Softwr

Maritime · head to head

Container xChange vs Descartes MacroPoint

Container xChange logo

Container xChange

Maritime

Container logistics marketplace

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Descartes MacroPoint logo

Descartes MacroPoint

Logistics

Freight visibility network that tracks loads across carriers using ELD, telematics and driver mobile data

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Container xChange has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Container xChange leasing plans require a 12 month commitment; Descartes MacroPoint pricing is per tracked load and unpublished, and rates fall steeply with volume, so a small broker pays a much higher unit price than a large one for identical service and has little negotiating leverage.
  • They diverge on capability: Container xChange covers Container trading, Descartes MacroPoint covers Carrier network.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Container xChange and Descartes MacroPoint actually diverge.

Attributes where Container xChange and Descartes MacroPoint differ
AttributeContainer xChangeDescartes MacroPoint
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryMaritimeLogistics
Founded2017Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Container xChange

  • Container trading
  • Leasing marketplace
  • Tracking
  • Payment processing
  • TMS platforms
  • Container depots
  • Shipping lines
  • Web support

Only in Descartes MacroPoint

  • Carrier network
  • Multi-source tracking
  • Predictive ETA
  • Exception alerts
  • Multimodal
  • Capacity matching
  • API and TMS integration
  • Customer portals

What people use each for

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

Container xChange

  • Buying and selling shipping containers through an online marketplacenot Descartes MacroPoint
  • One way SOC container leasing between depot locationsnot Descartes MacroPoint

Descartes MacroPoint

  • A freight broker whose largest customer has made tracking compliance a contract conditionnot Container xChange
  • A shipper wanting one tracking view across dozens of carriers rather than a portal per carriernot Container xChange
  • A 3PL measuring carrier performance on dwell and on-time arrival with data the carrier cannot disputenot Container xChange
  • An operation replacing check calls, where the labour saving alone justifies the per-load feenot Container xChange

Where each one falls short

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

Container xChange

  • Leasing plans require a 12 month commitment
  • Leasing Basic at $399 a month caps at 10 containers, and Leasing Premium at $649 a month caps at 100
  • The Professional Trading Buyer plan is $399 a month and billed annually
  • Listing as a container owner or wholesaler is $899 a month
  • The fulfilment service is commission based with no published rate, and is limited to the USA and Canada

Descartes MacroPoint

  • Pricing is per tracked load and unpublished, and rates fall steeply with volume, so a small broker pays a much higher unit price than a large one for identical service and has little negotiating leverage.
  • Tracking depends on carrier consent, so coverage on any given lane is a percentage rather than a guarantee, and the carriers most likely to be untracked are the small ones causing the exceptions you care about.
  • Driver mobile tracking as the fallback depends on drivers accepting location sharing, and refusal rates mean visibility gaps that appear as service failures to your customer.
  • Ocean and air visibility is materially less mature than domestic North American truckload, so a global shipper ends up running a second platform for international freight.
  • MacroPoint is one product inside a large acquisitive software group, so roadmap attention and support responsiveness are set by Descartes portfolio priorities rather than by visibility customers.

Pricing, plan by plan

Container xChange

Free
  • Online Broker App & Broker Support (Container Retailers)Free
    • Browse 29,000+ containers
    • Real-time inventory access
    • Self-serve platform
  • Professional Trading Buyer (Container Retailers)$399/month
    • Unlimited container purchases
    • Zero transaction costs
    • Access to 2,500+ locations
  • International Trading Marketplace (Owners/Wholesalers)$899/month
    • Unlimited listings and sales
    • Access to 1,000+ buyers
    • Self-serve management
  • Leasing Basic (Container Leasing)$399/month
    • SOC container one-way leasing
    • Market price visibility
    • Company profiles

Descartes MacroPoint

On request
  • Descartes MacroPoint$undefined/year
    • Priced per tracked load with rates varying by mode and volume
    • Per-load rates fall substantially at high volume, so small shippers pay more per load
    • Annual subscription with minimum commitments

Which should you pick?

Choose Container xChange if

  • You need container trading.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want leasing marketplace.
Container xChange review

Choose Descartes MacroPoint if

  • You need carrier network.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want multi-source tracking.
Descartes MacroPoint review

Questions people ask

Is Container xChange or Descartes MacroPoint better?
Neither clearly leads. Container xChange starts at Free and Descartes MacroPoint at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Container xChange or Descartes MacroPoint?
Container xChange has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Container xChange and On request for Descartes MacroPoint.
Does Container xChange or Descartes MacroPoint run on more platforms?
Container xChange runs on Web, Api. Descartes MacroPoint runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Container xChange for free?
Yes. Container xChange has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Descartes MacroPoint starts at On request.
What is Container xChange best used for?
Container xChange is most often used for buying and selling shipping containers through an online marketplace, one way soc container leasing between depot locations. Of those, buying and selling shipping containers through an online marketplace and one way soc container leasing between depot locations are not what Descartes MacroPoint is typically brought in for.
What can Container xChange do that Descartes MacroPoint cannot?
Container xChange covers Container trading, Leasing marketplace, Tracking, Payment processing. Descartes MacroPoint covers Carrier network, Multi-source tracking, Predictive ETA, Exception alerts.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Container xChange: Does container-xchange offer a free plan?

Yes, xChange offers a free Online Broker App tier available in the USA and Canada. The free tier includes browsing 29,000+ containers, real-time inventory, self-serve platform access, and expert broker assistance without transaction costs.

Source
Descartes MacroPoint: How is MacroPoint priced?

Per tracked load, varying by mode and volume, quoted per customer. Nothing is published as a list price.

Container xChange: What is the lowest paid plan cost on container-xchange?

The lowest-cost paid plan is Professional Trading Buyer at $399 per month (paid annually) for container retailers, providing unlimited purchases with zero transaction costs and access to 2,500+ locations.

Source
Descartes MacroPoint: What happens when a carrier has no telematics?

A driver mobile app is used as a fallback, which depends on the driver agreeing to share location.

Container xChange: What container limits do leasing plans include?

Leasing Basic supports up to 10 containers at $399/month, while Leasing Premium supports up to 100 containers at $649/month, both billed annually with monthly commitment.

Source
Descartes MacroPoint: Is it only North American trucking?

No, it covers ocean, rail, LTL and parcel too, but truckload in North America is where coverage is strongest.

Descartes MacroPoint: Who owns it?

Descartes Systems Group, which acquired MacroPoint in 2017 and retains it as a named product.

Share

Related pages

More on Container xChange

More on Descartes MacroPoint

Keep looking

Other head to heads