Softwr

Logistics · head to head

Cargoson vs McLeod Software

Cargoson logo

Cargoson

Logistics

Transport management system for manufacturers shipping across road, air, sea and rail

From
$199/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
McLeod Software logo

McLeod Software

Logistics

The long standing transportation management system for North American asset carriers and brokerages

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Cargoson monthly billing costs 25% more than annual billing; McLeod Software it is a Microsoft SQL Server application that most customers still run on their own servers, so the total cost includes hardware, database administration and a disaster recovery plan that the vendor does not provide.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cargoson and McLeod Software actually diverge.

Attributes where Cargoson and McLeod Software differ
AttributeCargosonMcLeod Software
Starting price$199/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWebWindows, Web, 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 Cargoson

Nothing recorded that McLeod Software does not also cover.

Only in McLeod Software

  • LoadMaster
  • PowerBroker
  • Driver pay and settlements
  • EDI and integration
  • Document Power imaging
  • Business intelligence

What people use each for

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

Cargoson

  • freight and shipment managementnot McLeod Software
  • logistics optimizationnot McLeod Software
  • carbon emissions reportingnot McLeod Software

McLeod Software

  • A truckload carrier above one hundred trucks whose driver pay rules break every simpler system it has triednot Cargoson
  • A brokerage that needs carrier payables, factoring interfaces and settlement controls rather than a load board with invoicingnot Cargoson
  • A carrier required by large shippers to exchange EDI tenders, status messages and invoices in specific formatsnot Cargoson
  • A company running both assets and a brokerage that wants each side on the vendor system built for itnot Cargoson

Where each one falls short

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

Cargoson

  • monthly billing costs 25% more than annual billing
  • one-time setup fee applies to all tiers
  • per-user limits prevent flexible team scaling

McLeod Software

  • It is a Microsoft SQL Server application that most customers still run on their own servers, so the total cost includes hardware, database administration and a disaster recovery plan that the vendor does not provide.
  • Version upgrades are projects rather than background events, and carriers routinely run releases that are a year or more old because upgrading requires testing every customisation and integration.
  • Licensing is per seat with modules priced separately, so a carrier with part time weekend dispatchers or occasional finance users pays full seats for people who log in a few hours a week.
  • The interface is dense and built for trained operators, and onboarding a new dispatcher takes weeks rather than days, which is expensive in a role with high turnover.
  • Pricing is never published and implementations commonly run six months or more with vendor or partner services, so the first year cost is a multiple of the annual licence and difficult to estimate before a sales process.

Pricing, plan by plan

Cargoson

$199/month
  • Basic$199/month
    • 2 users
    • 100 shipments/month
  • Standard$399/month
    • 5 users
    • 1,000 shipments/month
  • Advanced$599/month
    • 10 users
    • 3,000 shipments/month
  • Enterprise$1000/month
    • unlimited users
    • custom shipment volume

McLeod Software

On request
  • LoadMaster$undefined/year
    • Asset carrier transportation management
    • Driver pay and settlements
    • Dispatch and equipment management
  • PowerBroker$undefined/year
    • Brokerage operations
    • Carrier procurement and payables
    • Customer billing

Which should you pick?

Choose Cargoson if

Nothing in the data separates Cargoson from McLeod Software on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Cargoson review

Choose McLeod Software if

  • You need loadmaster.
  • You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want powerbroker.
McLeod Software review

Questions people ask

Is Cargoson or McLeod Software better?
Neither clearly leads. Cargoson starts at $199/month and McLeod Software at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cargoson or McLeod Software?
Cargoson starts at $199/month and McLeod Software at On request.
Does Cargoson or McLeod Software run on more platforms?
Cargoson runs on Web. McLeod Software runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
What is Cargoson best used for?
Cargoson is most often used for freight and shipment management, logistics optimization, carbon emissions reporting. Of those, freight and shipment management and logistics optimization are not what McLeod Software is typically brought in for.
What can Cargoson do that McLeod Software cannot?
McLeod Software covers LoadMaster, PowerBroker, Driver pay and settlements, EDI and integration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cargoson: How much does Cargoson cost?

Cargoson plans start at USD 199/month for Basic (annual billing) or USD 249/month on monthly billing, scaling to USD 1,000+/month for Enterprise with unlimited users.

Source
McLeod Software: Is McLeod available as a hosted service?

Yes, McLeod offers hosting, but a large part of the installed base still runs on premises and budgets accordingly.

Cargoson: Are there per-shipment fees on Cargoson?

No, Cargoson charges flat monthly subscription only; there are no per-shipment fees, providing transparent pricing regardless of volume.

Source
McLeod Software: Can a fifty truck carrier use it?

It will run, but the licence and implementation economics rarely make sense below roughly one hundred trucks.

Cargoson: Does Cargoson offer discounts for annual billing?

Yes, annual billing plans cost approximately 20-25% less than equivalent monthly plans; prorated billing applies when upgrading.

Source
McLeod Software: Who owns McLeod Software?

It has remained privately held and independent since it was founded in 1985, which is unusual in this market.

Cargoson: How many users are included in each Cargoson plan?

Basic includes 2 users, Standard includes 5 users, Advanced includes 10 users, and Enterprise includes unlimited users.

Source
McLeod Software: How long is a typical implementation?

Plan for six months or more once data migration, EDI setup and settlement rule configuration are included.

Share

Related pages

More on Cargoson

More on McLeod Software

Keep looking

Other head to heads