Cost guide
Concrete Bags vs. Ready-Mix: Which Is Cheaper?
Per yard, a ready-mix truck beats bags by a wide margin — but minimums, short-load fees, and the sheer labor of mixing 50+ bags decide the real answer. Here is the break-even math.
By HowMuchBuild Editorial TeamCalculation reviewedUpdated October 2026
The per-yard math
One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet (exact). An 80-lb bag of premix yields 0.6 cubic feet, so:
- 80-lb bags per yard: 27 ÷ 0.6 = 45 bags
- 60-lb bags per yard: 27 ÷ 0.45 = 60 bags
- 40-lb bags per yard: 27 ÷ 0.3 = 90 bags
At typical prices:
| Option | Typical price | Cost per cubic yard |
|---|---|---|
| 80-lb bags ($5–$8 each) | 45 bags | $225–$360 |
| Ready-mix, full load | $140–$200/yd delivered | $140–$200 |
| Ready-mix, short load | $140–$200/yd + $50–$150+ fee | $190–$350+ |
The break-even rule
| Project size | Usually cheaper | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Under ~1 cu yd | Bags | No minimums or fees; mix only what you need |
| ~1–2 cu yd | Compare both | Short-load fees can erase the truck's per-yard edge |
| Over ~2–3 cu yd | Ready-mix truck | Per-yard price wins by a wide margin |
These are rules of thumb (guidance), not laws — a $50 short-load fee on a 2-yard pour still beats 90 bags at $6 each ($540 vs. ~$390). Run your own numbers with the all-in prices from your local plant and store.
Worked example: 10×10 ft slab, 4″ thick
- Volume: 10 × 10 × (4 ÷ 12) = 33.33 cu ft = 1.23 cu yd → with 10% waste, ~1.36 cu yd.
- Bags: 62 eighty-pound bags (rounded up) × $6 =~$372 — plus hauling two tons of bags and hours of mixing.
- Ready-mix: order 1.5–2 yards at ~$170/yd = ~$255–$340, possibly plus a short-load fee.
- Verdict: the truck wins on price and labor for this slab — unless access forces wheelbarrowing, in which case bags placed in small batches have their own logic.
Get your exact volume and bag count with our concrete bags calculator or concrete calculator, then price both options.
Don't forget the labor
Price isn't only dollars. Mixing 45+ bags means hauling over a ton and a half of dry mix, mixing batch after batch, and placing it all before the first batches set — genuinely exhausting work on a deadline (guidance). A ready-mix truck places a yard in minutes. For fence posts and tiny pads, bags are convenient; for anything slab-sized, value your weekend too.
Frequently asked questions
How many 80-lb bags of concrete are in a cubic yard?
45 bags. One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, and an 80-lb bag yields 0.6 cubic feet: 27 ÷ 0.6 = 45 exactly. (60-lb bags: 60 per yard; 40-lb bags: 90 per yard.)
Is it cheaper to buy concrete in bags or ready-mix?
Per cubic yard, ready-mix is almost always cheaper — typically $140–$200 per yard delivered versus $225–$360 per yard in 80-lb bags at typical $5–$8 per bag. But ready-mix has minimums and short-load fees, so bags win for very small jobs under about a cubic yard.
What is a short-load fee?
A surcharge batch plants charge when you order less than a full truck (usually 3–4+ yards). Typical short-load fees run $50–$150+, which can erase the per-yard savings on small pours — always ask for the all-in price, not just the per-yard rate.
Can I mix a whole slab with bags in a mixer?
You can, but it's slow, exhausting work (guidance). A 10×10 ft, 4-inch slab needs 56+ bags — that's over two tons of dry mix to haul, mix, and place before any of it sets. For pours over ~1 yard, most DIYers either order ready-mix or split the work across days with cold joints.
How do I convert my project to cubic yards?
Length × width × thickness (all in feet) ÷ 27. Our concrete calculator does it for slabs, walls, footings, and columns — and the concrete bags calculator converts the same volume into 80, 60, and 40-lb bag counts.