How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Postage is billed on top of every subscription here, so compare the monthly fee plus the label rate, not the monthly fee alone.
- Pirate Ship and Veeqo suit low-volume sellers best, since both avoid a monthly fee for basic label printing.
- Shippo and ShippingEasy suit small US sellers who want discounted rates with little setup.
- Easyship suits international sellers who need many couriers, customs paperwork, and checkout rate options.
- Ordoro and ShipHero suit sellers who also need inventory, warehouse, or dropshipping features, not just labels.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Shippo | discounted rates with simple setup | Free | Yes |
 EasyPost | shipping API and rate shopping for developers | See website | See website |
 Pirate Ship | free USPS and UPS labels for small sellers | Free | Yes |
 Easyship | international shipping and customs | Free | Yes |
 Ordoro | shipping plus inventory and dropshipping | See website | Yes |
 ShippingEasy | simple automation for small US sellers | $19.99 per month | Yes |
 Veeqo | free multichannel shipping and inventory | Free | Yes |
 ShipHero | warehouse shipping for growing brands | See website | No |
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
The best ShipStation alternatives
#1Shippo
Best for: discounted rates with simple setup4.2/5 on
G2 (77 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit goshippo.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Shippo is the easiest switch for a small seller who wants discounted carrier rates without learning a complex system. Connect a store, import orders, compare rates, and print labels in a few steps. The free starter plan covers a limited number of labels each month, which suits a new store testing demand.
As volume grows, the limits and feature gates matter. Branded tracking and some automation features sit on paid plans, and returns handling is simpler than in a dedicated returns tool. Choose Shippo when the priority is getting labels out quickly at a discount, with an API available later if the business builds custom flows.
What we like- Free starter plan with discounted rates
- Simple label workflow
- API for custom builds
Watch out for- Returns are label-based without a full portal
- Advanced features need a paid plan
#2EasyPost
Best for: shipping API and rate shopping for developers4.2/5 on
G2 (122 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit easypost.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planSee website
EasyPost is for teams that build shipping into their own product or internal system. One API covers rate comparison, label creation, and tracking across more than 100 carriers, which saves a team from integrating each carrier separately. Discounts of up to 88 percent off retail rates apply on supported carriers, and wallet carriers such as GOFO and Veho are available for teams without their own carrier accounts.
That power comes with a build cost. There is no friendly daily dashboard for a warehouse team in the same way ShipStation provides, so a business without developers will need outside help. Pricing is not published as a single plan on the homepage, so a team should confirm rates and fees before building. Pick EasyPost when shipping is a feature inside software, not just a back-office task.
What we like- One API for rates, labels, and tracking
- 100-plus carriers
- Discounts of up to 88 percent off retail rates
Watch out for- Developer-first, so non-technical teams need help
- Pricing depends on volume and carrier choice
#3Pirate Ship
Best for: free USPS and UPS labels for small sellers4.5/5 on
G2 (24 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit pirateship.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Pirate Ship is hard to beat for a small US seller whose shipments mostly go through USPS or UPS. There is no subscription, no hidden monthly fee, and the label rate is the discounted commercial rate. Setup is quick, and the interface stays out of the way for straightforward label printing.
The limit is scope. Sellers who need FedEx, DHL, regional carriers, or deep automation will outgrow it, and reporting is thin compared with paid platforms. Support can also be slower than on a paid plan. Choose Pirate Ship when volume is low, shipments are domestic, and a monthly fee would eat the margin.
What we like- No monthly fee
- Discounted USPS and UPS rates
- Simple interface
Watch out for- Limited to USPS and UPS
- Reporting and automation are basic
#4Easyship
Best for: international shipping and customs4.4/5 on
G2 (182 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit easyship.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Easyship is built for sellers who ship across borders. It compares rates across a large courier network, generates customs paperwork, and handles tax and duty calculations that often cause delays and surprise charges for buyers. Showing live rates at checkout also reduces cart abandonment on international orders.
The cost structure needs a close look. The free plan covers a limited shipment count, paid plans step up with volume, and own-carrier labels carry a small per-label fee. Reporting is also less deep than in some rivals. Pick Easyship when international orders are a real share of sales, not an occasional exception.
What we like- Hundreds of courier options
- Automated taxes, duties, and customs forms
- Checkout rate display
Watch out for- Paid plans start at $29 per month for higher volume
- Small per-label fee on own-carrier labels
#5Ordoro
Best for: shipping plus inventory and dropshipping4.8/5 on
G2 (14 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit ordoro.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
Ordoro suits sellers whose problem is not just printing labels, but keeping stock, suppliers, and orders in sync. It combines shipping with inventory tracking and dropshipping tools, including vendor portals that let suppliers fulfil orders directly. Automation rules can fill shipping details and route orders without manual steps.
That breadth costs more and takes longer to set up than Shippo or Pirate Ship. The most useful inventory and dropshipping features sit on higher plans or add-ons, so a label-only seller may pay for features it never uses. Choose Ordoro when inventory and dropshipping are part of the daily workflow.
What we like- Shipping, inventory, and dropshipping in one tool
- Automation rules
- Supplier portals for dropshippers
Watch out for- Full inventory and dropshipping features need higher plans
- Pricing is less simple than label-only tools
#6ShippingEasy
Best for: simple automation for small US sellers4.6/5 on
G2 (114 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit shippingeasy.com
Starting price$19.99 per month
Free planYes
ShippingEasy targets small US sellers who want a bit more automation than Pirate Ship without ShipStation complexity. It offers discounted rates, batch label printing, and automation rules that sort and prepare orders. The free plan covers a small monthly shipment count, which lets a new seller test the workflow before paying.
International sellers will find fewer couriers and less customs depth than Easyship, and the plan price rises with shipment volume. It is also a simpler tool overall, so large warehouses may need more. Pick ShippingEasy when US shipping, simple automation, and a low entry price are the main needs.
What we like- Discounted USPS and UPS rates
- Simple automation rules
- Free plan for low volume
Watch out for- International coverage is narrower than Easyship
- Higher plans climb with shipment count
#7Veeqo
Best for: free multichannel shipping and inventory4.5/5 on
G2 (47 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit veeqo.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Veeqo is unusual in this list because its core shipping and inventory software is free, with unlimited users and orders on the main plan. It syncs orders from multiple channels, including Amazon, Shopify, and eBay, and it includes inventory tracking that many free tools lack. For a multichannel seller, that combination is strong value.
The trade-offs are subtler. As a free, Amazon-backed product, its roadmap and support model differ from a paid vendor, and some advanced warehouse features are less deep than ShipHero. Sellers who want a paid support contract may prefer a paid tool. Choose Veeqo when multichannel orders and inventory need one free system, and the team can self-serve most setup.
What we like- Free for unlimited users and orders
- Multichannel order sync
- Inventory features included
Watch out for- Support and feature depth vary by account
- Amazon-linked, which may concern some sellers
#8ShipHero
Best for: warehouse shipping for growing brands4.5/5 on
G2 (232 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit shiphero.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
ShipHero is a warehouse system first and a label tool second. It manages inventory locations, picking, packing, and shipping for brands that fulfil in-house at growing volume. Its marketplace and store integrations keep orders flowing into the warehouse without manual imports, which matters once daily order counts climb.
That depth brings cost and complexity. Pricing is by quote, implementation takes longer than a label tool, and a small seller printing a few dozen labels a week will not use most of it. Pick ShipHero when the warehouse itself is the bottleneck, not just the label printer.
What we like- Warehouse management with picking and packing
- Strong marketplace integrations
- Built for higher volume
Watch out for- Quote-only pricing
- Overkill for a small label-only seller
How we chose
We compared pricing pages, documentation, and public reviews on G2, Capterra, and Reddit, and we checked carrier coverage, store integrations, automation, returns, and inventory features for each tool. A tool made this list only when it can replace ShipStation for a real ecommerce seller today, whether as a label tool, an API, or a warehouse system. We left out pure tracking tools and pure 3PL services, since they do not print labels and manage orders in the same way.
Buying guidance for shipping software
Start with volume and channels. Count monthly shipments, list every sales channel, and note which carriers you actually use. A tool that is cheap at 50 shipments a month can be costly at 5,000, and a tool built for US domestic shipping will disappoint an international seller.
Next, test the full order flow. Import real orders, print a batch of labels, handle a return, and check how tracking updates reach the customer. That test reveals integration gaps, automation limits, and support quality faster than a feature checklist.
Costs beyond the subscription
Postage is the largest cost, so compare discounted rates on your most common routes and weights, not just the headline discount. Add per-label fees, automation add-ons, and any charge for extra users or stores. A free tool with a higher label rate can cost more than a paid tool with a lower rate at volume.
When to stay with ShipStation
ShipStation still suits sellers who need a very broad carrier and channel list, deep automation, and a mature warehouse workflow in one paid tool. Switch when a simpler tool, a free plan, international depth, or warehouse features change the cost or the workflow in a clear way.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest ShipStation alternative?
Pirate Ship and Veeqo are cheapest for basic use, since neither charges a monthly fee for core label printing. The cheapest overall still depends on label rates for your routes, since postage dwarfs the subscription for most sellers.
Can I use my own carrier accounts with these tools?
Yes, most tools here support own-carrier accounts, including Shippo, Easyship, Ordoro, ShippingEasy, and Veeqo. Check whether your negotiated rates apply in the tool, and whether a per-label fee applies when using your own account.
Which ShipStation alternative is best for international shipping?
Easyship is the strongest pick for international work, thanks to its courier range, customs paperwork, and tax and duty handling. Shippo and Ordoro also support international carriers, but with less customs depth.
Do these tools integrate with Shopify, Amazon, and WooCommerce?
Yes, the label and multichannel tools here integrate with the major platforms, including Shopify, Amazon, eBay, and WooCommerce. EasyPost is the exception in approach: it provides an API for custom integrations rather than a ready-made store dashboard.
What happens to tracking and returns when I switch?
Order history and tracking usually stay in the old system, while new orders flow through the new tool. Returns handling varies: Shippo and Pirate Ship focus on return labels, while Ordoro and ShipHero offer fuller returns workflows. Test a return before moving all orders.
Is Veeqo really free?
Veeqo core shipping and inventory software is free for unlimited users and orders, with revenue coming from carrier partnerships and optional services. Check the current terms before relying on it, since free plans can change, and confirm support levels for your account.
Sources we checked (8)
- https://goshippo.com/pricing
- https://easypost.com
- https://pirateship.com
- https://easyship.com/pricing
- https://ordoro.com
- https://shippingeasy.com/pricing
- https://veeqo.com
- https://shiphero.com
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.