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
- Only four of the nine vendors below publish a price on their own site: TruckLogics, AscendTMS, Truckbase and Rose Rocket. McLeod, Trimble, PCS, Axon and Alvys all require a sales call.
- Pricing models differ more than features. TruckLogics charges by fleet size band, AscendTMS by user, Truckbase offers per-truck, per-driver, per-load or flat annual billing, and Alvys includes unlimited users.
- AscendTMS no longer has a free plan. Its own pricing page now starts at $69 per user per month, with a 30-day free trial on paid tiers.
- Truckbase raised its floor to a $290 per month minimum (billed annually), which puts it out of reach for most one-truck owner-operators and targets fleets with several trucks and at least one dedicated dispatcher.
- For enterprise truckload and LTL carriers, McLeod LoadMaster and Trimble (TMW.Suite, TruckMate and Trimble TMS for Carriers) remain the default shortlist.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Alvys | Growing carriers that want unlimited users | See website | No |
 McLeod LoadMaster | Large truckload and LTL carriers | See website | No |
 Trimble TMS for Carriers | Enterprise and complex fleets | See website | No |
 PCS TMS | Mid-size carriers wanting built-in trucking accounting | See website | No |
 Truckbase | Small and mid-size asset-based fleets | $290/month minimum (billed annually) | No |
 Rose Rocket | Carriers with unusual workflows | $2,080/month | No |
 Axon | Fleets that want dispatch and accounting in one ledger | See website | No |
 AscendTMS | Budget per-user TMS for small carriers | $69 per user/month | Free trial (30 days) |
 TruckLogics | Owner-operators and fleets under 25 trucks | $35.96/month (billed annually) | Free trial (7 days) |
Is your product missing or out of date?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 carrier software for trucking companies
#1Alvys
Best for: Growing carriers that want unlimited users4.7/5 on
G2 (18 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit alvys.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Alvys is a cloud TMS built for asset-based carriers and hybrid carrier-brokerage operations that have outgrown spreadsheets and starter tools. It covers the quote-to-cash path: dispatch, load and driver management, billing, safety and a driver mobile app. The company says carriers are typically live within days, and it handles onboarding, training and data migration with its own team.
The pricing structure is the real draw. Alvys does not charge per seat, and it says modules and integrations carry no extra fees, so adding a second dispatcher or a new division does not move your bill. That matters for fleets with several office staff touching every load.
The catch is opacity. Alvys removed a public starting price from its site, and software directories describe the model as volume-based on loads per month. A busy month can therefore cost more than a slow one, so ask for a written quote at your expected peak volume, not your average.
What we like- Unlimited users and business divisions at no extra charge
- 120+ ready-made integrations
- No long-term contract required
Watch out for- Price is not published on the vendor's site
- Third-party profiles suggest cost scales with load volume
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
LoadMaster is the system many large US trucking companies standardize on once they run multiple terminals, hundreds of drivers and complex customer billing rules. McLeod sells separate versions for truckload and LTL, and the LTL edition includes a capacity manager for planning outbound trailers with drag and drop.
The standout is depth. McLeod layers on a visual workflow builder (FlowLogix), a document management system (DocumentPower) with customer-specific billing packets, and a mobile app for operations staff. If your billing team spends hours assembling paperwork for picky shippers, this is where LoadMaster earns its keep.
The honest downside is commitment. This is an enterprise purchase with a sales cycle, implementation project and ongoing IT involvement. A ten-truck carrier would spend more time configuring LoadMaster than using it.
What we like- Deep truckload and LTL functionality, including dock and trailer planning
- FlowLogix visual workflow tool for automating back-office steps
- DocumentPower and the McLeod Anywhere mobile app tie documents and field work to the TMS
Watch out for- Sales-led pricing with no public numbers
- Overkill and likely too costly for fleets under about 50 trucks
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Trimble owns several of the oldest names in trucking software, and it now sells them side by side. TMW.Suite targets enterprise truckload carriers, brokers and private fleets. TruckMate handles LTL, intermodal and other complex operations. The newer Trimble TMS for Carriers is aimed at full truckload fleets that want a cloud product with AI-assisted dispatch.
What stands out is the ecosystem. Trimble says its carrier TMS ships with prebuilt integrations to accounting, payroll, ELD, EDI and shipment visibility tools, and it grades incoming tenders on financial viability before a dispatcher accepts them. Fuel haulers also get a dedicated Fuel Dispatch product, which few competitors offer.
The trade-off is that you need to figure out which Trimble product actually fits you before any demo is useful. Go into the first call knowing your mode (truckload, LTL, intermodal), fleet size and accounting system, or expect a long discovery phase.
What we like- Several products for different carrier types (truckload, LTL, intermodal, fuel)
- AI-assisted order entry and tender grading
- Prebuilt links to accounting, payroll, ELD, EDI and visibility tools
Watch out for- Product lineup can be confusing to sort through
- No public pricing
#4
PCS TMS
Best for: Mid-size carriers wanting built-in trucking accounting
Visit pcssoft.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
PCS is a good fit for established mid-size carriers that are tired of reconciling a TMS with a separate accounting package. Its built-in accounting covers receivables, payables, payroll and driver settlements, and it connects directly to dispatch and fleet records.
The newer piece is Cortex AI. PCS says its Load Opportunity Manager pulls load offers from broker emails, EDI and load boards, then ranks them by your margin rules. A Backhaul Booster feature looks for profitable return loads and can even handle outreach through automated emails or voice calls. Dispatch covers truckload, LTL and intermodal from the same screen.
The weakness is that you cannot price it without a sales conversation, and the AI tooling only pays off if dispatchers trust and use it. Ask for references from carriers your size that have been live for at least a year.
What we like- Accounting module handles AR/AP, payroll and driver settlement inside the TMS
- Free mobile app for drivers
- Cortex AI ranks incoming load offers by margin
Watch out for- Pricing only through a demo
- AI features add learning time for dispatchers used to simpler boards
Starting price$290/month minimum (billed annually)
Free planNo
Truckbase is aimed at the fleet that has a few dispatchers, uses QuickBooks and wants dispatch, invoicing and driver settlements without an enterprise project. It focuses on asset-based carriers rather than brokers.
Its pricing flexibility is unusual. You can pay per truck, per driver (useful if you slip-seat or have more drivers than trucks), per load (for carriers that do not track assets), or a flat annual rate for seasonal operations. ELD coverage is wide at more than 30 providers, and QuickBooks sync removes double entry for accounting.
Two cautions. The company now enforces a $290 monthly minimum billed annually, so you are effectively signing a yearly commitment. And when we reviewed the pricing page, factoring and fuel card connections were marked as coming soon, so confirm their status if you rely on either.
What we like- Four billing models (per truck, per driver, per load or flat annual)
- Integrates with 30+ ELDs plus QuickBooks and EDI
- Clear published minimum
Watch out for- $290 minimum is steep for one or two trucks
- Factoring and fuel card integrations were still listed as coming soon
#6Rose Rocket
Best for: Carriers with unusual workflows4.8/5 on
G2 (15 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit roserocket.com
Starting price$2,080/month
Free planNo
Rose Rocket suits carriers, often with a brokerage or 3PL side, whose processes do not fit an off-the-shelf template. Its pricing page also references the TMS.ai name, which is the same company's AI-focused branding.
The strength is configurability. Customers build their own boards, fields and automations without code, and the Full Service Platform includes unlimited users plus three AI agents: one that turns emails into orders, one that answers questions about shipments and one that guides onboarding. Rose Rocket guarantees go-live within 90 days.
At $2,080 per month to start, it costs more than most dedicated carrier tools on this list before you add a single truck. A 15-truck fleet with standard dry van freight will likely get better value elsewhere. An enterprise tier adds SSO, custom SLAs and unlimited API access at custom pricing.
What we like- No-code custom fields, boards and automations
- Unlimited users and AI agents included
- Promised 90-day go-live with white-glove implementation
Watch out for- High entry price for small fleets
- Built for brokers and 3PLs as much as carriers
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Axon has been selling trucking software for more than 40 years, and it still appeals to carriers whose controllers want the general ledger and operations in the same database. Information entered once in dispatch flows straight to billing, driver pay, IFTA reporting and accounting.
Its industry editions are a practical plus. Oilfield and dump truck operators deal with field tickets and short-haul billing that many truckload-first TMS products handle poorly, and Axon offers ticket software for exactly that. Software directories list both cloud and on-premise deployment.
The downside is the buying experience. There is no price list or self-serve trial, only a demo request, and the interface reflects an older design. Ask how data export works if you ever leave, since long-tenured systems can be harder to migrate out of.
What we like- Dispatch, billing, driver pay, fuel tax and accounting update in real time from one entry
- Versions for freight, oilfield, dump truck, intermodal and specialized hauling
- Cloud and on-premise options
Watch out for- Dated website and sales approach
- No published pricing or trial
Starting price$69 per user/month
Free planFree trial (30 days)
AscendTMS built its reputation as the free TMS, so many older reviews still say it costs nothing. That is out of date. Its official pricing page now lists Basic at $69 per user per month, Premium at $119 and Pro at $149, with a 30-day free trial on the upper tiers.
The per-user model works well for small carriers with one or two office users and many trucks, since you never pay for drivers, trucks or loads. You can search DAT and Truckstop load boards from inside the system, though you need a paid load board subscription for that. More than 140 third-party integrations come preinstalled.
The catch is fit. AscendTMS serves brokers, carriers and shippers in one product, and much of its marketing and premium features target brokerages. Carriers that need deep driver settlement, maintenance or IFTA features should compare carefully against carrier-first tools.
What we like- Never charges for drivers, trucks or loads
- Setup, support and training included
- Built-in DAT and Truckstop load board access (with your own subscription)
Watch out for- Free plan is gone
- Interface and feature set lean toward freight brokers
#9TruckLogics
Best for: Owner-operators and fleets under 25 trucks3.7/5 on
G2 (5 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit trucklogics.com
Starting price$35.96/month (billed annually)
Free planFree trial (7 days)
TruckLogics is the practical choice for an owner-operator or a small fleet that needs dispatch, invoicing and IFTA in one place without a sales call. Pricing is banded by fleet size: Owner Operator (1 to 2 trucks) at $35.96 per month billed yearly, Small Fleet (3 to 7) at $71.96, Mid-Size (8 to 14) at $179.96 and Large Fleet (15 to 24) at $224.96. Monthly billing costs about 10 percent more.
Beyond dispatch, it includes driver settlements, truck maintenance tracking, a load board, document management and a driver app. There is also a broker plan at $89.96 per month billed yearly for carriers with their own authority to broker freight.
The limit is scale. Published tiers top out at 24 trucks, so fast-growing fleets should plan on a future migration. The seven-day trial is also short, so load your real customers and a week of trips on day one.
What we like- Lowest published entry price on this list
- Clear tiers by truck count
- Covers dispatch, invoicing, settlements, IFTA and maintenance
Watch out for- Plans stop at 24 trucks
- Short 7-day trial
How we chose
We started with products that market themselves specifically to motor carriers (asset-based trucking companies), not shipper-only TMS tools or pure freight-broker software. For each one we read the vendor's own pricing and product pages, checked documentation on dispatch, settlements, accounting and integrations, and compared what each vendor says against public reviews on G2, Capterra, Software Advice and trucking forums on Reddit.
We did not run the software ourselves. Instead we weighed published pricing and contract terms, the size of fleet each product is built for, ELD and accounting integrations, and how much setup and sales involvement it takes to get started. Where a vendor does not publish pricing, we say so rather than guessing.
How to pick carrier software for your fleet
Start with fleet size, not features
Most carrier TMS products cover dispatch, invoicing and settlements. The real difference is the size of operation they are designed for. One to ten trucks points toward TruckLogics or AscendTMS. Ten to fifty trucks is Truckbase, Alvys and PCS territory. Past a hundred trucks or with multiple terminals, McLeod and Trimble are worth the longer sales process.
Model the bill at your busiest month
Per-user, per-truck and per-load pricing can produce very different totals for the same fleet. A carrier with 30 trucks and two dispatchers pays little on a per-user plan, while a 10-truck carrier with five office staff may prefer per-truck billing or Alvys's unlimited users. Ask every vendor for a quote at peak volume and at 50 percent growth.
Check the integrations you already pay for
List your ELD, accounting package, factoring company, fuel card and load boards before any demo. Ask the vendor to show each connection live, not on a slide. Missing a factoring integration can mean hours of manual invoice packets each week.
Read the contract terms
Look for contract length, auto-renewal, implementation fees and data export rights. Truckbase now bills its minimum annually, while Alvys and AscendTMS advertise no long-term contracts. Confirm in writing that you can export loads, customers and settlement history in a standard format if you leave.
Plan for implementation time
Self-serve tools can be running in an afternoon. Rose Rocket guarantees a 90-day go-live, and enterprise systems from McLeod or Trimble often take longer. Budget dispatcher time for training, and avoid switching during your peak season.
Frequently asked questions
What is carrier software?
Carrier software, often called a carrier TMS, is a system that trucking companies use to run loads from booking to payment. It typically covers order entry, dispatch, driver and truck assignment, invoicing, driver pay and compliance records. Many products also connect to ELDs, load boards and accounting software.
Is there free carrier software?
Not among the dedicated carrier tools we reviewed. AscendTMS, long known for its free plan, now starts at $69 per user per month, and TruckLogics and AscendTMS offer free trials of 7 and 30 days. Some ELD providers include basic dispatch or IFTA reports, which can work for a single truck.
How much does a carrier TMS cost?
Published prices on this list range from $35.96 per month for an owner-operator on TruckLogics to $2,080 per month to start on Rose Rocket. Truckbase sets a $290 monthly minimum billed annually. Enterprise systems from McLeod, Trimble, PCS and Axon are quoted individually.
What is the difference between carrier software and broker software?
Carrier software manages trucks, drivers, maintenance, fuel tax and driver settlements because the company owns or leases the equipment. Broker software focuses on finding and paying outside carriers and managing margin per load. Some products, such as AscendTMS, Alvys and Rose Rocket, serve both.
Do I need carrier software if I already have an ELD?
An ELD records hours of service and location, but it usually does not handle quoting, invoicing, driver pay or customer billing. Once you have more than a couple of trucks, a TMS that pulls ELD data in saves double entry and speeds up invoicing.
Sources we checked (13)
- https://alvys.com/tms-for-carriers
- https://alvys.com/logistics-software
- https://www.softwareadvice.com/scm/alvys-profile/
- https://www.mcleodsoftware.com/who-we-serve/truckload-carriers/
- https://www.mcleodsoftware.com/who-we-serve/ltl-carriers/
- https://transportation.trimble.com/en/solutions/transportation-management
- https://pcssoft.com/products/tms/carrier/
- https://www.truckbase.com/trucking-software-pricing
- https://www.roserocket.com/pricing
- https://axonsoftware.com/
- https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/69977-Axon-Trucking-Software/
- https://www.thefreetms.com/pricing
- https://www.trucklogics.com/tms-pricing
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.