Free Tool

Shipping Platform Cost Calculator

Compare monthly platform fees for ShipStation, Shippo, Pirate Ship, Easyship, and AfterShip based on your shipping volume. Carrier discount estimates included, but your actual rates depend on package details and negotiated contracts.

Monthly packages

packages / month

501002505001k2.5k5k

Average package weight

International shipments

10%

All domesticAll international

Carriers you want to use

✓USPS

✓UPS

FedEx

Results for 250 packages/mo

🏴‍☠️

Pirate Ship

Free forever

FREE

/month

Cheapest

Estimated carrier discounts

USPS

40-87%

off retail rates

UPS

30-85%

off retail rates

FEDEX

N/A

These are estimated ranges from platform marketing. Your actual discount depends on package weight, dimensions, zones, and any negotiated contracts you bring.

Features at this tier

Carriers: USPS + UPS only

Automation: Basic (batch printing, spreadsheet import)

Branded tracking: No

International: USPS intl + Simple Export Rate (exclusive)

Return labels: Yes (USPS + UPS)

API access: No

Integrations: 12+ (Shopify, Etsy, eBay, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, etc.)

Why people pick it

Completely free with deepest USPS/UPS discounts. No catches, no per-label fees, no monthly costs. Paid by the carriers, not you.

Watch out for

No FedEx or DHL. No automation rules or branded tracking. Limited to USPS and UPS. Not ideal for businesses needing advanced workflow tools.

"I cancelled all the shipping apps I was paying a monthly fee for and now only use Pirate Ship. The interface is set up SO much better than Shipstation and similar apps." — Shopify App Store review

Try Pirate Ship Free View pricing page

▼ Details

📮

AfterShip Shipping

Essentials (100 shipments)

$9.00

/month

70% less than most expensive

Estimated carrier discounts

USPS

30-90%

off retail rates

UPS

15-60%

off retail rates

FEDEX

10-45%

off retail rates

These are estimated ranges from platform marketing. Your actual discount depends on package weight, dimensions, zones, and any negotiated contracts you bring.

Features at this tier

Carriers: 90+ carriers; strongest when paired with AfterShip Tracking

Automation: Yes (carrier selection rules, Pro plan)

Branded tracking: Yes (via AfterShip Tracking, separate product)

International: Good; customs docs auto-filled

Return labels: Yes (via AfterShip Returns, separate product)

API access: Yes (all plans)

Integrations: Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Amazon, TikTok Shop

Why people pick it

Best as part of the AfterShip ecosystem (Tracking + Returns + Shipping). Official TikTok Shop shipping partner. API-first approach.

Watch out for

Shipping is just one piece of AfterShip's suite. Standalone, it's less polished than Shippo or ShipStation. Big price jump from Essentials ($9) to Pro ($99). Free plan only gives 10 labels.

"Since we have deployed AfterShip, inbound shipping questions have all stopped, and our return customer rate has increased." — Software Advice review, August 2025

Try AfterShip Shipping View pricing page

▼ Details

📦

Shippo

Pro 200

$19.00

/month

37% less than most expensive

Estimated carrier discounts

USPS

35-90%

off retail rates

UPS

25-82%

off retail rates

FEDEX

15-55%

off retail rates

These are estimated ranges from platform marketing. Your actual discount depends on package weight, dimensions, zones, and any negotiated contracts you bring.

Features at this tier

Carriers: 40+ carriers (USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL Express, regional)

Automation: Basic (Pro plan)

Branded tracking: Yes (Pro plan)

International: Strong; DHL Express, customs forms auto-filled

Return labels: Yes

API access: Yes (all plans, including free)

Integrations: Shopify, Etsy, eBay, Amazon, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, etc.

Why people pick it

Free API access on all plans. 40+ carriers including DHL Express. Clean, modern interface. Scales well from startup to enterprise.

Watch out for

Pro plan required for branded tracking and own carrier accounts. Less powerful automation than ShipStation at high volume.

"Using Shippo makes bulk batch shipping so much better for our small biz than shipping direct from Shopify. Very intuitive and easy to use." — Shopify App Store review

Try Shippo View pricing page

▼ Details

🌍

Easyship

Plus (500 shipments)

$29.00

/month

Estimated carrier discounts

USPS

35-91%

off retail rates

UPS

20-76%

off retail rates

FEDEX

15-50%

off retail rates

These are estimated ranges from platform marketing. Your actual discount depends on package weight, dimensions, zones, and any negotiated contracts you bring.

Features at this tier

Carriers: 250+ couriers globally (strongest international network)

Automation: Yes (shipping rules, auto-courier selection)

Branded tracking: Yes (Plus plan and above)

International: Best in class; auto tax/duty calc, DDP/DDU, 250+ couriers

Return labels: Yes

API access: Yes (all paid plans)

Integrations: Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, Etsy, BigCommerce, eBay, etc.

Why people pick it

Best platform for international shipping. 250+ couriers worldwide. Automatic tax and duty calculation at checkout. Strong for cross-border ecommerce.

Watch out for

Pricing can feel complex. Some users report occasional rate discrepancies. Weaker for domestic-only US sellers compared to simpler tools.

"Easyship works really well and is the only reason I can afford to ship to clients living in other countries." — Capterra review

Try Easyship View pricing page

▼ Details

⚙️

ShipStation

Growth (500 shipments)

$29.99

/month

Estimated carrier discounts

USPS

35-88%

off retail rates

UPS

25-82%

off retail rates

FEDEX

15-55%

off retail rates

These are estimated ranges from platform marketing. Your actual discount depends on package weight, dimensions, zones, and any negotiated contracts you bring.

Features at this tier

Carriers: USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL, GlobalPost (300+ integrations total)

Automation: Advanced (carrier selection rules, auto-split, rate shopping)

Branded tracking: Yes (all plans)

International: Good; customs forms, GlobalPost for affordable intl

Return labels: Yes (branded returns portal)

API access: Scale plan and above ($99.99+/mo)

Integrations: 400+ (largest selection: Shopify, Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Walmart, etc.)

Why people pick it

Most integrations of any platform (400+). Best automation rules for high-volume sellers. Multi-warehouse support. Branded tracking and returns.

Watch out for

API access locked behind Scale plan ($99.99+). Connecting your own carriers costs $5-95/mo extra. Price jumps between tiers are steep. Some users report unexpected fee changes.

"This disproportionate fee increase nearly triples our monthly costs. It is difficult to see this as more than a money grab by ShipStation." — ShipStation Community Forum, April 2025

Try ShipStation View pricing page

▼ Details

A note about shipping costs

This calculator compares platform fees only, not actual shipping rates. Your real cost per label depends on package weight, dimensions, origin/destination zones, carrier contracts you've negotiated, and seasonal surcharges. Two sellers shipping the same product can pay very different rates. The discount percentages shown are from each platform's marketing materials and represent the high end of what's possible. Most sellers land somewhere in the middle of those ranges. We show these so you can compare apples-to-apples across platforms, but don't treat them as guarantees.

How we calculated this: Platform fees pulled from public pricing pages, verified February 2026. ShipStation uses their post-July 2025 plan structure (Starter/Growth/Scale/High-Volume). Shippo Pro pricing starts at $19/mo for 200 labels and scales with volume. Pirate Ship is genuinely free with no catches. Easyship pricing shown for US market (may vary by country). AfterShip pricing is for their Shipping product specifically, not their Tracking or Returns products.

Affiliate disclosure: Some links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This doesn't change the rankings. Cheapest always sorts first.