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Logistics · head to head

Descartes Aljex vs Freightos

D

Descartes Aljex

Logistics

Freight brokerage TMS with published plan pricing, from 699 dollars a month for five users

From
$699/month
Rated
-
Freightos logo

Freightos

Maritime

Digital freight marketplace and rates

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Freightos has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Descartes Aljex customer EDI connections are metered by tier, with none on Essential, one on Professional and two on Enterprise, so a broker onboarding several EDI shippers pays above the published plan price.; Freightos no pricing, fees or commissions are published anywhere on the pricing page
  • They diverge on capability: Descartes Aljex covers Published plan pricing, Freightos covers Instant quotes.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Descartes Aljex and Freightos actually diverge.

Attributes where Descartes Aljex and Freightos differ
AttributeDescartes AljexFreightos
Starting price$699/monthFree
Pricing modelPer month by planfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Api
CategoryLogisticsMaritime
FoundedUnknown2012

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 Descartes Aljex

  • Published plan pricing
  • Load entry and dispatch
  • Carrier vetting
  • Lane pricing
  • Tracking integrations
  • Brokerage accounting
  • Agent security
  • Customer EDI

Only in Freightos

  • Instant quotes
  • Online booking
  • Shipment tracking
  • Rate comparison
  • ERP systems
  • E-commerce platforms
  • TMS
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Descartes Aljex

  • A five-person brokerage that needs to know its monthly software cost before committing rather than after a discovery callnot Freightos
  • An agent-based brokerage that must stop agents seeing each other customers and marginsnot Freightos
  • A growing broker moving off spreadsheets and email who wants load boards, tracking and carrier vetting already connectednot Freightos
  • A 3PL needing brokerage settlement and QuickBooks accounting without a separate finance integration projectnot Freightos

Freightos

  • Comparing freight quotes from multiple forwarders in one placenot Descartes Aljex
  • Booking international freight online rather than by email quotenot Descartes Aljex

Where each one falls short

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

Descartes Aljex

  • Customer EDI connections are metered by tier, with none on Essential, one on Professional and two on Enterprise, so a broker onboarding several EDI shippers pays above the published plan price.
  • The one-time implementation fee is not published at any tier, so the advertised monthly price is not the first-year cost.
  • User counts are bundled per tier, which means growing from five to six users on Essential forces a jump to the 999 dollar Professional plan rather than adding one seat.
  • It is a domestic brokerage system with no forwarding or customs capability, so any international freight work requires a second platform.
  • Descartes is an acquisitive group with several overlapping transportation products, so Aljex customers depend on portfolio decisions about which brokerage product receives investment.

Freightos

  • No pricing, fees or commissions are published anywhere on the pricing page
  • Rates and costs are only visible after signing up to the platform

Pricing, plan by plan

Descartes Aljex

$699/month
  • Essential$699/month
    • Five users included
    • Unlimited shipments
    • MacroPoint, MyCarrierPortal, load boards, ProMiles, QuickBooks and DAT RateView
  • Professional$999/month
    • Fifteen users included
    • Unlimited shipments and carrier profiles
    • Ten hours of support and training
  • Enterprise$2375/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Fifteen hours of support and training
    • Ninety-day hypercare period

Freightos

Free
  • Enterprise$500/month
    • Bulk pricing
    • API access
    • Custom integrations

Which should you pick?

Choose Descartes Aljex if

  • You need published plan pricing.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want load entry and dispatch.

Choose Freightos if

  • You need instant quotes.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want online booking.

Questions people ask

Is Descartes Aljex or Freightos better?
Neither clearly leads. Descartes Aljex starts at $699/month and Freightos at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Descartes Aljex or Freightos?
Freightos has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $699/month for Descartes Aljex and Free for Freightos.
Does Descartes Aljex or Freightos run on more platforms?
Descartes Aljex runs on Web, iOS, Android. Freightos runs on Web, Api.
Can I use Freightos for free?
Yes. Freightos has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Descartes Aljex starts at $699/month.
What is Descartes Aljex best used for?
Descartes Aljex is most often used for a five-person brokerage that needs to know its monthly software cost before committing rather than after a discovery call, an agent-based brokerage that must stop agents seeing each other customers and margins, a growing broker moving off spreadsheets and email who wants load boards, tracking and carrier vetting already connected, a 3pl needing brokerage settlement and quickbooks accounting without a separate finance integration project. Of those, a five-person brokerage that needs to know its monthly software cost before committing rather than after a discovery call and an agent-based brokerage that must stop agents seeing each other customers and margins are not what Freightos is typically brought in for.
What can Descartes Aljex do that Freightos cannot?
Descartes Aljex covers Published plan pricing, Load entry and dispatch, Carrier vetting, Lane pricing. Freightos covers Instant quotes, Online booking, Shipment tracking, Rate comparison.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Descartes Aljex: What does it cost?

Essential is 699 USD a month for five users, Professional from 999 USD for fifteen, Enterprise from 2,375 USD for unlimited users, plus a one-time implementation fee.

Freightos: Does Freightos charge shippers a subscription fee or booking commission?

Freightos does not charge shippers directly. Instead, Freightos takes a small percentage from freight providers (carriers), though the exact percentage is not published on their site.

Source
Descartes Aljex: Is it priced per user?

No. Users are bundled into each tier, so cost steps up between plans rather than per seat.

Freightos: How does Freightos generate revenue if shippers do not pay subscription fees?

Freightos operates as a marketplace taking a percentage commission from freight providers on each transaction, not from the end-user shippers.

Source
Descartes Aljex: Are EDI connections included?

One on Professional and two on Enterprise. Essential includes none, and additional connections cost extra.

Freightos: Is there a cost to create an account and get freight quotes on Freightos?

No. Freightos users can instantly compare and get quotes for free. Shippers only pay freight providers directly for selected shipments, with Freightos taking its commission from providers.

Source
Descartes Aljex: Can it handle international freight?

No. It is a domestic brokerage TMS with no customs or forwarding functionality.

Freightos: What enterprise solutions does Freightos offer beyond the marketplace?

Freightos offers enterprise solutions that are fully modular, allowing customers to start with one solution and expand as needed. Specific pricing and features are available by requesting a demo.

Source
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