Bags vs ready-mix truck: the crossover math
Bagged concrete costs about $293 per cubic yard (45 × 80-lb bags at $6.50); a ready-mix truck averages $160/yd delivered — but adds a $50–$150 short-load fee on small orders. The crossover lands near 1 to 1.5 cubic yards, and sooner once you price your own labor honestly.
The crossover table (August 2026 prices)
| Volume | 80-lb bags | Bag cost | Ready-mix cost | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 yd³ | 23 | $147 | $130–$230* | Bags — a truck’s fees eat the savings |
| 1 yd³ | 45 | $293 | $210–$310* | Toss-up — bags are ~2 hrs of mixing |
| 1.5 yd³ | 68 | $439 | $290–$390* | Truck edges ahead |
| 2 yd³ | 90 | $585 | $370–$470* | Truck — clearly cheaper and far easier |
| 3 yd³ | 135 | $878 | $530–$630* | Truck |
| 5 yd³ | 225 | $1,463 | $725–$975 | Truck — bags are not realistic here |
*Truck column = $160/yd average plus a $50–$150 short-load fee (orders under ~4 yd³). Bag column = 45 bags/yd × $6.50. Mixer rental (~$50–$80/day) belongs on the bag side of the ledger too.
What the dollars don’t show
Bags are a workout. One yard is forty-five 80-lb bags — 3,600 lb lifted at least twice, mixed in ~2 ft³ batches, for roughly two hours of continuous mixing with two people. Meanwhile the concrete you placed first is already setting: past about 1.5 yards, batch-mixing risks cold joints in what should be one monolithic pour.
Trucks need access and readiness. A loaded mixer weighs 60,000+ lb — it stays off your driveway’s edge and your septic field, so plan the chute path (or budget a pump). And the meter runs: most plants include 4–5 minutes of unload time per yard, then charge by the minute. Forms staked, base compacted, crew ready before it arrives.
The practical rule: under half a yard, bags without hesitation; half to 1.5 yards, either (let access and helpers decide); over 1.5 yards, order the truck. Size your pour first with the concrete slab calculator — it shows both costs side by side for your exact dimensions.
Ready-mix $145–$195/yd (avg ~$160) and short-load fee ranges: Concrete Network 2026. Bag price: Quikrete 80-lb $6.50 at Home Depot (Aug 2026). Bag yield: 0.60 ft³ per 80-lb bag (manufacturer spec).
Common questions
At what point is ready-mix cheaper than bags?
On pure dollars, around 1–1.5 cubic yards: bags run ~$293/yd-equivalent (45 × 80-lb at $6.50) while a truck averages $160/yd plus a $50–$150 short-load fee on small orders. Count your labor and the crossover comes sooner.
How many 80-lb bags equal one yard of concrete?
45 bags. That is 3,600 lb of material to load, haul, lift, and mix — a real half-day of continuous work for two people with a mixer.
What is a short-load fee?
A surcharge of roughly $50–$150 ready-mix plants add to orders under about 3–4 yards, because the truck and driver cost the same to dispatch. It is the main reason bags stay competitive on small pours.
Can I pour a slab in sections with bags?
Small projects, yes — with planned control joints between pours. But a structural slab wants a continuous (monolithic) pour; cold joints between separately-mixed batches are weak lines. From about 1.5 yards up, order the truck and pour it once.