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Logistics · head to head

ShipEngine vs Shipwell

ShipEngine logo

ShipEngine

Logistics

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

From
Free
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

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

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ShipEngine and Shipwell actually diverge.

Attributes where ShipEngine and Shipwell differ
AttributeShipEngineShipwell
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android, API

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 ShipEngine

Nothing recorded that Shipwell does not also cover.

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.

ShipEngine

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

Shipwell

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

Where each one falls short

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

ShipEngine

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

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

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

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 ShipEngine if

  • You want to start without paying.
ShipEngine 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 ShipEngine or Shipwell better?
Neither clearly leads. ShipEngine starts at Free and Shipwell at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ShipEngine or Shipwell?
ShipEngine has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for ShipEngine and On request for Shipwell.
Does ShipEngine or Shipwell run on more platforms?
ShipEngine runs on Web. Shipwell runs on Web, iOS, Android, API.
Can I use ShipEngine for free?
Yes. ShipEngine has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Shipwell starts at On request.
What is ShipEngine best used for?
ShipEngine is most often used for comparing rates across 100+ carriers for optimal pricing, creating shipping labels and managing manifests at scale, validating addresses to reduce failed deliveries, consolidating orders from multiple ecommerce channels. Of those, comparing rates across 100+ carriers for optimal pricing and creating shipping labels and managing manifests at scale are not what Shipwell is typically brought in for.
What can ShipEngine do that Shipwell cannot?
Shipwell covers Rate shopping, Automated tendering, Real-time tracking, Freight audit and pay.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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.

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
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.

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
Shipwell: Is it suitable for international freight?

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

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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