As one of the most popular shipping apps for ecommerce order fulfillment, ShipStation often gets recommended for managing shipments, finding great deals from carriers, and sending tracking codes. But ShipStation isn’t for everyone, whether it’s due to the ShipStation pricing, interface, or geographical support. That’s why we put together the best ShipStation alternatives, to not only show that there’s a wide range of shipping software to choose from, but to give you an idea of which ShipStation alternatives may work best for your ecommerce business.
Keep reading to first learn a bit about ShipStation. Then, take a look at the best ShipStation alternatives based on their pricing, features, and interfaces.
What is ShipStation?
What are the Best 5 Best ShipStation Alternatives?
From ShipBob to ShipHero, these ShipStation alternatives are meant to improve the way you prepare and send products to ecommerce customers. All the options below offer suitable alternatives to the ShipStation software, and some provide additional features and services like third-party logistics (where the company handles everything from storage to shipping for you).
Having said that, let’s take a look at the best ShipStation alternatives and what they have to offer in terms of pricing and features.
1. ShipBob – Best Overall ShipStation Alternative
When it comes to ShipStation alternatives, ShipBob is your best option, not only due to its robust shipping software, but because of its complete ecommerce fulfillment service. This means that you partner with ShipBob for the entire fulfillment process. They store, package, and ship your products to customers, all for a set monthly fee. That comes with an arguably stronger inventory management and shipping software when compared to ShipStation.
The downside is that you may not be looking for a 3PL (third-party logistics) partner. But you can still gain access to the ShipBob software by fulfilling a small portion of your products with the company. Having said that, we would recommend committing to a 3PL like ShopBob since you’re bound to save money in the long run, and it’s a more powerful ShipStation alternative when looking at the software.
Notable Features and Offerings
- Affordable fulfillment services that go along with your shipping software
- Inventory distribution with smart zones and options to choose where you store products
- A 2-day shipping program, and international options to gain a wider reach
- Locations all around the US and the globe, allowing for access to just about every customer you have
- Order management software with tracking, filtering, status updates, and more
- Support for direct-to-customer and wholesale shipments
- Inventory management software with insights, product bundling, promotions, and reorder notifications
- Reports and analytics with year-end numbers, and a wide range of calculations to help you grow the business
- A returns system for setting return deadlines, rules, and shipping options
- Integrations with top ecommerce platforms and marketplaces, including Shopify, Bigcommerce, WooCommerce, Squarespace, Walmart, and more
- Access to the ShipBob API for integrating with all of your business software
Pricing and Fees
When compared to ShipStation, ShipBob has more to offer; it’s a viable ShipStation alternative for software, but you also receive 3PL services, so every step of the fulfillment process is handled for your ecommerce business. So keep that in mind.
You must contact ShipBob for your own custom pricing, but here are some standard pricing examples provided by ShipBob:
- For small products like supplements: $5.38 to $5.91 for the total fulfillment cost
- For medium-sized products like apparel: $6.13 to $7.23
- For subscription boxes: $9.59 to $12.49
Other pricing:
- Picking and packing: included
- Standard packaging materials: included
- Customer support: included
- Storage: $5 per bin, $10 per shelf, and $40 per pallet
Why it Might be a Better Alternative to ShipStation
ShipBob is often more desirable than ShipStation since you get a proprietary shipping software—and all of the shipping discounts—but also a fulfillment service. So, you might consider ShipBob if you want a software like ShipStation but also need someone to store, package, and ship items. ShipBob makes all that significantly easier, whereas ShipStation leaves out the fulfillment part. We like ShipBob as the best all-around alternative to ShipStation.
2. ShipMonk – Best Runner Up
ShipMonk is another one of the great ShipStation alternatives with 3rd party logistics included with the software. This way, you’re passing over much of the fulfillment and shipping process to another company that owns warehouses and logistics equipment. ShipMonk provides software for shipping standard and unique products, some of which include subscription boxes, retail store orders, Amazon shipments, and crowdfunding operations.
The software is an excellent alternative to ShipStation due to its easy-to-use fulfillment tools, and user-friendly interface. The dashboard links to your ecommerce platforms and syncs all products for filtering, tracking, and identifying where each product is on its route. There are also plenty of reports for revenue, fulfillment statuses, and shipping destinations.
Notable Features and Offerings
- Software with inventory management, returns, snap-n-pack (where they take a picture of your products before shipping), and order tracking
- Multiple warehouses throughout the United States for storing and shipping products
- A simple, transparent billing breakdown right in your dashboard
- Order tracking sent to admins and customers
- Multiple warehouses to choose from, and options to split inventory
- Data importing and SKU photos
- Automatic reshipping when tracking numbers don’t update
- Powerful data and reporting for checking things like top products, total orders, and items shipped
- Multichannel integrations with platforms and marketplace like WooCommerce, Shopify, Bigcommerce, Squarespace, eBay, Amazon, and more
Pricing and Fees
You don’t only pay for the ShipMonk software, but rather the fulfillment services and software are all included in one price. The good news is that the ShipMonk pricing is fairly transparent. However, you still need to talk to a support representative to receive the most accurate quote for your business; this is particularly true if you have unique fulfillment requirements, like for subscription boxes or Amazon fulfillment.
Basic ShipMonk fulfillment fees are shown on their website. You can calculate them here.
Here’s a look at some examples of ShipMonk pricing:
- 0 to 500 orders fulfilled per month costs $3.00 to pick each first item
- $0.75 for each additional item on every order
- $0.20 for each promotional insert
- $2.00 + $0.50/additional item for return processing
Ongoing storage costs (variable) include:
- $1 per month for small bins
- $2 per month for medium bins
- $3 per month for large storage bins
- $4 per month for extra large storage bins
- $25 per month for every pallet used
Furthermore, ShipMonk charges extra for special projects and one-off costs. For instance, you might pay more for unloading and special packaging materials, or if your fulfillment process is unique. Finally, there’s a minimum fulfillment fee of $250 per month, so it pays to at least meet that threshold of volume.
Why it Might be a Better Alternative to ShipStation
ShipMonk integrates with a wide range of tools that you can’t find through ShipStation. Many users also like the reports and tracking features better. ShipMonk makes sense if you’d like more than just a shipping software, considering it includes fulfillment services as well. This way, you’re not paying for fulfillment and a shipping software separately. Instead, it’s all done for you.
3. ShippingEasy
ShippingEasy is perhaps the closest software to ShipStation on this list, considering you don’t get 3PL services, and it's a wonderful tool to shop around for carrier shipping rates.
We like ShippingEasy for its intuitive interface, and the fact that you receive UPS and USPS shipping discounts the moment you sign up. You also gain access to integrations with your ecommerce platform, as well as integrations with popular marketplaces.
One of the main reasons ShippingEasy stands out is due to its automated workflows, where you can auto-send promotional emails, tracking emails, feedback requests, and the entire shipping workflow. Along with that, you receive abandoned cart emails, a Shopify Seller Suite, branded tracking, and Amazon Seller tools.
Notable Features and Offerings
- Discounted UPS and USPS shipping rates
- Automated shipping workflows
- Advanced reporting for checking on shipments and sales
- Tracking and returns, all automated
- A complete marketing package for sending emails, managing campaigns, sending feedback requests, and looking at interactive metrics
- Shopify-specific tools for abandoned carts, shipping integrations, and managing your entire selling process
- Branded tracking and shipping labels, with options for adding your logo, customizing the text, and including elements like web links and social media buttons
- Integrations with Shopify, Bigcommerce, WooCommerce, and several other ecommerce platforms
- Integrations with marketplaces like Walmart, eBay, Etsy, Amazon, and more
Pricing and Fees
ShippingEasy offers 6 plans for its shipping software:
- Free: $0 for 25 shipments per month
- Basic: $29 per month for 500 shipments per month
- Plus: $49 per month for 1,500 per month
- Select: $69 per month for 3,000 shipments per month
- Premium: $99 per month for 6,000 shipments per month
- Enterprise: $159 per month for 10,000 shipments per month
The customer marketing package is sold separately starting at $14 per month for 5,000 emails each month. This pricing goes up as you send more emails each month.
Why it Might be a Better Alternative to ShipStation
Plain and simple, ShippingEasy has a free plan. After that, the pricing is similar. You’ll also find that ShippingEasy caters more to Shopify users; so, if you plan on using Shopify (or already do so) you’re in for a treat with ShippingEasy’s Shopify Seller Tools, like its seamless shipping integration, abandoned cart emails, and the Shopify Seller Suite. Not to mention, ShippingEasy actually offers an add-on email marketing platform, which isn’t available through ShipStation. This way, you can consolidate even more of your tools into one dashboard.
4. ShipHero
ShipHero boasts two separate offerings: a warehouse management system software and a fully outsourced fulfillment service for ecommerce stores. The benefit of going with ShipHero is that you can go with one or the other, or both.
The warehouse management system from ShipHero provides orders and returns, along with seamless store integrations. You can track orders and send shipment notifications to customers, while setting up automation rules and shipping method mapping. There’s even a section for inventory management, with tools for cycle counting, kitting, putaway, and multi-warehouse management.
As for the ecommerce fulfillment services, you’re able to link your ecommerce platform, sync inventory, and store products in the many locations spread throughout the United States (and one in Canada). There’s strategic inventory distribution, no zone shipping, and shortened last mile shipping.
Notable Features and Offerings
- An option to choose warehouse management software or fulfillment services, or combine them both
- Integrations with Shopify, Bigcommerce, WooCommerce, Amazon, and more
- Carrier shopping and discounts from FedEx, UPS, USPS, DHL, and more
- A PostHero integration for accurately predicted delivery times to all customers
- Excellent reporting with analytics for efficiency, cost optimization, and inventory replenishment
- Inventory management with intelligent warehousing and stock replenishment
- Access to the open API
- Label creation from all carriers
- Auto-batch creation, guided pick routes, and more
- An intuitive mobile app
- Unique features for kitting, logs, putaway, and re-orders
Pricing and Fees
ShipHero sells three plans for its warehouse management software:
- Essential WMS: $499/mo
- Standard WMS: $1,850
- Enterprise WMS: Custom pricing
As for the fulfillment package, it all starts at one simple price:
- $1,995/mo
Why it Might be a Better Alternative to ShipStation
As one of the best ShipStation alternatives, ShipHero excels by offering a warehouse management software that’s separate from its fulfillment services. This way, you can opt for one or the other.
It also has simple pricing that gets you access to the entire ShipHero software, with solid deals from carriers, inventory management, and unique features like cycle counting and kitting.
5. Shippo
Shippo serves as a direct competitor to ShipStation, with ecommerce platform integrations, shipping management, and rate shopping from all the top carriers around the globe. Its partners include USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL. You get discounts from the carriers, along with shipping labels that you can print on-demand. Shipment tracking comes standard with every Shippo account, and the system sends out automated update messages to ecommerce customers.
It’s also nice that you can streamline returns with Shippo. Return labels get generated automatically, and they are free to process.
Much like ShipStation, the Shippo software is just that: a software. There’s no fulfillment service like you would find with ShipBob or ShipMonk. So, it makes sense if you’re handling your own fulfillment but need a more organized way to ship ecommerce products.
Notable Features and Offerings
- A shipping web app for sending and tracking packages within minutes
- Carrier rate comparisons for each package
- Discounts from UPS, USPS, and DHL
- Quick integrations with platforms like eBay, Wix, Square, WooCommerce, and Magento
- Automated label creation
- Address validation to prevent fraudulent transactions and failed deliveries
- CVS upload and product syncing
- Fast returns and scheduled pickups for sending out packages
- Shipping customization by way of shipping notification emails, branded tracking pages, shipping labels, and packing slips
- Customs forms and access to Paperless Trade, which eliminates the need to print out commercial invoices
- A customizable API for changing the interface and integrating with any business tools necessary
Pricing and Fees
Along with a free plan, Shippo provides several other pricing packages for using its shipping software.
Those plans include:
- Free: $0 to get carrier discounts, no label fees for Shippo carriers, email and live chat support, and a price of $0.05 per label when using a connected carrier account
- Professional: $10 per month for everything in the previous plan, plus a branded customer experience, 5 user accounts, and automations
- Premier: Custom pricing for everything in the previous plans, plus technical implementation guidance, 15 user accounts, and dedicated customer support
Why it Might be a Better Alternative to ShipStation
Shippo stands out as one of the best ShipStation alternatives because it has a free pricing plan. And this is no ordinary free plan where everything is limited. Shippo provides a decent shipping experience for all merchants, with access to user negotiated rates, unlimited carrier accounts, free labels for the main carriers, and very cheap labels for your own connected accounts.
We consider Shippo a budget alternative to ShipStation, especially if you have no plans to use a fulfillment company; otherwise, you’d be better off going for a company like ShipBob or ShipMonk. This is a simple, intuitive software that’s all small, growing businesses require.
Which ShipStation Alternative is Right for Your Ecommerce Business?
You have many other ShipStation alternatives to choose from, but we feel these are the absolute best due to their pricing, comparability in features, and their bonuses like how some have 3rd party fulfillment, Shopify-oriented shipping features, or even built-in email marketing.
If you’re still wondering which of the ShipStation alternatives to use, we’ve made some final recommendations to narrow your search:
- ShipBob: This is an excellent all-around shipping and fulfillment solution. Consider ShipBob for an affordable shipping and inventory software, and if you’d like to partner with a 3PL for fulfillment of all your products.
- ShipMonk: Also a 3PL, ShipMonk has an exceptional software that’s cleaner and more intuitive than ShipStation. We recommend it if you plan on using a 3PL, and if you’re interested in some of the most transparent pricing in the industry.
- ShippinEasy: Here’s a software that’s very similar to ShipStation. However, we like it for those who are interested in a free shipping software plan (and affordable pricing after that). It’s also a nice solution to add email marketing—and other marketing tools—alongside your shipping software.
- ShipHero: Consider ShipHero if you run a unique fulfillment operation, like for crowdfunding or subscription boxes. Other than that, ShipHero makes sense if you’d like to choose between a 3PL service and a shipping software. You can either pay for one of those or get both at the same time, which is the only solution on this list with that type of setup.
- Shippo: This is our budget choice for ShipStation alternatives. There’s a free plan without any limits, and you’re able to upgrade to an extremely inexpensive premium plan that includes many of the basic features you would expect from ShipStation. It’s a more lightweight app that’s perfect for smaller businesses, and for small but growing ecommerce stores.
From ShipBob to Shippo, the best ShipStation alternatives are the ones that fit your budget, provide the smoothest interfaces, and make it easy to get shipments to customers on time! With that said, please let us know in the comments section if you have any further questions about the best ShipStation alternatives. Have you tried out any of these tools? If so, share your thoughts.
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