5 Best Shipping Software for Small Businesses 2022
Updated: Dec 5, 2022
Hi small business owner! You’re here because you’re looking for shipping software that makes your life easier. After all, that’s what shipping software is designed to do. But how do you know which one is best? Here, you’ll find 5 of the best shipping software platforms for small businesses. And after reading this post, you’ll know which platform is the right fit for you.
What is eCommerce Shipping Software and How Does it Work?
Shipping software is designed to make shipping simple. It gives users an easy way to manage orders, compare the best shipping rates, and print labels. And it allows you to do this all from your own home.
The smart people that create shipping software make everything easier through automations. Automations mean that tasks that are usually done by you, are done for you. Automatically. As a result, everything is a lot quicker and there’s much less effort needed on your part.
Example here 👉: Without shipping software, you would have to trawl through carrier websites to find the best rates. Just imagine it - hours of research and 100’s of tabs open. However, shipping software would automatically show you the best available rates. Simple.
Why Do I Need Shipping Software and How Does it Help My Small Business?
Shipping platforms make small business owners' lives so much easier. They automate tasks and save you hours by doing things you’d usually do yourself. For example, you can print labels at home. As a result, you can ditch going to the post office. Yey! And you can stop typing in every single customer's order info. Why? Because shipping software allows you to import their info and fills it in for you.
You’ll also be able to get large discounts on shipping labels if you use shipping software. And to add to that, they’ll show you the best available rates from carriers. So you’ll know that you’ll always be getting the best deal possible.
There are a ton of ways shipping software makes life simpler for small sellers!
The 5 Best Shipping Software for Small Businesses 2022
1. Ship.com
Ship.com’s shipping software was designed for small businesses. For just $19, small sellers can ship 500 packages with ease. And for only $29, they have access to unlimited shipping. That includes heavily discounted shipping labels with UPS and USPS. As well as cubic discounts. Ship.com’s free starter plan also has access to carrier discounts. Among other shipping software in this post, it’s the most affordable for small sellers. Plus, the option of unlimited shipping for $29 makes it the ideal choice for scaling a small business.
The Ship.com platform is super easy to use. Users can print shipping labels in just 3 clicks. And they can even request home pick-ups in just 2 clicks. This way, they save up to 90 minutes per week and avoid post office queues! The slick automations take away the need for users to enter order info themselves and save so much time. A simple layout and robust features for order and inventory management make the platform a winner. Ship.com also easily integrates with major eCommerce platforms like Spotify, Square, PayPal, and Etsy.
In addition to ace shipping software, Ship.com’s paid plans also have handy small business tools. This includes an invoicing tool, an email marketing tool with templates users can tweak to their liking, and a simple customer rewards tool. And they manage to be comprehensive, while also not being too techy or complex.
Ship.com also offers quick customer support via live chat, email, and phone. As well as a large knowledge library with helpful articles and answers on FAQ’s.
Ship.com Pricing
Starter Plan: Free for 20 shipments per month.
Growth Plan: $19/month for 500 shipments.
Executive Plan: $29/month for Unlimited Shipments.
Free Starter Plan:
Yes, for up to 20 shipments per month.
Free Trial Length:
14 days.
Pros:
Integrates with major eCommerce platforms such as Spotify, Square, PayPal, and Etsy.
Heavy discounts on UPS and USPS labels, as well as cubic discounts.
Unlimited shipping for $29/month.
500 shipments for just $19/month most affordable for small business owners.
Ability to request next day pickup from home in just 2-clicks.
Access to customer support via live chat, email, and phone.
Additional small business tools including an invoicing tool, email marketing tool, and rewards tool
Simple layout and features for order and inventory management that are easy to use.
Can quickly print shipping labels in 3 clicks.
Slick automations for all plans that take away the need for manual data entry.
Cons:
No international shipping
2. Shippo
Shippo integrates with over 80 shipping carriers and eCommerce platforms. With their shipping software, you can expect discounted rates with UPS, USPS and DHL Express. They also have a large range of pricing plans to select from. And, if you’re shipping abroad, they have pre-filled custom forms to make the process simpler.
Shippo doesn’t offer an entirely free starter plan. It is free if you use their default carriers. However, if you use your own carriers, there’s an extra charge of 5 cents per label. Their starter plan is also missing key automations that make shipping easier. The software also lacks features for inventory and order management.
To add to this, Shippo’s pricing is a lot more costly when compared to other shipping software. Shippo charges $50 for 451-750 shipments. Whereas Ship.com charges $19 for 500 shipments and $29 for unlimited shipping. Plus, if you only want to ship 500 packages, you’ll be paying for an extra 250 shipments that you don’t need.
Shippo Pricing:
Starter Plan: $0/month but 5 cents per label.
Professional Plan: Varying paid plans from $10/month for 60 shipments to $200/month for 10,00 shipments. Shippo charges $50 for 451-750 shipments and $75 for 751 - 1750.
Premier Plan: Custom pricing and features.
Free Starter Plan:
No - conditional charges apply.
Free Trial Length:
30 Days.
Pros:
Discounted rates with UPS, USPS & DHL Express.
Integrates with over 80 carriers and eCommerce platforms.
Pre-filled customs forms for simple overseas shipping.
Starter plan is free if you use Shippo default carriers.
Larger range of plans.
Cons:
Starter plan is not free if you use your own carrier.
Starter plan has no automations.
Lacks features for inventory and order management.
Prices are a lot higher than other platforms like Ship.com and ShippingEasy.
User reviews say Shippo web app is not mobile-friendly.
No phone customer support.
3. ShippingEasy
ShippingEasy has solid features for managing your orders and inventory. And the software integrates with 60 eCommerce platforms. That includes Shopify, Etsy, PayPal and eBay. Their users also have access to discounted shipping labels for UPS and USPS. As well as discounted dimensional prices for USPS priority mail.
ShippingEasy also offers a pretty good customer marketing tool. Plus, if you’re ever in a pickle, email, chat, and phone support is on offer to users on their $29 basic plan.
That being said, users on ShippingEasy’s Starter Plan only have access to customer support via a public forum. And unlike other platforms in this post, ShippingEasy does not offer a mobile app. For new users, the software can be difficult to learn and get used to at first. Users have also reported issues with connecting their eCommerce platforms.
ShippingEasy Pricing:
Free Starter Plan: 25 shipments.
Basic Plan: $29/month for 500 shipments.
Plus Plan: $49/month for 1,500 shipments.
Select Plan: $69/month for 3,000 shipments.
Premium Plan: $99/month for 6,000 shipments.
Enterprise Plan: $159/month for 10,000 shipments.
Free Starter Plan:
Yes, for up to 25 shipments per month.
Free Trial Length:
30 Days.
Pros:
Discounted labels for UPS and USPS, as well as discounted dimensional prices for USPS Priority Mail.
Integrates with 60 eCommerce platforms including Shopify, Etsy, PayPal and eBay.
Good Email Marketing Tool with customizable templates.
Ability to connect thermal printers, scales, and scanners with ConnectEasy app.
Email, chat, and phone support to basic level users.
Comprehensive features for order and inventory management.
Cons:
No mobile app.
Starter Plan users only have access to customer support via public forum.
Learning curve to get started with software.
Reported issues with connecting integrations.
4. EasyShip
EasyShip is known for features that make international shipping easier. They have discounts with several global carriers. The EasyShip software also has a feature that automatically creates tax and customs forms for shipping abroad. And if you’re a paid user, you can access 24/7 customer support through live chat.
However, Easyship lacks solid features for managing orders and inventory. To add to that, users on their free plan will be missing the ability to automatically sync their orders.
If you’re shipping over 500 items, EasyShip begins to get costly. Their premier plan for 1,500 shipments is $69, which is a lot more than similar plans from Ship.com and ShippingEasy. Plus, users may end up paying for more shipments than they need, as their plans lack flexibility.
EasyShip Pricing:
Starter Plan: Free, 50 shipments per month.
Plus Plan: $29/month for 500 shipments.
Premier Plan: $69/month for 1,500 shipments.
Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing and features.
Free Starter Plan:
Yes, for up to 50 shipments per month.
Free Trial Length:
14 days.
Pros:
Discounted shipping rates from USPS, UPS, FedEx and numerous global carriers.
Can be used on desktop or mobile.
24/7 customer support through live chat for paid users.
Automatically creates tax and customs documents for shipping abroad.
Cons:
No automatic order sync with free plan.
Features for inventory and order management lacking.
Limited flexibility with pricing plans can result in users paying for more shipment allowance than they need.
Costly for small business owners shipping over 500 shipments at $69.
5. ShipStation
ShipStation is probably the most well-known company in this blog. They have over 350 integrations with other eCommerce and shipping platforms. As well as a handful of partnerships with carriers for international shipping. Plus, they also have pretty good features for managing returns too.
On the other hand, ShipStation doesn’t offer a free plan. Their pricing starts at $9.99. And once you get over the 500-shipment mark, things start to get pricey pretty quickly. The next available plan is $99.99 for 2,000 shipments. In addition to this, phone support is only available on the highest tier plan at $229.99 per month.
In the past year, user reviews of ShipStation have also shown consistent problems with software bugs. As well as a lack of available customer support.
ShipStation Pricing
Starter plan: $9.99/month for 50 shipments.
Bronze Plan: $29.99/month for 500 shipments.
Gold Plan: $99.99/month for 2,000 shipments.
Enterprise Plan: $229.99/month for 7,500 shipments.
Free Starter Plan:
No. ShipStation plans start from $9.99 per month.
Free Trial Length:
30 days.
Pros:
Discounted USPS, UPS, and DHL Express Worldwide shipping labels.
Over 350 integrations with other eCommerce and shipping software.
Mobile app to track and manage shipments.
Solid features for returns management.
All ShipStation plans include branded labels and packing slips.
Large library of help guides for different integrations.
Cons:
No free plan
No affordable options for small businesses that ship under 500 shipments.
Phone support only available on scale plan for $140.
Pricing plans are more costly compared to other shipping software.
User reviews in the past year show frequent issues and bugs.
Reviews also suggest lack of customer support.
Choosing your Shipping Software - Think About Your Needs Now and For the Future
When looking for shipping software, you need to weigh up what’s currently best for your small business. But you also need to think about the future. What will your company need going forward? If your sales grow, you’re going to be shipping more. As a result, you’ll be busier. And you’ll have more to do in your day to day.
So, you’ll need to select a shipping platform that’s for now and for then. You want it to be affordable with a lot of great features for now. Then, when you break over the 500 shipments mark, you want something robust that won’t break the bank. As well as software that takes care of the busy work and has great customer support.
Conclusion - Why We Think Ship.com is the Best Option for Small Online Sellers
This is why we believe Ship.com is the perfect option for small online sellers. Right now, you can ship up to 500 packages a month for just $19. Among the other options given in this blog, it’s the cheapest way to ship up to 500 packages. It’s ideal for small operations.
You’ll also have access to the lowest UPS & USPS rates available. As well as the use of Ship.com’s invoicing, email, and customer loyalty tools to grow your business.
Then, when you start shipping over the 500 mark, you’ll have access to unlimited shipping for $29. So, as your business grows, you could ship 1500 items for $29. Or 3000 items for… well, still $29. And you’ll still have full access to the best discounts and small business tools.
To add to that, you’ll also have comprehensive customer support, including live chat and phone support. All of this, still for just $29.
Want to try the Ship.com platform and make shipping simple?