How is the ongoing storage charge calculated?

Most UK providers charge per box per week, typically 5p to 25p per standard archive box. Some quote monthly rates instead. The rate depends on volume, security level, contract length and location.

What are activity charges in document storage?

Activity charges cover retrievals (£2-£8 per box), delivery, refiling, new intake processing and secure destruction. These are charged each time you interact with the archive, on top of the ongoing storage rate.

How Is Document Storage Pricing Structured? (Per Box vs Per Retrieval)

Document storage pricing can seem confusing when different providers present their costs in different ways. Understanding how pricing is typically structured helps you compare quotes accurately and avoid unexpected charges.

The Two Main Pricing Components

Almost all document storage pricing breaks down into two main components: the ongoing storage charge (what you pay to keep your boxes in the facility) and the activity charges (what you pay each time you interact with the archive).

Ongoing Storage Charges

This is the recurring cost of physically housing your boxes in the provider’s facility. It is usually charged in one of three ways:

Per box per week — the most common model in the UK. Typical rates range from 5p to 25p per standard archive box per week. This gives you flexibility to add or remove boxes as your archive changes
Per box per month — some providers quote monthly instead of weekly. This is simply the weekly rate multiplied by 4.33. A rate of 12p per week is equivalent to about 52p per month
Flat monthly fee — less common, but some providers offer a fixed monthly rate for a set number of boxes. This can simplify budgeting but is less flexible if your archive grows or shrinks

Activity Charges

Activity charges cover everything you ask the provider to do with your documents:

Retrieval — requesting a box or individual file from storage. Typically £2-£8 per box depending on the provider and speed of service
Delivery — transporting retrieved items to you. Standard next-day delivery is cheapest; same-day or urgent delivery costs more. Some providers have flat delivery fees, others charge based on distance
Refile — returning items to storage after you have used them. Some providers charge for this, others include it
New intake — adding new boxes to the archive. There is usually a per-box processing charge for logging new items into the tracking system
Destruction — securely shredding boxes when they reach end of retention. Typically charged per box

Per Box vs Per Retrieval: Which Matters More?

The relative importance of these two cost components depends on how you use your archive.

If you rarely access your archive (for example, you store financial records for compliance and only retrieve them if audited), the per-box storage rate dominates your total cost. Retrieval charges will be minimal because you seldom need anything. In this case, optimising for the lowest per-box rate makes sense.

If you access your archive frequently (for example, a legal firm retrieving client files several times per week), retrieval and delivery charges can easily exceed your storage costs. In this case, a higher per-box rate with lower retrieval charges — or an inclusive retrieval package — may be better value overall.

Pricing Models Compared

Pay-As-You-Go

You pay a per-box storage rate plus individual charges for each retrieval, delivery and other activity. This works well for businesses with low and predictable access needs. The risk is that unexpected spikes in retrieval activity can push costs higher than expected.

Inclusive Packages

Some providers offer packages that include a set number of retrievals or deliveries per month within the storage fee. This is useful if you have regular, predictable access needs and want budget certainty. The trade-off is that you pay for the included retrievals whether you use them or not.

Tiered Volume Pricing

The more boxes you store, the lower your per-box rate. Providers set tiers — for example, 1-100 boxes at 18p/week, 101-500 at 14p/week, 500+ at 10p/week. If you are close to a tier boundary, it is worth asking whether the provider will apply the lower rate based on your projected growth.

Questions to Ask When Comparing Pricing

Is the per-box rate quoted weekly or monthly?
What is the charge per retrieval, and is there a minimum order quantity?
Are delivery charges included, or charged per trip?
Is there a charge for refiling boxes after retrieval?
What is the intake or processing fee for new boxes?
Are there minimum storage periods or early termination fees?
What does destruction cost per box?
Are there volume discounts if my archive grows?

Getting a Clear Quote

At EvaStore, we provide fully transparent pricing based on your specific requirements. We will walk you through every cost component so you know exactly what you are paying for — no hidden charges or confusing tiers.

Get a Free Quote

Every business is different, so the best way to understand your costs is to get in touch with our team. We provide clear, no-obligation quotes — usually within the same day.

Call us on 01691 650355 or use the form below.