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Logistics · head to head

ShipStation vs Shipwell

ShipStation logo

ShipStation

Logistics

Multichannel order fulfillment software

From
$14.99/month
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: ShipStation pricing is banded by monthly shipment volume, so the headline rate covers only the lowest 50 shipment band; 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: ShipStation covers Multichannel order management, Shipwell covers Rate shopping.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ShipStation and Shipwell actually diverge.

Attributes where ShipStation and Shipwell differ
AttributeShipStationShipwell
Starting price$14.99/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android, API
Founded2011Unknown

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 ShipStation

  • Multichannel order management
  • Batch label printing
  • Shipping automation
  • International shipping
  • Return management
  • Customer communication
  • Carrier integration

Only in Shipwell

  • Rate shopping
  • Automated tendering
  • Freight audit and pay
  • Carrier network
  • Analytics

Both cover

  • Real-time tracking

What people use each for

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

ShipStation

  • Printing shipping labels across multiple carriersnot Shipwell
  • Importing orders from marketplaces and stores for fulfilmentnot Shipwell
  • Automating shipping rules and batch label creationnot Shipwell

Shipwell

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

Where each one falls short

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

ShipStation

  • Pricing is banded by monthly shipment volume, so the headline rate covers only the lowest 50 shipment band
  • The Starter plan includes 3 users and does not allow buying additional users
  • Bringing your own carrier accounts and unlimited automations require the Standard plan
  • Purchase orders, scan to receive, forecasting and pick to tote require the Premium plan at $349.99 per month
  • Custom analytics and dedicated implementation are Premium only
  • The advertised 20% saving requires annual billing

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

ShipStation

$14.99/month
  • Starter$14.99/month
    • 3 users
    • basic automations
    • return labels
  • Standard$29.99/month
    • 10 users
    • unlimited automations
    • API access
  • Premium$349.99/month
    • 15 users
    • advanced inventory management
    • warehouse management

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 ShipStation if

  • You need multichannel order management.
  • You also want batch label printing.
ShipStation 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 ShipStation or Shipwell better?
Neither clearly leads. ShipStation starts at $14.99/month and Shipwell at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ShipStation or Shipwell?
ShipStation starts at $14.99/month and Shipwell at On request.
Does ShipStation or Shipwell run on more platforms?
ShipStation runs on Web. Shipwell runs on Web, iOS, Android, API.
What is ShipStation best used for?
ShipStation is most often used for printing shipping labels across multiple carriers, importing orders from marketplaces and stores for fulfilment, automating shipping rules and batch label creation. Of those, printing shipping labels across multiple carriers and importing orders from marketplaces and stores for fulfilment are not what Shipwell is typically brought in for.
What can ShipStation do that Shipwell cannot?
ShipStation covers Multichannel order management, Batch label printing, Shipping automation, International shipping. Shipwell covers Rate shopping, Automated tendering, Freight audit and pay, Carrier network. Both handle Real-time tracking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ShipStation: How much does ShipStation cost?

ShipStation's Starter plan begins at $14.99/month, Standard at $29.99/month, and Premium at $349.99/month. All plans offer 20% savings with annual billing and include a 30-day free trial.

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.

ShipStation: Does ShipStation offer a free trial?

Yes, ShipStation includes a 30-day free trial requiring no credit card for all three pricing tiers.

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.

ShipStation: How does ShipStation pricing vary by shipment volume?

ShipStation pricing is volume-based within each tier, scaling from 50 shipments/month up to 100,000+ shipments/month, with higher volumes commanding proportionally higher monthly fees.

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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