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Logistics · head to head

Loadsmart vs Locate2u

Loadsmart logo

Loadsmart

Logistics

Digital freight brokerage sold together with the TMS, dock scheduling and gate tools that book the loads

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Locate2u logo

Locate2u

Logistics

One platform fee for route optimization, fleet visibility and proof of delivery

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Loadsmart the brokerage and the software share a parent, so quotes shown inside ShipperGuide are Loadsmart capacity offers rather than a neutral market view, and a shipper wanting a benchmark has to source rates elsewhere.; Locate2u pricing quoted in AUD, not USD, requiring currency conversion for US customers
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Loadsmart and Locate2u actually diverge.

Attributes where Loadsmart and Locate2u differ
AttributeLoadsmartLocate2u
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, APIWeb

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 Loadsmart

  • ShipperGuide TMS
  • Instant committed quotes
  • Opendock scheduling
  • NavTrac gate automation
  • Managed transportation
  • Carrier app and load board

Only in Locate2u

Nothing recorded that Loadsmart does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Loadsmart

  • A mid market shipper with no TMS that wants tendering, tracking and reporting without funding a licence and an integration project separatelynot Locate2u
  • A warehouse operator that needs to stop scheduling inbound appointments by phone and email across a fragmented carrier basenot Locate2u
  • A shipper that wants instant committed truckload capacity on lanes where it does not hold contract ratesnot Locate2u
  • A distribution centre trying to measure and reduce driver dwell time with automated gate capture rather than clipboard logsnot Locate2u

Locate2u

  • Planning optimized multi-stop routes in secondsnot Loadsmart
  • Real-time GPS fleet visibility and trackingnot Loadsmart
  • Proof of delivery via signature and photo capturenot Loadsmart
  • Branded customer tracking and automated notificationsnot Loadsmart

Where each one falls short

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

Loadsmart

  • The brokerage and the software share a parent, so quotes shown inside ShipperGuide are Loadsmart capacity offers rather than a neutral market view, and a shipper wanting a benchmark has to source rates elsewhere.
  • Instant quoting only works where Loadsmart has carrier depth, so a shipper running thin regional or rural lanes finds committed pricing unavailable in exactly the conditions where it would have been most valuable.
  • Opendock depends on carriers and drivers creating accounts and booking their own slots, so a facility with hundreds of small carriers spends months chasing adoption before the appointment data is complete enough to act on.
  • Pricing is not published and is negotiated per shipper, frequently alongside a freight volume expectation, which makes it hard to compare against an independent TMS licence and awkward to unwind if you later move the freight to another provider.
  • The portfolio was assembled by acquisition, with Opendock and NavTrac bought in separately, and the modules still behave as separate applications with their own logins and reporting rather than a single system.

Locate2u

  • Pricing quoted in AUD, not USD, requiring currency conversion for US customers
  • Starting price is AUD 1,100/month (approximately USD 730), significantly higher than many competitors

Pricing, plan by plan

Loadsmart

On request
  • ShipperGuide$undefined/year
    • Transportation management for shippers
    • Quoting, tendering and execution
    • Reporting and rate benchmarking
  • Opendock$undefined/year
    • Dock appointment scheduling by facility
    • Carrier self service booking
    • Door and dwell reporting

Locate2u

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Locate2u review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Loadsmart if

  • You need shipperguide tms.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, API.
  • You also want instant committed quotes.
Loadsmart review

Choose Locate2u if

Nothing in the data separates Locate2u from Loadsmart on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Locate2u review

Questions people ask

Is Loadsmart or Locate2u better?
Neither clearly leads. Loadsmart starts at On request and Locate2u at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Loadsmart or Locate2u?
Loadsmart starts at On request and Locate2u at On request.
Does Loadsmart or Locate2u run on more platforms?
Loadsmart runs on Web, iOS, Android, API. Locate2u runs on Web.
What is Loadsmart best used for?
Loadsmart is most often used for a mid market shipper with no tms that wants tendering, tracking and reporting without funding a licence and an integration project separately, a warehouse operator that needs to stop scheduling inbound appointments by phone and email across a fragmented carrier base, a shipper that wants instant committed truckload capacity on lanes where it does not hold contract rates, a distribution centre trying to measure and reduce driver dwell time with automated gate capture rather than clipboard logs. Of those, a mid market shipper with no tms that wants tendering, tracking and reporting without funding a licence and an integration project separately and a warehouse operator that needs to stop scheduling inbound appointments by phone and email across a fragmented carrier base are not what Locate2u is typically brought in for.
What can Loadsmart do that Locate2u cannot?
Loadsmart covers ShipperGuide TMS, Instant committed quotes, Opendock scheduling, NavTrac gate automation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Loadsmart: Can I use ShipperGuide with my own contracted carriers and not Loadsmart capacity?

Yes, it will tender to your carrier panel, but the instant quoting and the managed service are where the product invests and where the commercial relationship sits.

Locate2u: How much does Locate2u cost?

Locate2u's Platform plan starts at AUD 1,100/month (approximately USD 730) and scales with functionality. The Enterprise plan requires a custom quote. Optional modules for AI Agents, White Label, and API/Integrations are priced separately.

Source
Loadsmart: Is Opendock sold separately from the brokerage?

Yes. It is the most commonly standalone purchase, and warehouses buy it without ever tendering freight to Loadsmart.

Locate2u: Does Locate2u offer a free trial?

Yes, Locate2u offers a free trial period with no credit card required and full feature access to evaluate the platform before committing to a paid plan.

Source
Loadsmart: Does it publish pricing?

No. Every deal is quoted, and software cost is often discussed together with freight volume.

Locate2u: Are there additional costs for Locate2u add-ons?

Yes, optional modules are priced separately including AI Agents for dispatch and customer service, White Label custom branding, and API/Integrations for REST API and webhooks. All modules can be added to either Platform or Enterprise plans.

Source
Loadsmart: How does it compare to a visibility platform like project44?

It is not a visibility network. Tracking covers freight moving through Loadsmart and connected carriers, not your whole carrier base across every mode.

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