Shipping & Rates
Stop overpaying for shipping. Compare, automate, and save 20-40% per shipment.
Whether you ship 50 parcels a week or 50 containers a month, the right shipping tool finds the best rates, automates label creation, and handles customs — so you can stop juggling carrier portals.
You're probably experiencing this right now
You default to one carrier because comparing rates across UPS, FedEx, and USPS takes too much time. You're likely overpaying by 20-40% on every shipment.
You email 10 freight forwarders for a single quote, then wait 3-5 days for responses that are hard to compare because everyone formats differently.
International customers abandon checkout when they see 'Shipping: Calculated at next step' — because you can't show the total landed cost upfront.
Quick Comparison
From parcel-level rate comparison to enterprise freight visibility — see how 5 shipping platforms compare on scope, pricing, and best-fit scenarios.
| Tool | Shippo | Easyship | Freightos | Flexport | project44 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $0/month + per-label cost (Starter plan) Pay-as-you-go (no monthly fee) | $29/month (Plus, 500 shipments) Free for 50 shipments/month | Per-shipment (varies by route/volume) Free to search and compare quotes | Custom (varies by route/volume) No free tier | Custom (enterprise; typically $50K+/year) No free tier |
| Best For | Brands with existing order management who just need shipping | Brands doing 20%+ international orders | Brands importing containers from overseas manufacturers | Mid-market to enterprise brands importing 10+ containers/year | Enterprise shippers with 1,000+ monthly shipments |
| Rating | ⭐ 4.4/5 G2 • 700+ reviews | ⭐ 4.6/5 Shopify App Store • 1,500+ reviews | ⭐ 4.5/5 G2 • 400+ reviews | ⭐ 4.2/5 G2 • 250+ reviews | ⭐ 4.4/5 G2 • 500+ reviews |
| Setup Time | 15-30 minutes | 30-45 minutes | 15 minutes (registration) | 1-2 weeks (onboarding) | 4-12 weeks (enterprise deployment) |
| Platform Support | ShopifyWooCommerceBigCommerce+4 | ShopifyWooCommerceBigCommerce+4 | Web platform — no ecommerce cart integration needed | Custom integrationNetSuiteSAP+1 | E2openBlue YonderSAP+2 |
| Visit | Website → | Website → | Website → | Website → | Website → |
Which One Should You Choose?
The right shipping tool depends on what you ship (parcels vs pallets vs containers), where you ship (domestic vs international), and your volume.
You need affordable domestic shipping with no monthly commitment and great API access
Pay-as-you-go, 85+ carriers, up to 80% off retail rates
You ship internationally (20%+ of orders) and need landed cost at checkout to reduce cart abandonment
Best-in-class international: duties + taxes + shipping calculated pre-checkout
You import containers/pallets from overseas and need to compare freight forwarder quotes instantly
75+ forwarders, instant quotes, free to search — transforms a 2-week process into 30 seconds
You want a full-service freight partner to handle everything — not just software, but actual logistics
End-to-end managed freight with best-in-class visibility platform
You're an enterprise with 1,000+ monthly shipments across multiple modes (ocean/truck/rail/parcel)
Most comprehensive carrier network with AI-powered ETA predictions
Deep Dive — Full Reviews
Shippo
Multi-carrier shipping API with the best rate comparison for SMBs
Shippo is a shipping platform that connects businesses to 85+ global carriers through a single API and dashboard. Unlike ShipStation (order management + shipping), Shippo is shipping-first: its core strength is real-time rate comparison across carriers, discounted commercial rates (up to 80% off retail), and a developer-friendly API that powers shipping for thousands of ecommerce platforms and marketplaces.
Key Features
- •85+ carrier integrations (USPS/UPS/FedEx/DHL/regional)
- •Real-time rate comparison across all carriers
- •Discounted rates up to 80% off retail (pre-negotiated)
- •Batch label printing with address validation
- •Branded tracking pages and customer notifications
- +3 more features
Pros
- ✓Best pay-as-you-go model — no monthly fee for Starter
- ✓Excellent discounted rates (often better than ShipStation)
- ✓Clean, modern API for custom integrations
Cons
- ✗Lacks order management features (order import only)
- ✗No inventory management or multi-warehouse routing
- ✗International features less mature than domestic
- ✗Limited automation rules compared to ShipStation
Best For
- ▶Brands with existing order management who just need shipping
- ▶Developers wanting to build custom shipping flows via API
- ▶SMBs wanting low-commitment, pay-as-you-go pricing
Not Ideal For
- ▶Brands needing order management + shipping in one (use ShipStation)
- ▶High-volume shippers wanting deepest FedEx/UPS negotiated rates
- ▶Brands needing extensive automation rules
Easyship
International shipping made simple — instant landed cost calculation
Easyship specializes in cross-border ecommerce shipping. Its standout feature is the ability to show customers the total landed cost (product + shipping + duties + taxes) before checkout, eliminating the #1 reason for international cart abandonment. With 250+ courier solutions and warehouse hubs in 6 countries, Easyship is the go-to platform for brands that ship globally.
Key Features
- •Landed cost calculator (duties + taxes + shipping) pre-checkout
- •250+ courier solutions worldwide
- •Global warehouse network (US, UK, EU, AU, HK, SG)
- •Tax and duty automation with IOSS/DDP support
- •Automated customs documentation generation
- +2 more features
Pros
- ✓Best-in-class international shipping features
- ✓Landed cost pre-checkout reduces cart abandonment dramatically
- ✓Warehouse network enables cost-effective global fulfillment
Cons
- ✗Domestic shipping features less differentiated vs Shippo
- ✗Free tier very limited (50 shipments)
- ✗Global warehouse network adds complexity to returns
- ✗Pricing can be opaque on higher tiers
Best For
- ▶Brands doing 20%+ international orders
- ▶Brands that need landed cost shown at checkout
- ▶DTC brands expanding from US to EU/APAC markets
Not Ideal For
- ▶Domestic-only US shippers (overkill — use Shippo or ShipStation)
- ▶Very small brands (50-shipment free cap is tight)
- ▶Brands that don't want to manage multi-country inventory
Freightos
Digital freight marketplace — instant ocean & air freight quotes
Freightos is the world's largest digital freight marketplace, connecting importers and exporters with freight forwarders. Instead of emailing 10 forwarders for quotes, you get instant, comparable rates from 75+ vetted providers on one screen. It covers ocean (FCL/LCL), air freight, and trucking — effectively Expedia for freight shipping.
Key Features
- •Instant freight quotes from 75+ forwarders
- •Ocean (FCL/LCL) + air freight + trucking
- •Online booking and shipment management
- •Real-time container tracking
- •Customs clearance services included
- +2 more features
Pros
- ✓Transforms a 2-week quoting process into 30 seconds
- ✓Transparent pricing — no hidden forwarder markups
- ✓Excellent for comparing ocean vs air tradeoffs
Cons
- ✗Not for parcels — focused on pallet/container-level shipping
- ✗Minimum shipment size too large for small DTC brands
- ✗Forwarder quality varies — still need due diligence
- ✗Platform can't solve physical freight problems (port delays, etc.)
Best For
- ▶Brands importing containers from overseas manufacturers
- ▶Wholesale/distribution businesses moving pallet+ shipments
- ▶3PLs managing inbound freight for multiple clients
Not Ideal For
- ▶Small parcel shipping (use Shippo/Easyship/ShipStation)
- ▶Brands that only ship domestically
- ▶DTC brands without freight-level volume
Flexport
Full-service digital freight forwarder with end-to-end supply chain visibility
Flexport is a tech-enabled freight forwarder that combines a modern digital platform with physical logistics services. Unlike Freightos (marketplace), Flexport is the actual service provider — they manage your ocean, air, and truck freight end-to-end with real-time visibility, proactive exception management, and integrated customs brokerage. Think of it as 'freight forwarding, but with a great UI.'
Key Features
- •End-to-end managed freight forwarding
- •Real-time shipment tracking with milestone alerts
- •Integrated customs brokerage and compliance
- •Inventory financing and trade credit options
- •Carbon visibility and offset program
- +2 more features
Pros
- ✓Best-in-class visibility platform for freight
- ✓One provider for ocean + air + truck + customs (reduces coordination)
- ✓Proactive exception management (they catch issues before you do)
Cons
- ✗Premium pricing vs traditional forwarders
- ✗Minimum volume requirements (too large for small brands)
- ✗Vendor lock-in concerns (harder to switch than marketplace model)
- ✗Recent layoffs and restructuring raise stability questions
Best For
- ▶Mid-market to enterprise brands importing 10+ containers/year
- ▶Companies needing trade financing alongside freight
- ▶Brands that value visibility and service over lowest price
Not Ideal For
- ▶Small brands importing a few pallets per year
- ▶Price-sensitive shippers who can manage forwarder relationships
- ▶Parcel-level shipping (not the right tool at all)
project44
Enterprise supply chain visibility — track every shipment across every mode
project44 is the leading real-time supply chain visibility platform for enterprises. It connects to 175,000+ carriers globally to provide live tracking across ocean, air, rail, truckload, LTL, and parcel — all in a single dashboard. It uses AI to predict delays and ETAs, enabling logistics teams to proactively manage exceptions rather than react to them.
Key Features
- •Real-time multi-modal tracking (ocean/air/rail/truck/parcel)
- •175,000+ carrier connections globally
- •AI-powered ETA predictions with 95%+ accuracy
- •Automated exception detection and alerting
- •Carrier performance scorecards and analytics
- +2 more features
Pros
- ✓Most comprehensive carrier network in visibility category
- ✓AI ETA predictions are genuinely accurate and valuable
- ✓Multi-modal — single pane of glass for all freight modes
Cons
- ✗Enterprise pricing — prohibitive for SMBs
- ✗Complex implementation (months, not days)
- ✗Overkill unless you're managing 1,000+ shipments/month
- ✗ROI requires existing logistics team to act on insights
Best For
- ▶Enterprise shippers with 1,000+ monthly shipments
- ▶Companies with multi-modal supply chains (ocean + truck + rail)
- ▶Logistics teams needing exception management at scale
Not Ideal For
- ▶SMBs or mid-market brands (price and complexity)
- ▶Companies that only use one carrier for one mode
- ▶Teams without logistics analysts to leverage the data
How to Reduce Shipping Costs (Without Negotiating Carrier Contracts)
Most brands overpay for shipping not because of bad rates, but because of bad process. Follow these 4 steps to cut costs before you ever talk to a carrier rep.
Always compare rates — never default to one carrier
A single carrier is rarely the cheapest for every package. A 3-lb box going 200 miles might be cheapest with USPS; a 15-lb box going 2,000 miles might be cheapest with FedEx Ground. Tools like Shippo and Easyship compare all carriers in real-time.
Right-size your packaging
Dimensional weight pricing means oversized boxes are expensive boxes. If your product fits in a 10×8×4 box but you use 12×10×6, you're paying for air. Audit your packaging sizes quarterly — the savings compound.
Show landed cost at checkout for international orders
The #1 reason international customers abandon carts is uncertainty about total cost. Easyship's landed cost calculator shows duties + taxes + shipping before checkout. Brands using this see 15-30% higher international conversion.
Use shipping data to negotiate with carriers (or switch 3PLs)
After 3 months of shipping data, you have leverage. Show carriers your volume by zone and weight. Ask for a custom rate quote. If your 3PL marks up shipping 20%, use your data to negotiate or find a 3PL with transparent pass-through rates.
Pro Tip
Don't optimize shipping in isolation. A 3PL in a strategic location can reduce your Zone 8 shipments (most expensive) by 60%. Sometimes the best shipping savings come from choosing the right warehouse location, not the right carrier.
3PLs in strategic shipping locations
These fulfillment providers are located in logistics hubs that reduce time-in-transit and shipping costs for major population centers.
Shipping rates are only half the equation
A great shipping rate doesn't matter if your 3PL takes 2 days to pick and pack every order. Find a 3PL that's fast AND cost-effective.
Browse 3PL Directory →