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Logistics · head to head

Manhattan Associates vs ShipEngine

Manhattan Associates logo

Manhattan Associates

Logistics

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ShipEngine logo

ShipEngine

Logistics

Shipping API for labels, carrier rates and address validation across 200+ carriers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ShipEngine has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; ShipEngine free plan limited to sandbox access, not production use
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Manhattan Associates and ShipEngine differ
AttributeManhattan AssociatesShipEngine
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Cloud, iOS, AndroidWeb

Identical on both: 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 ShipEngine

Nothing recorded that Manhattan Associates does not also cover.

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 ShipEngine
  • A distribution centre introducing goods-to-person robotics that needs the WMS to orchestrate the automationnot ShipEngine
  • A third-party logistics provider running multiple clients with different processes in one facilitynot ShipEngine
  • An operation where labour is the largest cost and engineered standards would pay for the softwarenot ShipEngine

ShipEngine

  • Comparing rates across 100+ carriers for optimal pricingnot Manhattan Associates
  • Creating shipping labels and managing manifests at scalenot Manhattan Associates
  • Validating addresses to reduce failed deliveriesnot Manhattan Associates
  • Consolidating orders from multiple ecommerce channelsnot Manhattan Associates
  • Tracking parcels with webhook notifications for automationnot 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.

ShipEngine

  • Free plan limited to sandbox access, not production use
  • Enterprise plan requires custom pricing for high-volume users with 25,000+ monthly shipments

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

ShipEngine

Free
  • FreeFree
    • sandbox access
    • discounted carrier rates
    • analytics
  • Advanced$75/month
    • carrier account management
    • address validation
    • PUDO location search
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • minimum 25,000+ shipments monthly
    • custom billing
    • higher rate limits

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 ShipEngine if

  • You want to start without paying.
ShipEngine review

Questions people ask

Is Manhattan Associates or ShipEngine better?
Neither clearly leads. Manhattan Associates starts at On request and ShipEngine at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Manhattan Associates or ShipEngine?
ShipEngine has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Manhattan Associates and Free for ShipEngine.
Does Manhattan Associates or ShipEngine run on more platforms?
Manhattan Associates runs on Web, Cloud, iOS, Android. ShipEngine runs on Web.
Can I use ShipEngine for free?
Yes. ShipEngine has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Manhattan Associates starts at On request.
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 ShipEngine is typically brought in for.
What can Manhattan Associates do that ShipEngine cannot?
Manhattan Associates covers Warehouse management, Order management, Transportation management, Labour management.

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.

ShipEngine: How much does ShipEngine cost?

ShipEngine offers a free plan, an Advanced plan starting at $75/month, and Enterprise with custom pricing. Advanced plan includes label tier pricing from $0.075 to $0.060 per label depending on volume.

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.

ShipEngine: What does ShipEngine's free plan include?

ShipEngine's free plan includes sandbox access for testing, discounted carrier rates, analytics, label creation, rate comparison tools, tracking capabilities, and webhook support.

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.

ShipEngine: How does ShipEngine charge for label overages?

ShipEngine's Advanced plan includes monthly label allowances from 1,000 to 10,000 labels. Overages beyond the monthly tier are charged at $0.075 per label (1,000 tier), $0.065 (5,000 tier), or $0.060 (10,000 tier).

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.

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