Softwr

Logistics · head to head

Loadsmart vs Softeon

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
Softeon logo

Softeon

Logistics

Warehouse management and execution for complex distribution networks

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.; Softeon lower brand recognition than Manhattan, Blue Yonder or SAP, which is a genuine obstacle in enterprise procurement regardless of capability
  • They diverge on capability: Loadsmart covers ShipperGuide TMS, Softeon covers Warehouse management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Loadsmart and Softeon actually diverge.

Attributes where Loadsmart and Softeon differ
AttributeLoadsmartSofteon
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, APIWeb, On-premise, Cloud

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), 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 Softeon

  • Warehouse management
  • Warehouse execution
  • Distributed order management
  • Configuration over customisation
  • Automation integration
  • Regulated distribution

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 Softeon
  • A warehouse operator that needs to stop scheduling inbound appointments by phone and email across a fragmented carrier basenot Softeon
  • A shipper that wants instant committed truckload capacity on lanes where it does not hold contract ratesnot Softeon
  • A distribution centre trying to measure and reduce driver dwell time with automated gate capture rather than clipboard logsnot Softeon

Softeon

  • Distribution networks where a failed WMS go-live has physical consequencesnot Loadsmart
  • Regulated food and pharmaceutical distribution needing lot and expiry controlnot Loadsmart
  • Operations integrating warehouse automation with execution softwarenot Loadsmart
  • Companies replacing a heavily customised legacy WMS they can no longer upgradenot 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.

Softeon

  • Lower brand recognition than Manhattan, Blue Yonder or SAP, which is a genuine obstacle in enterprise procurement regardless of capability
  • Pricing and implementation cost are entirely quote-based with no public reference points
  • The buyer profile is narrow: it is aimed at complex distribution, and simpler operations will pay for depth they never use
  • Smaller partner ecosystem than the market leaders, so implementation resources are more concentrated
  • Public documentation is thin compared with vendors that publish extensively, making pre-sales research harder

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

Softeon

On request
  • Softeon WMS$undefined/year
    • Warehouse management
    • Warehouse execution
    • Distributed order management

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 Softeon if

  • You need warehouse management.
  • You work on Web, On-premise, Cloud.
  • You also want warehouse execution.
Softeon review

Questions people ask

Is Loadsmart or Softeon better?
Neither clearly leads. Loadsmart starts at On request and Softeon at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Loadsmart or Softeon?
Loadsmart starts at On request and Softeon at On request.
Does Loadsmart or Softeon run on more platforms?
Loadsmart runs on Web, iOS, Android, API. Softeon runs on Web, On-premise, Cloud.
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 Softeon is typically brought in for.
What can Loadsmart do that Softeon cannot?
Loadsmart covers ShipperGuide TMS, Instant committed quotes, Opendock scheduling, NavTrac gate automation. Softeon covers Warehouse management, Warehouse execution, Distributed order management, Configuration over customisation.

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.

Softeon: What makes Softeon different from other WMS vendors?

Its claim is delivery reliability rather than feature superiority, backed by a published record of implementations going live on time. In a market where WMS overruns are normal, that is the pitch.

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.

Softeon: Configuration or customisation?

Configuration-driven by design. That is worth verifying in detail, because customised warehouse systems are the ones that become impossible to upgrade or replace later.

Loadsmart: Does it publish pricing?

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

Softeon: What does it cost?

Not published. Enterprise annual licensing plus implementation, quoted on scope.

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.

Softeon: Does it handle warehouse automation?

Yes, warehouse execution and automation integration are core rather than bolted on, which is the main reason it appears on shortlists with automation vendors.

Softeon: Is it right for a single small warehouse?

No. The capability is aimed at complex, high-volume distribution, and a single simple site will not repay the implementation.

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