Softwr

Maritime · head to head

Baltic Exchange vs Flexport

Baltic Exchange logo

Baltic Exchange

Maritime

Global shipping market benchmarks

From
$500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Flexport logo

Flexport

Maritime

Global freight forwarding and supply chain platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Baltic Exchange no pricing published on website, membership and data services require contacting the organization; Flexport $5,000 monthly minimum fulfillment spend requirement excludes small and medium businesses
  • They diverge on capability: Baltic Exchange covers Freight indices, Flexport covers Freight forwarding.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Baltic Exchange and Flexport actually diverge.

Attributes where Baltic Exchange and Flexport differ
AttributeBaltic ExchangeFlexport
Starting price$500/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionusage-based
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb
Founded17442013

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Maritime).

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 Baltic Exchange

  • Freight indices
  • Market assessments
  • Forward curves
  • Historical data
  • API
  • Data feeds
  • Trading platforms
  • Api support

Only in Flexport

  • Freight forwarding
  • Supply chain visibility
  • Customs brokerage
  • Inventory management
  • NetSuite
  • SAP
  • QuickBooks
  • Shopify

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Baltic Exchange

  • Shipping market freight data and indicesnot Flexport
  • Freight derivatives tradingnot Flexport
  • Vessel investment decision makingnot Flexport
  • Dry bulk and tanker rate assessmentsnot Flexport
  • Container freight market analysisnot Flexport

Flexport

  • International shippingnot Baltic Exchange
  • Customs clearancenot Baltic Exchange
  • Supply chain visibilitynot Baltic Exchange
  • Freight managementnot Baltic Exchange

Where each one falls short

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

Baltic Exchange

  • No pricing published on website, membership and data services require contacting the organization
  • Custom pricing based on organization type and data needs

Flexport

  • $5,000 monthly minimum fulfillment spend requirement excludes small and medium businesses
  • Inconsistent customer service with reports of slow quote responses that delayed orders by up to two months
  • Hidden fees and additional charges beyond quoted prices reported by multiple customers
  • Quote-only pricing model makes budgeting difficult compared to published rate cards from competitors

Pricing, plan by plan

Baltic Exchange

$500/month
  • Data Services$1500/month
    • Freight indices
    • Market assessments
    • Historical data

Flexport

On request
  • StandardFree
    • Freight services
    • Basic visibility
    • Standard support
  • ProfessionalFree
    • Full visibility
    • Analytics
    • Priority support
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Custom solutions
    • API access
    • Dedicated team

Which should you pick?

Choose Baltic Exchange if

  • You need freight indices.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want market assessments.
Baltic Exchange review

Choose Flexport if

  • You need freight forwarding.
  • You also want supply chain visibility.
Flexport review

Questions people ask

Is Baltic Exchange or Flexport better?
Neither clearly leads. Baltic Exchange starts at $500/month and Flexport at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Baltic Exchange or Flexport?
Baltic Exchange starts at $500/month and Flexport at On request.
Does Baltic Exchange or Flexport run on more platforms?
Baltic Exchange runs on Web, Api. Flexport runs on Web.
What is Baltic Exchange best used for?
Baltic Exchange is most often used for shipping market freight data and indices, freight derivatives trading, vessel investment decision making, dry bulk and tanker rate assessments. Of those, shipping market freight data and indices and freight derivatives trading are not what Flexport is typically brought in for.
What can Baltic Exchange do that Flexport cannot?
Baltic Exchange covers Freight indices, Market assessments, Forward curves, Historical data. Flexport covers Freight forwarding, Supply chain visibility, Customs brokerage, Inventory management. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Baltic Exchange: How much does Baltic Exchange membership cost?

Baltic Exchange does not publish pricing on their website. Membership and data service pricing is customized and requires direct contact with the organization.

Source
Flexport: What is Flexport's minimum spend requirement?

As of January 2026, Flexport requires a $5,000 minimum monthly fulfillment spend, positioning the service toward mid-market and enterprise sellers.

Source
Baltic Exchange: What services does Baltic Exchange provide?

Baltic Exchange provides shipping market data services including daily published indices (200+), freight derivatives trading facilities, member fixtures database, and analytical tools for shipping professionals.

Source
Flexport: What shipping modes does Flexport support?

Flexport supports all modes of transport including air freight, ocean freight (FCL and LCL), truck, and rail. Services include ocean and air freight forwarding, customs brokerage, Amazon FBA prep, and omnichannel fulfillment.

Source
Flexport: Does Flexport offer fulfillment services?

Yes. Flexport provides omnichannel fulfillment services for Amazon, Walmart, eBay, and Shopify, plus Amazon FBA preparation at Flexport warehouses.

Source
Flexport: How does Flexport pricing work?

Flexport uses quote-only pricing based on shipment lanes, volume commitments, and service tier. Pricing varies by route and service level, requiring direct consultation with sales for specific quotes.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Baltic Exchange

More on Flexport

Keep looking

Other head to heads