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Logistics · head to head

Manhattan Associates vs Shipwell

Manhattan Associates logo

Manhattan Associates

Logistics

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shipwell logo

Shipwell

Logistics

Cloud transportation management with a built-in carrier network, sold on freight volume not seats

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.; Shipwell pricing is not published and is set on freight volume, so the cost rises through a peak season regardless of how much anyone uses the software.
  • They diverge on capability: Manhattan Associates covers Warehouse management, Shipwell covers Rate shopping.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Manhattan Associates and Shipwell differ
AttributeManhattan AssociatesShipwell
PlatformsWeb, Cloud, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android, API

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 Manhattan Associates

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

Only in Shipwell

  • Rate shopping
  • Automated tendering
  • Real-time tracking
  • Freight audit and pay
  • Carrier network
  • Analytics

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

Shipwell

  • A mid-market shipper running truckload tenders on spreadsheets and emailnot Manhattan Associates
  • A broker replacing a legacy operating system without building one in-housenot Manhattan Associates
  • A manufacturer that needs proof of delivery and exception alerts pushed into its ERPnot Manhattan Associates
  • A logistics team that wants freight audit to catch accessorial overbilling automaticallynot 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.

Shipwell

  • Pricing is not published and is set on freight volume, so the cost rises through a peak season regardless of how much anyone uses the software.
  • Shipwell operates a carrier network as well as the TMS, so the vendor running your tender is also a bidder in it, which weakens the neutrality a competitive sourcing process depends on.
  • Coverage is heavily North American, and international ocean, air and customs handling is thin compared with a forwarder-grade platform.
  • ERP and WMS integrations turn deployment into a project with its own cost and timeline rather than a configuration exercise.
  • The company is small relative to the enterprise TMS incumbents, which matters for a system that sits in the path of every shipment if support or roadmap continuity slips.

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

Shipwell

On request
  • Shipwell TMS$undefined/year
    • Annual contract priced on freight volume
    • Rate shopping, tendering and tracking
    • Freight audit and payment

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 Shipwell if

  • You need rate shopping.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, API.
  • You also want automated tendering.
Shipwell review

Questions people ask

Is Manhattan Associates or Shipwell better?
Neither clearly leads. Manhattan Associates starts at On request and Shipwell at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Manhattan Associates or Shipwell?
Manhattan Associates starts at On request and Shipwell at On request.
Does Manhattan Associates or Shipwell run on more platforms?
Manhattan Associates runs on Web, Cloud, iOS, Android. Shipwell runs on Web, iOS, Android, 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 Shipwell is typically brought in for.
What can Manhattan Associates do that Shipwell cannot?
Manhattan Associates covers Warehouse management, Order management, Transportation management, Labour management. Shipwell covers Rate shopping, Automated tendering, Real-time tracking, Freight audit and pay.

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.

Shipwell: How much does Shipwell cost?

It is not published. Contracts are annual and priced on freight volume; third-party listings suggest entry engagements around $1,000 a month, which should be treated as indicative only.

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.

Shipwell: Does Shipwell broker freight as well as sell software?

Yes. It operates its own carrier network alongside the TMS, which speeds up sourcing but means the platform provider also competes for your loads.

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.

Shipwell: Is it suitable for international freight?

It is built around North American truckload and LTL. International ocean and air handling is limited.

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.

Shipwell: Is there a free trial?

No. Deployment involves configuration and integration work, so evaluation happens through a demo and a scoped implementation.

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