Hosted Canning Run Cost
Hosted Canning Run Cost planning uses Freshie Path 1 mobile/day Mobile line $0.20-0.40/can and $0.20-0.40 per 16oz. CapEx avoided: Mobile West $150,000 – $1,000,000; Equipped only about $50,000, starts at $85,000, starts at $165,000. Service fees: Untappd between $3 and $5 a case or Equipped 15 cents to 68 cents per can. For the owned side, Ironheart Canning lists in-house costs from "$15 per hour for Packout Staff" to "$3k per day for 3rd Party Tech Plus Parts," with a "Grand Total per Year = $145,000" that is "in addition to the price tag of the canning line."
Last updated: September 6, 2026
Published planning ranges for a canning run
| Cost Factor | Published figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile/day Path 1 per-can range | Mobile line $0.20-0.40/can; $0.20-0.40 per 16oz can packaged (varies by region and run size) | Freshie packaging options — Path 1: Mobile canning |
| Mobile session size / rate | typically 15-30 barrels per session; Setup/teardown: 2-4 hours; canning rate: 30-60 cans per minute | Freshie packaging options |
| CapEx avoided (mobile framing) | No need to lay out capital ($150,000 – $1,000,000 or more) for a canning line | Mobile West services |
| Purchase CapEx ranges (contrast) | only about $50,000; starts at $85,000; starts at $165,000 | Equipped Brewer |
| Mobile service fee context | between $3 and $5 a case; 15 cents to 68 cents per can; cost of about $4.56 / case | Untappd Lounge; Equipped Brewer |
| Mobile/contract vs in-house after CapEx | Mobile/Contract Canning $0.35-$0.50 per 16 oz can; In-House After CapEx $0.10-$0.18 per 16 oz can | masstechx.com |
What Freshie Path 1 lists for mobile/day runs
Freshie defines Path 1: Mobile canning as A mobile canning company brings a portable canning line to your brewery for a day. Use Mobile line $0.20-0.40/can as a published mobile/day planning range for Hosted Canning Run Cost questions. Numbers in this article are 2024-2025 ranges.
- Per-can mobile range: Mobile line $0.20-0.40/can; $0.20-0.40 per 16oz can packaged
- Contract packaging rate: $0.15-0.30 per can typical contract rate
- In-house CapEx contrast: In-house basic $60-200K install; In-house automated $500K-2M
- Forever-mobile warning: paying mobile canners $0.40/can forever
- Sunk CapEx warning: Get it wrong and you've sunk $300,000 into a line you outgrew
CapEx avoided vs ownership spend
Hosting or mobile avoids brewery CapEx. Mobile West states No need to lay out capital ($150,000 – $1,000,000 or more) for a canning line and No dedicated floor space for the canning line or packaging. Equipped Brewer purchase ranges start at only about $50,000, starts at $85,000, and starts at $165,000. Ironheart frames Mobile Canning Services are a Turnkey Solution and Avoid the Hidden Costs of Operating a Canning Line; Fully Refurbished Canning Lines remain a buy path. Brewbound cites roughly $145,000 of additional spending per year for in-house canning.
- Mobile throughput: 40 cans per minute; can sizes 8, 10, 12 and 16 oz cans (Mobile West)
- Owned throughput example: Dual Lane Evolution Series up to 100 cans per minute (Wild Goose)
- Monthly mobile spend example: $3,000 US/month on mobile canning (Masstechx beer-can page)
| Claim | URL | Listed |
|---|---|---|
| Freshie Path 1 Mobile heading | freshiebeer.com/brewing/pro/packaging-options/ | Path 1: Mobile canning |
| Freshie mobile line table range | freshiebeer.com/brewing/pro/packaging-options/ | Mobile line $0.20-0.40/can |
| Freshie mobile economics per 16oz packaged | freshiebeer.com/brewing/pro/packaging-options/ | $0.20-0.40 per 16oz can packaged (varies by region and run size) |
| Freshie mobile path definition | freshiebeer.com/brewing/pro/packaging-options/ | A mobile canning company brings a portable canning line to your brewery for a day |
| Freshie mobile min run barrels | freshiebeer.com/brewing/pro/packaging-options/ | typically 15-30 barrels per session |
| Freshie setup teardown + cpm | freshiebeer.com/brewing/pro/packaging-options/ | Setup/teardown: 2-4 hours; canning rate: 30-60 cans per minute |
| Freshie contract packaging rate | freshiebeer.com/brewing/pro/packaging-options/ | $0.15-0.30 per can typical contract rate |
| Freshie in-house basic CapEx range | freshiebeer.com/brewing/pro/packaging-options/ | In-house basic $60-200K install |
| Freshie in-house automated CapEx range | freshiebeer.com/brewing/pro/packaging-options/ | In-house automated $500K-2M |
| Freshie forever mobile rate warning | freshiebeer.com/brewing/pro/packaging-options/ | paying mobile canners $0.40/can forever |
| Freshie sunk CapEx warning | freshiebeer.com/brewing/pro/packaging-options/ | Get it wrong and you've sunk $300,000 into a line you outgrew |
| Freshie range vintage note | freshiebeer.com/brewing/pro/packaging-options/ | Numbers in this article are 2024-2025 ranges |
| Freshie can blank price (ancillary) | freshiebeer.com/brewing/pro/packaging-options/ | $0.15-0.25 per 16oz unprinted |
| Freshie printed can price (ancillary) | freshiebeer.com/brewing/pro/packaging-options/ | $0.20-0.35 printed |
| MobileWest capital | www.mobilewestcanning.com/our-services/ | No need to lay out capital ($150,000 – $1,000,000 or more) for a canning line |
| MobileWest capital range | www.mobilewestcanning.com/our-services/ | $150,000 – $1,000,000 |
| MobileWest floor-space benefit | www.mobilewestcanning.com/our-services/ | No dedicated floor space for the canning line or packaging |
| MobileWest throughput | www.mobilewestcanning.com/our-services/ | 40 cans per minute |
| MobileWest can sizes | www.mobilewestcanning.com/our-services/ | 8, 10, 12 and 16 oz cans |
| Equipped Brewer Cask SAMS entry | equippedbrewer.longitudemedia.com/the-equipped-brewer/canning-craft-beer-and-hard-cider-to-go-mobile-or-purchase-a-system | only about $50,000 |
| Equipped Brewer WGC 250 start | equippedbrewer.longitudemedia.com/the-equipped-brewer/canning-craft-beer-and-hard-cider-to-go-mobile-or-purchase-a-system | starts at $85,000 |
| Equipped Brewer WGC 600 start | equippedbrewer.longitudemedia.com/the-equipped-brewer/canning-craft-beer-and-hard-cider-to-go-mobile-or-purchase-a-system | starts at $165,000 |
| Equipped Brewer mobile service cents range | equippedbrewer.longitudemedia.com/the-equipped-brewer/canning-craft-beer-and-hard-cider-to-go-mobile-or-purchase-a-system | 15 cents to 68 cents per can |
| Equipped Brewer service quote | equippedbrewer.longitudemedia.com/the-equipped-brewer/canning-craft-beer-and-hard-cider-to-go-mobile-or-purchase-a-system | Using our service will range from 15 cents to 68 cents per can |
| Equipped Brewer case cost example | equippedbrewer.longitudemedia.com/the-equipped-brewer/canning-craft-beer-and-hard-cider-to-go-mobile-or-purchase-a-system | cost of about $4.56 / case |
| Untappd hiring sentence | lounge.untappd.com/craft-beer-mobile-canning-everything-you-need-to-know/ | Hiring a mobile canning company will cost between $3 and $5 a case |
| Untappd mobile case rate range | lounge.untappd.com/craft-beer-mobile-canning-everything-you-need-to-know/ | between $3 and $5 a case |
| Untappd cheapest line floor | lounge.untappd.com/craft-beer-mobile-canning-everything-you-need-to-know/ | cost over $20,000 |
| Masstechx mobile/contract per-can range | masstechx.com/can-filling-machine/ | Mobile/Contract Canning $0.35-$0.50 per 16 oz can |
| Masstechx in-house after CapEx range | masstechx.com/can-filling-machine/ | In-House After CapEx $0.10-$0.18 per 16 oz can |
| Masstechx $250K break-even phrase | masstechx.com/can-filling-machine/ | break-even on a $250K system |
| Masstechx beer monthly mobile spend | masstechx.com/beer-filling-machine/beer-can-filling-machine/ | $3,000 US/month on mobile canning |
| Ironheart mobile turnkey | www.ironheartcanning.com/mobile-canning-services/ | Mobile Canning Services are a Turnkey Solution |
| Ironheart hidden costs headline | www.ironheartcanning.com/why-iron-heart/ | Avoid the Hidden Costs of Operating a Canning Line |
| Ironheart refurbished H2 | www.ironheartcanning.com/in-house-solutions/ | Fully Refurbished Canning Lines |
| Wild Goose dual-lane capacity | wildgoosefilling.com/products/dual-lane-evolution-series | up to 100 cans per minute |
| Wild Goose Dual Lane product name | wildgoosefilling.com/products/dual-lane-evolution-series | Dual Lane Evolution Series |
| Brewbound annual spend delta | www.brewbound.com/sponsored/mobile-canning-vs-in-house-canning-lines-a-classic-example-of-an-insource-versus-outsource-decision/ | roughly $145,000 of additional spending per year |
What hidden costs of in-house canning does Ironheart list against a hosted run?
Ironheart Canning's one-page sheet "The Hidden Cost of Owning Your Own Canning Line" opens: "Purchasing your own canning line may seem like a logical next step if you've been using a mobile canning service." It then lists "some of the hidden costs of doing your own canning in house," totals "Grand Total per Year = $145,000" and states that "all these costs are in addition to the price tag of the canning line." Its footnote reads "additional equipment depreciated over 10 yr." The hosted and mobile service fees above are quoted per can or per case; the table lists each Ironheart owner cost line as printed. Ironheart's site headline reads "Avoid the Hidden Costs of Operating a Canning Line," and Brewbound cites "roughly $145,000 of additional spending per year" for in-house canning.
| Owner cost line | What Ironheart lists | Source page |
|---|---|---|
| Staff | $55k per Salaried Employee · $15 per hour for Packout Staff · ~$9k for training/re-training | Ironheart hidden-cost sheet (PDF) |
| Cost of Capital & Insurance | $250,000 loan with 8% Interest · $2k per year for the Equipment Insurance | Ironheart hidden-cost sheet (PDF) |
| Space | $6k for 500sq feet | Ironheart hidden-cost sheet (PDF) |
| Freight & Crate, Manufacturer Install | $6K Freight & Crate · $9K Install | Ironheart hidden-cost sheet (PDF) |
| Additional Equipment | $10k for a DO Meter · $25k for a Labeler · $10k for a Date Coder · $25k for a Nitro-doser | Ironheart hidden-cost sheet (PDF) |
| Maintenance, Repairs, & Consumables | $100 per day for consumables; ink, soft parts, chems · $3k per day for 3rd Party Tech Plus Parts | Ironheart hidden-cost sheet (PDF) |
| Total | Grand Total per Year = $145,000 | Ironheart hidden-cost sheet (PDF) |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hosted Canning Run Cost?
Hosted Canning Run Cost is the planning question for what a canning run costs when you use a canner instead of owning a line. Freshie Path 1 lists Mobile line $0.20-0.40/can and $0.20-0.40 per 16oz can packaged as a mobile/day range. CapEx avoided spans Mobile West $150,000 – $1,000,000 and Equipped only about $50,000 / starts at $85,000 / starts at $165,000.
What published mobile/day ranges help plan a hosted canning run?
Freshie Path 1: Mobile canning lists Mobile line $0.20-0.40/can and $0.20-0.40 per 16oz can packaged (varies by region and run size), with typically 15-30 barrels per session and Setup/teardown: 2-4 hours; canning rate: 30-60 cans per minute.
What CapEx does hosting or mobile avoid versus buying a line?
Mobile West states No need to lay out capital ($150,000 – $1,000,000 or more) for a canning line. Equipped Brewer lists purchase entry only about $50,000, starts at $85,000, and starts at $165,000. Freshie contrasts In-house basic $60-200K install and In-house automated $500K-2M against paying mobile canners $0.40/can forever.
What hidden costs does in-house canning add compared with a hosted or mobile run?
Ironheart Canning's sheet "The Hidden Cost of Owning Your Own Canning Line" lists "some of the hidden costs of doing your own canning in house": it totals "Grand Total per Year = $145,000," including "$55k per Salaried Employee," "$250,000 loan with 8% Interest," "$6k for 500sq feet" and "$3k per day for 3rd Party Tech Plus Parts." It states that "all these costs are in addition to the price tag of the canning line."
What service-fee context is listed for mobile canning runs?
Untappd says Hiring a mobile canning company will cost between $3 and $5 a case. Equipped Brewer says Using our service will range from 15 cents to 68 cents per can and cost of about $4.56 / case. Masstechx lists Mobile/Contract Canning $0.35-$0.50 per 16 oz can.
How do throughput and ownership-cost sources frame the tradeoff?
Mobile West lists 40 cans per minute on mobile service. Wild Goose Dual Lane Evolution Series lists up to 100 cans per minute. Ironheart positions Mobile Canning Services are a Turnkey Solution and warns Avoid the Hidden Costs of Operating a Canning Line. Brewbound cites roughly $145,000 of additional spending per year for in-house canning.