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Selective vs drive-in vs cantilever racking: cost compared
The racking type changes both the price and how you can use the space. Here are the public Australian ranges for each, with the weak spots flagged.
Selective racking
The standard system: every pallet is directly accessible. It is the cheapest per position and the baseline for comparing everything else. Full detail: selective pallet racking guide.
| Item | Published range (A$) | Evidence | Public sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selective racking, kit or supply prices Mostly kit or package prices with no installation, engineering or certification. Most figures cluster at A$50 to A$150; one guide goes to A$250. | A$50–A$250 per pallet position | 4 sources | Wholesales Direct, SpeedRack, Steel Power Shelving, Gwelo Developments source notes: selective racking, kit or supply prices |
| Selective racking, supply and install (basic spec) Frames, beams, safety components, install labour and basic engineering certification. Dec 2024 market data. | A$80–A$200 per pallet position | 1 source, unconfirmed | Pallet Racking & More source notes: selective racking, supply and install (basic spec) |
| Selective racking, supply and install (fully engineered and certified) Survey, engineered design, anchors, signage, AS 4084:2023 sign-off and handover pack. 2026, QLD/NSW metro. | A$280–A$520 per pallet position | 1 source, unconfirmed | Pallet Racking Maintenance source notes: selective racking, supply and install (fully engineered and certified) |
Drive-in racking
Forklifts drive into the rack to store pallets several deep, usually last in, first out. You trade selectivity for density. Public ranges (more in our drive-in racking cost guide):
| Item | Published range (A$) | Evidence | Public sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drive-in racking, supplier blog price (scope not stated) The page says "$150 to $300+" and does not say what is included. | A$150–A$300 per pallet position | 1 source, unconfirmed | Steel Power Shelving source notes: drive-in racking, supplier blog price (scope not stated) |
| Drive-in racking, supply and install (basic spec) Dec 2024 market data. | A$200–A$350 per pallet position | 1 source, unconfirmed | Pallet Racking & More source notes: drive-in racking, supply and install (basic spec) |
| Drive-in racking, supply and install (fully engineered and certified) 2026, QLD/NSW metro. | A$360–A$680 per pallet position | 1 source, unconfirmed | Pallet Racking Maintenance source notes: drive-in racking, supply and install (fully engineered and certified) |
Push-back racking
Pallets sit on inclined carts or rails and roll back as new pallets are loaded, giving 2 to 5 deep storage with less forklift entry into the rack than drive-in. See the push-back racking cost guide for the evidence and caveats.
| Item | Published range (A$) | Evidence | Public sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Push-back racking, supply and install (basic spec) Dec 2024 market data. | A$250–A$400 per pallet position | 1 source, unconfirmed | Pallet Racking & More source notes: push-back racking, supply and install (basic spec) |
| Push-back racking, supply and install (fully engineered and certified) 2026, QLD/NSW metro. | A$520–A$880 per pallet position | 1 source, unconfirmed | Pallet Racking Maintenance source notes: push-back racking, supply and install (fully engineered and certified) |
Gold Coast Racking also publishes "average total cost" ranges of A$150–A$500 for drive-in and A$200–A$600 for push-back, but does not say whether they are per position, per bay or per project, so we have not used them in our ranges.
Cantilever racking
Arms project from a column for long or awkward loads such as timber, pipe or sheet. It is priced per bay, not per pallet position (full guide: cantilever racking cost). Only one itemised range is published: Unirack's Melbourne list dated August 2023 (Unirack), supply only and GST-inclusive, so treat it as old. It is single-sourced, so we have not turned it into a firm range.
| Item | Published range (A$) | Evidence | Public sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cantilever racking, light duty (2.5 m high), supply only Single and double sided, arms 600 to 900 mm, 3 to 6 arm levels. Includes GST. Price list dated Aug 2023, so likely higher now. | A$373–A$1,546 per bay (1.2 m wide) | 1 source, unconfirmed | Unirack source notes: cantilever racking, light duty (2.5 m high), supply only |
| Cantilever racking, medium duty (3.6 to 4.8 m high), supply only Single and double sided. Includes GST. Price list dated Aug 2023. | A$958–A$3,718 per bay (1.2 to 1.5 m wide) | 1 source, unconfirmed | Unirack source notes: cantilever racking, medium duty (3.6 to 4.8 m high), supply only |
Newer "from" prices for a single bay
These are listed prices for one starter bay, not ranges, so they show where prices start rather than what a typical job costs. Different duty ratings, heights and GST bases, so do not average them.
| Bay | Listed price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Light duty, 300 kg per arm | from A$390 per bay | SteelCore Australia |
| Medium duty, 500 kg per arm | from A$565 per bay | SteelCore Australia |
| Heavy duty, 1000 kg per arm | from A$775 per bay | SteelCore Australia |
| Light duty single-sided bay kit, 2.4 m, 600 mm arms | A$896 (GST basis not stated) | SpeedRack |
| Medium duty single-sided starter bay | A$543 including tax | ReadyRack |
Read together, light-duty bays start from about A$390 to A$900 and medium-duty bays from about A$540 to A$960 in 2023 to 2026 listings. These are supply only; installation and freight are extra. Prices vary, get quotes.
Two suppliers also publish cantilever ranges without clearly stating the unit: Gold Coast Racking (A$100 to A$400) and Steel Power Shelving (from A$200). We have not used these in the calculator because we cannot tell if they are per bay or per position.
Which is cheapest?
On every published range, selective is cheapest per position. But a denser system may need fewer square metres of floor, and that saving does not show up in a per-position price. Ask each supplier to quote the same pallet count in the same footprint.
Why the installed prices disagree. Two public guides give very different "installed" prices for standard selective racking: one (December 2024 data) says A$80–A$200 per position for supply, install and basic engineering certification (Pallet Racking & More); another (2026, QLD/NSW metro) says A$280–A$520 per position for a fully engineered, certified install (Pallet Racking Maintenance). Public kit listings and supplier guides put kit or supply-only prices at A$50–A$250 per position.
The older "installed" range overlaps the supply-only ranges. Our reading, which we cannot confirm, is that cheaper quotes often cover little more than kit plus basic labour, while the higher range prices in site survey, engineered design, anchoring, signage and AS 4084 sign-off. Each of those installed figures comes from a single source, so treat both as unconfirmed and ask every supplier to itemise what is included.
Estimate your rangeHow to compare quotes
Related guides
- Selective racking guideThe standard system: what it is and what it costs.
- Drive-in racking costPer-position ranges, scope differences and caveats.
- Push-back racking costPer-position ranges, caveats and how to compare.
- Cantilever racking costPer-bay prices for timber, pipe, sheet and long loads.
- Used vs newSavings, risks and a checklist.
- Small warehousesBudget ranges for a handful of bays.
Prices vary, get quotes. Every range on this page comes from public pages we read in Nov 2026 and links to its source. They are indicative, not quotes, and not advice. See sources for each racking type.