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Logistics · head to head

McLeod Software vs Truckbase

McLeod Software logo

McLeod Software

Logistics

The long standing transportation management system for North American asset carriers and brokerages

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Truckbase logo

Truckbase

Logistics

Transport management system for small and mid-size North American truckload carriers with a published price floor

From
$290/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: McLeod Software it is a Microsoft SQL Server application that most customers still run on their own servers, so the total cost includes hardware, database administration and a disaster recovery plan that the vendor does not provide.; Truckbase only the 290 USD monthly minimum is published; the per-truck, per-driver and per-load rates behind it are all consultative, so comparing quotes against another vendor is guesswork.
  • They diverge on capability: McLeod Software covers LoadMaster, Truckbase covers Dispatch board.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which McLeod Software and Truckbase actually diverge.

Attributes where McLeod Software and Truckbase differ
AttributeMcLeod SoftwareTruckbase
Starting priceOn request$290/month
Pricing modelquotePer truck per month
PlatformsWindows, Web, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: 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 McLeod Software

  • LoadMaster
  • PowerBroker
  • Driver pay and settlements
  • EDI and integration
  • Document Power imaging
  • Business intelligence

Only in Truckbase

  • Dispatch board
  • Driver mobile app
  • Settlements
  • Invoicing and factoring
  • ELD integration
  • Document management
  • Accounting sync
  • Flexible billing meters

What people use each for

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

McLeod Software

  • A truckload carrier above one hundred trucks whose driver pay rules break every simpler system it has triednot Truckbase
  • A brokerage that needs carrier payables, factoring interfaces and settlement controls rather than a load board with invoicingnot Truckbase
  • A carrier required by large shippers to exchange EDI tenders, status messages and invoices in specific formatsnot Truckbase
  • A company running both assets and a brokerage that wants each side on the vendor system built for itnot Truckbase

Truckbase

  • A twenty-truck carrier running dispatch on a whiteboard and settlements in a spreadsheetnot McLeod Software
  • A seasonal agricultural hauler whose driver count triples for three months and would be penalised by per-driver billingnot McLeod Software
  • A carrier whose invoices are late because paperwork arrives days after deliverynot McLeod Software
  • An operation that wants ELD location flowing into the TMS without a second data entry stepnot McLeod Software

Where each one falls short

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

McLeod Software

  • It is a Microsoft SQL Server application that most customers still run on their own servers, so the total cost includes hardware, database administration and a disaster recovery plan that the vendor does not provide.
  • Version upgrades are projects rather than background events, and carriers routinely run releases that are a year or more old because upgrading requires testing every customisation and integration.
  • Licensing is per seat with modules priced separately, so a carrier with part time weekend dispatchers or occasional finance users pays full seats for people who log in a few hours a week.
  • The interface is dense and built for trained operators, and onboarding a new dispatcher takes weeks rather than days, which is expensive in a role with high turnover.
  • Pricing is never published and implementations commonly run six months or more with vendor or partner services, so the first year cost is a multiple of the annual licence and difficult to estimate before a sales process.

Truckbase

  • Only the 290 USD monthly minimum is published; the per-truck, per-driver and per-load rates behind it are all consultative, so comparing quotes against another vendor is guesswork.
  • The published minimum is billed annually, so a carrier wanting month-to-month flexibility pays more or commits for a year up front.
  • Scope stops well short of enterprise TMS: complex LTL rating, multi-leg intermodal and cross-border customs are not covered, so growing carriers face a migration later.
  • It is a small, venture-stage software company in a market where carriers expect a system to last a decade, and vendor continuity is a legitimate concern for an operational system of record.
  • Reporting and analytics are basic compared with established TMS products, so carriers wanting detailed lane profitability analysis end up exporting to spreadsheets anyway.

Pricing, plan by plan

McLeod Software

On request
  • LoadMaster$undefined/year
    • Asset carrier transportation management
    • Driver pay and settlements
    • Dispatch and equipment management
  • PowerBroker$undefined/year
    • Brokerage operations
    • Carrier procurement and payables
    • Customer billing

Truckbase

$290/month
  • Minimum commitment$290/month
    • Billed annually
    • Free live virtual onboarding and implementation
    • 24-hour US-based support
  • Per driver, per load or flat annual$undefined/month
    • Alternative billing meters for fleets with more drivers than trucks
    • Per-load billing for non-asset operations
    • Flat annual rates for seasonal carriers with high turnover
  • Carrier Partner Program$undefined/year
    • On-site training
    • Dedicated engineering access for custom development
    • Enterprise terms, quoted

Which should you pick?

Choose McLeod Software if

  • You need loadmaster.
  • You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want powerbroker.
McLeod Software review

Choose Truckbase if

  • You need dispatch board.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want driver mobile app.
Truckbase review

Questions people ask

Is McLeod Software or Truckbase better?
Neither clearly leads. McLeod Software starts at On request and Truckbase at $290/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, McLeod Software or Truckbase?
McLeod Software starts at On request and Truckbase at $290/month.
Does McLeod Software or Truckbase run on more platforms?
McLeod Software runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android. Truckbase runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is McLeod Software best used for?
McLeod Software is most often used for a truckload carrier above one hundred trucks whose driver pay rules break every simpler system it has tried, a brokerage that needs carrier payables, factoring interfaces and settlement controls rather than a load board with invoicing, a carrier required by large shippers to exchange edi tenders, status messages and invoices in specific formats, a company running both assets and a brokerage that wants each side on the vendor system built for it. Of those, a truckload carrier above one hundred trucks whose driver pay rules break every simpler system it has tried and a brokerage that needs carrier payables, factoring interfaces and settlement controls rather than a load board with invoicing are not what Truckbase is typically brought in for.
What can McLeod Software do that Truckbase cannot?
McLeod Software covers LoadMaster, PowerBroker, Driver pay and settlements, EDI and integration. Truckbase covers Dispatch board, Driver mobile app, Settlements, Invoicing and factoring.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

McLeod Software: Is McLeod available as a hosted service?

Yes, McLeod offers hosting, but a large part of the installed base still runs on premises and budgets accordingly.

Truckbase: What is the minimum cost?

290 USD per month billed annually, which Truckbase publishes; typical deployments sit higher depending on fleet size.

McLeod Software: Can a fifty truck carrier use it?

It will run, but the licence and implementation economics rarely make sense below roughly one hundred trucks.

Truckbase: Is there a setup fee?

No. Live virtual onboarding and implementation are included, with in-person training available for larger fleets.

McLeod Software: Who owns McLeod Software?

It has remained privately held and independent since it was founded in 1985, which is unusual in this market.

Truckbase: Can I be billed per load instead of per truck?

Yes. Truckbase offers per truck, per driver, per load, flat annual and custom billing shapes.

McLeod Software: How long is a typical implementation?

Plan for six months or more once data migration, EDI setup and settlement rule configuration are included.

Truckbase: Does it integrate with my ELD?

Yes, it pulls location and hours of service from major ELD providers including Samsara and Motive.

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