Finding the right multi-carrier shipping software (MCS) can save thousands in logistics costs and hours of operational time. For manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers that have complex shipping requirements and use multiple carriers, the choice between neutral platforms and middleman services significantly impacts your bottom line.

This guide analyzes 15 leading multi-carrier shipping software solutions based on 50 full pages (!) of extensive internal research, conversations with customers of various platforms, and customer sentiment analysis from review sites like Capterra, G2, Trustpilot, and Gartner Peer Insights.

Unlike transport management software (TMS), these platforms focus specifically on multi-carrier parcel shipping and delivery management, and many of them have a strong focus on eCommerce. Also, most of these multi-carrier shipping software solutions are created for small businesses, while transport management software is normally an enterprise or mid-market solution, that can handle all or most freight modes (road, air, sea, rail), might include some freight planning capabilities, but are usually not good for parcel shipping, and won't have any eCommerce post-purchase/marketing features.

Full disclosure: Cargoson appears first in our rankings. We built it to address gaps we identified in the market, and we truly believe Cargoson is the best multi-carrier shipping software for most European manufacturers and wholesalers (mid-size and up). However, we recognize our bias and aim to provide objective analysis of all options.


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Quick Comparison Table

Estimated monthly costs for 10,000 shipments at €5 average shipping cost

Rank Platform Target Market Platform Fee Label/Commission Total Cost Neutral/Middleman
1 Cargoson Mid-market €499 €0 €499 Neutral
2 ShippyPro SMB €400 €0 €400+ Neutral
3 ProShip Enterprise €2,000+ €0 €2,000+ Neutral
4 Shipmondo SMB €36 €300 + commissions €336+ Mixed
5 Shippo SMB/eCommerce €199 €0-700 + commissions €199-879+ Mixed
6 EasyPost Developer/SMB €0 €500 + commissions €500+ Mixed
7 nShift eCommerce/Enterprise €1,750 €0 €1,750 Neutral
8 ShipStation eCommerce €400 €5,000-10,000* €5,400-10,400 Middleman
9 Sendcloud eCommerce €175 €800 + €10,000* €10,975 Mixed
10 AfterShip eCommerce SMB €259 €100 + commissions €359+ Mixed
11 ClickPost Enterprise €5,000+ €0 €5,000+ Neutral
12 Easyship SMB with fulfillment €199 €5,000-10,000* €5,199-10,199 Middleman
13 ShippingEasy eCommerce small business €190 €5,000-10,000* €5,190-10,190 Middleman
14 Pirate Ship Small business €0 €5,000-10,000* €5,000-10,000 Middleman
15 LetMeShip Central EU SMB €0 €5,000-10,000* €5,000-10,000 Middleman
*Estimated 10-20% commission on €50,000 total shipping spend


Note: The ranking of this list is based on our research, customer reviews and is geared towards the average manufacturer, wholesaler, or retailer.
 
Let's explore your options.

1. Cargoson

Key features: Full transport management system, multi-carrier shipping, freight rate engine, spot quotes, ERP integration, carrier-agnostic, free new carrier integrations

Best for: European manufacturers and wholesalers with complex logistics needs requiring and actual TMS with both freight and parcel shipping capabilities

Overview

Cargoson was designed as a hybrid between a transport management system (TMS) and a multi-carrier shipping software. Built specifically for European manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers (and not for carriers), it handles everything from small parcels to full truckloads, air and sea freight with complete carrier neutrality.

Neutral vs Middleman

Fully neutral platform. Cargoson never acts as a middleman - you negotiate your own carrier contracts and rates. No hidden commissions or markups on shipping costs. You pay fixed monthly software fees regardless of shipping volume. This ensures the software will not have hidden financial incentives to promote a certain carrier, and it acts as your team’s personal tool only.

Carrier Integrations

Direct API/EDI connections to 1,500+ carriers globally, with strongest coverage in Europe. New carrier integrations added free on request with no setup or additional monthly fees. Carrier integrations are a priority and can typically be implemented within a few days to 4 weeks depending on how cooperative the carrier is.

New Carrier Integration Requests

Unlike most multi-carrier shipping software alternatives, Cargoson offers unlimited free carrier integrations upon customer request. When you need a completely new carrier integrated, simply contact their team and they will build the integration at no additional cost. This is a significant feature for Cargoson’s customers, as they can keep working with the exact carriers they like, and most other platforms either 1) offer the carrier list as-is, 2) employ a loose voting system with no guarantees, or 3) charge €2,000-€20,000 per new carrier integration.

Rate Management

Features an advanced freight rate engine that can upload, parse, and calculate from any type of rate sheet or price list including complex surcharges, weight breaks, distance zones, and routing rules. Supports uploaded PDF/Excel rate sheets, live API rates, and spot quote requests. Compares your negotiated rates across all carriers to find optimal cost, service level, transit time and CO2 emission combinations.

Supported Freight Modes

Supports all freight modes: parcels, parcel lockers, pallets, LTL, FTL, air, sea, and rail. Handles complex B2B shipping requirements including pallets, parcels, containers, ADR (dangerous goods), temperature-controlled goods and specialized transport.

Transport Management Features

Since Cargoson is a modern, feature-rich TMS, its transport management capabilities include:


Regional Focus

European-based with strongest coverage in EU road transport, but works globally and has international customers and all freight modes. Multi-language interface supporting all European languages (26).

Pricing

Fixed monthly subscriptions: Industry plan €299/month (3,000 shipments), Corporation plan €499/month (5,000 shipments). Most customers opt for the custom plan, for the exact needs of their company. No per-shipment fees, or hidden charges, just a flat monthly subscription fee. Compared to other solutions, requesting new carrier integrations is free, and will always be prioritized.

Customer Reviews

Excellent ratings: 4.9/5 on Capterra. Customers consistently praise comprehensive logistics management, transparent pricing, and exceptional customer support. Users highlight "ultra fast" and "super friendly" customer service as a significant competitive advantage. Some note initial setup complexity for advanced TMS features but appreciate the comprehensive onboarding support. 

Notable strengths: Exceptional customer service, simple and intuitive interface, powerful TMS capabilities, transparent pricing, free carrier integrations, carrier neutrality

Notable weaknesses: Not suitable for very small businesses, limited in eCommerce platform integrations, implementing outside of Europe can take a bit longer but is possible

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2. ShippyPro

Key features: Multi-carrier shipping automation, rate comparison, returns management, ERP integration

Best for: Mid-market European businesses with moderate shipping volumes requiring pure software solution

Overview

Italian-based shipping platform focusing on pure software model without rate reselling. Serves European mid-market and SMB companies with transparent pricing and carrier-neutral approach. They position themselves as tailored for high-volume B2B and B2C businesses.

Neutral vs Middleman

Completely neutral. ShippyPro requires you to have carrier accounts and uses only your negotiated rates. They explicitly state they don't offer shipping rates - you bring your own contracts.

Carrier Integrations

181+ carrier integrations covering major European, North American, and international carriers. Includes all major players like DHL, UPS, FedEx, plus extensive local European coverage.

New Carrier Integration Requests

ShippyPro regularly adds new carrier integrations based on customer demand and market needs. Recent updates in 2025 include multiple new carriers and services. While not explicitly offering unlimited free integrations, they demonstrate consistent expansion of their carrier library without additional customer costs.

Rate Management

Automated rate comparison using your uploaded tariffs and live API rates. Smart carrier selection based on cost, delivery time, and service requirements. Features ShippyPro Optimizer for analyzing carrier performance and controlling shipping costs.

Supported Freight Modes

Focused on parcel shipping. Limited support for heavier freight - primarily designed for courier and express services rather than palletized, LTL, or FTL freight.

Transport Management Features

None identified – pure eCommerce delivery management software focused on parcels. Basic delivery management features: label creation, tracking, returns management, live checkout rates, order management, basic analytics, carrier invoice analysis.

Website claims real-time tracking, which is likely a misuse of the “real-time” term (meaning you can literally see the location of the delivery vehicles in real time). There are few courier companies that provide this feature and for ShippyPro to have integrated real-time tracking from 181+ parcel couriers is likely not the case. However, they will have regular tracking from all or most of these couriers.

Regional Focus

European-focused with strong coverage of EU domestic and cross-border shipping. Supports multiple languages and local carrier requirements.

Pricing

Professional plan: €199/month (5 carriers, 2000 shipments/mo, 50% discount for annual billing). Same plan with 4000 shipments: €259/mo.
Enterprise plan: custom pricing for unlimited carriers. No setup fees or per-shipment charges.

Customer Reviews

Strong ratings: 4.6/5 on Capterra. Customers frequently praise ShippyPro's ease of use, carrier management capabilities, and cost savings. Users consistently highlight the platform's simple interface and strong API quality. However, several reviews mention concerns about billing practices, dashboard performance, and support responsiveness. A small number of critical reviews detail serious integration issues that caused significant business disruption.

Notable strengths: Easy carrier setup and management, high-quality API, cost savings and competitive pricing, intuitive interface, multi-carrier integration capabilities

Notable weaknesses: Slow dashboard loading times, limited email template customization, billing cycle transparency issues, inconsistent technical support quality, aggressive sales approach


3. ProShip

Key features: Enterprise shipping software, parcel and LTL support, carrier-agnostic platform, hazmat compliance

Best for: Large North American enterprises with high shipping volumes requiring strong parcel and LTL capabilities

Overview

Enterprise-grade shipping solution specializing in high-volume parcel and LTL. According to ProShip’s website, designed for companies processing 1,000+ packaged daily. They promote their sub-1-second rate shopping capability in warehouse environments.

Neutral vs Middleman

Completely neutral. ProShip explicitly states they don't negotiate or provide carrier rates. You use your own contracted rates or work with freight brokers of your choice.

Carrier Integrations

250+ parcel and LTL carriers, primarily focused on North America. Comprehensive coverage of US/Canada carriers with some international support through global express services. ProShip’s carrier library page only has 17 European carriers.

New Carrier Integration Requests

LTL carrier additions can be made upon request through ProShip and Banyan partnership or via the self-serve LTL Config App. Implementation typically requires enterprise agreements and technical coordination, making it more complex than plug-and-play solutions.

Rate Management

Fast rate shopping engine optimized for warehouse environments. You can upload your rates via a CSV file, map the data, and have your personal rates show up. Given the complexity and variance in roadfreight rate sheets between carriers, some rate sheets can be very difficult or impossible to map yourself. Supports complex routing rules, automated carrier selection logi, and dimensional rating.

Supported Freight Modes

Strong in parcels with solid LTL capabilities through partnership with Banyan Technology. Can compare parcel vs LTL for heavy shipments to optimize shipping modes. Limited freight capabilities beyond parcel and LTL.

Transport Management Features

While not a transport management software but an enterprise-grade parcel shipping software, ProShip is an enterprise-focused solution and does include some advanced capabilities like carrier-load balancing (making sure you hit UPS/FedEx volume quotas to maintain your discount), rate shopping, complex business rules, freight audit, dangerous goods (hazmat) shipping, customs compliance etc.

Regional Focus

Strongest in United States with some global enterprise deployments. Limited European carrier coverage compared to US market (just 17 European carriers).

Pricing

Enterprise licensing with significant upfront costs. No published pricing as is common with enterprise-focused software - requires sales consultation, and that usually means “very expensive”. Includes initial setup fees plus annual maintenance fees.

Customer Reviews

ProShip has positive and mixed reviews on Capterra (4.2/5). Users praise technical capabilities and powerful features but criticize poor customer support (3.7/5, example: “The most frustrating part is spending days answering questions that were answered either in the initial ticket or follow-up replies. I do not feel I am being overly harsh in saying our support experience has typically not been adequate for our needs as a business.”), long implementation times (1.5-2 years), and high initial and renewal costs. Some report the platform requires extensive technical setup and ongoing IT resources. A reviewer on Reddit said “We use ProShip for parcel shipments and it works well for that but we tend to force LTL through it and it isn’t made for it”.

Notable Strengths: Powerful enterprise features, high-speed processing, extensive customization, strong North American coverage

Notable Weaknesses: Very high costs, poor customer support, complex implementation, limited European focus


4. Shipmondo

Key features: Affordable pricing, simple multi-carrier shipping, Nordic carrier focus, basic automation

Best for: Small to mid-sized Nordic e-commerce businesses needing affordable shipping solution with decent middleman rates

Overview

Danish shipping platform targeting Nordic and European eCommerce SMBs. Offers mix of their own negotiated rates and support for customer contracts for an additional price.

Neutral vs Middleman

Mixed model. Free plan uses only Shipmondo's rates (middleman), meaning Shipmondo will earn a hidden commission from every shipment. Paid plans allow connecting own carrier agreements for €60 setup fee per carrier, but still charges per-label fees.

Carrier Integrations

51 carrier integrations focusing on Nordic and European markets. Covers major carriers like DHL, DPD, UPS, GLS, plus strong coverage of Scandinavian postal services.

New Carrier Integration Requests

Shipmondo regularly adds new carriers based on customer demand and market expansion. New carrier integrations are typically included in platform updates, but they do not talk about a case where a customer needs a totally new carrier integrated – points towards an as-is approach, meaning customers cannot be guaranteed to have all their preferred carriers integrated.

Rate Management

Basic rate comparison. Limited freight rate calculation capabilities - more of a label printing solution than comprehensive rate management system. When creating a shipment, you’re already choosing a carrier from a dropdown before seeing rates, indicating that rate upload, calculation and comparison is not a feature. Shipmondo does, though, show the final price after booking a shipment to a carrier.

Supported Freight Modes

Parcel shipping only. No support for LTL, FTL, or other freight modes like air, sea or rail - designed specifically for courier and express services.

Transport Management Features

As Shipmondo is a simple multi-carrier parcel shipping software for small Nordic and European businesses, it does not have any transport management features. It does have a few notable unique features, such as a warehouse picking with pick path optimization.

Regional Focus

Strong in Nordic countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway) with expanding European coverage. Interface available in multiple Nordic languages.

Pricing

Essentials: €14/month + €0.08 per label (max 2 own carrier agreements). Pro: €36/month + per-label fees (€0.03-€0.08 per label, unlimited own carrier agreements). Additional €60 setup fee per carrier.

Customer Reviews

Shipmondo has generally positive reviews on Trustpilot for customer support and ease of use. Users appreciate affordable pricing and strong Nordic focus but note basic functionality compared to more advanced platforms.

Notable Strengths: Affordable pricing, excellent Nordic coverage, good customer support, simple to use

Notable Weaknesses: Basic functionality, parcel-only focus, limited outside Nordic region


5. Shippo

Key features: API-first platform, transparent pricing, free tier, eCommerce integrations

Best for: Small eCommerce businesses and developers needing straightforward shipping API with optional discounted middleman rates

Overview

Developer-friendly platform offering both API and web interface. Provides transparent choice between their discounted rates and customer's own carrier contracts.

Neutral vs Middleman

Mixed with transparency. Free tier includes 30 labels using Shippo's middleman rates (they will earn commission from your shipments). Paid plans allow connecting own carrier accounts with no additional fees.

Carrier Integrations

Shippo doesn’t have the largest carrier library across competitors, but has 40+ carriers globally including all major US carriers, and global shipping with DHL Express, FedEx and UPS. Present, but not strong in Europe: does have 1-2 carriers in France, UK, Germany, Italy and Spain.

New Carrier Integration Requests

Shippo doesn’t explicitly accept requests for new carrier integrations, meaning customers will not have a guarantee that they can continue working with all their preferred carriers. Enterprise customers may have more “say” in new carrier integrations.

Rate Management

Simple rate comparison across available carriers. Basic but effective for typical eCommerce shipping needs.

Supported Freight Modes

Parcel shipping only. No freight capabilities, Shippo is designed for parcels and envelopes.

Transport Management Features

Shippo is a multi-carrier parcel shipping software and not a TMS. It’s designed for API-based multi-carrier parcel shipping.

Regional Focus

Global platform with strong presence in North America, and some presence in Europe and Australia. Good international shipping support with customs documentation.

Pricing

Free: 30 labels/month using Shippo middleman rates (Shippo will earn commission from each shipment). Pro plans: $19-199/month based on volume. Connecting own carriers free on paid plans, $0.05 fee on free plan. International address validation is $0.06/label.

Customer Reviews

Generally positive for ease of use, cost savings and good e-commerce integrations, while some reviews highlight more serious concerns about customer service quality particularly for complex shipping issues requiring carrier coordination: “[…] no remediation process if the shipping company loses your things. They also refuse to allow you to contact the shipping service directly”. Users describe customer support as "AI-generated, offering canned replies that rarely address the actual issue," and report some technical problems. Developers appreciate the clean API design.

Notable strengths: Excellent API, significant cost savings compared to ShipStation and competitors, seamless Shopify and e-commerce integrations, competitive carrier rates, clean user interface

Notable weaknesses: Poor customer service responsiveness and quality, technical reliability issues with invoices and tracking, subscription model transparency concerns


6. EasyPost

Key features: API-first, decent-sized carrier network, free tier, address validation

Best for: SMB online merchants’ technical teams needing a simple shipping API with minimal user interface requirements

Overview

API-focused platform designed for small to medium online merchants, with simplicity in mind. Offers decent carrier coverage with pay-as-you-go pricing model. EasyPost also has an enterprise offering.

Neutral vs Middleman

While, like most of their competitors, they do provide their own negotiated middleman rates (“slash shipping rates by 88%”), it appears they do not promote it as much as competitors. Therefore, primarily neutral with optional default accounts (where they will earn a commission per shipment). You can connect your own carrier contracts (with the “Bring Your Own Account” feature) or use EasyPost's default accounts in case their rates are more affordable for you.

Carrier Integrations

100+ carriers with US-focus but global coverage.

New Carrier Integration Requests

EasyPost doesn’t provide information regarding missing carrier integrations. They do imply that to request a missing carrier, you can contact the EasyPost support: “Find and select the desired carrier to connect. If it is not listed, contact Support”. Like most competitors, unless you’re an Enterprise customer, the list of integrated carriers is likely as-is, and some customers might not be able to use all the carriers they like.

Rate Management

API-based rate shopping with support for custom business logic. No built-in user interface - you build your own rate comparison tools. Rates are fetched from carrier APIs and no rate sheet upload, management and calculation features look to be available, which is common among competitors.

Supported Freight Modes

EasyPost supports parcel shipping only, they do not have any freight/LTL/air/sea/rail features.

Transport Management Features

As EasyPost is a multi-carrier parcel shipping API, there are no TMS features.

Regional Focus

Global coverage with US origins. International carrier support making it suitable for worldwide shipping operations.

Pricing

Similar model to Shippo. Free: 3,000 labels/month. After that, $0.05 per label plus optional services – 2 cents per domestic address verification (first one is free), and 6 cents per international verification. Creating and rating shipments in excess of 3x the number of labels purchased results in an overage charge of 2 cents fee per additional shipment created. Loading wallets from a credit card results in a 3.75% convenience fee deducted from the amount loaded.

The difference is that the “overage” fee of 5 cents per label is applied even when using EasyPost’s own negotiated middleman rates. They do earn most of their revenue by reselling their rates with parcel couriers to small customers.

Quite cost-effective for moderate volumes with clear fee structure. EasyPost’s pricing model doesn’t consider the number of API calls as ShipStation’s API (formely ShipEngine) does but just the pure number of labels, which can be more affordable for businesses with a high frequency of API calls.

Customer Reviews

EasyPost has mixed reviews (4.1/5) on Capterra and similar (4.2/5) on G2. Developers appreciate the clean API and documentation, competitive pricing, and broad courier network access. However, reviews consistently highlight customer support issues, with multiple users noting limited support hours and difficulty reaching human representatives. Technical feedback reveals API performance issues affecting business operations (EasyPost is based in the US and might push critical API updates mid-workday in Europe), and users frequently mention the lack of direct ecommerce platform integrations requiring workarounds for popular platforms like WooCommerce.

Notable strengths: Excellent API design and documentation, ability to use own carrier accounts, competitive pricing with no monthly fees, extensive global courier network, good address verification

Notable weaknesses: Requires development resources, no web interface, limited non-technical customer support availability and responsiveness, API performance degradation affecting service delivery, lack of direct eCommerce platform integrations, complex international shipping customization, prepaid funding model requirement


7. nShift

Key features: Enterprise delivery management, eCommerce, extensive integrated carrier network, Nordic heritage, omnichannel focus

Best for: E-commerce and retail businesses shipping high parcel volumes

Overview

Result of multiple acquisitions (Consignor, Unifaun, Transsmart), nShift offers comprehensive delivery management with a large integrated carrier network.

Neutral vs Middleman

Neutral platform using your own carrier contracts. No rate reselling - you maintain direct relationships with carriers.

Carrier Integrations

1,000+ carriers with one of the strongest coverages in Europe. Extensive parcel, postal, and some LTL freight carrier integrations. New carriers can cost €5,000-10,000 with long implementation times.

New Carrier Integration Requests

Adding entirely new carrier API integrations is possible, but complex and expensive with nShift. Adding new carrier API integrations can cost €5,000-€10,000 each and take months to implement.

Rate Management

Relies on a third-party partner called Libello for storing and calculating from custom tariffs. Can also pull rates directly from carrier APIs when available. The system supports at least 10 custom tariffs through Libello but may struggle with more complex rate structures. Lead time data also comes from Libello tariffs.

Supported Freight Modes

Strong in parcels with limited LTL/FTL capabilities. Primarily designed for parcel and express shipping rather than heavy freight.

Transport Management Features

While mainly a multi-carrier parcel shipping software and not a TMS, nShift has many enterprise customers and it does have some limited transport management capabilities, such as parcel delivery route optimization, rate sheet upload and calculation (via a partner Libello), automated carrier selection, transport cost prediction, dangerous goods shipping, CO2 emission calculation, and consolidation. For businesses needing TMS features, nShift has partnered with a large European TMS Transporeon, where nShift provides the parcel shipping and carrier integration capabilities, and Transporeon provides the FTL, planning and other transport management capabilities. Note that Transporeon is an enterprise-only solution with yearly fees often starting from six figures.

Regional Focus

European market leader, particularly strong in Nordic countries, UK, and Benelux regions. Limited presence outside Europe.

Pricing

Complex structure: €999-1,499/year base + €999-2,950 setup + €295/year per additional carrier beyond the 2 included. Real costs often at least €20,000+ annually. nShift charges a “carrier fee” of +2% of the platform fee per carrier integrated - effectively a surcharge for each carrier you connect, which is a unique pricing quirk.

Real-world example: For 15 carriers, 150,000 parcels, 3,000 pallets with Advanced package:
 
  • First year total: ~€21,600
  • Subsequent years: ~€15,700/year
 

Customer Reviews

Mixed to poor reviews: 4.0/5 in G2, 3.9/5 in Gartner Peer Insights, 1.2/5 in Trustpilot. Users appreciate nShift's extensive carrier network. Major support quality issues consistently reported. Users praise technical capabilities but criticize slow response times, poor issue resolution, and complex pricing structure. Customer service problems are nShift's biggest weakness.

Notable Strengths: Large carrier network, strong Nordic and European coverage, some LTL capabilities in addition to parcels

Notable Weaknesses: Poor customer support, complex pricing, difficulty and price of getting new carrier integrations, implementation challenges

Still comparing options?
Download our MCSS comparison checklist to to evaluate the different multi-carrier shipping software providers against your specific requirements.
Download our multi-carrier shipping software comparison checklist

8. ShipStation/ShipEngine

Key features: Extensive eCommerce integrations, automation rules, branded tracking, marketplace connectivity

Best for: US-based eCommerce businesses who need lots of features and marketplace integrations over cost optimization

Overview

Auctane-owned platform (formerly Stamps.com) focusing heavily on eCommerce marketplace integrations with emphasis on their discounted carrier rates. ShipStation is one of the largest eCommerce multi-carrier shipping platforms in the world.

Neutral vs Middleman

Primarily middleman model. Heavily promotes their "discounted" middleman rates, claiming up to 90% off UPS, USPS, FedEx DHL Express rates. Note that any customer singing a contract with these carriers will get a massive discount from the public “killer” rates. These types of shipping platforms make most of their revenue from hidden commissions, since you’re ordering transport from ShipStation, not your carriers. It’s possible to use your own rates, but it incurs penalty fees of $5-95/month depending on plan. For European companies, the penalty fee is €0.03-€0.05 per shipment for using own carrier agreements, and $0.08-$0.022 per shipment in Australia & New Zealand.

Carrier Integrations

48+ carriers with strong US focus. Includes major international carriers but limited local European coverage compared to European-native solutions. They are open to integrating new carriers.

New Carrier Integration Requests

Requesting new carrier integrations is not possible, likely except for ShipStation’s largest enterprise customers. If customers want to ship something with an unlisted carrier, they will have to just mark the carrier as “Other” and manually mark it as delivered.

Rate Management

Basic rate and delivery date comparison primarily designed to showcase their discounted rates rather than optimize across customer contracts. ShipStation does offer Checkout rates for their eCommerce integrations, which can be connected to live carrier rates, or be set as flat rates. Can only pull rates from carrier APIs, rate sheet upload and calculation is not possible.

Supported Freight Modes

Parcel shipping only. No freight capabilities - designed specifically for eCommerce parcel shipping.

Transport Management Features

Since ShipStation is an eCommerce multi-carrier parcel shipping software and not a TMS, it doesn’t have any transport management features. However, it’s one of the most feature-rich tools of its kind, and offers advanced features such as branded labels, tracking & returns portal, sales trend analysis, operations analytics, online store order management, automation rules etc.

Regional Focus

Strong US presence with some international coverage. Less suitable for European businesses due to limited local carrier support. Outside of the US, only France, Germany and the UK have some carrier integrations, as do Australia and New Zealand,

Pricing

Plans $9.99-399.99/month based on shipment volume, custom higher tiers on high-volume plans. In the US and Canada, an additional $5-95/month fee to use your own carrier rates, creating penalty for not using their middleman services. On a high volume plan in the US & Canada, each shipment you create with your own carrier accounts or with your own negotiated carrier rates (rather than ShipStation’s middleman rates) incurs a per-shipment penalty fee. A "shipment" includes any label, fulfillment, or order marked as shipped. On accounts in the UK, the per-shipment penalty fee is £0.03-£0.05 per shipment in the UK depending on the plan, €0.03-€0.05 per shipment in EU depending on the plan, and $0.08-$0.22 per shipment in Australia and New Zealand depending on the plan (https://help.shipstation.com/hc/en-us/articles/22354433862555-Shipment-Fees-by-Plan).

Customer Reviews

Good reviews for eCommerce integrations and automation features. Growing criticism for 2024 pricing changes and penalties for using own carrier contracts. Customer frustration increasing due to pricing complexity. The customer service and follow up could use some improvement. User interface is reported as more cumbersome than some competitors.

Notable Strengths: Long history and trusted name, lots of eCommerce integrations, powerful automation, marketplace connectivity

Notable Weaknesses: Penalty fees for own carriers, complex pricing, limited European coverage, pricing increases, customer service could be improved


9. Sendcloud

Key features: European parcel shipping, eCommerce integrations, branded tracking, returns management

Best for: European eCommerce businesses shipping moderate parcel volumes with willingness to use middleman rates

Overview

Sendcloud is a simple multi-carrier shipping software designed to simplify the shipping process for e-commerce businesses. It integrates with over 160 couriers and you can simply integrate it with your online store to quickly print labels from different parcel couriers. Sendcloud promotes their own middleman carrier rates, while allowing customers to use their own contracts as well. Strong in EU domestic shipping. Sendcloud fully supports shipping from 8 European nations: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

Neutral vs Middleman

Mixed model. Sendcloud promotes their own pre-negotiated shipping rates with various carriers, effectively acting as a middleman, or a 4PL provider. This can be a benefit to small businesses that do not have enough leverage to negotiate lower rates with carriers. Sendcloud can use their volumes to negotiate lower rates with carriers, add a margin (an estimated 10-20%) and resell it to you. Paid users have the option to use these rates or use their own negotiated rates. Providing a choice between their and your rates is great, but by definition, Sendcloud cannot claim to be completely neutral – they earn commission if you use their rates and will have an incentive to make you choose this option.

Carrier Integrations

160+ carriers with strong European coverage. Extensive parcel and express carrier network across EU markets.

New Carrier Integration Requests

Sendcloud is continuously working on integrating new national and international parcel carriers into their platform. However, the decision to integrate is entirely up to Sendcloud, and unless you’re an enterprise customer and are willing to pay tens of thousands per integration, you likely won’t have a way to request them to build a new carrier integration. They do explicitly state that the enterprise plan includes an on-demand carrier integration.

Rate Management

Sendcloud offers a freight rate management system, which differs from most competitors. Users can access rates for various shipping methods and compare pricing for domestic and international delivery options through their API. You can either use their pre-negotiated rates which they earn commissions from, or upload your own contracts and rates. The rate upload engine supports simple rate calculation without any complex routing, weight class rules or surcharges.

Users with direct carrier contracts can add their rates to their Sendcloud account and create labels using their contracted rates. However, if you have a direct contract with a carrier, the prices in Sendcloud will be displayed as €0 unless you upload your own prices. 

Supported Freight Modes

Sendcloud focuses solely on parcel shipping for online stores. You cannot use Sendcloud for Full Truckload (FTL), Less Than Truckload (LTL), air, rail or seafreight services.

Transport Management Features

Sendcloud functions as an eCommerce multi-carrier shipping platform rather than a full-scale transportation management system (TMS). It focuses on automating shipping processes, printing labels, tracking shipments, and integrating with e-commerce platforms. While it offers specific features for e-commerce shipping, it does not encompass the extensive functionalities of a traditional TMS.

Regional Focus

European-centric with strong coverage across EU markets. Multi-language support for major European languages.

Pricing

Lite: €29/month + €0.10/label. Growth: €89/month + €0.09/label. Premium: €175/month + €0.08/label. Additional €0.15/label penalty for exceeding plan limits on top of the original fee. Additional fees may apply in case of complex integrations, custom requests, or managed onboarding. When using Sendcloud’s middleman rates, the estimated commission is an additional 10-20% of your shipping costs. 

Customer Reviews

Mixed reviews: 3.2/5 on Trustpilot (2,844 reviews), 4.1/5 on Capterra (91 reviews). Users praise eCommerce integration and European coverage but criticize customer service quality and unexpected billing surcharges. High-volume customers report inadequate support for enterprise needs.

Notable Strengths: Strong European coverage, good eCommerce integrations, competitive rates for small businesses, user-friendly interface

Notable Weaknesses: Poor customer service for larger customers (long response times, response quality deterioration, difficulty resolving issues), billing issues (unexpected surcharges, price increates, lack of transparency)

Want to see how a truly neutral platform compares? Book a Cargoson demo to experience transparent pricing without hidden commissions.


10. AfterShip Shipping

Key features: Post-purchase experience, tracking suite, returns management, shipping module

Best for: Small/mid-market eCommerce retailers running a simple operation, needing a full post-purchase suite rather than standalone shipping software, but don’t have complex requirements such as integration with ERP systems or multiple locations.

Overview

Part of broader eCommerce platform focusing on post-purchase experience. Shipping functionality is one component of larger tracking and returns ecosystem. Main product is multi-carrier tracking, shipping module will not make sense for most businesses as a standalone solution, unless they’re using it as part of AfterShip’s full software suite.

Neutral vs Middleman

Mixed model with low transaction fees. Provides middleman “discounted shipping rates” when using AfterShip’s own carrier accounts. For an additional €0.01 per-label penalty fee, you can connect your own carrier accounts and use your own rates and avoid paying AfterShip’s hidden commisions. They promote the middleman rates less than other multi-carrier shipping software providers, and their per-label penalty for using own accounts is the lowest in the market.

The Essentials plan allows for only 1 own carrier account, Pro plan allows for 5 own carrier accounts and the Enterprise plan (custom high-tier pricing) allows unlimited own carrier accounts. 

Carrier Integrations

124+ carriers for shipping, 900+ for tracking. Good global coverage of major carriers with focus on eCommerce-relevant services.

New Carrier Integration Requests

AfterShip’s Enterprise plan includes a “custom carrier integration” feature – users on lower plans will have the carrier list as-is, high-paying customers will be able to request missing carrier integrations. The cost of new integrations is not disclosed.

Rate Management

Basic shipping rate comparison. Strength lies in post-purchase tracking and customer communication rather than shipping optimization. They do have a Rates API which can be used to show customers their shipping rates during checkout. The shipping rate is calculated based on the weight, size and destination address.

Supported Freight Modes

Parcel shipping only. No freight capabilities - designed for eCommerce package delivery and tracking.

Transport Management Features

AfterShip Shipping is the multi-carrier shipping portion of the broader AfterShip eCommerce post-purchase software suite, and is not a transport management software. It does have some useful features for eCommerce retailers:

  • Order tracking - comprehensive tracking across 900+ carriers
  • Customer notifications - automated tracking emails and SMS
  • Returns management - return portal for customers
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Label generation - basic multi-carrier label creation
  • Checkout integration - delivery options at checkout
Most companies loving AfterShip’s eCommerce features but needing to ship freight or have other TMS capabilities will have to implement a parallel TMS solution.

Regional Focus

Global platform with strong Asia-Pacific presence. Suitable for international eCommerce operations.

Pricing

Essentials: €11-99/month based on volume (100-5000 labels), 1 own carrier account. Pro: €89-579/month based on volume (2000-25000 labels), 5 own carrier accounts.. Enterprise: custom. Additional support costs 20-30% of subscription fee.

Note that each product of AfterShip’s suite, namely Tracking, Returns, Shipping, Reviews and Personalization will have their own separate pricing and the total costs can accumulate.

AfterShip’s competitor, WeSupply said the following about AfterShip’s pricing:

“[AfterShip’s p]ricing can vary based on the number of shipments and returns. Their most popular plan for shipping starts at $239 + $0.08/extra shipment and their return plan starts at $199 + $0.5/extra return. There is also an additional $5/month/user fee.

You are looking at around $450/month to get a somewhat decent basic tracking and returns solution.”

If you need more than 5 own carrier accounts, you will need the enterprise plan, which will cost more.

Customer Reviews

AfterShip has excellent ratings (4.9/5) on Capterra with 91% of users giving 5-star reviews. Customers consistently praise exceptional customer support, reliable tracking capabilities, and ease of integration. Users frequently highlight responsive customer service teams and effective shipping notifications that solve major communication pain points. However, some users find the interface overwhelming due to extensive features, and a few mention pricing clarity issues during the purchase process.

Notable strengths: Great customer support, reliable tracking, easy integration with ecommerce platforms, good shipping notifications, good developer documentation

Notable weaknesses: Complex UI, complex pricing, occasional technical setup difficulties for specific use cases, additional support cost


11. ClickPost

Key features: Enterprise logistics platform, 500+ carrier integrations, high-volume focus, India/Asia specialization

Best for: Very large enterprises shipping millions of parcels annually, particularly in Asian markets

Overview

Enterprise platform from India designed for massive shipping volumes with average customer shipping 1.3+ million parcels yearly. Strong focus on Asian markets and high-volume operations.

Neutral vs Middleman

Purely neutral platform. You bring your own carrier contracts - ClickPost provides the technology integration layer without handling shipping billing. Common for enterprise-focused platforms where customers have their own agreements with their carriers, and they cannot be “forced” to use middleman rates.

Carrier Integrations

500+ carriers with strongest coverage in India and Asia. Includes global carriers but limited European domestic carrier coverage.

New Carrier Integration Requests

ClickPost is an enterprise software, and they do fill custom requests. They say that they “deliver plug-and-play setups in under a day, and custom carrier integrations are completed in 14-60 days”. If a carrier is pre-integrated in ClickPost’s carrier library, you can start ordering within 24 hours, and if a carrier integration is missing, they will develop it within 2-8 weeks.

Rate Management

ClickPost does advertise their Real-Time Carrier Rate comparison feature, where you can choose the cheapest carrier for each shipment.

Supported Freight Modes

Parcel and express shipping focus. Designed for high-volume B2C delivery rather than B2B freight operations.

Transport Management Features

ClickPost is an enterprise multi-carrier shipping software for eCommerce retailers, and does not provide any transport management features. It does differentiate from competitors by handling NDRs (non-delivery reports) with AI: when such a message is received, a new delivery is arranged automatically. Also includes carrier performance analytics and automated routing optimization.

Regional Focus

India and Asia-Pacific focused with expanding global presence. May not be optimal for European businesses due to carrier coverage gaps.

Pricing

As an enterprise solution, pricing is not publicly disclosed, but expect higher costs than competitors.

ClickPost indicates "$250 minimum monthly billing per ClickPost user" in their FAQ. Their Capterra page lists $300 per feature, per month. These appear to be starting points.

The real costs run much higher. If their average customer ships 1.3 million parcels annually, and assuming a low rate of $0.05 per parcel, the typical shipper pays over $65,000 yearly. With multiple modules available, actual costs likely exceed this estimate.

Customer Reviews

ClickPost has good ratings (4.4/5) on Capterra and 4.7/5 on G2. Users consistently praise the exceptional customer service, noting they can easily reach anyone from account managers to executives for help. The platform handles multiple shipping carriers and returns management in one place, which users find valuable. However, many users struggle with the cluttered interface, describing it as overwhelming for new users with too much information presented at once. The extensive features create a steep learning curve, and users report that getting new functionality developed takes considerable time.

Notable strengths: Highly accessible customer support at all company levels, unified platform for shipping and returns management, strong carrier integrations, reliable API

Notable weaknesses: Overwhelming and confusing interface for new users, steep learning curve due to feature complexity, slow custom development timelines, information overload in dashboard design, pricing could be cheaper


12. Easyship

Key features: Cross-border shipping, fulfillment services, duty calculation, 550+ courier services

Best for: Small eCommerce stores needing fulfillment services and willing to pay significant middleman premiums

Overview

Hong Kong-based platform combining shipping software with 3PL warehousing fulfillment services (Easyship has their own network of 3PL fulfillment centers). Heavy emphasis on their discounted rates and fulfillment offerings.

Neutral vs Middleman

Mixed, but leaning towards primarily middleman model. Heavily promotes "up to 91% off" rates (using Easyship’s carrier contracts plus a hidden Easyship markup). Connecting own carrier accounts incurs additional penalty fees: €0.05 per label on free plan, €0.03-0.04 on paid plans, which makes it a mixed model, but Easyship prefers users to use their rates, since they can earn more commission with those than the €0.03-€0.05 per label when using own contracts.

Carrier Integrations

Claims 550+ courier services though this likely includes multiple services per carrier. Actual carrier count likely lower but still comprehensive global coverage.

Rate Management

Basic comparison designed to showcase their discounted rates rather than optimize customer contracts.

Supported Freight Modes

Parcel shipping only with emphasis on international cross-border eCommerce deliveries. Does include 3PL warehousing and fulfillment services.

Transport Management Features

Since Easypost is primarily a hybrid between a fulfillment service and a multi-carrier shipping software, it does not have any transport management features.

However, in addition to label generation, tracking and returns like other multi-carrier shipping software, Easyship has some fulfillment-focused capabilities:

  • Connected 3PL fulfillment warehouse network
  • Cross-border shipping and customs management
  • Automated tax and duty calculations

Regional Focus

Global with emphasis on cross-border shipping. Started in Asia (Hong Kong), expanded to Europe and US markets.

Pricing

  • Free: 50 shipments using their middleman rates, 0 own courier accounts. 
  • Plus: €29/month, 500 shipments, 1 own carrier account, €0.05/label penalty for using own carrier rates.
  • Premier: €69/month, 2,500 shipments, 2 own carrier accounts, €0.05/label penalty for using own carrier rates
  • Scale: €199/month, 10,000 shipments, 3 own carrier accounts, €0.03/label penalty for using own carrier rates.
  • Over 10,000 shipments a month is an enterprise plan, where you have to contact them for custom pricing.

Customer Reviews

Easyship shows a significant gap between platforms: good ratings on Capterra (4.3/5) but poor ratings on Trustpilot (2.1/5). Users appreciate competitive international shipping rates and platform integrations. However, Trustpilot reveals serious customer service problems with users reporting it's "absolutely impossible to get to speak to a human" and describing support as "slow and cheap." One user summarized: "when the shipping process is smooth, Easyship is easy to deal with. But if you have any type of hiccup, you're screwed because there's nobody to speak to."

Notable strengths: Competitive international shipping prices, multiple carrier options, e-commerce platform integrations, works well when processes run smoothly

Notable weaknesses: Slow and low-quality customer support


13. ShippingEasy

Key features: Basic USPS/UPS rates shipping, eCommerce integrations, marketing tools, beginner-friendly interface, good support

Best for: Very small US-based eCommerce businesses wanting to ship with USPS/UPS/FedEx/DHL Express without having their own contracts with these carriers

Overview

Simplified version of ShipStation targeting entry-level users. Sister company to ShipStation/ShipEngine/Stamps.com (all owned by Auctane) with focus on ease of use over advanced features.

Neutral vs Middleman

Mixed, but primarily middleman model similar to ShipStation. Promotes their discounted USPS/UPS middleman rates. Also has a Bring Your Own Carrier add-on that customers can buy. Using own carriers incurs penalty fees: $5-80/month depending on plan, or $0.08 per label for unlimited plans.

Carrier Integrations

Only 6 carriers: USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL eCommerce, DHL Express, and GlobalPost (owned by parent company Auctane). Very limited compared to competitors.

New Carrier Integration Requests

It is not possible to request new carrier integrations. ShippingEasy’s aim is not to offer the widest possible range of carrier integrations or integrate whichever carriers their customers like, but to make shipping with major carriers easier and offer their own discounted middleman rates.

Rate Management

Basic label creation focused on their provided middleman rates rather than uploading, managing and comparing your own rates.

Supported Freight Modes

Parcel shipping only with no freight capabilities.

Transport Management Features

ShippingEasy is among the most basic and simple multi-carrier shipping software – therefore doesn’t have any transport management features. Does have good eCommerce integrations, return portal and other marketing features for small online retailers.

Regional Focus

United States only. Not suitable for European operations due to lack of local carrier support.

Pricing

Free: 25 shipments/month. Paid plans ranging from: $19.99-$189.99/month based on volume (26-10,000 shipments per month).

Additional penalty fees for using own carrier accounts with the “Bring Your Own Carrier” add-on: $0.08 per label (fixed amount for volume-limited plans).

Most of their revenue coming from commissions from using their negotiated rates. 

Customer Reviews

Has an excellent Capterra rating of 4.8/5. Customers are very small businesses or individual operators, and they appreciate the discounted UPS and USPS rates that they otherwise couldn’t negotiate with the carriers directly by themselves. The top two things customers love about ShippingEasy are their excellent customer support (4.9/5, quick to respond, friendly, professional, always resolve the issue) and ease of use (4.7/5). Customers also like their reliable eCommerce platform integrations. Limited by narrow carrier selection and US-only focus.

Notable Strengths: Easy to use, excellent customer support, affordable for basic needs, good eCommerce platform integrations

Notable Weaknesses: Limited carrier selection, US-only, basic functionality


14. Pirate Ship

Key features: USPS and UPS discounts, simple interface, free platform, fun pirate-themed branding

Best for: Very small US-based eCommerce retailers or individuals who cannot negotiate their own rates with USPS/UPS and appreciate good customer support

Overview

Free postage reseller platform focusing exclusively on USPS and UPS with emphasis on customer service and simplicity. Similar to ShippingEasy in its simplicity, good customer support and basic functionality. Uses a fun pirate theme for branding and customer communication.

Neutral vs Middleman

Pure middleman model. You cannot connect your own carrier accounts - must use their pre-negotiated USPS and UPS rates exclusively.

Carrier Integrations

Only 2 carriers: USPS and UPS. No other options available, making it the most limited platform in this list in terms of carrier integrations.

New Carrier Integration Requests

It is not possible to request new carrier integrations. Pirate Ship is solely focused on USPS and UPS.

Rate Management

No rate management - you use their fixed rates for the two supported carriers.

Supported Freight Modes

Parcel shipping only within USPS and UPS service offerings.

Transport Management Features

Pirate Ship is the simplest and most basic multi-carrier shipping software in this list and therefore doesn’t have any transport management features.

Regional Focus

United States exclusively. No European or international operations support beyond USPS/UPS international services.

Pricing

Free platform - you only pay shipping costs through their carrier accounts. No subscription or per-label fees, but they earn revenue via hidden USPS and UPS commissions.

Customer Reviews

Has an excellent Capterra rating of 4.9/5. Customers are very small businesses or individual operators, and they appreciate the discounted UPS and USPS rates that they otherwise couldn’t negotiate with the carriers directly by themselves. Businesses will eventually outgrow Pirate Ship. However, customers appreciate Pirate Ship’s fun and excellent customer support (4.9/5, quick to respond, friendly, professional, always resolve the issue), ease of use (4.9/5), accurate tracking, ease of comparing UPS and USPS rates, and low UPS and USPS rates. Limited by very narrow carrier selection and US-only focus.

Notable Strengths: Easy to use, excellent customer support, simple UPS and USPS rate comparison, affordable for basic needs

Notable Weaknesses: Limited carrier selection, US-only, basic functionality, harder for a company or larger team to use


15. LetMeShip

Key features: German-based 4PL services, freight forwarding, pallet and parcel shipping, pure middleman

Best for: Small European businesses needing to ship parcels, pallets or hazardous goods preferring full 4PL service with some control over carrier selection

Overview

German-based 4PL service offering shipping portal rather than true software platform. Acts as freight forwarder with digital booking interface. Compared to other solution, includes some freight services such as airfreight, pallet and hazmat (dangerous goods) shipments.

Neutral vs Middleman

Pure middleman/4PL model. You cannot use your own carrier contracts - all shipping goes through LetMeShip's agreements with carriers.

Carrier Integrations

Some European carriers through LetMeShip's freight forwarding contracts:

DHL Express, DHL GoGreen, DHL Freight, SkyNet, Chronopost, Correos Express, FedEx, UPS, TNT, DSV, Overnight, GLS, Hermes, DPD, GEL, Hellmann, Seur, Austrian Post.

You don't have direct relationships with carriers.

New Carrier Integration Requests

As a 4PL service, LetMeShip handles carrier relationships and may add new partners based on business needs, but customers cannot request specific carrier integrations. LetMeShip also offers a full freight forwarding service where they can potentially use other carriers outside of the integrations.

Rate Management

No rate management capabilities - you use LetMeShip's pre-negotiated middleman rates exclusively. However, you can compare all their prices, carriers and services at a glance.

Supported Freight Modes

Supports parcels, pallets, hazardous goods, refrigerated goods,  and some air freight and sea freight through their 4PL services.

Transport Management Features

As a 4PL service, LetMeShip’s platform doesn’t provide any transport management features. Users can order a personal freight forwarding service and receive a cross-carrier consolidated invoice at the end of each month.

Regional Focus

Central Europe with operations in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Benelux, and Spain.

Pricing

As LetMeShip is a pure 4PL service with some additional freedom in carrier selection, access to the platform is free - you pay shipping costs and LetMeShip earns their income through embedded margins in these transport prices.

Customer Reviews

LetMeShip has limited presence on major review platforms but shows consistently positive feedback where available. OMR Reviews shows good ratings (4.6/5, 14 reviews) and Google reviews are great (4.8/5) praising LetMeShip’s personalized service. Users consistently praise the platform's simplicity and dedicated account management, with customers noting excellent communication and quick problem resolution. However, users mention pricing concerns, describing it as "simple and reliable, but a bit expensive," and some note the limited number of logistics providers for comparison.

Notable strengths: Personalized customer service with dedicated account managers, simple and intuitive platform, price transparency across multiple carriers, excellent support for international shipping, time-saving unified booking system

Notable weaknesses: Limited online review presence for comprehensive assessment, higher pricing compared to some alternatives, limited logistics provider selection for comparison

Still not sure which multi-carrier shipping software is right for you? Talk to our logistics experts → for a free, 30-minute consultation.

Summary and Recommendations

Key selection criteria

When choosing multi-carrier shipping software, evaluate these factors:

Neutral (carrier-agnostic) vs middleman model: Neutral platforms like Cargoson, ShippyPro, and ProShip use your carrier contracts without hidden commissions. Middleman platforms often advertise their platform as free and massive discounts from major parcel carriers, and they earn from hidden shipping margins. As a Reddit user effectively summarized: 

"Postage resellers like ShippingEasy or Ship[S]tation might have problems with shipments like delays and undelivered packages that are difficult to handle. Once you contact the reseller's support regarding these issues, you will only get a solution once they contact the carrier and find the issue. This might take 4-5 days and may not come with proper results. So it's better to have a direct account with shipping carriers like FedEx, UPS, USPS, DHL. […] As your relationship matures with the shipping carrier, they will start recognizing you and provide better-negotiated shipping rates."

True total cost: Don't forget to include all costs: platform fees, per-shipment charges, add-ons, and hidden commissions. A "free" platform charging 10-20% commission on shipping can cost 10x more than transparent software fees.

Carrier coverage: Ensure the platform supports your required carriers and freight modes. European businesses need strong EU carrier coverage. In addition, most multi-carrier shipping software providers do not offer to integrate any and all carriers their customers need, but offer the carrier list as-is or just take into account customers’ requests without guaranteeing integrations. Other providers do offer this feature, but you will often need to be a high-paying enterprise customer, or will have to pay a 5-6 figure sum for each integration, and wait for a long time for the development.

Freight capabilities: Most platforms handle only parcels, which is understandable given their target market of small to mid-sized eCommerce shippers. B2B shippers often need LTL, FTL, and freight management capabilities.

Regional focus: Choose platforms optimized for your geographic region and carrier ecosystem. Many platforms offer the major US-based carriers with some European coverage, which makes it less ideal for European shippers.

Support quality: Customer support varies dramatically. Check recent reviews on review sites like Capterra, G2, Gartner Peer Insights, Trustpilot, Google etc (most multi-carrier shipping software are in only one or a few of these review platforms). We advise to just Google “[Software name] reviews” and find the first 1-3 review sites that have enough user ratings and reviews.

Implementation difficulty: Enterprise platforms may require significant setup time and technical resources. Small businesses or individuals have an easier time implementing very simple middleman platforms like ShippingEasy or Pirate Ship.

Multi-Carrier Shipping Software Recommendations by Business Type

Large European enterprises: Cargoson offers comprehensive TMS capabilities with transparent pricing. nShift provides extensive carrier coverage but has documented support issues.

Mid-market European manufacturers: Cargoson or ShippyPro provide good value with carrier neutrality and transparent pricing.

Small European eCommerce: Shipmondo or Shippo offer affordable options with acceptable middleman rates for low volumes.

US-based eCommerce: ShipStation despite penalties, or Shippo for better API integration. ShippingEasy and Pirate Ship for very small US businesses or individuals.

Developers/API-first: EasyPost provides excellent API with minimal interface requirements.

Enterprise high-volume (10,000+ shipments/month): Avoid middleman platforms due to commission costs. Choose neutral platforms like Cargoson, ProShip, or nShift.

Very small businesses (under 500 shipments/month): Consider middleman platforms if their bulk rates beat your negotiated rates, but calculate total costs carefully. A “free” platform often hides their margin into shipping costs.

The multi-carrier shipping software market clearly divides between 1) neutral platforms focused on software value, and 2) middleman services that operate as rate resellers, almost 4PL with additional eCommerce features. For small online stores just starting out, the middleman platforms will likely offer better rates than you could negotiate yourself. However, for most European B2B shippers, transparent neutral platforms offer better long-term value and control.