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How Much Do Package Lockers Cost for an Apartment Complex?

Package locker pricing for an apartment complex is calculated based on the size of a locker configuration, whether the property wants to add a locker-connected package room alongside the locker solution for oversize and overflow packages, whether the property wants a custom locker wrap, and the property’s desired pricing model. Parcel Pending by Quadient offers both outright purchase and subscription options, which lets operators decide whether the property pays for lockers using capital expense budget (CapEx) or operating expense budget (OpEx). The practical way to think about cost is to understand what moves a quote up or down and the return on investment that the system provides in terms of staff time, resident satisfaction, and community security.

What determines the cost of an apartment package locker system?

Six variables account for most of the difference between vendor quotes.

Cost driver How it moves the budget
Configuration size More compartments raise hardware cost. Experienced vendors will customize configuration size and door mix based on actual delivery data to help properties avoid paying for capacity they won’t use.
Indoor vs. outdoor placement Outdoor-rated lockers add cost for weatherproofing but open up additional installation location options for properties that may lack indoor space for a locker system.
Specialty locker towers Specialized solutions like refrigerated and oversize locker towers carry a premium based on how many of each tower type the property needs.
Site preparation and installation Electrical, network, and concrete pad or wall work vary by building, though experienced vendors will minimize site preparation costs for the property where possible.
Software and integrations The locker software, online reporting portal, and property management system connections are typically bundled. Most vendors offer out-of-the-box integrations with major property management software systems; however, custom software integrations carry a premium.
Service and support Most vendors include a monthly software and support fee. With lease/subscription pricing, monthly fees typically cover hardware and software rental, shipping, service, and maintenance of the solution.

Should you purchase or subscribe?

The right model for your property usually depends on which budget you would prefer to use to pay for the solution. A purchase treats lockers as a capital expense, while subscription pricing spreads the cost out as an operating expense, bundling hardware and software rental, shipping, service, and maintenance of the solution into a low, monthly rate. Parcel Pending by Quadient offers both purchase and subscription pricing.

What is the ROI of apartment package lockers?

The biggest return on investment for multifamily properties that invest in apartment package lockers is staff time savings. At current volumes staff time spent on package management adds up quickly: U.S. households now receive more than 22 billion deliveries a year.1 That means the workload a property absorbs manually grows with every year the decision to invest in a package management solution is deferred. Every package a carrier places in a locker is one on-site teams never have to sign for, process, store, notify, or deliver to residents. At Optima Camelview, a 700-unit condominium community in Scottsdale, concierge staff cut the time spent on package management by 66% (or 126 staff hours per week) after installing lockers with a connected package room.

The second biggest return on investment is resident satisfaction. A 2025 survey by the National Business Research Institute (NBRI) found that safety and security top residents’ list of community concerns, which places package management in the small set of investments that touch both operations and leasing.2 Further, among residents with prior locker experience, parcel lockers consistently rank as the top choice for package delivery, surpassing direct-to-door delivery, scheduled delivery services, and traditional leasing office pick-up.

How do you get an accurate quote?

The best way to get an accurate quote is to ensure you know your unit count and average/peak daily package counts, the space under consideration, and whether you’d like to install lockers indoors or outdoors. Since vendors base pricing off property specifics, providing this information ensures vendors can analyze delivery volume and location to recommend a door-size mix that works for your property. Communities comparing vendors should provide the same data to each vendor so the quotes line up.

Frequently asked questions

Do residents pay to use apartment package lockers?

Multifamily operators can decide whether residents pay to use apartment package lockers or not. Individual properties can either waive fees altogether or set their own registration and storage fee policies, such as storage fees that apply when a package sits past a designated pickup window. Many vendors, including Parcel Pending, recommend the latter approach to ensure packages are picked up in a timely manner. Some properties may also choose to assess a monthly fee to use the lockers to help recoup investment cost or generate an additional revenue stream, though this is not required.

Is a subscription cheaper than buying lockers outright?

Purchasing lockers typically costs less in the long-term, though it requires a capital expense approval. On the other hand, subscription pricing requires a low, monthly fee, but provides predictability and bundled service and support. With a subscription model, however, properties have the option to share the cost of the amenity with residents to either recoup the investment cost or generate an additional revenue stream. The right answer for your property depends on how you want to fund your locker investment.

What does installation involve?

Locker installation involves technicians unloading the lockers and securing them at the requested installation site, as well as testing the locker system’s functionality and connection to the internet.

However, it’s important to note that the desired installation site must be prepared ahead of installation day. Vendors typically work with properties to select a site that minimizes the need for site preparation, though some infrastructure modifications may still be required. Site readiness requirements typically include ensuring there is a dry, flat, level surface for the lockers to be installed on, that there is sufficient access to supporting infrastructure (e.g., electrical and/or internet access), and that the site meets all other legal and accessibility requirements.

Can a property start small and expand later?

Yes. Modular apartment package locker systems allow properties to add towers or locker-connected package rooms after installation. For instance, Parcel Pending by Quadient locker systems are both modular and scalable, including various locker types and box sizes. Additionally, our locker system configurations can be expanded or rearranged without compromising the integrity of the overall system. Our dedicated team is available to add or move towers into different layouts upon request.

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