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Maritime · head to head

Container xChange vs Helm Operations

Container xChange logo

Container xChange

Maritime

Container logistics marketplace

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Helm Operations logo

Helm Operations

Maritime

Dispatch, maintenance, compliance and crewing software built for tug, barge and workboat fleets

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; Helm Operations the product is built for workboat and towage operations, so a deep-sea owner running bulkers or tankers gets no chartering, voyage accounting or cargo handling and should not shortlist it.
  • They diverge on capability: Container xChange covers Container trading, Helm Operations covers Dispatch.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Container xChange and Helm Operations actually diverge.

Attributes where Container xChange and Helm Operations differ
AttributeContainer xChangeHelm Operations
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb, iOS, Android
Founded2017Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Container xChange

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

Only in Helm Operations

  • Dispatch
  • Job billing
  • Planned maintenance
  • Compliance and safety
  • Crew scheduling
  • Customer portal
  • Vessel applications
  • Reporting

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 Helm Operations
  • One way SOC container leasing between depot locationsnot Helm Operations

Helm Operations

  • A harbour towage company that dispatches dozens of jobs a day and wants invoices generated from the dispatch recordnot Container xChange
  • A barge operator tracking maintenance and certificates across assets that rarely visit the same port twicenot Container xChange
  • A ferry or passenger vessel fleet that must evidence drills, audits and crew certification to a regulatornot Container xChange
  • An offshore support operator replacing a mixture of spreadsheets, whiteboards and an accounting packagenot 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

Helm Operations

  • The product is built for workboat and towage operations, so a deep-sea owner running bulkers or tankers gets no chartering, voyage accounting or cargo handling and should not shortlist it.
  • Modules are licensed separately, so the figure quoted for dispatch alone is not the figure a fleet ends up paying once maintenance, compliance and crewing are included.
  • There is no financial ledger, so job costs and payroll still post into a separate accounting system, and maintaining that interface is an ongoing task for the customer.
  • Vessel applications sync rather than run fully offline indefinitely, so boats operating with poor connectivity see a lag between what the crew recorded and what the dispatcher can see.
  • The company does not disclose its ownership publicly and is comparatively small, which leaves a fleet that standardises on Helm carrying concentration risk it cannot fully assess.

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

Helm Operations

On request
  • Helm platform$undefined/year
    • Quoted by fleet size and modules taken
    • Maintenance, Compliance, Logistics, Personnel and Portal licensed separately
    • Implementation and data migration quoted as services

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 Helm Operations if

  • You need dispatch.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want job billing.
Helm Operations review

Questions people ask

Is Container xChange or Helm Operations better?
Neither clearly leads. Container xChange starts at Free and Helm Operations at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Container xChange or Helm Operations?
Container xChange has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Container xChange and On request for Helm Operations.
Does Container xChange or Helm Operations run on more platforms?
Container xChange runs on Web, Api. Helm Operations 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. Helm Operations 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 Helm Operations is typically brought in for.
What can Container xChange do that Helm Operations cannot?
Container xChange covers Container trading, Leasing marketplace, Tracking, Payment processing. Helm Operations covers Dispatch, Job billing, Planned maintenance, Compliance and safety.

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
Helm Operations: Does Helm handle chartering or voyage accounting?

No. It models dispatched jobs, not voyages, and has no commercial chartering capability.

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
Helm Operations: Will it work for a deep-sea fleet?

Poorly. The functional design assumes short repeated jobs on tugs, barges and workboats.

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
Helm Operations: Does it include accounting?

No. It produces invoices and job costs and passes them to a separate accounting system.

Helm Operations: Is pricing published?

No. It is quoted by fleet size and by which of the five modules are licensed.

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