Shippo suits small online shops that want to print labels for a few dozen orders a month, with a free Starter plan covering up to 30 labels and unlimited store connections. ShipStation suits growing sellers with steady volume across several stores and sales channels, thanks to automation rules, inventory and warehouse tools, and rate shopping across 200+ parcel carriers. Start with Shippo if you're small; move to ShipStation when orders and channels multiply.
Both connect to your online stores, compare carrier options and print labels in bulk. The difference is depth. I read ShipStation's home, features and plans pages and Shippo's home and plans pages.
ShipStation and Shippo side by side
| ShipStation | Shippo | |
|---|---|---|
| Free option | Free trial | Free Starter plan, up to 30 labels a month |
| Carriers | 200+ parcel and 50+ LTL freight carriers | 40+ global carriers |
| Automation | Rules that batch, route and print labels | Automations on every plan |
| Operations | Inventory, warehouse, returns, multi-location | Pick lists and scan-to-print on Pro |
| Users | Not covered on the pages I read | 1 login on Starter, 5 on Pro, 15+ on Premier |
| Scale | Small sellers up to enterprise | 4.6M+ customers, 200M+ shipments a year |
Shippo's free plan, in detail
Shippo's plans page is unusually clear about its free tier. Starter is free and includes up to 30 labels a month, unlimited store connections, international shipping, automations, return labels, tracking, reporting and email support, with one user login. Pro adds pick and pack with scan-to-print, AI estimated delivery dates, branded tracking pages and emails, chat and phone support, and up to five logins. If two of you pack orders, you'll need Pro for separate logins.
Where ShipStation pulls ahead
ShipStation is built for volume and complexity. Its automation rules batch, route and print labels as orders grow, it compares rates across 200+ parcel carriers and 50+ LTL freight carriers, and it lets you bring your own carrier accounts. It also manages inventory, warehouses, returns and multi-location fulfilment, and connects to stores including Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Squarespace, Wix and Big Cartel.
Match the tool to your volume
- Under 30 orders a month, one person packing: Shippo Starter.
- A few hundred orders and a small team: Shippo Pro or ShipStation.
- Several stores, a warehouse or freight shipments: ShipStation.
- Building shipping into your own software: Shippo's API.
Read my guide to shipping software for small businesses for more options, and these tactics to speed up ecommerce deliveries work with either tool.
Returns, branding and tracking
Both handle returns: ShipStation manages them in one place with prepaid labels and self-serve options, and Shippo includes return labels on every plan. For branding, Shippo's Pro plan adds branded tracking pages, notification emails and packing slips, which turns a delivery update into another touchpoint with your brand.
Freight and developer options
If you ship pallets as well as parcels, ShipStation lets you compare, book and track LTL freight in the same workflow as parcel orders, and its fulfilment APIs cover combining orders, comparing rates, validating addresses and tracking. Shippo's API is aimed at software providers who want shipping inside their own platform, with Shippo handling compliance and maintenance.
For bigger operations, ShipStation supports multi-location fulfilment, managing inventory, orders and shipping across several warehouses and stores from one platform, and lets you bring your own carrier accounts. Shippo's Premier plan adds a dedicated account manager and 15 or more user logins.
My advice on ShipStation or Shippo
If you're starting out, open Shippo's free Starter plan, connect your store and print your first labels today. When you outgrow 30 labels a month, need several logins or start shipping from more than one place, trial ShipStation with a full week of real orders and compare the time it takes to pack and ship them.
Do you make shipping or fulfilment software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place in comparisons like this one.
Frequently asked questions
Is Shippo free?
Shippo's Starter plan is free and includes up to 30 labels a month with one user login.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Does ShipStation have a free trial?
Yes. ShipStation offers a free trial.
How many carriers does ShipStation support?
ShipStation says it compares rates across 200+ parcel carriers and 50+ LTL freight carriers.
How many carriers does Shippo work with?
Shippo says it partners with more than 40 global carriers.
Can several people use Shippo?
Starter allows one login, Pro up to five and Premier 15 or more.
Which stores does ShipStation connect to?
ShipStation lists Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Squarespace, Wix, Big Cartel and Adobe Commerce among others.
Does ShipStation handle freight?
Yes. ShipStation lets you compare, book and track LTL freight in the same workflow as parcel.
Does Shippo offer branded tracking?
Yes. Shippo's Pro plan adds branded tracking pages, notification emails and packing slips.
Can Shippo connect several stores?
Yes. Shippo's free Starter plan includes unlimited store connections.
