Ask three suppliers what topsoil costs and you may get a price per cubic yard, a price per ton, and a price per truckload. A UK supplier may quote per tonne, per cubic metre, or per bulk bag, with or without VAT. None of these lines up neatly, and the big online cost guides mostly repeat one national range without saying where it came from.
This guide takes a different approach. It shows the prices we actually read on named supplier and retailer pages, with the date and what each price includes. Then it shows the arithmetic for turning any quote into a cost per yard, a cost per ton, or a delivered total for your own order.
You will find price-per-ton conversions, truckload and delivery math, bagged versus bulk break-even points, and worked examples for US and UK buyers. When you are ready to price your own job, the Topsoil Cost Calculator adds up material, delivery, and a waste allowance for you.
The Short Answer: Four Things Set Your Topsoil Bill
Large US cost guides publish about $10 to $55 per cubic yard for bulk topsoil. The named suppliers we checked in October 2026 listed $35 to $49.99 per yard for unscreened, screened, or blended material, while one national retailer’s bulk listings work out to $75.30 to $82.16 per yard. In the UK, loose topsoil prices we read ran from £37.50 to £80 per tonne, and branded bulk bags cost far more per cubic metre.
Four things move the final number more than any national range: the grade you buy, how much you order, how far it travels, and the unit the price is quoted in. Delivery is the one most people underestimate, because a flat trip fee weighs heavily on a small order.
Why National Ranges Mislead, and How This Guide Shows Its Work
LawnLove publishes $10 to $50 per cubic yard, Angi publishes $10 to $55, and HomeAdvisor publishes $12 to $55. None of them explains how its range was built, and several of their per-type rows match word for word. LawnLove’s truckload range of $100 to $750 is exactly 10 yards at $10 and 15 yards at $50, which suggests it was calculated from the yard range rather than taken from invoices.
So instead of another range, this guide gives you a sample. Every price below names the seller, the place, the grade, the unit, what is included, and the date we read it. Treat these as examples to check against your own quotes, not as averages.
US Bulk Topsoil: Price per Cubic Yard
Bulk topsoil in the US is usually sold by the cubic yard, sometimes by the ton, and delivered by dump truck. The table below lists the prices we read, first on 8 October 2026 and again on 11 October 2026.
The October 2026 US Price Log
| Seller (place) | Material | Price | What is included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthcon Landscape Supply (New York, 914 area) | Unscreened topsoil | $35.00 per yd | Excludes delivery and sales tax |
| Earthcon Landscape Supply (New York, 914 area) | Screened topsoil | $45.00 per yd | Delivery $95 per trip, 3 yd minimum |
| Texas Garden Materials (Houston, TX) | Garden soil mix (a blend) | $49.99 per yd | Delivery quoted at checkout |
| Aggregate Markets (Ross, OH) | Screened / unscreened topsoil | From $42.04 / $40.50 per ton | Read 8 Oct only; terms unclear |
| Home Depot (online) | Bulk topsoil, 5 yd | $410.81 ($82.16 per yd) | “Additional freight charges may apply” |
| Home Depot (online) | Bulk topsoil, 10 yd | $752.97 ($75.30 per yd) | No delivery terms shown |
| Hello Gravel (New York metro) | Bulk topsoil, marketplace estimate | $30 to $70 per yd; $25 to $60 per ton | Estimates; prices by ZIP code |
These are a sample, not an average, and most supplier pages show no date of their own. Prices change, so confirm before you order.
Screened, Unscreened, and Blended Grades
Screened topsoil has been passed through a mesh to remove stones, roots, and clods. UConn Extension notes that most soils are screened through a 3/4-inch mesh. In our log, screened soil cost $10 more per yard than unscreened at the same supplier, and blended garden mixes sat at the top of the bulk range.
What the Word “Topsoil” Guarantees
Not much on its own. UConn notes there is no state-run topsoil grading or certification system in Connecticut, and Utah State Extension warns that material sold as topsoil is often subsoil. Ask where the soil came from, what screen size was used, and whether the supplier has test results.
Why Retailer Listings Sit Above Guide Ranges
Home Depot’s bulk listings work out to $75.30 and $82.16 per yard, well above the $10 to $55 band. The pages do not say whether delivery is included, so we do not call these delivered prices. The gap is a reminder that a national range is not a quote.
Price per Ton and How to Convert It to Price per Yard
Some suppliers quote topsoil by weight. To compare a ton price with a yard price, you need the weight of a cubic yard of that soil.
Price per Yard = Price per Ton × Tons per Yard
Price per Ton = Price per Yard ÷ Tons per Yard
Where tons per yard is the weight of one cubic yard of the soil, in US tons of 2,000 lb. Always confirm whether a quote is per ton or per yard, because some pages mix the two.
Worked Conversions at 1.0, 1.2, and 1.5 Tons per Yard
The same ton price can look cheap or expensive depending on the weight you assume. The tables run real quotes from the price log at three weights.
| Quote per ton | At 1.0 tons per yd | At 1.2 tons per yd | At 1.5 tons per yd |
|---|---|---|---|
| $25 (Hello Gravel low estimate) | $25.00 per yd | $30.00 per yd | $37.50 per yd |
| $40.50 (Aggregate Markets unscreened) | $40.50 per yd | $48.60 per yd | $60.75 per yd |
| $42.04 (Aggregate Markets screened) | $42.04 per yd | $50.45 per yd | $63.06 per yd |
| $60 (Hello Gravel high estimate) | $60.00 per yd | $72.00 per yd | $90.00 per yd |
| Quote per yard | At 1.0 tons per yd | At 1.2 tons per yd | At 1.5 tons per yd |
|---|---|---|---|
| $35 (Earthcon unscreened) | $35.00 per ton | $29.17 per ton | $23.33 per ton |
| $45 (Earthcon screened) | $45.00 per ton | $37.50 per ton | $30.00 per ton |
| $75.30 (Home Depot 10 yd) | $75.30 per ton | $62.75 per ton | $50.20 per ton |
A 50 percent swing in assumed weight moves the screened Aggregate Markets quote from $42.04 to $63.06 per yard. The Topsoil Tons Calculator converts yards to tons with presets of 1.1 tons per yard for dry soil, 1.3 for average, and 1.4 for wet, or a weight you enter.
Why Sources Disagree on Tons per Yard
Los Angeles County’s conversion table gives about 2,025 lb per cubic yard for dry soil and 2,106 lb for wet, roughly 1.0 to 1.05 tons. A US EPA conversion sheet gives 2,392 lb, about 1.2 tons, and some sellers say wet topsoil can reach 1.3 to 1.5 tons. Moisture, texture, and organic matter all change the weight, so ask your supplier what a yard of their soil weighs.
Truckload Cost, Truck Sizes, and Load Weight
A truckload price is just volume times price plus delivery. Published truckload ranges mostly come from multiplying a load size by a per-yard range.
Load Cost = Yards × Price per Yard + Delivery
At Earthcon’s list, 10 yards of screened topsoil is 10 × $45 + $95 = $545, or $54.50 per yard delivered. Ten yards of unscreened is 10 × $35 + $95 = $445, or $44.50 per yard.
How Many Yards Fit in a Dump Truck
A standard dump truck is most often described as carrying 10 to 14 cubic yards. Figures for tri-axle trucks run anywhere from 10 to 22 yards depending on the source. A pickup bed holds roughly 1.5 to 2 cubic yards by volume, according to one landscape supplier, but weight usually limits it first.
Check the Load Weight, Not Just the Volume
Fourteen yards at 1.2 tons per yard is 16.8 tons, and at 1.5 tons per yard it is 21 tons. Sources disagree on what tonnage each truck is rated to carry, so a moist load can hit a truck’s weight limit before it is full. Ask the supplier for the truck’s payload, and use the Topsoil Truckload Calculator to count loads and see the weight range for your volume.
Delivery Fees and Small-Order Effects
Most suppliers charge delivery as a flat fee per trip, a zone price, or a per-mile charge. Cost guides list flat fees of roughly $50 to $170 per trip, and Earthcon charges $95. Fuel prices are a stated pressure on delivery costs, but we found no reliable percentage to quote.
Worked Example: Delivery Share by Order Size
The table uses Earthcon’s screened price of $45 per yard and its $95 trip fee, assuming one trip. It shows why small deliveries look expensive per yard.
| Yards ordered | Material | Delivery | Total | Per yard | Delivery share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | $135 | $95 | $230 | $76.67 | 41.3% |
| 5 | $225 | $95 | $320 | $64.00 | 29.7% |
| 10 | $450 | $95 | $545 | $54.50 | 17.4% |
| 12 | $540 | $95 | $635 | $52.92 | 15.0% |
| 15 | $675 | $95 | $770 | $51.33 | 12.3% |
| 20 | $900 | $95 | $995 | $49.75 | 9.5% |
This is one supplier’s price list in one place, not a market average. Large orders may also need more than one truck, and a second trip may carry a second fee.
Minimum Orders and Short-Load Fees
Minimum delivery orders vary widely, from about 1 yard to 20 yards across the sources we read. Earthcon’s delivery minimum is 3 yards, with 1 yard for pickup. Some suppliers add a short-load fee for small deliveries, but we found no reliable amount, so ask before you order.
Bagged Versus Bulk Topsoil
Bags cost far more per yard, but you avoid delivery fees and minimum orders. For a small raised bed or a few patches, bags can still be the cheaper choice overall.
Cost per Cubic Yard From a Bag Price
Cost per Yard = (Bag Price ÷ Bag Volume in cu ft) × 27
Bags per Yard = 27 ÷ Bag Volume in cu ft
A 0.75 cubic foot bag of Scotts Premium Topsoil at $2.79 on sale works out to $100.44 per yard, or $143.64 at the regular $3.99. That is 36 bags per yard. Our topsoil vs garden soil vs potting soil guide runs the same math on more bagged products, and the Bags of Topsoil Calculator counts bags for your volume.
Check the Bag Volume and the Ingredients
Some bags are labeled by weight, such as 40 lb, without a cubic-foot volume on the retail page. Bagged topsoil can also differ from bulk topsoil, since some bags are mostly peat or composted material. Read the label before you compare prices.
How Much Topsoil to Order Before You Price It
You need the volume before the price means anything. In US units, the shortcut is:
Cubic Yards = Area (sq ft) × Depth (inches) ÷ 324
It works because 1 cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, and 27 × 12 = 324. UConn puts it simply: about 12 cubic yards covers 1,000 square feet at 4 inches. The Topsoil Calculator does this from width, length, and depth, and our lawn soil guide covers how deep to go.
Worked US Cost Examples
Each example shows the formula, the arithmetic, and what the result means. The prices come from the price log above.
Example 1: A 1,000 Sq Ft Lawn at 4 Inches
Volume = 1,000 × 4 ÷ 324 = 12.35 cubic yards
Adding a 10 percent margin, the same allowance Angi’s coverage table uses, gives 12.35 × 1.10 = 13.58 yards, so order 14. At Earthcon’s list, 14 yards of unscreened soil is 14 × $35 + $95 = $585, or $41.79 per yard. Fourteen yards of screened soil is 14 × $45 + $95 = $725, or $51.79 per yard.
At Home Depot’s 10-yard rate of $75.30, the same 14 yards would be about $1,054 before any freight. The load weighs about 14 to 21 tons depending on moisture, so it may need more than one truck.
Example 2: A 4 × 8 Ft Raised Bed, Bags Versus Bulk
A 4 ft by 8 ft bed filled 12 inches deep holds 4 × 8 × 1 = 32 cubic feet, or 1.19 cubic yards. In 0.75 cubic foot bags, that is 32 ÷ 0.75 = 42.67, so 43 bags.
Forty-three Scotts bags cost 43 × $2.79 = $119.97 on sale, or 43 × $3.99 = $171.57 at regular price. Earthcon’s smallest delivered order is 3 yards, which costs 3 × $45 + $95 = $230. Bags win at this size, and they keep winning until the job needs about 1.6 yards at the regular bag price, or about 2.3 yards at the sale price.
For filling a raised bed with a blend rather than plain topsoil, the Raised Bed Soil Calculator gives volume, bags, and an optional cost.
Example 3: What a Guide Range Implies
The same 12.35 yards priced across the $10 to $55 guide range costs 12.35 × $10 = $123.50 to 12.35 × $55 = $679.25 for material alone. At Earthcon’s $35 and $45 prices, the same job is $432.25 to $555.75 before delivery. The guide range is wide enough to include almost any quote, which is why a dated local price is more useful.
UK Topsoil: Price per Tonne, Cubic Metre, and Bulk Bag
UK topsoil is sold loose by the tonne, in bulk bags by volume or weight, and in small bags by the litre. Prices may include or exclude 20 percent VAT, and many pages do not say which.
Dated UK Price Points
| Seller (place) | Product | Price | VAT and delivery | Per m³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pro-Grow (Hampshire) | Premium topsoil, loose, collected | £37.50 per tonne | VAT not stated; collection only | Depends on density |
| Tiny Tipper (online) | Contract topsoil, loose | £48 per tonne | Inc VAT; delivery at checkout | Depends on density |
| Sydenhams (Reading) | Topsoil, loose | £50.40 per tonne | Appears inc VAT (£42.00 ex) | Depends on density |
| Liverpool Topsoil (Liverpool) | Grade 1 topsoil, loose | £80 per tonne | VAT not stated; £20 delivery L1 to L39 | Depends on density |
| Pro-Grow (Hampshire) | 8 tonne loose load, about 8.2 m³ | £570 | VAT not stated; within 30 miles | £69.51 |
| Agrigem (online) | Bulk bag, about 850 kg, listed as 1 m³ | £93.91 (£84 each for 4+) | Inc VAT; pallet delivery | £93.91 |
| Pro-Grow (Hampshire) | 1,000 L bulk bag | £165 | VAT not stated; delivery included | £165.00 |
| Pro-Grow (Hampshire) | 730 L bulk bag | £135 | VAT not stated; delivery included | £184.93 |
| Rolawn (national) | Turf and lawn seeding topsoil, 750 L | £164.99 | Inc VAT; 6.5% fuel surcharge | £219.99 |
| Rolawn (national) | Turf and lawn seeding topsoil, 500 L | £129.99 | Inc VAT; 6.5% fuel surcharge | £259.98 |
Prices were read on 8 October 2026 and rechecked on 11 October 2026. They are a sample from different regions with different terms, not an average.
Bulk Bags Are Not a Standard Unit
UK bulk bags range from about 0.5 to 1.2 cubic metres and roughly 400 to 1,000 kg, depending on the supplier. Jewson lists a 500 litre Rolawn bag at 470 kg, while Agrigem lists about 850 kg for a bag it describes as 1 cubic metre. Compare bags by price per cubic metre, not price per bag.
VAT: Inclusive and Exclusive Prices
Ex VAT Price = Inc VAT Price ÷ 1.2
Rolawn’s 500 litre bag at £129.99 including VAT is £108.33 excluding it, which matches the price Rolawn shows. Always check which figure a quote uses before comparing two suppliers.
BS 3882 Grades and Price
UK topsoil is traded against BS 3882, and the British Standards Institution lists the 2015 edition as current, with multipurpose and specialist classes. Many suppliers and the RHS still use the older premium, general-purpose, and economy grade words. Higher grades usually cost more, so ask which grade and edition a quote refers to, and ask for the analysis in writing.
Worked UK Cost Examples
Example 4: A 50 m² Lawn at 100 mm
Volume = Area × Depth = 50 × 0.1 = 5.0 m³
Loose topsoil is priced by weight, so you need a density. At 0.94, 1.2, and 1.5 tonnes per cubic metre, 5.0 m³ weighs 4.7, 6.0, or 7.5 tonnes.
At Tiny Tipper’s £48 per tonne including VAT, that is £225.60, £288.00, or £360.00 before delivery. At Liverpool Topsoil’s £80 per tonne plus £20 delivery, it is £396, £500, or £620, with VAT not stated.
In bulk bags, five of Agrigem’s bags listed at 1 m³ cost 5 × £84 = £420 at the multi-buy price. Ten 500 litre Rolawn bags cost £1,299.90, seven 750 litre bags cost £1,154.93, and five Pro-Grow 1,000 litre bags cost £825 with delivery included.
Example 5: Converting UK Bag and Tonne Prices
Price per m³ = Bag Price ÷ Bag Volume in litres × 1,000
Rolawn’s 500 litre bag at £129.99 is £129.99 ÷ 500 × 1,000 = £259.98 per cubic metre. For loose soil at £48 per tonne, a cubic metre costs £45.12, £57.60, or £72.00 at 0.94, 1.2, or 1.5 tonnes per cubic metre, a 60 percent spread from density alone.
Delivery matters in the UK too. At Liverpool Topsoil, one tonne costs £80 + £20 = £100, so delivery is 20 percent of the bill, while eight tonnes cost £660 and delivery falls to about 3 percent.
US and UK Terms and Units for Topsoil Cost
| Term | US usage | UK usage | Conversion or note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yard | Cubic yard, 27 cu ft | Rarely used | 1 cu yd = 0.765 m³ |
| Cubic metre | Rarely used for topsoil | Standard bulk volume | 1 m³ = 1.308 cu yd = 1,000 litres |
| Ton | Short ton, 2,000 lb | Sometimes used loosely | Ask which unit is meant |
| Tonne | Rarely used | Standard weight unit | 1 tonne = 1.102 US tons |
| Bulk bag | Bulk bag or super sack | Bulk bag, dumpy bag, tonne bag | Not a standard size |
| Small bag | 0.75 to 2 cu ft, or by weight | Litres, often 20 to 50 L | Printed volume matters most |
| Tax | Sales tax, often unstated | VAT at 20 percent | Ex VAT = Inc VAT ÷ 1.2 |
| Quality standard | No federal standard | BS 3882 | Grade words vary by supplier |
What Moves the Price, and How to Pay Less
Grade, order size, distance, tax, unit of sale, and site access drive the price. Collecting soil yourself saves the trip fee if your vehicle can carry the weight, and ordering one larger load usually costs less per yard than several small ones. Sources disagree on which season is cheapest, so we do not name one.
Unscreened soil is cheaper, but UConn suggests the saving is rarely worth the work of removing stones and roots later. Combining your order with a neighbor’s can spread one delivery fee across two jobs.
Free and Cheap Topsoil: The Risks
“Free clean fill” ads can hide construction debris or contaminated soil. In March 2023, a New Jersey county prosecutor’s office passed on a state environmental agency warning about exactly this. Inspect the pile, ask where it came from, and ask for test results before you accept any free or very cheap soil.
How to Read a Supplier Quote
Before you compare two quotes, make sure they measure the same thing. Check these points on every quote:
- The unit: per cubic yard, per ton, per tonne, per cubic metre, or per bag
- The grade and screen size, and whether test results are available
- Whether delivery, fuel surcharges, and tax or VAT are included
- The minimum order and any small-load fee
- The truck’s capacity and weight limit, and where it can tip the load
Then put the numbers into the Topsoil Cost Calculator. It takes your volume, a price per yard, per cubic metre, or per bag, a flat delivery fee or per-mile charge, and a waste allowance, and returns material, delivery, and total cost.
Final Checks Before You Order
Work out your volume first, then get two or three dated quotes in the same unit. Convert ton or tonne prices with a stated weight, and add delivery before comparing.
The prices in this guide were read in October 2026 and will change. We plan to recheck them each quarter, so use them as a sanity check and rely on your own supplier’s written quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does topsoil cost per cubic yard?
Large US cost guides publish about $10 to $55 per cubic yard, but they do not say how that range was built. Named suppliers we checked in October 2026 listed $35 to $49.99 per yard before delivery, and Home Depot’s bulk listings work out to $75.30 to $82.16 per yard. Get a dated local quote and add delivery before comparing.
How much does topsoil cost per ton?
Multiply a per-ton price by the weight of a cubic yard to compare it with a yard price. One Ohio supplier listed screened topsoil from $42.04 per ton in October 2026, which is $42.04 to $63.06 per yard at 1.0 to 1.5 tons per yard. Confirm the unit and the soil weight with the supplier.
How much does a truckload of topsoil cost?
A truckload costs the number of yards times the price per yard, plus delivery. At one New York supplier’s list, 10 yards of screened topsoil is 10 × $45 + $95 = $545. Published truckload ranges are mostly a per-yard range multiplied by a load size.
How much does 10 yards of topsoil cost delivered?
It depends on the grade and the delivery fee. At one supplier’s October 2026 prices, 10 yards cost $445 unscreened or $545 screened, including a $95 trip fee. Home Depot’s 10-yard bulk listing was $752.97, with delivery terms not shown.
Is delivery included in the price of topsoil?
Usually not. Most suppliers charge a flat trip fee, a zone price, or a per-mile charge on top of the material, and some include delivery above a minimum spend. Check the quote for delivery, fuel surcharges, and tax or VAT.
How many yards of topsoil fit in a dump truck?
A standard dump truck is most often described as carrying 10 to 14 cubic yards, and tri-axle figures range from 10 to 22 yards by source. Weight can limit a load before volume does, because 14 yards can weigh 14 to 21 tons. Ask the supplier for the truck’s capacity and payload.
How much does a yard of topsoil weigh?
Most credible sources put a cubic yard of topsoil at about 2,000 to 2,400 lb, or 1.0 to 1.2 tons. Wet soil can weigh more, and some sellers cite 1.3 to 1.5 tons. Ask your supplier what their soil weighs, or use the Topsoil Tons Calculator.
Is bagged topsoil cheaper than bulk?
Not per yard, since bags we checked worked out to $100.44 to $143.64 per yard. For small jobs, bags can still cost less overall because they avoid delivery fees and minimum orders. In one example, bags beat a supplier’s 3-yard delivered minimum until a job needed about 1.6 to 2.3 yards.
How much does topsoil cost per tonne in the UK?
Loose topsoil prices we read in October 2026 ran from £37.50 per tonne collected to £80 per tonne, with VAT and delivery terms varying by supplier. Check whether a price includes VAT and delivery before comparing. To compare with bulk bags, convert to price per cubic metre using the soil’s density.
How much does a bulk bag of topsoil cost in the UK?
Bulk bags we checked in October 2026 cost £93.91 to £165 each, in sizes from 500 to 1,000 litres. That is about £94 to £260 per cubic metre, so compare price per cubic metre, not per bag. Bag sizes are not standard, so check both the volume and the weight.
Daniel
Founder & Editor – TopSoilCalcOnline.com
Daniel is the founder and primary editor of TopSoilCalcOnline.com, a practical resource built to help homeowners, landscapers, and contractors accurately calculate topsoil, compost, and soil mix requirements. With hands-on experience in lawn preparation, raised beds, topdressing, and bulk soil planning, Daniel focuses on turning complex volume calculations into simple, reliable tools. Every calculator and guide on this site is designed to reduce material waste, prevent over-ordering, and help users plan landscaping projects with confidence and precision.