Softwr

Logistics · head to head

CargoWise vs Manhattan Associates

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
Manhattan Associates logo

Manhattan Associates

Logistics

Tier-one warehouse, order and transportation management, now cloud subscription only

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Manhattan Associates manhattan Active is cloud subscription only with no perpetual licence and no on-premises deployment, so organisations with a capital purchasing model or air-gapped requirements are excluded outright.
  • They diverge on capability: CargoWise covers Single global database, Manhattan Associates covers Order management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CargoWise and Manhattan Associates actually diverge.

Attributes where CargoWise and Manhattan Associates differ
AttributeCargoWiseManhattan Associates
PlatformsWeb, Windows, CloudWeb, Cloud, iOS, Android

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), 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 CargoWise

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

Only in Manhattan Associates

  • Order management
  • Transportation management
  • Labour management
  • Yard management
  • Versionless updates
  • Store and point of sale

Both cover

  • Warehouse management

What people use each for

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

CargoWise

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

Manhattan Associates

  • A retailer fulfilling store, ecommerce and wholesale orders from one inventory pool without separate systems per channelnot CargoWise
  • A distribution centre introducing goods-to-person robotics that needs the WMS to orchestrate the automationnot CargoWise
  • A third-party logistics provider running multiple clients with different processes in one facilitynot CargoWise
  • An operation where labour is the largest cost and engineered standards would pay for the softwarenot CargoWise

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Manhattan Associates

  • Manhattan Active is cloud subscription only with no perpetual licence and no on-premises deployment, so organisations with a capital purchasing model or air-gapped requirements are excluded outright.
  • Legacy WMOS and SCALE customers pay annual maintenance of roughly 18 to 22 per cent of licence value while the vendor steers investment towards Active, so staying put has a rising opportunity cost as well as a cash cost.
  • Implementation is a tier-one project measured in quarters, and system integrator fees routinely match or exceed several years of subscription, which is the part that breaks budgets rather than the licence.
  • Functional depth assumes complexity; operations with simple distribution end up configuring around capability they do not need and paying for it every year.
  • Modules are priced individually, so warehouse, order, transportation and labour management each carry their own line, and a business case built on the WMS alone understates the eventual footprint.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Manhattan Associates

On request
  • Manhattan Active Warehouse Management$undefined/year
    • Cloud subscription only, no perpetual licence
    • Versionless with continuous updates
    • Priced per module and by volume or site
  • Manhattan Active Omni and Transportation$undefined/year
    • Order management, point of sale and store fulfilment
    • Multimodal transportation management
    • Each module priced separately
  • Legacy WMOS and SCALE$undefined/year
    • Perpetual licence held by existing customers
    • Annual maintenance typically 18 to 22 per cent of licence value
    • Still sold to existing customers with extended support

Which should you pick?

Choose CargoWise if

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

Choose Manhattan Associates if

  • You need order management.
  • You work on Web, Cloud, iOS, Android.
  • You also want transportation management.
Manhattan Associates review

Questions people ask

Is CargoWise or Manhattan Associates better?
Neither clearly leads. CargoWise starts at On request and Manhattan Associates at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CargoWise or Manhattan Associates?
CargoWise starts at On request and Manhattan Associates at On request.
Does CargoWise or Manhattan Associates run on more platforms?
CargoWise runs on Web, Windows, Cloud. Manhattan Associates runs on Web, Cloud, iOS, Android.
What is CargoWise best used for?
CargoWise is most often used for a multinational forwarder wanting one shipment record across origin booking, customs clearance and destination delivery, a customs broker needing maintained regulatory content across many jurisdictions rather than building declarations in house, a 3pl consolidating forwarding, warehousing and financial accounting on one database, trading electronically with other cargowise users through the shared data interchange rather than building point-to-point edi. Of those, a multinational forwarder wanting one shipment record across origin booking, customs clearance and destination delivery and a customs broker needing maintained regulatory content across many jurisdictions rather than building declarations in house are not what Manhattan Associates is typically brought in for.
What can CargoWise do that Manhattan Associates cannot?
CargoWise covers Single global database, Customs compliance, Value Packs licensing, Forwarding operations. Manhattan Associates covers Order management, Transportation management, Labour management, Yard management. Both handle Warehouse management.

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.

Manhattan Associates: Can I buy Manhattan Active on-premises or perpetually?

No. Manhattan Active is cloud-native SaaS priced per module by subscription, with no perpetual licence option.

CargoWise: Are seat fees gone?

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

Manhattan Associates: What happens to my WMOS or SCALE licence?

Existing perpetual licences continue, with maintenance typically 18 to 22 per cent of licence value each year. Manhattan offers discounted transition pricing to move to Active.

CargoWise: Does WiseTech publish prices?

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

Manhattan Associates: What does versionless actually mean?

Updates are applied continuously while the subscription is active, so there is no separate upgrade project, but you also do not control when changes arrive.

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.

Manhattan Associates: How much does implementation cost relative to the software?

Expect a system integrator engagement comparable to or larger than several years of subscription. Budget for it as the main line, not a footnote.

Share

Related pages

More on CargoWise

More on Manhattan Associates

Keep looking

Other head to heads