Softwr

Logistics · head to head

AfterShip vs CargoWise

AfterShip logo

AfterShip

Logistics

Shipment tracking and logistics platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
CargoWise logo

CargoWise

Logistics

Single-database freight forwarding and customs platform, repriced in December 2025 to per-transaction Value Packs

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only AfterShip has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: AfterShip paid tracking tiers as captured 16 November 2024 were priced at $9, $99, and $199 per month with per-extra-shipment overage fees of $0.08 (lower tiers) or $0.12 (Premium plan); CargoWise the December 2025 shift to per-transaction Value Packs repriced roughly 95 percent of the customer base, with early 2026 reports of twenty to fifty percent cost increases and large monthly rises at short notice.
  • They diverge on capability: AfterShip covers Shipment tracking, CargoWise covers Single global database.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AfterShip and CargoWise actually diverge.

Attributes where AfterShip and CargoWise differ
AttributeAfterShipCargoWise
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb, Windows, Cloud
Founded2011Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Logistics).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in AfterShip

  • Shipment tracking
  • Multi-carrier
  • Returns management
  • Analytics
  • Shopify
  • WooCommerce
  • Email
  • Encryption

Only in CargoWise

  • Single global database
  • Customs compliance
  • Value Packs licensing
  • Forwarding operations
  • Warehouse management
  • Accounting
  • eDocs and messaging
  • Universal Data Interchange

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

AfterShip

  • Shippingnot CargoWise
  • Returns trackingnot CargoWise

CargoWise

  • A multinational forwarder wanting one shipment record across origin booking, customs clearance and destination deliverynot AfterShip
  • A customs broker needing maintained regulatory content across many jurisdictions rather than building declarations in housenot AfterShip
  • A 3PL consolidating forwarding, warehousing and financial accounting on one databasenot AfterShip
  • Trading electronically with other CargoWise users through the shared data interchange rather than building point-to-point EDInot AfterShip

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

AfterShip

  • Paid tracking tiers as captured 16 November 2024 were priced at $9, $99, and $199 per month with per-extra-shipment overage fees of $0.08 (lower tiers) or $0.12 (Premium plan)

CargoWise

  • The December 2025 shift to per-transaction Value Packs repriced roughly 95 percent of the customer base, with early 2026 reports of twenty to fifty percent cost increases and large monthly rises at short notice.
  • Pricing is now tied to transaction volume, so growth in the forwarding business raises the software bill proportionally, which inverts the economics of the old seat-based model for high-volume low-margin traffic.
  • WiseTech publishes no price list, so the only way to know what the new model costs your business is a written projection from an account representative.
  • Enterprise implementations are routinely cited in the hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars with professional services making up a large share, and organisations commonly underestimate that by a wide margin.
  • The system is deep and unforgiving to learn, so staff turnover carries a real productivity cost and trained CargoWise operators command a premium in the labour market.

Pricing, plan by plan

AfterShip

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic tracking
    • Limited shipments
  • Professional$99/month
    • Advanced features
    • Unlimited shipments

CargoWise

On request
  • CargoWise Value Packs$undefined/month
    • Per-transaction automation fee replacing the seat and transaction licence model from December 2025
    • Unlimited users and more than two hundred modules bundled into the transaction fee
    • Standard CargoWise Cloud hosting costs removed from the model

Which should you pick?

Choose AfterShip if

  • You need shipment tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want multi-carrier.
AfterShip review

Choose CargoWise if

  • You need single global database.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Cloud.
  • You also want customs compliance.
CargoWise review

Questions people ask

Is AfterShip or CargoWise better?
Neither clearly leads. AfterShip starts at Free and CargoWise at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AfterShip or CargoWise?
AfterShip has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for AfterShip and On request for CargoWise.
Does AfterShip or CargoWise run on more platforms?
AfterShip runs on Web, Mobile. CargoWise runs on Web, Windows, Cloud.
Can I use AfterShip for free?
Yes. AfterShip has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CargoWise starts at On request.
What is AfterShip best used for?
AfterShip is most often used for shipping, returns tracking. Of those, shipping and returns tracking are not what CargoWise is typically brought in for.
What can AfterShip do that CargoWise cannot?
AfterShip covers Shipment tracking, Multi-carrier, Returns management, Analytics. CargoWise covers Single global database, Customs compliance, Value Packs licensing, Forwarding operations.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CargoWise: What changed in December 2025?

WiseTech moved about 95 percent of CargoWise customers from seat and transaction licensing to Value Packs, a per-transaction fee bundling modules and unlimited users.

CargoWise: Are seat fees gone?

Under Value Packs, yes, along with standard CargoWise Cloud hosting charges. Cost is driven by transaction volume instead.

CargoWise: Does WiseTech publish prices?

No. Reported per-transaction figures come from forwarders and consultants, not from a vendor price list.

CargoWise: What does implementation cost?

Enterprise deployments are commonly reported in the hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars, with professional services a large share of the total.

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