A shipping software is an essential tool to maximize the performance of any online store, including yours. Without the help of this type of solutions, the management of carriers can be really expensive, putting the possibilities of growth of your business at risk.
How can we know which shipping software is the best? What factors should we consider? Below, you will find a list of the most popular platforms and a detailed explanation of why Outvio is the best option of all.
What is a shipping software?
A shipping software is a tool that automates and simplifies the management of processes related to the transportation of goods, such as calls to carriers or tracking. By integrating one of these softwares, you will get a total visibility of your shipments, increasing the quality of your deliveries and returns.
What is the best shipping software?
In the following table, we summarize the features of the best shipping solutions for an eCommerce.
| Outvio | Aftership | EasyShip | ShipStation | ShippyPro | Sendcloud | Isendu | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrier Management | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Order Preparation | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Shipping Rules | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Basic Notifications | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Hyper Notifications | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Automatic Incident Resolution | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Basic Tracking | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Automatic Product Changes | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Customizable | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Returns Management | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Return Rules | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Tracking Portal with Smart Action | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Invoice Control | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
This list is preliminary. To learn more about each shipping software, we recommend reviewing each solution individually.
List of shipping tools and solutions for 2024
We analyzed the best eCommerce shipping softwares and solutions of the moment.
1. Outvio
- Starting at €125 per month
- 14-day free trial
Outvio is a premium shipping software for large or growing online stores. You can automate all processes in the post-purchase stage, from fulfilling the order to return, and achieve a much more efficient operation. It also allows you to personalize customer interactions with promotions or lead generation campaigns, transforming order fulfillment into a new sales channel.
In essence, Outvio is the best shipping software, as it provides concrete and effective solutions to the main needs of an eCommerce, ensuring top-notch management at all times.
Advantages
- Total and automatic management of exchanges and returns
- Automatic review of carrier invoices
- Integrates and centralizes any national or international carrier
- Customizable notifications by email, WhatsApp or SMS
- Fully customizable tracking portal
- Automatic resolution of transportation incidents
- Automated exchange for any other product in the catalog
- Complete business analytics
- Intelligent picking and packing tools
Unique features you only get with Outvio
A) HyperNotifications
Fully customizable notification system. You can decide when and under what conditions to send emails, WhatsApps, or SMS to your customers or carriers. Add promotions, satisfaction surveys, and other revenue-generating elements.
B) Returns Portal with RevenuePlus
Specifically designed returns portal for revenue growth. Connects your returns flow with your business' sales funnel, allowing your customers to exchange for more expensive products and make payments instantly.
C) Incident Manager
This intelligent dashboard provides a global and real-time view of all shipments and returns and their potential incidents. You can quickly identify any irregularities and take immediate action to resolve them.
D) Automation Rules
Rule-based and intelligent algorithms system to automate logistics decisions and orient them towards maximum profitability. Select the lowest shipping or return rates at all times, offer store credit discount coupons, notify your customers or carriers whenever necessary, etc.
2. AfterShip
- Starting from €9 per month (only one module)
- No trial period
AfterShip is a shipping software that works through modules. It offers return services, notifications, label printing, tracking portal, etc. Like Outvio, it is a highly customizable platform with automation options, although it has certain limitations, especially if you do not integrate all of its modules.
Features
- Notifications
- Tracking portal
- Many modules available
3. Sendcloud
- Starting from €23 dollar per month
- No trial period
Sendcloud is a shipping software specialized in label printing, but it also offers more advanced features, such as returns or tracking. Its main feature is its free plan, which allows you to manage a limited number of shipments at no cost. If you are a small store or just starting out, Sendcloud can be a good option. We recommend it!
Features
- Shipping management
- Returns management
- Label printing
4. Shippy Pro
- Starting from €59 per month
- 30-day free trial
ShippyPro is another shipping software to consider. It offers solutions for printing labels, returns, notifications, and tracking, very similar to Sendcloud. It also has a fairly competent analytics system, although it does not reach the level of Outvio. In any case, ShippyPro is a good platform for stores that need to simplify their shipping management.
Features
- Large number of integrated carriers
- Regular updates and continuous improvements
- Good levels of customization
5. ShipStation
- Starting from $9 per month
- 30-days free trial
ShipStation is a relatively basic shipping software that allows you to integrate multiple sales channels simultaneously. It is interesting that you need to compare rates with multiple carriers or print labels. It also has return or tracking features, although they are not very customizable. It is heavily dependent on integrations with third-party services.
Advantages
- Tracking portal
- Notification emails
- Limited customization options
6. EasyShip
- Starting from $29 per month
- 14-day free trial
EasyShip is another shipping app for beginner online stores. With it, you can manage orders with multiple carriers simultaneously and from multiple warehouses. It has a tracking portal and a notification service. We consider EasyShip to be a good option to start with, but it is not an efficient enough solution to scale a business.
Advantages
- Label printing
- Integration with carriers
- Provides shipping insurance
7. Isendu
- Custom pricing
- No trial period
Isendu is a shipping app that simplifies the management of orders in eCommerce. It is specialized in WhatsApp tracking notifications, providing marketing elements in the post-payment stage. Outside of this service, the tool is somewhat limited in terms of features. However, if you are looking for something simple, Isendu can be useful.
Features
- Sending WhatsApp notifications
- Tracking page
- Good customer service
How to choose the best eCommerce shipping software?
The shipping software you integrate will be critical to the growth of your business. If you only focus on the price of the fee, you may end up choosing an inadequate solution and your costs will increase.
Here are some things to keep in mind to choose the best eCommerce shipping software:
- When choosing a shipping app look for one that offers the ability to incorporate cross-selling strategies. This will increase your sales by showing customers related products during the checkout process.
- Avoid shipping software that requires numerous integrations with other services or applications. Each integration comes with additional costs and unnecessary complications. Look for a shipping solution that is as comprehensive as possible to minimize external integrations.
- It is quite common to promote automation through smart rules or algorithms. If the program you are researching says it has automations, but it does not have algorithms, you should know that it does not have everything it offers, so don't be fooled!
- Make sure the software allows you to configure automatic exchanges for any other product in the catalog. This way, when the buyer goes to request a refund, there is a possibility that they will opt for an exchange, even for products of a higher value than the refund itself!
- A good shipping software should include tools to help you resolve shipping issues efficiently, which can prevent costly returns or shipments. The ability to effectively manage exceptions and shipping issues can save you money and improve customer satisfaction.
- Choose a platform that allows you to apply a single shipping charge per shipment instead of charging for each product individually. This will simplify the cost structure and can reduce payment processing fees, which results in significant savings in the long run.
