Operations & Supply Chain

Best Shipping Software in 2026

14 shipping software tools compared for 2026: ShipStation, Shippo, Pirate Ship, EasyPost, Sendcloud and more, with verified prices, carriers and limits.

Shipping software is application software that turns orders into carrier shipments: it imports orders from online stores and marketplaces, compares postage rates across carriers, buys and prints labels, generates customs forms, and passes tracking numbers back to the store and the buyer. Most products sell discounted postage negotiated with carriers such as USPS, UPS, FedEx and DHL, and many also let a merchant connect carrier accounts it already holds.

This list covers fourteen products that a business can sign up for directly in 2026, from free label tools for small sellers to API platforms for developers and enterprise delivery-management systems for large retailers. Several of them now sit inside one group: in June 2026 Auctane, the owner of ShipStation, Stamps.com, Metapack and Packlink, completed its merger with the freight broker WWEX Group and began operating as ShipStation Global.

Each entry records the vendor's published plans and prices, the carriers and sales channels it documents, and limitations visible on its own pages. Prices are in US dollars unless marked otherwise; vendors serving Europe publish in euros or pounds.

Contents
  1. What is shipping software
  2. History and market
  3. Key features to compare
  4. Pricing models
  5. How to choose
  6. Methodology
  7. The list
  8. Comparison table
  9. Alternatives by use case
  10. Recent developments
  11. Frequently asked questions
  12. See also

What is shipping software

Shipping software sits between the point where an order is placed and the point where a carrier collects the parcel. Its core job is label creation: the user picks a carrier and service, the software calls the carrier's systems, pays for postage and returns a printable label with a tracking number. Around that core, products add order import from stores such as Shopify, Amazon, eBay, Etsy and WooCommerce, rate comparison across carriers, batch printing, automation rules that pre-select a service by weight or destination, packing slips, branded tracking pages and return labels.

The category divides into four broad groups. Web applications for merchants (ShipStation, Shippo, Pirate Ship, Sendcloud, Veeqo, Ordoro, ShippingEasy, Stamps.com, Easyship, Packlink PRO) are used by people at a packing bench. Shipping APIs (EasyPost, the ShipStation API, the Shippo API) are used by developers who build label buying into their own systems. Checkout rating tools such as ShipperHQ do not print labels at all; they calculate the rates and delivery options a shopper sees at checkout. Enterprise delivery-management platforms such as Metapack connect large retailers to thousands of carrier services across many countries.

Shipping software overlaps with several adjacent categories. Inventory management software and warehouse management system products track stock and direct picking inside a building, and some shipping tools (ShipStation Premium, Veeqo Inventory, Ordoro Inventory) now include basic versions of those functions. Third-party logistics providers, covered under 3PL companies, physically store and ship goods on a merchant's behalf. Route planning software and last-mile delivery software serve businesses that run their own vehicles rather than handing parcels to carriers. Freight forwarders handle international freight rather than parcels.

History and market

The multi-carrier tools in this list mostly date from the early 2010s: EasyPost describes itself as having launched in 2012 as the first RESTful API for shipping, Sendcloud's founders built their first version in 2012, Shippo was founded in San Francisco in 2013, and Easyship and Pirate Ship both date to 2014.

The category has since consolidated around a few owners. Auctane assembled ShipStation, Stamps.com, Metapack and Packlink under one roof, and on 1 June 2026 completed a merger with WWEX Group, the owner of Worldwide Express, Unishippers and GlobalTranz. The combined company, ShipStation Global, is backed by Thoma Bravo, with CVC funds keeping a significant minority stake; it is based in Texas with offices in Dallas and Austin, is led by chief executive Tom Madine, and reports more than 3 million customers and more than 3 billion shipments a year. Amazon bought Veeqo, a British multichannel shipping and inventory tool, in 2021 and now offers its shipping features free of charge.

The business model has shifted with that consolidation. Several vendors (Pirate Ship, Veeqo, Packlink PRO and the free tiers of Shippo, ShippingEasy, Sendcloud and Ordoro) charge no subscription and earn money from the postage spread or carrier commissions. Subscription products compete on automation, user seats and integrations instead. No independent market-size figure for shipping software specifically was verified for this list, so none is given.

Key features to compare

Carrier coverage and discounted rates

The number of carriers ranges from two (Pirate Ship supports USPS and UPS) to thousands of carrier services (Metapack cites more than 4,000). What matters is whether a product covers the carriers a business actually uses in its markets, and whether it sells pre-negotiated rates or only connects existing accounts.

Bring-your-own carrier accounts

Merchants with their own negotiated contracts need to connect them. Some vendors restrict or charge for this: Shippo charges 5 cents per label for own-account labels on its free plan, ShippingEasy adds fees, Ordoro limits it to Premium, and the ShipStation API reserves it for paid plans.

Store and marketplace integrations

Order import from the channels a business sells on removes manual data entry. ShipStation names marketplaces including TikTok Shop, Etsy, Walmart, Amazon, eBay, Shein and Temu, while Veeqo lists Amazon, Shopify, eBay, Walmart, WooCommerce and TikTok Shop.

Automation rules

Rules that assign a carrier, service, package or insurance from order attributes save the most time at volume. ShipStation limits Starter to basic automations and opens unlimited automations on Standard.

International shipping and customs

Cross-border sellers need customs documents, duty and tax calculation and harmonised-code support. Easyship builds tax and duty calculation into all plans and adds it at checkout on Premier; the ShipStation API includes tax and duty calculation on Advanced.

Returns and post-purchase tracking

Return labels, self-service return portals and branded tracking pages are increasingly standard. Shippo puts branded tracking on Pro, Ordoro puts returns management and branded tracking on Premium, and Metapack sells a separate returns module.

Users and pricing basis

Seat limits differ widely: ShipStation allows 3, 10 or 15 users depending on plan, Shippo 1, 5 or 15+, and Ordoro unlimited users from its Advanced plan. Most subscriptions scale with monthly shipment volume.

Inventory and warehouse functions

Some shipping tools now cover stock sync, picking and purchase orders, which can delay the need for separate inventory software. Examples include ShipStation Premium, Veeqo Inventory and Ordoro's Inventory app.

Pricing models

Shipping software is priced in four main ways. Free, postage-funded products charge no fee and earn from carrier commissions: Pirate Ship states there are no monthly or payment fees, Veeqo's shipping tier is free with unlimited orders, and Packlink PRO calls itself a totally free tool. Volume-tiered subscriptions are the most common model: ShipStation's Starter plan starts at US$14.99 a month for 50 shipments and its Standard plan runs from US$29.99 to US$3,599.99 a month as volume rises to 100,000 shipments. Subscriptions plus per-label fees are typical in Europe: Sendcloud charges from €28 a month plus €0.10 a label on Lite to €639 a month plus €0.07 a label on Pro. API usage pricing applies to developer platforms: the ShipStation API costs US$75 a month for 1,000 labels on Advanced, and EasyPost includes up to 3,000 labels before per-label charges apply.

Typical price bands drawn from the entries are: free for under about 30 labels a month (Shippo, ShippingEasy, Sendcloud's free plan) or for unlimited labels where postage funds the service; roughly US$15 to US$60 a month for small sellers shipping a few hundred parcels; US$150 to US$800 a month for operations shipping thousands; and quote-based contracts for enterprise products such as Metapack, ShipperHQ and the enterprise tiers of most vendors. Postage itself is charged separately in every case.

How to choose

Very small US sellers shipping mainly by USPS can start with Pirate Ship, which has no fees, or with the free tiers of Shippo (30 labels a month) and ShippingEasy (25 shipments a month). Amazon-heavy sellers have a strong case for Veeqo, whose shipping is free and which offers Amazon Shipping rates alongside UPS, USPS, FedEx and DHL.

Growing multichannel merchants in North America usually compare ShipStation, Ordoro and Shippo Pro. ShipStation has the widest documented marketplace list; Ordoro suits teams that want unlimited users and plan to add inventory or dropshipping modules. European merchants generally look at Sendcloud, which supports shipping from eight core countries and lists more than 170 courier partners, or Packlink PRO, which has no subscription.

Cross-border sellers should weigh Easyship's 550+ courier services and built-in duty calculation. Developers and platforms embedding shipping into their own product typically choose between EasyPost and the ShipStation API. Businesses that need accurate checkout rates rather than labels use ShipperHQ, and large retailers operating in many countries evaluate Metapack. Offices and small businesses mailing letters and occasional parcels are the target market for Stamps.com.

Methodology

Products were included if they are sold directly to businesses in 2026, create or rate parcel shipments with more than one carrier or carrier service, and publish product information on an official website that could be opened during research. Inventory-first systems, warehouse management systems and 3PL services were excluded unless shipping is their primary function.

Entries are ordered by a combination of verifiable criteria taken from vendor pages: breadth of documented carrier and sales-channel coverage; whether prices are published; whether a free or low-cost entry tier exists; the scale the vendor or its owner discloses; and the range of business sizes the product serves. General-purpose label tools serving the widest range of merchants rank first, followed by developer APIs and specialist tools (checkout rating and enterprise delivery management). No hands-on testing, user ratings or review-site scores were used. Prices were read from US pages where available and are given in the currency the vendor displayed. Figures such as customer counts are the vendors' own claims.

The list

1

ShipStation

Best for: Multichannel merchants shipping hundreds to tens of thousands of orders a month

ShipStation is a web-based shipping application for e-commerce merchants and the flagship brand of ShipStation Global, the company formed on 1 June 2026 when Auctane merged with the freight broker WWEX Group. The combined company is backed by Thoma Bravo and headquartered in Texas, and also owns Stamps.com, Metapack and Packlink.

ShipStation imports orders from stores and marketplaces including Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Squarespace, Wix, Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Walmart, TikTok Shop, Shein and Temu, and its integration pages cite more than 200 parcel carriers and 50 LTL freight carriers. Users compare rates, print labels in batches, apply automation rules, split and combine orders and generate return labels. Higher plans add warehouse functions such as pick-to-tote, inventory management, auto-routing and ODBC data access.

Pricing is a monthly subscription scaled by shipment volume, with no per-label fee and a 30-day free trial without a credit card. The main limitations are visible in that table: the Starter plan stops at 5,000 shipments a month and three users, connecting existing carrier accounts requires Standard, and the jump from Standard (US$29.99 for 50 shipments) to Premium (US$349.99) is steep for teams that need only one Premium feature.

Key features

  • Order import from major stores and marketplaces
  • Rate shopping across 200+ parcel carriers
  • LTL freight quotes and booking
  • Automation rules, order splitting and combining
  • Returns and exchanges (Standard and above)
  • Pick-to-tote warehouse management (Premium)
  • Shipping API access (Standard and above)

Pricing

Starter: from US$14.99/month (50 shipments) to US$174.99 (5,000 shipments); 3 users. Standard: from US$29.99/month (50 shipments) to US$3,599.99 (100,000 shipments); 10 users. Premium: from US$349.99/month to US$7,499.99; 15 users. No per-label fee. Annual billing advertised at 20% off. 30-day free trial, no card required.

Ownership and history

Owned by ShipStation Global (formerly Auctane), formed by the Auctane-WWEX Group merger completed on 1 June 2026; Thoma Bravo is the main backer and CVC funds hold a significant minority stake.

Owner
ShipStation Global (Thoma Bravo-backed)
Headquarters (owner)
Texas, US (Dallas and Austin offices)
Carriers
200+ parcel, 50+ LTL
Pricing
US$14.99-7,499.99/month
Free trial
30 days

Strengths

  • Broadest documented marketplace and store coverage
  • No per-label fees on any plan
  • Unlimited store connections even on Starter
  • LTL freight and parcel in one tool

Limitations

  • Starter capped at 5,000 shipments and 3 users
  • Own carrier accounts require Standard or higher
  • Large price step to Premium for warehouse features
  • Monthly price rises with every volume tier
2

Shippo

Best for: Small and mid-sized US merchants wanting a free start

Shippo is a shipping platform and API founded in 2013 in San Francisco by Laura Behrens Wu, its chief executive, and Simon Kreuz. The company states that more than 4.6 million businesses rely on it, a figure that counts accounts rather than paying subscribers. Its about page names no parent company.

The web application imports orders from connected stores, compares discounted USPS, UPS, FedEx and DHL Express rates, buys labels, handles international documents and return labels, and tracks shipments. Shippo's carrier directory lists over 40 carriers worldwide, with USPS, FedEx, UPS, DHL Express and OnTrac featured and national posts such as Canada Post, Royal Mail, Australia Post and Colissimo also supported. A separate API product serves developers.

The free Starter plan covers 30 labels a month for one user, with unlimited store connections; connecting one's own carrier account costs 5 cents a label on that plan. Pro starts at US$17 a month and adds branded tracking pages, AI-estimated delivery dates, free own-account labels and phone support for up to five users. A documented inconsistency is that the pricing page's structured data lists Pro at US$19 for the first tier, so buyers should confirm the current figure at sign-up. Carrier coverage is narrower than ShipStation's.

Key features

  • Free plan with 30 labels a month
  • Discounted USPS, UPS, FedEx and DHL Express rates
  • Unlimited store connections
  • Branded tracking pages and emails (Pro)
  • AI-estimated delivery dates (Pro)
  • Shipping API for developers

Pricing

Starter: free, up to 30 labels/month, 1 user; own carrier labels US$0.05 each. Pro: US$17/month or US$205/year for 1-200 labels, up to 5 users; structured data on the same page lists higher tiers up to US$199/month for 5,001-10,000 labels. Premier: contact sales, 15+ users. Insurance and global address validation are optional extras.

Ownership and history

Founded 2013 by Laura Behrens Wu and Simon Kreuz; headquartered at 2261 Market Street, San Francisco.

Founded
2013
Headquarters
San Francisco, California, US
Customers (vendor claim)
4.6 million+ businesses
Carriers
40+
Pricing
Free; Pro from US$17/month

Strengths

  • Usable free plan for low-volume sellers
  • Clear per-volume pricing
  • Same company offers app and API
  • Branded tracking on mid tier

Limitations

  • Own carrier accounts cost extra on the free plan
  • Single user on free plan
  • Fewer carriers than ShipStation or Easyship
  • Pricing page shows two different Pro prices
3

Pirate Ship

Best for: US individuals and small sellers shipping USPS or UPS

Pirate Ship is a web-based shipping tool for US senders that charges no subscription, monthly fees or payment fees; the company says it is paid by the carriers rather than by users. It has operated since 2014 and is a licensed USPS Connect eCommerce platform.

The service is limited to two carriers, USPS and UPS, and claims savings of up to 89% off their retail rates, including access to USPS services such as Simple Export Rate and Priority Mail Cubic. UPS discounts are calculated from UPS Daily Rates and apply only to shipments originating in the United States. Features include saved presets, spreadsheet and batch label creation, bulk printing, package tracking, private share links and shipment reports, and support is offered by email and chat 14 hours a day, seven days a week.

The model suits individuals, Etsy-scale sellers and small businesses for whom subscription fees are hard to justify. The limitations follow from it: there is no FedEx, DHL or regional-carrier support, the product is built for US origins only, and it does not offer the warehouse, inventory or advanced multi-user controls of paid platforms. The company's own homepage gives slightly inconsistent figures for total savings delivered since 2014 (US$700 million and US$705 million appear in different places).

Key features

  • No subscription or monthly fees
  • USPS Cubic and Simple Export Rate pricing
  • UPS discounts off Daily Rates
  • Spreadsheet import and batch labels
  • Saved presets and bulk printing
  • Shipment reports and tracking

Pricing

Free to use: no monthly fees, payment fees or credit card to sign up. Users pay only postage at Pirate Ship's discounted rates.

Operating since
2014
Carriers
USPS, UPS
Pricing
Free (postage only)
Market
US origins

Strengths

  • No fees of any kind
  • Deep USPS commercial discounts
  • Simple batch workflow from spreadsheets
  • Seven-day email and chat support

Limitations

  • Only USPS and UPS
  • US origins only
  • No inventory or warehouse functions
  • Fewer automation options than paid tools
4

EasyPost

Best for: Developers and platforms embedding shipping in their own systems

EasyPost is a shipping API company that describes itself as having launched in 2012 as the first RESTful API for shipping, and says it works with tens of thousands of businesses that have shipped billions of packages through it. It sells primarily to developers, platforms and enterprises building label purchase, rating, tracking and address verification into their own software rather than to warehouse staff using a web interface.

Its carrier network covers USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL Express and GOFO among more than 100 carriers. The core EasyPost Suite covers labels, rate shopping, address verification, tracking and insurance; EasyPost Nexus adds a Shopify connection, order import and label printing in one place; and higher products include EasyPost Pro, the white-label Forge platform and Luma, an AI-driven insights and rate-selection product.

Pricing is usage-based. Access is free with EasyPost's wallet carriers and up to 3,000 labels a month are free of platform fees (postage excluded); bringing one's own carrier accounts costs US$20 a month plus a per-label fee; and tracking, advanced tracking and insurance are billed per shipment. The pricing page does not publish the per-label fee charged beyond the free allowance or the price of Pro, Forge and Luma, which limits comparison. The product assumes engineering resources and is not a substitute for a packing-bench application for small merchants.

Key features

  • REST API for labels, rates and tracking
  • 100+ carrier integrations
  • Address verification
  • Shipping insurance API
  • White-label Forge platform
  • Luma AI rate selection

Pricing

Suite / Nexus: free access with wallet carriers; up to 3,000 labels/month free of platform fees; BYOCA US$20/month plus per-label fee; Enterprise custom. Tracking API: US$0.01-0.03 per shipment; Advanced Tracking US$0.03. Insurance: 1% of value, US$1 minimum. Pro, Forge and Luma: contact sales.

Launched
2012
Carriers
100+
Free labels
Up to 3,000/month
Pricing
Usage-based; BYOCA US$20/month

Strengths

  • Generous free label allowance
  • Large carrier catalogue through one API
  • Transparent tracking and insurance rates
  • White-label option for platforms

Limitations

  • Requires developer resources
  • Per-label overage fee not published
  • Advanced products quote-only
  • Web interface secondary to the API
5

Sendcloud

Best for: European merchants shipping from EU countries or the UK

Sendcloud is a shipping platform for European online retailers whose founders, Bas, Rob and Sabi, built the first version in 2012 in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. The company has offices in Eindhoven, Munich and Florence, says it employs more than 400 people and serves more than 30,000 merchants, and reports raising €150 million between 2020 and 2022.

Sendcloud supports shipping from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom, and from Czechia, Denmark, Poland, Portugal and Sweden for merchants with a local invoice address and a direct courier contract; parcels can be sent worldwide from any of these origins. Its pricing materials cite more than 170 courier partners, and the platform covers label creation, rate comparison, returns and tracking.

Pricing combines a monthly subscription with a per-label fee. A free plan covers up to 20 parcels a month using only Sendcloud's own rates; paid plans range from Lite at €28 a month to Pro at €639 a month, with label fees falling from €0.10 to €0.07 and a €0.15 charge for each label above the plan allowance. The structure is less transparent than flat-fee tools because total cost depends on both tier and volume, and the product is not designed for merchants shipping from North America.

Key features

  • 170+ courier partners
  • Shipping from 8 core European countries
  • Returns portal and tracking
  • Own carrier contracts on paid plans
  • Free plan up to 20 parcels a month

Pricing

Free: €0/month, pay per label, up to 20 parcels/month, Sendcloud rates only. Lite: €28/month + €0.10/label, 400 labels/month. Growth: €87/month + €0.09/label, 1,000 labels. Premium: €175/month + €0.08/label, 10,000 labels. Pro: €639/month + €0.07/label, 30,000 labels. Overage €0.15/label. Enterprise custom. Prices in euros as displayed.

Founded
2012
Offices
Eindhoven, Munich, Florence
Employees
400+
Merchants
30,000+
Funding
€150m (2020-2022)
Pricing
Free; €28-639/month + per-label fee

Strengths

  • Strong European carrier coverage
  • Free entry plan
  • Clear per-tier allowances
  • Supports UK and EU origins

Limitations

  • Per-label fees on top of subscription
  • Free plan limited to Sendcloud rates
  • Not built for US-origin shipping
  • Overage charged at €0.15 a label
6

Veeqo

Best for: Amazon and multichannel sellers in the US

Veeqo is a multichannel shipping and inventory platform founded in Wales by Matt Warren and acquired by Amazon in 2021. Since the acquisition its shipping features have been free for every user, with Veeqo earning a commission on labels bought through the platform.

The free Shipping tier includes unlimited orders, users, SKUs and warehouses, bulk shipping of up to 100 orders at a time, a rate-shopping API, customisable print templates and up to 5% back in Veeqo credits. Pre-negotiated rates are available for Amazon Shipping, UPS, USPS, FedEx, DHL and OnTrac, and orders are imported from Amazon, Shopify, eBay, Walmart, WooCommerce, Rithum and TikTok Shop among others. Paid Inventory plans, from US$19 a month, add inventory sync, demand forecasting, scanner-based picking and an AI seller assistant; a High Volume plan from US$350 a month adds NetSuite integration and a dedicated account manager.

Veeqo's main attraction is cost for Amazon sellers, who can buy Amazon Shipping rates alongside other carriers. The trade-offs are dependence on Amazon's commercial priorities, a carrier list centred on the United States, and inventory features that sit behind a subscription priced by order volume.

Key features

  • Free shipping tier with unlimited orders and users
  • Amazon Shipping, UPS, USPS, FedEx, DHL and OnTrac rates
  • Bulk shipping of up to 100 orders
  • Up to 5% back in Veeqo credits
  • Inventory sync and forecasting (paid)
  • NetSuite integration (High Volume)

Pricing

Shipping: free, unlimited orders, users, SKUs and warehouses. Inventory: from US$19/month, scaled by order volume, free trial. High Volume: from US$350/month, free trial. FBA orders fulfilled by Amazon are not counted toward order volume.

Ownership and history

Founded in Wales by Matt Warren; acquired by Amazon in 2021; Veeqo Ltd lists a Seattle mailing address.

Owner
Amazon (since 2021)
Origin
Wales, UK
Pricing
Shipping free; Inventory from US$19/month
Carriers
Amazon Shipping, UPS, USPS, FedEx, DHL, OnTrac

Strengths

  • Shipping features free with unlimited users
  • Access to Amazon Shipping rates
  • Built-in path to inventory management
  • Wide marketplace coverage

Limitations

  • Dependent on Amazon's product decisions
  • Carrier list focused on the US
  • Inventory features require subscription
  • Fewer enterprise freight options than ShipStation
7

ShipStation API

Best for: Developers who want published per-label API pricing

The ShipStation API is the developer product of ShipStation Global. Its pricing page carries the former ShipEngine name in its dashboard and documentation links, and the old ShipEngine pricing address now redirects to it, indicating the product has been rebranded under the ShipStation name. It is aimed at software teams that want label creation, rate comparison and tracking inside their own applications.

The free plan includes discounted carrier rates, label creation, rate comparison, parcel tracking, tracking webhooks, a sandbox environment and analytics, with no API usage charges. The Advanced plan adds bring-your-own carrier accounts, address validation, pick-up and drop-off location search, tax and duty calculation and tracking for any parcel. Enterprise, for 25,000 or more shipments a month, adds custom billing, higher rate limits, an implementation manager, embeddable Shipping Elements and account creation through the API. ShipStation's integration pages cite more than 250 carriers in its rate comparison API.

Advanced costs US$75 a month for 1,000 labels, falling to US$0.06 a label at the 10,000-label tier. Compared with EasyPost, the published per-label pricing is clearer, but connecting one's own carrier contracts is not possible on the free plan, and overage terms are set out in a separate help article rather than on the pricing page.

Key features

  • Label, rate and tracking API
  • Tracking webhooks and sandbox
  • Address validation (Advanced)
  • Tax and duty calculation (Advanced)
  • Pick-up and drop-off location search
  • Embeddable Shipping Elements (Enterprise)

Pricing

Free: US$0/month, pay as you ship. Advanced: US$75/month for 1,000 labels (US$0.075/label), US$325 for 5,000 (US$0.065), US$600 for 10,000 (US$0.060). Enterprise: custom, 25,000+ shipments/month. VAT applies where relevant.

Owner
ShipStation Global
Former name
ShipEngine
Carriers
250+ (rate comparison API)
Pricing
Free; Advanced from US$75/month

Strengths

  • Published per-label pricing
  • Free tier with no API usage fees
  • Tax and duty calculation available
  • Backed by ShipStation's carrier network

Limitations

  • Own carrier accounts need a paid plan
  • Overage terms on a separate page
  • Requires engineering effort
  • Branding transition leaves mixed documentation
8

Easyship

Best for: Merchants shipping internationally who need duty calculation

Easyship is a shipping platform focused on international e-commerce, founded in 2014 by Tommaso Tamburnotti, Augustin Ceyrac and Paul Lugagne, who remain its leadership team. It lists offices in Melville, New York; Hong Kong; London; Taipei; and Bangalore, and says it serves more than 100,000 brands.

The platform connects to more than 550 courier services, including USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL, Canada Post, Australia Post and Royal Mail. Every plan includes discounted rates, courier selection, import tax and duty calculation and box selection; Plus adds checkout rates, own courier accounts, automatic order sync and live chat; Premier adds tax and duty collection at checkout, pre-generated return labels, multi-box shipping and round-the-clock phone support; and the top tier adds optional 3PL fulfilment. Advanced API calls such as rate requests are metered, with allowances rising by plan and pay-as-you-go pricing from US$0.003 to US$0.005 a call.

Easyship's documented strength is cross-border work: duty estimation, a broad courier catalogue and an international office network. A practical limitation is pricing transparency. When fetched for this list, the plans page showed a free-forever plan and annual-billing discount of 20% but did not display the monthly prices or shipment allowances of the paid tiers, so buyers must obtain them in the application.

Key features

  • 550+ courier services
  • Import tax and duty calculation
  • Duties collected at checkout (Premier)
  • Multi-box shipments
  • Optional 3PL fulfilment
  • Metered API with plan allowances

Pricing

Free: free forever, no monthly fee. Plus, Premier, Enterprise/Scale: prices not displayed on the public plans page at the time of research; annual billing advertised at 20% off. API overage US$0.003-0.005 per Advanced call depending on plan.

Founded
2014
Offices
New York, Hong Kong, London, Taipei, Bangalore
Couriers
550+ services
Brands served (vendor claim)
100,000+
Pricing
Free plan; paid tiers in-app

Strengths

  • Very wide courier catalogue
  • Duty and tax tools on every plan
  • Free-forever entry plan
  • International office footprint

Limitations

  • Paid plan prices not shown publicly
  • Metered API calls on lower tiers
  • Phone support only on Premier and up
  • More complex than domestic-only tools
9

Ordoro

Best for: Growing merchants that need unlimited users and later inventory or dropshipping

Ordoro is an e-commerce operations platform from Austin, Texas, sold as three applications that can be used separately or together: Shipping, Inventory and Dropshipping. It positions itself for merchants that outgrow simple label tools but do not want a full ERP.

The Shipping app's free Essential plan includes 100 labels a month, one sales channel, one ship-from location and one user, with discounted carrier rates, barcode scanning and return labels. Advanced, at US$59 a month, raises the allowance to 3,000 labels with five channels and locations, unlimited users, automation rules and batch processing. Premium, at US$149 a month, removes label, channel and location limits and adds own carrier accounts, returns management, kitting, QuickBooks Online integration, branded tracking and API access.

The Inventory app (US$349 or US$499 a month) adds purchase orders, bills of materials, manufacturing orders and forecasting, and the Dropshipping app (from US$299 a month) adds order routing, supplier feeds and vendor portals. Documented limitations include an account lock when the free plan's 100-label limit is exceeded, own carrier accounts reserved for Premium, and a large step in price once inventory or dropshipping modules are added.

Key features

  • Free plan with 100 labels a month
  • Unlimited users from Advanced
  • Automation rules and presets
  • Kitting and returns management (Premium)
  • QuickBooks Online integration
  • Separate Inventory and Dropshipping apps

Pricing

Shipping Essential: free, 100 labels/month. Advanced: US$59/month, 3,000 labels, extra US$30 per 1,000. Premium: US$149/month, unlimited labels; own-carrier labels US$30 per 1,000 after the first 1,000. Inventory: US$349 or US$499/month (1,000 orders). Dropshipping: from US$299/month. 15-day free trial, no card.

Headquarters
Austin, Texas, US
Pricing
Free; US$59-149/month (shipping)
Free trial
15 days
Users
Unlimited from Advanced

Strengths

  • Unlimited users on paid shipping plans
  • Clear published pricing and overage
  • Modular path to inventory and dropshipping
  • Usable free tier

Limitations

  • Free plan locks when limit is exceeded
  • Own carrier accounts only on Premium
  • Inventory app costs far more than shipping
  • Five-channel cap on Advanced
10

Stamps.com

Best for: US offices mailing letters, certified mail and occasional parcels

Stamps.com is a US online postage service and a brand of ShipStation Global, whose June 2026 merger announcement lists it among the group's brands; the site's footer carries an Auctane copyright. It is aimed less at multichannel e-commerce and more at offices and small businesses that print stamps and labels for letters and parcels.

All plans include address verification, contact management and free carrier pickups with UPS, USPS and FedEx. The Professional plan adds Certified Mail and Registered Mail, multi-address batch printing, tracking emails, reports, international shipping and QuickBooks Online integration. The Multi-Location plan adds user roles, location permissions, cross-location reporting and a dedicated account team. DHL Express and GlobalPost are also offered.

Plans cost US$14.99, US$29.99 and US$49.99 a month, with a 30-day risk-free trial. The service advertises discounts of up to 90% off UPS, USPS and FedEx rates, but discounted rates apply only to shipments from the continental United States and exclude Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico. The Basic plan is restrictive, allowing one user and 25 stamps and 10 labels. For high-volume store shipping, ShipStation, from the same owner, is the better-documented fit.

Key features

  • Print postage and shipping labels
  • Certified and Registered Mail (Professional)
  • Free UPS, USPS and FedEx pickups
  • Multi-address batch printing
  • QuickBooks Online integration
  • Multi-location user roles

Pricing

Basic: US$14.99/month, 1 user, 25 stamps and 10 labels. Professional: US$29.99/month, 3 users, unlimited. Multi-Location: US$49.99/month, 10 users per location, 2 locations included. 30-day risk-free trial.

Owner
ShipStation Global
Carriers
USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL Express, GlobalPost
Pricing
US$14.99-49.99/month
Free trial
30 days

Strengths

  • Certified and Registered Mail support
  • Covers letters as well as parcels
  • Low entry price
  • Multi-location controls

Limitations

  • Basic plan capped at 10 labels
  • Discounts only from the continental US
  • Monthly fee where free tools exist
  • Limited e-commerce automation
11

ShippingEasy

Best for: Small US sellers moving off manual label buying

ShippingEasy is a web-based shipping tool for online sellers that began in Sydney, Australia, and later moved its headquarters to Austin, Texas. Its site does not state its ownership; its privacy policy link points to Auctane's domain.

The free Starter plan covers up to 25 shipments a month with discounted USPS and UPS rates, automatic order import from up to three stores or marketplaces, the ConnectEasy printing utility, automation and USPS cubic discounts. The paid Growth tier, starting at US$19.99 a month for 26 to 200 shipments, adds phone, email and chat support, unlimited stores, CSV uploads, branded tracking, custom label logos and reporting. Further volume tiers run from Basic (201-500 shipments) to Enterprise (6,001-10,000 shipments).

The product suits sellers who want a straightforward order-to-label workflow at modest volume. Its limitations, as documented on its own pricing page, are that prices above the entry Growth tier are not published, own carrier accounts carry additional fees, and the free plan is capped at three connected stores. A 30-day free trial is offered on paid features.

Key features

  • Free plan up to 25 shipments a month
  • Discounted USPS and UPS rates
  • Order import from stores and marketplaces
  • Branded tracking and custom label logos
  • CSV uploads
  • Reporting

Pricing

Starter: free, up to 25 shipments/month, up to 3 stores. Growth: from US$19.99/month, 26-200 shipments. Higher tiers (Basic, Plus, Select, Premium, Enterprise, up to 10,000 shipments) not priced on the public page. Own carrier accounts incur additional fees. 30-day free trial.

Headquarters
Austin, Texas, US
Origin
Sydney, Australia
Pricing
Free; from US$19.99/month
Free trial
30 days

Strengths

  • Free plan for very small sellers
  • Low entry paid price
  • Phone, email and chat support on Growth
  • USPS cubic discounts

Limitations

  • Higher-tier prices not published
  • Extra fees for own carrier accounts
  • Free plan limited to 3 stores
  • Ownership not stated on its site
12

ShipperHQ

Best for: Stores with complex checkout rates, freight or multi-origin shipping

ShipperHQ is a checkout shipping-rate platform rather than a label printer: it calculates the shipping rates, delivery dates and options a shopper sees at checkout, using live carrier rates, table rates, rules and packing logic. The company says it has been in business for more than 18 years, serves more than 6,000 merchants in more than 150 countries and handles more than 1 million checkouts a day; named customers include Casio, Toyota, Sony, Tecovas, Kohler and Cadbury.

It integrates with Shopify, BigCommerce, Adobe Commerce, Magento, Salesforce Commerce Cloud and WooCommerce, and supports more than 100 small-parcel and LTL carriers, including more than 30 LTL providers. Features across plans include dimensional packing, in-store pickup, rate shopping, backup carrier rates, address-type lookup for UPS and FedEx, delivery-date display, multi-origin shipping, LTL freight and analytics, with duties and taxes, API access and an enhanced checkout as add-ons.

Plans are Standard (four carriers, 20 rules, 1,000 orders a month), Advanced (six carriers, 50 rules, 2,000 orders) and Enterprise (custom); Salesforce Commerce Cloud is Enterprise only. Prices are not published, and ShipperHQ must usually be paired with a separate label tool, which adds cost and an extra integration.

Key features

  • Live and table checkout rates
  • Dimensional packing
  • LTL freight rating
  • Multi-origin shipping
  • Delivery date and time display
  • In-store pickup options

Pricing

Quote-based; subscription billed monthly or annually. Standard: 4 carriers, 20 rules, 1,000 orders/month. Advanced: 6 carriers, 50 rules, 2,000 orders/month. Enterprise: custom contract. 15-day free trial.

Years in business
18+
Merchants
6,000+ in 150+ countries
Carriers
100+ (30+ LTL)
Pricing
Quote-based
Free trial
15 days

Strengths

  • Specialist depth in checkout rating
  • Strong LTL freight support
  • Major e-commerce platform integrations
  • Publicly named enterprise customers

Limitations

  • Does not print labels
  • Prices not published
  • Order and carrier caps on lower plans
  • Salesforce support only on Enterprise
13

Metapack

Best for: Large multinational retailers needing carrier breadth and checkout options

Metapack is a delivery-management platform for large retailers and brands, now part of ShipStation Global, whose June 2026 merger release lists Metapack among its brands. It connects retailers to more than 4,000 carrier services through a single integration, with carriers such as Asendia, Colissimo, DPD, DHL, Evri, FedEx, Parcelforce, Poste Italiane and Royal Mail.

The platform is made up of modules: Delivery Options for validated choices at checkout, Delivery Manager for multi-carrier label and rule management, Branded Tracking, Returns, an Intelligence Hub for carrier performance analytics, and an AI layer across checkout, fulfilment and post-purchase. Metapack names retail customers including B&Q, Boohoo, Halfords, Holland & Barrett, John Lewis & Partners and Nu Skin, and lists technology partners including Manhattan Associates, Blue Yonder, Fluent Commerce, Adobe and Shopify.

Metapack is designed for organisations shipping high volumes across many countries and integrating with warehouse and order management systems. Pricing is not published, and the product's enterprise orientation means implementation projects and contracts rather than self-service sign-up. Performance improvements quoted on its site, such as reductions in shipping costs and customer contacts, are vendor claims and are not independently verified.

Key features

  • 4,000+ carrier services via one integration
  • Checkout delivery options
  • Branded tracking
  • Returns with labels and QR codes
  • Carrier performance analytics
  • WMS and OMS integrations

Pricing

Quote-based; no public price list.

Owner
ShipStation Global
Carrier services
4,000+
Pricing
Quote-based
Named customers
John Lewis, Boohoo, Halfords, B&Q

Strengths

  • Largest carrier-service catalogue in this list
  • Full delivery lifecycle modules
  • Enterprise retail references
  • Integrations with major WMS vendors

Limitations

  • No published pricing
  • Implementation project required
  • Overkill for small merchants
  • Performance claims are vendor-reported
14

Packlink PRO

Best for: Small sellers in the UK and Europe avoiding subscriptions

Packlink PRO is a free multi-carrier shipping platform aimed at small online sellers in Europe and the United Kingdom, and a brand of ShipStation Global according to the group's June 2026 merger release. Registration costs nothing and users pay only for the shipments they book.

On its UK site Packlink PRO lists carriers including Royal Mail, UPS, DHL, Evri, GLS, TNT, DPD and InPost, and integrations with Amazon, eBay, Shopify, WooCommerce, PrestaShop, AliExpress, Magento, Shopware and Wix. It says more than 40,000 online vendors use it and claims savings of up to 50% on domestic and up to 70% on international shipments. Published UK domestic rates started at £2.25 excluding VAT for parcels up to 1 kg when checked.

The free model makes Packlink PRO a low-risk entry point for small European sellers, where subscription-based competitors such as Sendcloud charge monthly fees on their paid plans. Its documented scope is narrower than paid platforms: the site emphasises booking and labels rather than advanced automation, multi-user controls or warehouse functions, and the published savings are the vendor's own claims.

Key features

  • No subscription fee
  • Royal Mail, Evri, DPD, DHL, UPS and InPost
  • Amazon, eBay, Shopify and WooCommerce integrations
  • Domestic and international rates
  • Bulk shipment booking

Pricing

Free to register and use; users pay per shipment. UK domestic rates from £2.25 excluding VAT (up to 1 kg) at the time of research; prices in pounds as displayed.

Owner
ShipStation Global
Users (vendor claim)
40,000+ online vendors
Pricing
Free (pay per shipment)
Market
UK and Europe

Strengths

  • No subscription
  • Wide European carrier choice
  • Marketplace and store integrations
  • Low published domestic rates

Limitations

  • Fewer automation features than paid tools
  • Savings figures are vendor claims
  • Limited multi-user controls
  • Not aimed at North American shippers

Comparison table

SoftwareTypeFree optionEntry paid priceCarriers (vendor figure)Main regionOwner (where stated)
ShipStationMerchant app30-day trialUS$14.99/month200+ parcel, 50+ LTLUS, globalShipStation Global
ShippoMerchant app and API30 labels/monthUS$17/month40+USNo parent stated
Pirate ShipMerchant appFree (postage only)NoneUSPS, UPSUSNo parent stated
EasyPostAPIUp to 3,000 labels/monthUS$20/month (BYOCA)100+US, globalNo parent stated
SendcloudMerchant app20 parcels/month€28/month170+Europe, UKNo parent stated
VeeqoMerchant appShipping freeUS$19/month (Inventory)6 named carriersUSAmazon
ShipStation APIAPIFree planUS$75/month250+US, globalShipStation Global
EasyshipMerchant app and APIFree forever planNot published550+ servicesGlobalNo parent stated
OrdoroMerchant app100 labels/monthUS$59/monthNot statedUSNo parent stated
Stamps.comPostage service30-day trialUS$14.99/month5 named carriersUSShipStation Global
ShippingEasyMerchant app25 shipments/monthUS$19.99/monthUSPS, UPS discountedUSNot stated
ShipperHQCheckout rating15-day trialQuote-based100+GlobalNo parent stated
MetapackEnterprise delivery managementNoneQuote-based4,000+ servicesEurope, globalShipStation Global
Packlink PROMerchant appFree (pay per shipment)None8+ named carriersUK, EuropeShipStation Global

Sources: vendor pricing and product pages cited in each entry.

Alternatives by use case

  • Lowest cost for US sellers: Pirate Ship (USPS and UPS only) or Veeqo (free with Amazon Shipping rates).
  • Multichannel order management: ShipStation for marketplace breadth, Ordoro for unlimited users and modular inventory.
  • European shipping: Sendcloud for subscriptions with broad courier coverage, Packlink PRO for no subscription.
  • International and duties: Easyship.
  • Developer integration: EasyPost or the ShipStation API; Shippo also sells an API.
  • Checkout rates and freight: ShipperHQ.
  • Enterprise retail: Metapack.
  • Warehouse-led operations: businesses that pick and pack at scale may need a warehouse management system such as ShipHero, whose Core WMS plan starts at US$15,000 a year including 25,000 direct-to-consumer shipments.

Recent developments

  • 1 June 2026: WWEX Group and Auctane completed their merger and began operating as ShipStation Global, combining ShipStation, Stamps.com, Metapack and Packlink with Worldwide Express, Unishippers and GlobalTranz under Thoma Bravo's backing.
  • 2026: ShipStation's developer product is marketed as the ShipStation API, with legacy ShipEngine addresses redirecting to it.
  • 2026: Veeqo's pricing lists an AI Seller Assistant and a Veeqo MCP connector for AI assistants on its Inventory plan.
  • 2026: EasyPost markets Luma, an AI-driven insights and rate-shopping product, alongside its API suite.
  • 2026: Shippo's Pro plan lists AI-powered estimated delivery dates.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best shipping software for small business?

It depends on carriers and volume. US sellers shipping mainly USPS can use Pirate Ship, which charges no fees, or the free tiers of Shippo (30 labels a month) and ShippingEasy (25 shipments). Multichannel sellers usually move to ShipStation, from US$14.99 a month, or Ordoro, which has a free 100-label plan and unlimited users from US$59 a month.

Is there free shipping software?

Yes. Pirate Ship has no monthly or payment fees, Veeqo's shipping features are free with unlimited orders and users, and Packlink PRO in Europe charges no subscription. Shippo, ShippingEasy, Sendcloud, Ordoro and Easyship also offer free plans with lower limits. These services are funded by postage margins or carrier commissions, and postage is still paid per label.

How much does ShipStation cost?

ShipStation's US pricing page lists Starter from US$14.99 a month for 50 shipments, Standard from US$29.99 and Premium from US$349.99, with prices rising by monthly shipment volume to US$3,599.99 on Standard and US$7,499.99 on Premium at 100,000 shipments. There is no per-label fee and a 30-day free trial without a credit card.

What is the difference between shipping software and a shipping API?

Shipping software is an application staff use to import orders and print labels. A shipping API, such as EasyPost or the ShipStation API, gives developers programmatic access to rates, labels and tracking so they can build shipping into their own website, marketplace or warehouse system. Several vendors, including Shippo and ShipStation, sell both.

Who owns ShipStation and Stamps.com?

Both belong to ShipStation Global, formed on 1 June 2026 when Auctane merged with WWEX Group. The company is backed by Thoma Bravo, with CVC funds keeping a significant minority stake. Its brands also include Metapack, Packlink, Worldwide Express, Unishippers and GlobalTranz, and it is based in Texas with offices in Dallas and Austin.

Which shipping software is best for international shipping?

Easyship is built for cross-border sales, with more than 550 courier services and tax and duty calculation on every plan. In Europe, Sendcloud lists more than 170 courier partners and ships worldwide from its supported countries. Large retailers shipping in many markets use Metapack, which connects to more than 4,000 carrier services.

Can I use my own carrier account with shipping software?

Most products allow it, with conditions. ShipStation requires the Standard plan, Ordoro the Premium plan and the ShipStation API the Advanced plan. Shippo allows it on the free plan at 5 cents a label and free on Pro, ShippingEasy adds fees, and Sendcloud's free plan uses only Sendcloud rates.

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