Quick answer
For small jobs under about 1 to 2 cubic yards, bagged mulch is usually cheaper once you count delivery. Above about 3 to 4 cubic yards, bulk almost always wins. Topsoil tips toward bulk much sooner, often around 1 cubic yard, because small bags of soil are expensive per yard. The exact break-even point is the delivery fee divided by how much you save per yard.
Convert bags to cubic yards first
Stores price per bag and suppliers price per cubic yard, so put them on the same footing. One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet.
| Bag size | Bags per cubic yard | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 0.75 cu ft | 36 | Topsoil, some garden soils |
| 1 cu ft | 27 | Garden soil, raised bed mix, compost |
| 1.5 cu ft | 18 | Some potting mixes and mulch |
| 2 cu ft | 13.5 | Most bagged mulch |
| 3 cu ft | 9 | Large mulch bags |
Bag price per yard = price per bag x bags per yard. A $4 bag of 2 cu ft mulch works out to $54 per cubic yard. A $3 bag of 0.75 cu ft topsoil is $108 per cubic yard.
Typical price ranges
Prices vary widely by region and product, so treat these as starting points and get local quotes.
- Bagged mulch: about $3 to $7 per 2 cu ft bag, which is roughly $40 to $95 per cubic yard. Spring sales sometimes drop basic mulch near $2 a bag.
- Bulk mulch: about $30 to $60 per cubic yard for common shredded hardwood or dyed mulch. Specialty mulches such as cedar or pine bark nuggets can run well over $100.
- Bagged topsoil: often $2 to $5 for a 0.75 cu ft bag, or roughly $70 to $180 per cubic yard.
- Bulk topsoil: about $15 to $55 per cubic yard depending on screening and quality. Blended garden soil with compost costs more.
- Delivery: commonly about $50 to $150 per trip within a local radius. Some suppliers charge by the hour or add fuel surcharges, and many have minimum orders.
The break-even formula
Savings per yard = bag price per yard - bulk price per yard.
Break-even yards = delivery fee / savings per yard.
If your job is larger than the break-even number, bulk is cheaper. If it is smaller, bags are cheaper.
Example: mulch
Bagged mulch at $4 per 2 cu ft bag = $54 per yard. Bulk mulch at $35 per yard. Savings = $19 per yard. Delivery is $75. Break-even = 75 / 19 = about 4 cubic yards. A 3 yard job is a little cheaper in bags ($162 vs $180 delivered). A 6 yard job is cheaper in bulk ($324 vs $285).
Example: topsoil
Bagged topsoil at $3 per 0.75 cu ft bag = $108 per yard. Bulk at $30 per yard. Savings = $78 per yard. Delivery is $90. Break-even = 90 / 78 = about 1.2 yards. For anything more than a small bed or a few low spots, bulk soil is the better buy.
Use the mulch calculator or topsoil calculator to find your cubic yards, then plug them into the formula above.
Costs the formula leaves out
Your own truck
If you pick up bulk material yourself, the delivery fee disappears and bulk usually wins at any size. Be careful with weight. Mulch is light, often around 400 to 800 lb per cubic yard depending on moisture. Topsoil is heavy, often about 2,000 lb or more per cubic yard, and more when wet. A half-ton pickup may carry only about 1 cubic yard of soil safely, so check your truck's payload rating.
Driveway and labor
Bulk is dumped in one pile, usually on a driveway or tarp, and has to be moved by wheelbarrow. Bags can be dropped right where they go. For a far backyard bed, the hauling effort is similar either way, but bags are easier to carry up steps or through a gate.
Leftovers and storage
Unopened bags keep for a long time and some stores accept returns. A leftover pile of bulk mulch sits on your property until you use it. Rounding a bulk order up by half a yard is cheap insurance; buying 20 extra bags is not.
Quality and consistency
Bulk products vary by supplier. Ask whether topsoil is screened and whether mulch is double or triple shredded. Bags have more consistent contents but can include dyed or recycled wood; check the label if that matters for food beds.
Plastic waste
A 6 yard mulch job in bags means 81 plastic bags. Some people pay a little more for bulk for that reason alone.
Quick decision guide
| Job size | Mulch | Topsoil |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 cu yd | Bags | Bags, unless you can pick up bulk |
| 1 to 3 cu yd | Usually bags; run the math | Usually bulk |
| 3 to 5 cu yd | Close call; run the math | Bulk |
| Over 5 cu yd | Bulk | Bulk |
Ways to cut the cost either way
- Combine orders. Mulch and soil from the same supplier often ride in one delivery, or the supplier may split a load.
- Watch for bag sales in spring, especially multi-bag deals on basic mulch.
- Check whether your town or county offers free or low-cost wood chips or compost. Quality varies, so inspect it first.
- Arborists often deliver chips free when they work nearby. You get whatever they cut, so expect leaves and mixed sizes.