The best 3PL software is a warehouse management system built for third-party logistics, where you store and ship goods for many clients at once. It needs to keep each client's stock separate, connect to their stores and systems, and bill each one for storage and handling. Ten options follow in no particular order.
Running a 3PL is running several businesses under one roof. Each client has its own stock, its own channels, its own rules and its own invoice, and a mistake with one can lose you the account.
That's why generic warehouse software often isn't enough. It's built for one company's stock, and you're juggling dozens of clients who each expect to be treated as your only one. The ten tools below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the vendor's own website, read this week. If you're new to the model, my explainer on what a 3PL is covers the basics.
3PL software compared
I checked the free plan column on each tool's own website, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the site names a free plan, a free version, a free account or an open source edition. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it, so check the vendor's page before you sign up.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camelot 3PL | Warehouse management for 3PLs | Growing 3PL warehouses | Not stated |
| CartonCloud | WMS and TMS | 3PLs that also run transport | Not stated |
| Datex | 3PL WMS | Cold storage and food 3PLs | Not stated |
| Deposco | AI-native WMS | 3PLs serving brands and retailers | Not stated |
| Extensiv | 3PL WMS | Multi-client ecommerce 3PLs | Not stated |
| Hopstack | Warehouse software | Fulfilment-heavy warehouses | Not stated |
| Infoplus | Warehouse management ecosystem | Small and mid-sized 3PLs | Not stated |
| Logiwa | AI-native WMS | High-volume fulfilment | Not stated |
| Magaya | Digital freight platform | Freight forwarders with warehouses | Not stated |
| SphereWMS | Cloud WMS | Multi-client warehousing | Not stated |
Ten 3PL software options to look at
Camelot 3PL
Best for: Growing 3PLs who want a flexible warehouse management system covering inventory, shipping, receiving and reporting from a 3PL specialist.
CartonCloud
Best for: 3PL providers and transport companies who want warehouse and transport management on one logistics platform.
Datex
Best for: 3PLs in food and beverage, cold storage and life sciences who want a warehouse management system built for third-party logistics.
Deposco
Best for: Fulfilment providers who want an AI-native WMS designed for 3PLs, brands and retailers, with live network data on its site.
Extensiv
Best for: Ecommerce 3PLs who want inventory, orders, shipping and client billing handled in a 3PL WMS used by more than 1,200 3PLs.
Hopstack
Best for: Fulfilment warehouses who want modern warehouse software built to optimize picking, packing and shipping.
Infoplus
Best for: Warehouse operators who want inventory, shipping, orders and reporting in one warehouse management ecosystem.
Logiwa
Best for: High-volume fulfilment operations who want an AI-native WMS that orchestrates inventory, labour and automation in real time.
Magaya
Best for: Freight forwarders and logistics firms who want warehousing, shipping and forwarding on one modular digital freight platform.
SphereWMS
Best for: Smaller 3PLs who want cloud warehouse management with multi-client warehousing, kitting and 3PL billing built in.
Starting points by operation
- Ecommerce 3PLs with many clients: Extensiv or Deposco.
- Smaller and growing 3PLs: Camelot 3PL, SphereWMS or Infoplus.
- 3PLs that also run transport: CartonCloud.
- Food, cold storage and life sciences: Datex.
- High-volume fulfilment: Logiwa or Hopstack.
- Freight forwarders with warehouses: Magaya.
UK 3PLs: check this registration first
GOV.UK says that if you store goods in the UK for sellers established outside the UK, you may need to apply for the Fulfilment House Due Diligence Scheme. It also says it's a criminal offence to trade before your application has been approved by HMRC.
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So a UK 3PL taking on overseas clients needs its registration settled before the first pallet arrives, whatever software it runs. Good 3PL software then helps with the records you're expected to keep about those clients.
Multi-client is the whole point
A 3PL system has to keep each client's inventory, orders and rules separate while sharing the same building, staff and shelving.
Look for client portals, so customers can see their own stock without calling you, and for integrations with the stores and systems your clients already use.
Then look at billing. Storage, picks, packing materials and special projects all need to be captured accurately, or the margin quietly leaks away.
Questions to ask in a demo
- How does it keep each client's stock separate?
- Which store and channel integrations are included?
- Can clients log in to see their own stock and orders?
- How does it capture billable activities?
- Does it support lot, expiry or serial tracking?
- How long does it take to onboard a new client?
Signs your 3PL has outgrown its system
- Clients email for stock levels. Give them a portal.
- Billing takes days each month. Capture activity automatically.
- Onboarding a client takes weeks. Standardise integrations.
- Picking errors lose you clients. Add scanning.
Do you make 3PL, warehouse or logistics tools? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on 3PL software
Choose software built for 3PLs rather than adapting a single-company WMS. Then test it with your most awkward client, because that's the account that will show whether the system copes.
Pay close attention to billing capture, since that's where 3PLs gain or lose margin. And don't forget the people on the floor: if scanning is slow or confusing, they'll find workarounds, and the system will drift from what's really on the shelves. My guide to choosing a logistics partner shows what your clients look for in return.
Frequently asked questions
What is 3PL software?
It's warehouse management software built for third-party logistics providers, which store and ship goods for several clients from shared warehouses.
Do UK 3PLs need to register with HMRC?
If you store goods in the UK for sellers established outside the UK, GOV.UK says you may need to apply for the Fulfilment House Due Diligence Scheme, and trading before approval is a criminal offence.
How is 3PL software different from a normal WMS?
It's built for many clients at once, with separate stock, client portals and billing for each client.
Can 3PL software bill clients automatically?
Many systems capture storage and handling activity so you can bill each client accurately.
Does 3PL software connect to ecommerce stores?
Most offer integrations with popular store platforms and channels so client orders flow in automatically.
Is there 3PL software for small warehouses?
Yes. Several vendors focus on smaller and growing 3PLs.
