Introduction
Shippo stands out as one of the best multi-carrier shipment tracking software. It has a number of exclusive solutions like — shipping API, carrier integration, discounts on shipping services, integrated tracking, label generation, etc. You might find them helpful. It’s also true that Shippo offers shipping insurance and eases the international shipping process by generating custom forms and commercial invoices.
Despite offering all of these, it’s not always the best option, especially when you want a more seamless shipping process. For example, it lacks advanced features such as failed & fake delivery management and automated solutions for returns management. In fact, it has complex API integration and limited carrier partners (85+).
Hence, you need to opt for Shippo competitors and alternatives that provide better functionality and are also cost effective at the same time. Here, after testing dozens of multi-carrier shipping software and shifting through customer feedback, we’ve listed the top Shippo competitors that provide a bunch of advanced solutions with fair pricing. Let’s start!
Top 10 Best Shippo Competitors & Alternatives [2024 List] (Reviews, Features, Pros, Cons)
It can be tough to choose the right shipping service for your business. With so many options available, it can be hard to know which is the best fit for your needs. In this blog post, we'll take a look at some of the top Shippo competitors and alternatives. We'll also discuss some of the features that set Shippo apart from the competition. If you're looking for a new shipping solution, this post is definitely for you!
1) ClickPost
Overview:
ClickPost is a leading expert in logistics and supply chain management platform making it a highly favored shipping software for ecommerce businesses. ClickPost aims to optimize shipping operations, enhance the post-purchase experience and streamline end-to-end logistics.
This is achieved by providing one of the best and most customizable integrated tracking and notification solutions in the industry. ClickPost also has robust and automated exception resolution workflows.
These workflows reduce WISMO calls and significantly improve customer experience. ClickPost can also automatically process return and exchange requests through returns management. The parameters for these can be customized according to the product or product category.
Features:
- Over 150+ shipping carriers to integrate with, plus new integrations in record speed, as well as a marketplace and storefront integrations.
- Your ecommerce business can view, track, and manage all your orders from a unified dashboard.
- One API integration that handles order creation, waybill generation, shipping label printing and order preparation.
- Dual API integrations that ensure all tracking updates are sent in real-time to customers.
- Tracking updates are sent via a branded tracking page that offers intelligent product recommendations as well as SMS, email, and Whatsapp.
- Shipping exceptions are auto-resolved with a streamlined NDR management protocol.
Pros: In addition to an easily navigated shipping platform, ClickPost also offers the fastest carrier integrations for international shipping.
Cons: Large and medium enterprises alone can get the most benefit using ClickPost.
2) ShipStation
Overview:
ShipStation is an American multi-carrier shipping software. It helps with carrier, supply chain, and inventory management. ShipStation is integrated with over 70 carriers and also supports multi-channel inventory synchronization.
Even though they provide robust shipment management features, ShipStation lacks some important features like exception handling and NDR management. The lack of these features turn many online sellers towards ShipStation alternatives.
Features:
- Provides a multi-carrier shipping platform with 70 different carriers and sales channels to integrate with.
- This shipping platform can easily appraise stocks using multi-channel inventory synchronization methods.
- Provides discounted shipping rates for shipping labels and bulk shipping label printing.
- Displays order tracking updates on a branded tracking page.
- ShipStation enables shipping labels and returns portal to be customized and branded.
Pros: ShipStation makes stock appraisal and inventory management an easy task.
Cons: Users report numerous glitches while using ShipStation’s platform with minimal support.
3) ParcelPerform
Overview:
ParcelPerform is a smart shipping software operational in the US that helps ecommerce businesses manage data as well as perform order tracking functions.
ParcelPerform is integrated with 600+ carriers and lets an ecommerce business maintain independent SLAs (Service Level Agreements) with third party logistics providers. They also provide a logistics data toolkit that can be used to gain insights into the shortcomings of your shipping process.
Features:
- Over 600 Integrations with various global carriers and ecommerce partner platforms.
- ParcelPerform provides tracking notifications to customers via email and SMS updates as well as on a branded tracking page.
- Customer queries are more efficiently dealt with using a customer service toolkit.
- Analytics reports are provided regularly to ensure shipping performance is monitored and improved.
Pros: ParcelPerform is excellent at helping ecommerce businesses reduce WISMO calls and improve responsiveness to carriers.
Cons: ParcelPerform is known for having a glitchy platform that is difficult for large enterprises to use.
4) Narvar
Overview:
Narvar is an extremely well-known shipping software that helps ecommerce businesses in the US provide a better post-purchase experience for customers. It provides freight services like air shipping, land freight, etc.
It is mostly focused on providing features tailored to small and emerging ecommerce businesses. This often proves to be a bottleneck when the businesses grow. Therefore, enterprise grade businesses or online stores witnessing exponential growth must explore competitors of Narvar.
Features:
- Over 350 integrations with carriers, selling channels, storefronts, and other ecommerce partner platforms.
- Order tracking updates are sent automatically via SMS, email, and branded tracking page to customers.
- Offers a customizable returns portal for managing returns and exchange requests.
- Offers Concierge Services, enabling orders to be delivered at concierge centers of the customer's choice.
Pros: Narvar enables greater customization options for returns and the use of concierge services.
Cons: Narvar does not provide tracking updates in real-time which is highly disadvantageous.
5) WeSupplyLabs
Overview:
WeSupplyLabs is a company that provides shipping software for ecommerce businesses and is based out of Philadelphia. It ensures the automation of shipping functions. WeSupplyLabs also enables you to track and manage orders across multiple carriers and platforms from a unified dashboard.
They also provide some standout features, like the ability to initiate self-service pickup requests, with the option of in-store or curbside pickup. Even though they are reliable in terms of features, the operational costs are a bit higher than the competition.
Features:
- Over 100 integrations with carriers, storefronts, and ecommerce support platforms.
- Automated tracking notifications & estimated delivery date shared with customers.
- This smart shipping software enables the use of a branded tracking page in addition to a branded returns portal.
- Customers can opt for either curbside pick up or store pickup.
Pros: WeSupplyLabs helps to improve customer experience through careful branding of portals
Cons: Integrations with carriers through WeSupplyLabs are extremely slow.
6) EasyShip
Overview:
EasyShip provides software for shipping management that provides discounted shipping rates and helps in order management. They are focused on providing access to cost-optimized and discounted shipping rates. Apart from the basic features like order tracking and shipping label generation, they also provide some features for global shipping like tax and duty calculation utilities.
Features:
- Over 250 Integrations with global carriers, selling channels and marketplaces.
- Lets you compare shipping rates before selecting a cost-effective carrier for an order.
- Checkout conversions are increased with the help of dynamic checkout rates.
- Provides a single platform for printing shipping labels as well as managing and tracking orders.
Pros: EasyShip provides a simple and easily-navigable website for order management.
Cons: In the case of large order volumes, EasyShip’s platform has technical limitations.
7) Convey
Overview:
Convey is a shipping software based out of the US that enables better predictive analysis to improve customer experience and multicarrier integration. They enable you to engage with customers by providing automatic and customized tracking notifications. Despite their focus on intelligent logistics, Convey lacks features like exception handling and end-to-end supply chain management.
Features:
- Multiple integrations with global carriers and ecommerce partners.
- Estimated delivery date can be predicted and then displayed to customers on the ecommerce platform.
- Tracking notifications are automatically pushed to customers when updates are available.
- Shipping operations are regularly optimized through predictive analytics.
Pros: Response times to queries can be improved through Convey’s predictive analysis
Cons: Shipping exceptions management and branding are not the focuses of Convey.
8) AfterShip
Overview:
AfterShip is an integrated shipment tracking platform that lets you view your courier shipments, AWBs, and customs declarations data in one convenient location.
AfterShip supports over 500 couriers worldwide, including Australia Post, Aramex, DHL Express, FedEx, EMS, UPS, USPS. AfterShip aggregates the shipments from all these different carriers into a single dashboard with a standardized interface. AfterShip can be installed on any website or used as a web widget.
Features:
- Provides automatic notification via email and SMS if there is a delay in the delivery of the package.
- AfterShip provides data analytics based on your shipment and delivery data. Predictive analysis, including delivery date prediction, is also available.
- Their widgets can add order tracking and order history pages to your website without any coding.
- Offers custom domains and SSL certification for branded tracking pages.
Pros: AfterShip is integrated with a large number of carriers.
Cons: Lacks specialized features like automated exception management workflows. Ecommerce companies looking to reduce RTOs and manage NDRs can checkout AfterShip competitors like ClickPost.
9) MetaPack
Overview:
Metapack is a leading delivery management software in the European market. They are a cloud-based service and are integrated with 400+ carriers and 350,000+ storage facilities worldwide. They provide customs documentation support, shipping label creation features, and analytics reports.
MetaPack is primarily focused on helping ecommerce businesses grow rapidly by increasing conversion rates.
They do this by providing ecommerce businesses access to one of the world’s largest networks of shipping service providers. This enables ecommerce businesses to provide the right shipping options at checkout, resulting in more sales.
Features:
- Provides automatic carrier selection based on their proprietary algorithms.
- MetaPack can help generate shipping labels and companies can allow their customers to print labels from home.
- Helps reduce WISMO calls due to their simple and comprehensive tracking updates.
- Provide self-return options to your customers, with dedicated drop-off locations.
Pros: Provides some standout features like access to storage, pick-up, and drop-off locations.
Cons: Has limited serviceability in the US and Asia regions.
10) EasyPost
Overview:
EasyPost is a multi-carrier shipping API plugin. EasyPost allows its customers to use a single API to integrate with multiple carriers worldwide. This lets ecommerce businesses skip the hassles of complicated integration and onboarding processes.
This integration enables ecommerce businesses to shop for the lowest shipping rate for a given shipment. Therefore EasyPost is an excellent tool if your first priority is a cost-effective shipping service.
Features:
- Provides integrated shipping, tracking, and address validation API across major carriers.
- Uses its database of orders to provide cost-optimized and on-time shipping options.
- Allows businesses to print shipping labels instantly from a dedicated tool.
- Provides the option to purchase shipping insurance.
Pros: Provides a unified API across multiple carriers. It can be easily integrated into your website.
Cons: EasyPost is primarily focused on providing cost-effective shipping. This might not be suitable for your business if you want to provide excellent shipping.
How to Choose the Best Shippo Alternatives and Competitors?
When you are looking for the best Shippo alternatives and competitors, it is necessary to consider your current pain points. Further, is important to note the shortcomings of the Shippo platform that are apparent in your use case and the unique requirements of your business.
We have consolidated some major factors to consider while choosing a Shippo alternative. These will serve as reference points for you to better understand the factors you need to consider.
1) Shipping Management Software Cost and Pricing
The upfront cost or the subscription-based pricing model is an important factor to consider. It is equally necessary to consider the pricing model. While some software has tier-based pricing, others will charge you some amount for each order processed.
You need to look at the volume of orders that your business is processing and the shipping costs it will incur. Also, keep future expansion in consideration.
You should also look at the shipping pricing options offered. Cheaper shipping costs, if offered, can often offset the cost of the software and result in some savings for your business.
2) Customer Support
Customer support is something you will need at every stage of your business. Right from the initial onboarding to technical glitches, proactive customer support will always make a difference.
The best way to gauge customer support is to look at the reviews of the software. Some options on our list also provide real-time customer care, while others guarantee a response in a certain timeframe. It is always better to opt for the options that provide real-time support.
Inactive customer support can lead to prolonged downtime for your store in case of glitches. This leads to a loss of revenue and also erodes trust in your business.
3) Exception Handling Features
A few shipping and delivery exceptions will invariably occur. A robust exception management workflow decides the difference between delayed and failed delivery. A failed delivery, apart from impacting your revenues and inventory, also impacts the customer’s confidence in your business.
Apart from exception handling workflows, a proper tracking and notification service can also reduce delivery exceptions significantly. Notifying customers about the correct delivery date and any delays in shipping will help to ensure a well-executed delivery at the first attempt.
Predictive analysis, if available, can help in this regard by providing more accurate delivery date estimations and by predicting possible delays.
4) Reliability and Stability of Shipping Processes
A shipping software handles one of the most critical parts of your business. Therefore the overall reliability and stability should be one of the top considerations.
Instability in your shipping software will lead to downtime for your entire store. This will also lead to a large spike in cart abandonment.
Glitches in the shipping software leading to the assignment of the shipment to a subpar carrier, wrong estimated delivery dates, and missed shipping updates can wreak havoc with your customer experience. This will severely bring down the overall customer satisfaction rating and reduce repeat customers.
5) Order Tracking Features
Proper order tracking and notification features keep you in constant touch with your customers. This is one of the most powerful marketing avenues.
This is because this both assures the customer of a well-executed shipment and also advertises your business. If customized tracking notifications are available, this can also be used to subtly upsell products.
Order delivery is the only physical interaction your customer is going to have with your business. Customers are generally also excited about the impending delivery. Therefore keeping the customer updated and in the loop during the product shipment makes sense.
6) Choice and Allocation of Carrier
A subpar shipping and delivery experience endanger the most important part of your customer service. A wide range of carrier selection ensures that you get cost-optimized shipping and enables you to opt for carriers that have better service in a certain geographical region or niche.
But only having a wide range of carrier integration is not enough. The shipping software you are opting for needs to have a robust carrier recommendation algorithm.
Most Shippo alternatives and competitors use their proprietary AI-driven algorithms to make carrier recommendations. They take several factors into consideration and recommend an appropriate carrier.
7) Integration with Your Existing Ecosystem
Do check if the software provides proper integration with the shipping partners you are already using. You also need to look at the miscellaneous costs associated with migrating to another shipping management software and the future prospects of your business.
If you look at the growth of ecommerce businesses in recent times, you will realize that your business is likely to follow the same trajectory. Make sure that the software you are choosing will not pose a bottleneck when your business expands.
Final Words
Although Shippo is a great shipping software, there are other competitors on the market. If you are looking for a shipping solution, it is important to do your research and compare all of your options before making a decision.
We hope this article has been helpful in giving you some information about Shippo and its competitors. Have you tried any of these other tools? Let us know in the comments below
FAQs
1) Which Is The Best Shippo Competitor?
Shippo is just one out of many eCommerce shipping software that automates shipping processes. If choosing the best Shippo alternatives and competitors, the top names in the list are 1) ClickPost, 2) Narvar, 3) Convey, 4) Aftership, 5) ShipStation, and 6) WeSupplyLabs.
ClickPost and Convoy are the best alternatives when it comes to post-purchase customer experience and visibility tracking. Hope on WeSupplyLabs if you’re looking for shipping operation optimization, while cost-effective logistics is the forte of ShipStation.
2) What Is Shippo?
Shippo is a SaaS (Software As a Service) company that provides shipping management and multi-carrier integration software to ecommerce businesses. There are over 85 carriers that can be integrated with Shippo. Through this app, shipping labels can be printed and shipping rates of different carriers can be compared so that cost-effective carriers can be selected for each order.
3) How Do You Track An Order With Shippo?
Shippo enables you to integrate with multiple carriers at once. Once the integration has been completed, you can track the order with Shippo using the designated identification code of the order. When entered into the Shippo Tracking page, the order, its status, and other details are all displayed.
4) When Should I Start Looking For Shippo Alternatives?
The best time to start looking for a Shippo alternative is when your order volumes have stopped growing but your customer experience is starting to take a dip.
At this point in time, you need a Shippo alternative that provides more holistic services that go beyond order fulfillment and enable you to customize the experience for each customer as well as deal with issues in the post-purchase customer experience.
This means dealing with shipping exceptions and return exceptions, handling delays, and getting actionable insights to improve and optimize shipping operations.