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Logistics · head to head

Descartes MacroPoint vs Kaleris

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
Kaleris logo

Kaleris

Maritime

Terminal operating, yard, rail and vessel software assembled from acquired supply chain brands

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Descartes MacroPoint pricing is per tracked load and unpublished, and rates fall steeply with volume, so a small broker pays a much higher unit price than a large one for identical service and has little negotiating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.; Kaleris the portfolio was assembled by acquisition, so the single platform description is commercial rather than technical, and connecting two Kaleris products often requires professional services and a custom interface.
  • They diverge on capability: Descartes MacroPoint covers Carrier network, Kaleris covers Terminal operating system.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Descartes MacroPoint and Kaleris actually diverge.

Attributes where Descartes MacroPoint and Kaleris differ
AttributeDescartes MacroPointKaleris
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, On-premise, Private cloud
CategoryLogisticsMaritime

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), 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 MacroPoint

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

Only in Kaleris

  • Terminal operating system
  • Yard management
  • Transportation management
  • Carrier and vessel solutions
  • Rail visibility
  • Maintenance and repair operations
  • Execution and visibility platform
  • Equipment control integration

What people use each for

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

Descartes MacroPoint

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

Kaleris

  • A container terminal replacing a legacy or in-house terminal operating system before an automation programmenot Descartes MacroPoint
  • A port authority standardising several terminals on one operating system and reporting layernot Descartes MacroPoint
  • An ocean carrier that needs stowage planning and vessel performance tooling alongside terminal systemsnot Descartes MacroPoint
  • A rail or intermodal operator trying to reduce demurrage exposure with asset level visibilitynot Descartes MacroPoint

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Kaleris

  • The portfolio was assembled by acquisition, so the single platform description is commercial rather than technical, and connecting two Kaleris products often requires professional services and a custom interface.
  • A terminal operating system implementation runs 12 to 24 months with parallel operation, and the software licence is a minor line next to integration, equipment interfaces and retraining crane and gate staff.
  • Private equity ownership means the roadmap is shaped by acquisition strategy and an eventual exit, and a terminal signing a decade-long dependency has no visibility of who the next owner will be.
  • Configuration expertise is concentrated in the vendor and a small consultancy pool, so terminals end up buying vendor services for changes an internal team should be able to make.
  • The strength is container handling, and bulk, breakbulk and ro-ro terminals get a thinner functional fit that has to be closed with configuration and workarounds.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Kaleris

On request
  • Kaleris platform$undefined/year
    • Quoted per site, by throughput and modules taken
    • Implementation and integration services are the larger share of first-year cost
    • Equipment and gate interfaces scoped and priced individually

Which should you pick?

Choose Descartes MacroPoint if

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

Choose Kaleris if

  • You need terminal operating system.
  • You work on Web, On-premise, Private cloud.
  • You also want yard management.
Kaleris review

Questions people ask

Is Descartes MacroPoint or Kaleris better?
Neither clearly leads. Descartes MacroPoint starts at On request and Kaleris at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Descartes MacroPoint or Kaleris?
Descartes MacroPoint starts at On request and Kaleris at On request.
Does Descartes MacroPoint or Kaleris run on more platforms?
Descartes MacroPoint runs on Web, iOS, Android. Kaleris runs on Web, On-premise, Private cloud.
What is Descartes MacroPoint best used for?
Descartes MacroPoint is most often used for a freight broker whose largest customer has made tracking compliance a contract condition, a shipper wanting one tracking view across dozens of carriers rather than a portal per carrier, a 3pl measuring carrier performance on dwell and on-time arrival with data the carrier cannot dispute, an operation replacing check calls, where the labour saving alone justifies the per-load fee. Of those, a freight broker whose largest customer has made tracking compliance a contract condition and a shipper wanting one tracking view across dozens of carriers rather than a portal per carrier are not what Kaleris is typically brought in for.
What can Descartes MacroPoint do that Kaleris cannot?
Descartes MacroPoint covers Carrier network, Multi-source tracking, Predictive ETA, Exception alerts. Kaleris covers Terminal operating system, Yard management, Transportation management, Carrier and vessel solutions.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Descartes MacroPoint: How is MacroPoint priced?

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

Kaleris: Is Kaleris the same thing as Navis?

No. Navis is the terminal operating system product line, now owned by Kaleris after Cargotec sold it to Accel-KKR in 2021. Kaleris is the parent group and sells several other product lines alongside it.

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.

Kaleris: Who owns Kaleris?

It is backed by the private equity firm Accel-KKR and assembled from acquired software businesses.

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.

Kaleris: How long does a terminal operating system deployment take?

Plan for 12 to 24 months at a working container terminal, including parallel running. Anything shorter usually means a limited scope or a small facility.

Descartes MacroPoint: Who owns it?

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

Kaleris: Does it suit bulk or breakbulk terminals?

Less well. The functional depth is in container handling, and other cargo types require significant configuration.

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