Softwr

Logistics · head to head

Manhattan Associates vs ShipBob

Manhattan Associates logo

Manhattan Associates

Logistics

Tier-one warehouse, order and transportation management, now cloud subscription only

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ShipBob logo

ShipBob

Logistics

E-commerce fulfillment and logistics platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Manhattan Associates manhattan Active is cloud subscription only with no perpetual licence and no on-premises deployment, so organisations with a capital purchasing model or air-gapped requirements are excluded outright.; ShipBob no published pricing available; all costs require custom quote request
  • They diverge on capability: Manhattan Associates covers Warehouse management, ShipBob covers Fulfillment services.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Manhattan Associates and ShipBob actually diverge.

Attributes where Manhattan Associates and ShipBob differ
AttributeManhattan AssociatesShipBob
Pricing modelquoteUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Cloud, iOS, AndroidWeb, API
FoundedUnknown2014

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 Manhattan Associates

  • Warehouse management
  • Order management
  • Transportation management
  • Labour management
  • Yard management
  • Versionless updates
  • Store and point of sale

Only in ShipBob

  • Fulfillment services
  • Inventory management
  • Distributed warehousing
  • 2-day shipping
  • Shopify
  • Amazon
  • WooCommerce
  • BigCommerce

What people use each for

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

Manhattan Associates

  • A retailer fulfilling store, ecommerce and wholesale orders from one inventory pool without separate systems per channelnot ShipBob
  • A distribution centre introducing goods-to-person robotics that needs the WMS to orchestrate the automationnot ShipBob
  • A third-party logistics provider running multiple clients with different processes in one facilitynot ShipBob
  • An operation where labour is the largest cost and engineered standards would pay for the softwarenot ShipBob

ShipBob

  • E-commerce order fulfillment and logisticsnot Manhattan Associates
  • Multi-location inventory managementnot Manhattan Associates
  • 2-day shipping across continental United Statesnot Manhattan Associates
  • Global shipping to 250+ destinationsnot Manhattan Associates
  • B2B and marketplace order fulfillmentnot Manhattan Associates
  • Branded packaging and unboxing experiencesnot Manhattan Associates
  • Returns managementnot Manhattan Associates

Where each one falls short

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

Manhattan Associates

  • Manhattan Active is cloud subscription only with no perpetual licence and no on-premises deployment, so organisations with a capital purchasing model or air-gapped requirements are excluded outright.
  • Legacy WMOS and SCALE customers pay annual maintenance of roughly 18 to 22 per cent of licence value while the vendor steers investment towards Active, so staying put has a rising opportunity cost as well as a cash cost.
  • Implementation is a tier-one project measured in quarters, and system integrator fees routinely match or exceed several years of subscription, which is the part that breaks budgets rather than the licence.
  • Functional depth assumes complexity; operations with simple distribution end up configuring around capability they do not need and paying for it every year.
  • Modules are priced individually, so warehouse, order, transportation and labour management each carry their own line, and a business case built on the WMS alone understates the eventual footprint.

ShipBob

  • No published pricing available; all costs require custom quote request
  • No free tier or free trial available

Pricing, plan by plan

Manhattan Associates

On request
  • Manhattan Active Warehouse Management$undefined/year
    • Cloud subscription only, no perpetual licence
    • Versionless with continuous updates
    • Priced per module and by volume or site
  • Manhattan Active Omni and Transportation$undefined/year
    • Order management, point of sale and store fulfilment
    • Multimodal transportation management
    • Each module priced separately
  • Legacy WMOS and SCALE$undefined/year
    • Perpetual licence held by existing customers
    • Annual maintenance typically 18 to 22 per cent of licence value
    • Still sold to existing customers with extended support

ShipBob

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the ShipBob review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Manhattan Associates if

  • You need warehouse management.
  • You work on Web, Cloud, iOS, Android.
  • You also want order management.
Manhattan Associates review

Choose ShipBob if

  • You need fulfillment services.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want inventory management.
ShipBob review

Questions people ask

Is Manhattan Associates or ShipBob better?
Neither clearly leads. Manhattan Associates starts at On request and ShipBob at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Manhattan Associates or ShipBob?
Manhattan Associates starts at On request and ShipBob at On request.
Does Manhattan Associates or ShipBob run on more platforms?
Manhattan Associates runs on Web, Cloud, iOS, Android. ShipBob runs on Web, API.
What is Manhattan Associates best used for?
Manhattan Associates is most often used for a retailer fulfilling store, ecommerce and wholesale orders from one inventory pool without separate systems per channel, a distribution centre introducing goods-to-person robotics that needs the wms to orchestrate the automation, a third-party logistics provider running multiple clients with different processes in one facility, an operation where labour is the largest cost and engineered standards would pay for the software. Of those, a retailer fulfilling store, ecommerce and wholesale orders from one inventory pool without separate systems per channel and a distribution centre introducing goods-to-person robotics that needs the wms to orchestrate the automation are not what ShipBob is typically brought in for.
What can Manhattan Associates do that ShipBob cannot?
Manhattan Associates covers Warehouse management, Order management, Transportation management, Labour management. ShipBob covers Fulfillment services, Inventory management, Distributed warehousing, 2-day shipping.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Manhattan Associates: Can I buy Manhattan Active on-premises or perpetually?

No. Manhattan Active is cloud-native SaaS priced per module by subscription, with no perpetual licence option.

ShipBob: How much does ShipBob cost?

ShipBob uses quote-based pricing reflective of total fulfillment costs including inventory receiving, warehousing, picking, packing, and shipping. Specific pricing requires submitting a custom quote form with business details.

Source
Manhattan Associates: What happens to my WMOS or SCALE licence?

Existing perpetual licences continue, with maintenance typically 18 to 22 per cent of licence value each year. Manhattan offers discounted transition pricing to move to Active.

ShipBob: Is ShipBob software free?

Yes, ShipBob's software is completely free for all customers, as well as connecting all turnkey integrations. Customers only pay for fulfillment services and shipping costs.

Source
Manhattan Associates: What does versionless actually mean?

Updates are applied continuously while the subscription is active, so there is no separate upgrade project, but you also do not control when changes arrive.

ShipBob: What additional services can incur fees with ShipBob?

Additional fees apply for specialized services including kitting, B2B/wholesale orders, EDI compliance, returns processing, custom packaging storage, branded boxes, and any services beyond standard fulfillment.

Source
Manhattan Associates: How much does implementation cost relative to the software?

Expect a system integrator engagement comparable to or larger than several years of subscription. Budget for it as the main line, not a footnote.

Share

Related pages

More on Manhattan Associates

More on ShipBob

Keep looking

Other head to heads