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Logistics · head to head

CargoWise vs ShipBob

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
ShipBob logo

ShipBob

Logistics

E-commerce fulfillment and logistics platform

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.; ShipBob no published pricing available; all costs require custom quote request
  • They diverge on capability: CargoWise covers Single global database, ShipBob covers Fulfillment services.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CargoWise and ShipBob actually diverge.

Attributes where CargoWise and ShipBob differ
AttributeCargoWiseShipBob
Pricing modelquoteUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Windows, CloudWeb, API
FoundedUnknown2014

Identical on both: starting price (On request), 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
  • Warehouse management
  • Accounting
  • eDocs and messaging
  • Universal Data Interchange

Only in ShipBob

  • Fulfillment services
  • Inventory management
  • Distributed warehousing
  • 2-day shipping
  • Shopify
  • Amazon
  • WooCommerce
  • BigCommerce

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 ShipBob
  • A customs broker needing maintained regulatory content across many jurisdictions rather than building declarations in housenot ShipBob
  • A 3PL consolidating forwarding, warehousing and financial accounting on one databasenot ShipBob
  • Trading electronically with other CargoWise users through the shared data interchange rather than building point-to-point EDInot ShipBob

ShipBob

  • E-commerce order fulfillment and logisticsnot CargoWise
  • Multi-location inventory managementnot CargoWise
  • 2-day shipping across continental United Statesnot CargoWise
  • Global shipping to 250+ destinationsnot CargoWise
  • B2B and marketplace order fulfillmentnot CargoWise
  • Branded packaging and unboxing experiencesnot CargoWise
  • Returns managementnot 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.

ShipBob

  • No published pricing available; all costs require custom quote request
  • No free tier or free trial available

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

ShipBob

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the ShipBob review.

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 ShipBob if

  • You need fulfillment services.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want inventory management.
ShipBob review

Questions people ask

Is CargoWise or ShipBob better?
Neither clearly leads. CargoWise starts at On request and ShipBob at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CargoWise or ShipBob?
CargoWise starts at On request and ShipBob at On request.
Does CargoWise or ShipBob run on more platforms?
CargoWise runs on Web, Windows, Cloud. ShipBob runs on Web, API.
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 ShipBob is typically brought in for.
What can CargoWise do that ShipBob cannot?
CargoWise covers Single global database, Customs compliance, Value Packs licensing, Forwarding operations. ShipBob covers Fulfillment services, Inventory management, Distributed warehousing, 2-day shipping.

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.

ShipBob: How much does ShipBob cost?

ShipBob uses quote-based pricing reflective of total fulfillment costs including inventory receiving, warehousing, picking, packing, and shipping. Specific pricing requires submitting a custom quote form with business details.

Source
CargoWise: Are seat fees gone?

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

ShipBob: Is ShipBob software free?

Yes, ShipBob's software is completely free for all customers, as well as connecting all turnkey integrations. Customers only pay for fulfillment services and shipping costs.

Source
CargoWise: Does WiseTech publish prices?

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

ShipBob: What additional services can incur fees with ShipBob?

Additional fees apply for specialized services including kitting, B2B/wholesale orders, EDI compliance, returns processing, custom packaging storage, branded boxes, and any services beyond standard fulfillment.

Source
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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