Bagged vs. Bulk Soil and Mulch: Which Is Cheaper?

Bulk is almost always cheaper per cubic foot. Bags win for small jobs, when you can’t get a truck near the garden, or when you only need one or two beds topped up. The break-even point depends on the delivery fee, and it is easy to work out.

Compare the price per cubic foot

Bags are sold in cubic feet; bulk is sold by the cubic yard. A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so convert both to the same unit:

Bags: price ÷ bag size. A $4 bag of 2 cubic feet costs $2.00 per cubic foot.
Bulk: price per yard ÷ 27. Mulch at $35 a yard costs about $1.30 per cubic foot.

With example prices like these:

Product	Bagged	Bulk	Bulk saves
Shredded mulch	$4 per 2 cu ft = $2.00/cu ft	$35 per yd = $1.30/cu ft	About a third
Raised bed soil	$10 per 1.5 cu ft = $6.67/cu ft	$45 per yd = $1.67/cu ft	About three quarters

Prices vary a lot by region and brand, so plug in your own. The Raised Bed Soil Calculator and Mulch Calculator let you enter local prices and show both options side by side.

How many bags are in a yard?

Bag size	Bags per cubic yard
1 cu ft	27
1.5 cu ft	18
2 cu ft	13.5
3 cu ft	9

When does delivery pay for itself?

Most suppliers charge a delivery fee on top of the bulk price. To find the break-even amount, divide the delivery fee by how much you save per yard:

Break-even yards = delivery fee ÷ (bagged cost per yard − bulk cost per yard)

Example for raised bed soil, with a $75 delivery fee:

Bagged cost per yard: 18 bags × $10 = $180
Bulk cost per yard: $45
Savings per yard: $135
Break-even: $75 ÷ $135 = about 0.6 cubic yards

Above roughly half a yard, bulk soil plus delivery is cheaper. For mulch, where the gap is smaller, the break-even is higher: 13.5 bags × $4 = $54 a yard bagged against $35 in bulk saves $19 a yard, so the same $75 fee pays for itself at about 4 cubic yards.

Many suppliers have a 1-yard minimum and sell in half- or quarter-yard steps, so round up.

Picking it up yourself

Hauling bulk material yourself saves the delivery fee, but check your vehicle first:

Weight matters more than volume. A cubic yard of moist topsoil can weigh a ton or more, which is more than many pickups should carry. Mulch is much lighter.
Ask the supplier to load you correctly. They know what a typical pickup or trailer can take.
Cover the load with a tarp so it doesn’t blow onto the road.

Pros and cons

Bulk

Much cheaper per cubic foot for large amounts.
No plastic bags to dispose of.
Needs a place to dump it, such as a driveway on a tarp, and a wheelbarrow to move it.
Quality varies between suppliers. Ask to see the material, and ask where topsoil and compost come from.

Bagged

Easy to buy, carry and store a few at a time.
Consistent quality and a list of ingredients on the bag.
Good for patios, balconies and gardens far from the street.
Much more expensive for big jobs, and lots of plastic waste.

Tips for buying bulk

Call two or three suppliers. Prices and delivery fees vary widely.
Ask for screened topsoil without rocks and clods.
Check compost is finished: dark, crumbly and earthy-smelling.
Order a little extra. Soil settles, and running short means paying a second delivery fee.
Combine orders with a neighbor to share the delivery fee.

Free and cheap options

Wood chips are often free from tree services and arborists who would otherwise pay to dump them.
Leaves from your yard or your neighbors make free mulch once shredded.
Municipal compost programs in many cities sell compost and mulch cheaply, sometimes free for residents.