallet can weigh two to five times a plastic one, which eats into payload in weight-limited lanes. Aluminum narrows that gap and is common where weight matters (air freight, manual handling limits). Nestable plastic pallets return densely; most metal pallets stack 1:1 unless designed to nest or knock down.

#Environment

• Heat and fire: metal survives heat-treat ovens, hot castings and paint lines. Plastic softens with heat and is combustible, so large stores of idle plastic pallets need attention from your fire protection engineer. See pallet fire safety.
• Cold: HDPE plastic stays tough in freezers; homopolymer PP gets brittle. Metal is unaffected.
• Washdown and cleanrooms: stainless steel and aluminum with sealed welds, and closed-deck plastic, all clean well. Aluminum and stainless avoid rust.
• Outdoor: galvanized steel, aluminum and UV-stabilized plastic all work outdoors.

#Specifying each

For metal, state the metal (carbon steel, 304 or 316 stainless, aluminum), construction (welded, seal-welded or bolted), deck (solid, perforated, grating, wire mesh), base (runners, legs, cruciform), finish (hot-dip galvanized, powder coat, paint), entry, rack use and accessories such as posts or lifting lugs.

For plastic, state the archetype (nestable, stackable, rackable, hygienic), deck (open or closed), base, resin preference, reinforcement, fire listing, food-contact letter if needed, temperature range, and your load requirement by support mode (floor stack, forks, rack with span). Suppliers then propose models with their published ratings. See the pallet RFQ checklist.

#Cost

Plastic is far cheaper to buy in standard sizes. Metal costs more but is often the only option for a custom size in small quantities, because it is fabricated without tooling, typically in tens rather than thousands. Over a long life (years in an interplant loop) metal can be economical despite its price. See pallet cost.

#When to choose each

Choose steel when: loads are very heavy, hot or abrasive; you need a custom fabricated pallet with posts, sides or lifting lugs; the loop is long-lived and closed.

Choose aluminum when: you need metal's durability with less weight, or rust-free, washable pallets for food, pharma or cleanrooms.

Choose plastic when: loads are moderate; you want the lowest price for a reusable pallet; a standard footprint fits; you need nesting for return freight.

For comparing plastic to the default option, see plastic vs wood. You can open a steel pallet in the designer to set material, deck, base and finish.