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Logistics · head to head

Alvys vs Descartes Aljex

Alvys logo

Alvys

Logistics

Cloud transportation management system built for carriers and brokers that run both sides of the business

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
D

Descartes Aljex

Logistics

Freight brokerage TMS with published plan pricing, from 699 dollars a month for five users

From
$699/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Alvys the company was founded in 2020, so the integration catalogue is short compared with systems that have spent thirty years accumulating EDI trading partner maps, and a customer with an unusual shipper connection may be funding that build.; Descartes Aljex customer EDI connections are metered by tier, with none on Essential, one on Professional and two on Enterprise, so a broker onboarding several EDI shippers pays above the published plan price.
  • They diverge on capability: Alvys covers Unified asset and brokerage loads, Descartes Aljex covers Published plan pricing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Alvys and Descartes Aljex actually diverge.

Attributes where Alvys and Descartes Aljex differ
AttributeAlvysDescartes Aljex
Starting priceOn request$699/month
Pricing modelquotePer month by plan
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, APIWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Alvys

  • Unified asset and brokerage loads
  • Dispatch board
  • Driver mobile app
  • Carrier onboarding
  • Settlements and invoicing
  • Load and lane reporting

Only in Descartes Aljex

  • Published plan pricing
  • Load entry and dispatch
  • Carrier vetting
  • Lane pricing
  • Tracking integrations
  • Brokerage accounting
  • Agent security
  • Customer EDI

What people use each for

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

Alvys

  • A carrier with its own trucks that also brokers overflow freight and is tired of reconciling two systemsnot Descartes Aljex
  • A growing brokerage that wants a hosted system without an on premises database server and a DBAnot Descartes Aljex
  • A trucking company that needs drivers to submit paperwork from the cab instead of at the terminal on Fridaynot Descartes Aljex
  • A fleet replacing spreadsheets for settlements and wanting per load margin without a month end exercisenot Descartes Aljex

Descartes Aljex

  • A five-person brokerage that needs to know its monthly software cost before committing rather than after a discovery callnot Alvys
  • An agent-based brokerage that must stop agents seeing each other customers and marginsnot Alvys
  • A growing broker moving off spreadsheets and email who wants load boards, tracking and carrier vetting already connectednot Alvys
  • A 3PL needing brokerage settlement and QuickBooks accounting without a separate finance integration projectnot Alvys

Where each one falls short

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

Alvys

  • The company was founded in 2020, so the integration catalogue is short compared with systems that have spent thirty years accumulating EDI trading partner maps, and a customer with an unusual shipper connection may be funding that build.
  • There is effectively no independent consultant market, so implementation, data migration and configuration expertise all come from the vendor, which is a single point of dependency during a cutover.
  • Accounting depth is limited and most customers still run a general ledger in QuickBooks or similar, so the TMS is a subledger rather than the finance system.
  • Complex driver pay schemes, cross border currency handling and heavy accessorial structures in drayage are areas where the older systems are more complete and where workarounds are still common.
  • Pricing is not published, so a buyer cannot size the cost before entering a sales process, and per user pricing on a dispatch team with part time night staff can be an unpleasant surprise.

Descartes Aljex

  • Customer EDI connections are metered by tier, with none on Essential, one on Professional and two on Enterprise, so a broker onboarding several EDI shippers pays above the published plan price.
  • The one-time implementation fee is not published at any tier, so the advertised monthly price is not the first-year cost.
  • User counts are bundled per tier, which means growing from five to six users on Essential forces a jump to the 999 dollar Professional plan rather than adding one seat.
  • It is a domestic brokerage system with no forwarding or customs capability, so any international freight work requires a second platform.
  • Descartes is an acquisitive group with several overlapping transportation products, so Aljex customers depend on portfolio decisions about which brokerage product receives investment.

Pricing, plan by plan

Alvys

On request
  • Alvys TMS$undefined/year
    • Dispatch, brokerage and settlements
    • Driver mobile application
    • Integrations and reporting

Descartes Aljex

$699/month
  • Essential$699/month
    • Five users included
    • Unlimited shipments
    • MacroPoint, MyCarrierPortal, load boards, ProMiles, QuickBooks and DAT RateView
  • Professional$999/month
    • Fifteen users included
    • Unlimited shipments and carrier profiles
    • Ten hours of support and training
  • Enterprise$2375/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Fifteen hours of support and training
    • Ninety-day hypercare period

Which should you pick?

Choose Alvys if

  • You need unified asset and brokerage loads.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, API.
  • You also want dispatch board.
Alvys review

Choose Descartes Aljex if

  • You need published plan pricing.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want load entry and dispatch.
Descartes Aljex review

Questions people ask

Is Alvys or Descartes Aljex better?
Neither clearly leads. Alvys starts at On request and Descartes Aljex at $699/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Alvys or Descartes Aljex?
Alvys starts at On request and Descartes Aljex at $699/month.
Does Alvys or Descartes Aljex run on more platforms?
Alvys runs on Web, iOS, Android, API. Descartes Aljex runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is Alvys best used for?
Alvys is most often used for a carrier with its own trucks that also brokers overflow freight and is tired of reconciling two systems, a growing brokerage that wants a hosted system without an on premises database server and a dba, a trucking company that needs drivers to submit paperwork from the cab instead of at the terminal on friday, a fleet replacing spreadsheets for settlements and wanting per load margin without a month end exercise. Of those, a carrier with its own trucks that also brokers overflow freight and is tired of reconciling two systems and a growing brokerage that wants a hosted system without an on premises database server and a dba are not what Descartes Aljex is typically brought in for.
What can Alvys do that Descartes Aljex cannot?
Alvys covers Unified asset and brokerage loads, Dispatch board, Driver mobile app, Carrier onboarding. Descartes Aljex covers Published plan pricing, Load entry and dispatch, Carrier vetting, Lane pricing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Alvys: Does it work for a company that only brokers?

Yes, and also for one that only hauls. The point is that it does not force a choice.

Descartes Aljex: What does it cost?

Essential is 699 USD a month for five users, Professional from 999 USD for fifteen, Enterprise from 2,375 USD for unlimited users, plus a one-time implementation fee.

Alvys: Is it hosted or on premises?

Hosted only. There is no on premises deployment option.

Descartes Aljex: Is it priced per user?

No. Users are bundled into each tier, so cost steps up between plans rather than per seat.

Alvys: Does it replace my accounting system?

No. It handles settlements and invoicing and pushes to an accounting package.

Descartes Aljex: Are EDI connections included?

One on Professional and two on Enterprise. Essential includes none, and additional connections cost extra.

Alvys: Is pricing published?

No. Expect a quote based on users and volume.

Descartes Aljex: Can it handle international freight?

No. It is a domestic brokerage TMS with no customs or forwarding functionality.

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