Best Shipping Software for Small Businesses in 2023
This article is part of a larger series on Retail Management.
Small businesses can bolster their shipping process by using shipping software to compare rates, generate labels, organize orders, and more.
The best shipping software integrates directly with your ecommerce platform and other necessary tools, like your inventory management software or point-of-sale (POS) system. It should also have robust order management features, generate helpful reports, and provide high-quality customer support. Additionally, the best shipping solutions will provide discounts on standard shipping rates—making in-house fulfillment much more affordable—although this feature typically comes with a monthly fee.
Based on our evaluation of features, pricing, functionality, ease of use, and our own experience, the best shipping solutions are:
- ShippingEasy: Best overall shipping software for small businesses
- Ordoro: Best for high-volume sellers seeking a multipurpose tool
- Easyship: Best for crowdfunding campaigns
- ShipStation: Best for companies scaling to meet shipping demands
- OrderCup: Best for small-scale sellers and ecommerce beginners
- Shippo: Best for international shipping
Best Shipping Software Compared
Free Plan | Paid Plan Pricing | Mobile App | Inventory Management | Customer Support | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
✓ (25 shipments/month) | $19.99–$159.99 | ✕ | ✓ (add-on) | M–F 5 a.m.–5 p.m. Pacific time | |
✓ (unlimited shipments/month) | $59–$149 | ✕ | ✓ (only available on Premium plan) | M–F 7 a.m.–5 p.m. Pacific time | |
✓ (50 shipments/month) | $29–$69 (custom pricing available) | ✓ | ✕ (third-party integrations available) | 24/7 | |
✕ | $9.99–$229.99 | ✓ | ✓ (included in all plans) | M–F 6 a.m.–6 p.m. Pacific time | |
✓ (50 shipments/month) | $25–$180 | ✕ | ✕ (third-party integrations available) | Daily 7 a.m.–6 p.m. Pacific time | |
✓( best for 60 shipments/month) | $10–$200 (custom pricing available) | ✕ | ✕ (third-party integrations available) | Daily 6 a.m.–6 p.m. Pacific time | |
ShippingEasy: Best Overall Shipping Software
Pros
- Affordable, competitive pricing
- Easy-to-use, intuitive interface
- Robust marketing tools
- High-level reporting and analytics
Cons
- No mobile app
- Limited dropshipping functionality
- Restricted customer support on ‘Starter’ plan
ShippingEasy Pricing
- Free Starter Plan: 25 shipments, 1 user
- Growth: $19.99/month, 200 shipments,
- Basic: $29.99/month, 500 shipments,
- Plus: $49.99/month, 1,500 shipments
- Select: $69.99/month, 3,000 shipments
- Premium: $99.99/month, 6,000 shipments
- Enterprise: $159.99/month, 10,000 shipments
30-day free trial
Custom pricing available
Read our full ShippingEasy review for more information
Ordoro: Best Shipping Software for High-volume Sellers Seeking a Multipurpose Tool
Pros
- Robust dropshipping integration and functionality
- Best inventory and order management features
- Supplier and vendor management capabilities
Cons
- No mobile app
- Limited sales channel allowance on all plans
- Many key features only available on Pro plan ($499/month)
Ordoro Pricing
- Essentials: Free, 1 sales channels, 1 user
- Advanced: $59/month, phone support, analytics
- Premium: $149/month, integration access
15-day free trial
Unlimited sales channels and orders on all plans
Custom pricing available
Read our full Ordoro review for more information
Easyship: Best Shipping Software for Crowdfunding Campaigns
Pros
- Cloud-based platform accessible from desktop or mobile app
- Competitive, affordable pricing
- Robust features for crowdfunding campaigns
- 24/7 customer support
Cons
- Limited range of paid plans
- No option to add additional users
- Can’t connect with peripheral hardware like scanners and scales
ShippingEasy Pricing
- Free Starter Plan: 50 shipments, 1 user
- Plus: $29/month, 500 shipments, 3 users
- Premier: $69/month, 1,500 shipments, 5 users
- Enterprise: Custom pricing and features
14-day free trial
Unlimited store/channel allowance on all plans
ShipStation: Best Shipping Software for Companies Scaling to Meet Shipping Demands
Pros
- Works with 53 shipping carriers, plus 250+ other integrations
- Mobile app for iOS and Android
- Intuitive interface
- Powerful returns management features
Cons
- No free plan
- Poorly reviewed by users
- Inaccessible customer support
ShipStation Pricing
- Starter: $9.99/month, 50 shipments, 1 user
- Bronze: $29.99/month, 500 shipments, 1 user
- Silver: $59.99/month, 1,000 shipments, 2 users
- Gold: $99.99/month, 2,000 shipments, 3 users
- Platinum: $149.99/month, 5,000 shipments, 5 users
- Enterprise: $229.99/month, 7,500 shipments, 10 users
30-day free trial
Unlimited store/channel allowance on all plans
Read our full ShipStation Review for more information
OrderCup: Best Shipping Software for Small-scale Sellers & Ecommerce Beginners
Pros
- Free starter plan
- Exceptional customer support 7 days/week
- User favorite in reviews
- Easy to get started
Cons
- Limited scalability
- Rudimentary features
- Narrow reporting capabilities
OrderCup Pricing
- Free: 50 shipments, 1 user
- Short: $25/month, 500 shipments, 1 user
- Tall: $45/month, 1,500 shipments, 2 users
- Grande: $65/month, 3,000 shipments, 3 users
- Venti: $95/month, 6,000 shipments, 5 users
- Trenta: $180/month, 12,000 shipments, 12 users
30-day free trial
Unlimited store/channel allowance on all plans
- Add additional users to any plan for $5–$10/month
- Premium Support add-on is available for $50/month or $500 annually. Includes toll-free phone support and priority responses.
Read our OrderCup review for more information
Shippo: Best Shipping Software for International Shipping
Pros
- Wide range of plan options
- Extensive list of native integrations
- Helpful features for managing international orders
Cons
- Starter plan isn’t really free; you have to pay 5 cents/label
- Can’t connect with peripheral hardware like scanners and scales
- No mobile app, web app isn’t mobile-friendly
Shippo Pricing
- Starter: $0/month, 5 cents/label, 1 user
- Professional: 9 paid plans ranging from $10/month for 60 shipments to $200/month for 10,000 shipments, 5 users.
- Premier: custom pricing and features, 15 users
30-day free trial
Unlimited store/channel allowance on all plans
Read our full Shippo review for more information
Methodology: How We Evaluated Shipping Software
We compared a lineup of the most popular ecommerce shipping solutions, looking for high-performing functions, an intuitive interface, effective customer support, and additional features that go beyond the scope of shipping.
To find the best shipping software for small businesses, we prioritized economical pricing and factors that contribute to overall ease of use. Our ecommerce experts also weighed in with their assessments of each provider.
Based on our criteria, ShippingEasy is the best shipping management software for small businesses, earning the highest overall score according to our grading system (4.2 out of 5). ShippingEasy’s economical plan pricing, discounted shipping rates, robust features, and excellent ease of use make it the best choice for online sellers.
Click through the tabs below for our full evaluation criteria:
20% of Overall Score
This criterion considers whether each provider offers a free starter plan, and assesses the range of paid options available.
The contenders were graded on how competitively priced their plans are. We considered the features and benefits available at each pricing tier, and docked points for limits on the functionality of lower-level options.
We only featured recommendations that support your own negotiated rates with UPS, FedEx, and DHL, and offer heavily discounted USPS Commercial Plus rates. The top-ranking providers on our list give users multi-carrier discounts.
20% of Overall Score
We looked at the availability of key functions that maximize efficiency and accessibility for businesses of all sizes. This includes features like batch capabilities, label printing, CSV entry, and peripheral hardware compatibility.
Providers were also evaluated on the number of prebuilt integrations offered, access to an open API, sales channel allowance, and automation capabilities.
20% of Overall Score
This score considered the standard features of each shipping solution—including reporting/analytics, returns management, outbound email notifications, and user management options—and assessed how well they work. Shipping software with robust, well-developed features was awarded the most points.
The best shipping tools are multi-taskers that save you time and money by handling functions outside of shipping management, so we also evaluated each provider on their dropshipping, order management, inventory management, and marketing features.
20% of Overall Score
We evaluated each company for its user interface by considering how intuitively it works, reported uptime, site speed, and the learning curve to start.
This factor also looked at the amount of learning resources available from each company—including webinars, demo videos, blogs, FAQs, case studies, libraries, guides, calculator tools, and forum activity.
Lastly, customer service accessibility was weighted heavily to provide the best recommendation. We considered hours of availability, contact methods, location of support staff, and quality of service.
20% of Overall Score
This score combined our ecommerce experts’ final evaluations of value, ease of use, and stand-out features with scores from real-world users. We combed through thousands of reviews to identify consistent pain points and high-performing features of each tool.
Small Business Shipping Software Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Click through the content below to get answers to some of your most frequently asked questions about small business shipping software.
What is shipping software?
At its core, shipping software is a solution that enables users to create and print shipping labels from their home, office, or warehouse. Most shipping solutions also include related features to compare rates, manage orders, and generate reports.
How does shipping software help?
Shipping software allows ecommerce businesses to efficiently manage shipments by organizing orders, comparing up-to-date rates from multiple carriers, automating tasks, and providing insights.
Plus, you can skip the post office by purchasing and printing labels directly from your computer.
How much does shipping software cost?
Like many ecommerce tools, shipping software is typically available as a SaaS subscription, billed on a monthly basis. The cost varies from free to hundreds of dollars per month, and it usually doesn’t require a contract.
The monthly cost of shipping software usually depends on the number of shipping labels and user accounts you need.
Bottom Line
Comparing rates among multiple carriers is the only way to ensure you’re getting the best shipping cost on every package you send. Using shipping software is the most efficient way to accomplish that—and also manage your shipments, organize orders, track inventory, and more.
Taking all details into account, ShippingEasy is our overall pick for the best shipping software for ecommerce sellers. Its affordable paid plans offer impressive functionality across a host of helpful features—delivering the shipping and order management tools that multichannel sellers need to grow at the best price.