ShipBob vs ShipStation (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick ShipStation: it is third in our ranking of shipping software, and it grades higher too, 2.6 against 2.0.
Checked Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
ShipStation grades higher on the free plan and ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
ShipStation
Shipping software for online sellers, priced by shipments a month
Which one is for you
Pick ShipBob if
- Fits if you sell online and want someone else to store and ship your stock
- Works for brands shipping from several US regions
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to see a price before you talk to sales, because there isn't one
- Not for you if you only need labels for orders you pack yourself
- Watch out: storage, receiving, pick and pack fees apply, and kitting and B2B cost more
- Watch out: custom packaging is allowed, but you pay to store it, and returns are a flat fee each
- Watch out: its pricing page would not load for us on 12 November 2026, so this card leans on the listing
Pick ShipStation if
- Fits if you sell on several marketplaces and want every order in one shipping queue
- Works for shops that want LTL freight quotes beside parcel rates
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a free plan, as there's only the 30-day trial
- Pricey if you send a few hundred parcels a month, since Starter climbs to $39.99 at 500
- Not for you if your packers use Android phones, as the app is iPhone and iPad only
- Tight if you want your own carrier accounts, returns and exchanges or the API, which need Standard
- Watch out: Starter caps at 3 users and 5,000 shipments a month, and postage is paid on top of the plan
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAShipBobFair | 2.6GPAShipStationGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo fulfillment price is published: every merchant gets a custom quote. With no number to set against the category's $14.99 to $75 plans, it sits in the middle by default. | C200 shipments a month means Starter's 500 step: $39.99 a month, or $383.90 a year paid yearly (about $32 a month). That's above the middle of this category, and your own carrier accounts and the Shipping API need Standard, from $29.99 for 50 shipments. |
| Free plan and trial | FNothing free on record. The dashboard is free for customers, but it only matters once you pay for storage and shipping. | CNo free plan, but a 30-day trial with no credit card needed. Long enough to ship a month of real orders before you pay. |
| Features | BStorage, picking, packing, shipping, returns, international to 250+ destinations, B2B orders and a warehouse system for people with their own sites. Some of it, like B2B and kitting, costs extra. | BOrders pulled in from every major marketplace, rate shopping, LTL quotes, batch labels, return labels and automations, with inventory and barcode scanning. The whole job, though returns and exchanges, and your own carrier accounts, start on Standard. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You connect your store, then send inventory to its centers, so there is real setup before the first order ships. | BIts iPhone app averages 4.63 from about 6,200 App Store ratings. The web app still needs stores connected and automation rules set up before batch shipping pays off. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb dashboard only, but it connects to Shopify, BigCommerce, Walmart and Amazon and has an API. | BWeb and iPhone, with no Android app listed. It connects to Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Etsy, Amazon, eBay, Walmart and TikTok Shop, and has a Shipping API on Standard and up. |
| Best for | handing storage and shipping to a warehouse network | busy shops shipping from many sales channels |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: ShipBob and ShipStation. How we grade
Where they differ
- ShipStation also covers workflow automation, reports and barcode scanning.
At a glance
| ShipBob | ShipStation | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free trial |
| Starts at | Not published | $14.99 per month for up to 50 shipments, billed monthly |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 30-day free trial, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | ShipBob, Inc. | Auctane |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | shipstation.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 |
Worth knowing
ShipBob
- Fulfillment pricing is not published; every merchant gets a custom quote.
- The page says storage, receiving, and pick, pack and ship fees apply, with kitting and B2B services costing extra.
- The dashboard software is stated to be free for customers, so cost comes from fulfillment and shipping.
- Custom packaging is allowed, and the merchant pays to store it.
ShipStation
- Every plan is priced by monthly shipments, and postage is paid on top of the subscription.
- There is no free plan; Starter caps out at 5,000 shipments a month and 3 users.
- Using your own carrier accounts and the Shipping API need Standard or higher.
- The mobile app is for iPhone and iPad only; no Android app is listed.
Key features
ShipBob
- Order fulfillment
- ShipBob receives and stores inventory, then picks, packs and ships each order from its network of fulfillment centers.
- Inventory distribution
- Stock can be placed across US regions through one hub, with automated replenishment between locations.
- International and B2B
- Ships to more than 250 destinations and can handle EDI-compliant and wholesale orders at an extra cost.
- Returns management
- Returns are processed for a flat fee per return, billed when the package arrives at a fulfillment center.
- Dashboard and integrations
- A dashboard tracks inventory, orders and shipments, and connects to stores through app-store integrations or an API.
- Warehouse management software
- A warehouse management system is offered to merchants with their own US warehouses, priced on request.
ShipStation
- Rate shopping across carriers
- Compares discounted rates from carriers such as USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL and GlobalPost. ShipStation says its carrier discounts reach 80% to 90%; that is the vendor's claim.
- Store and marketplace imports
- Unlimited store connections pull in orders from Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Squarespace, Wix, Etsy, Amazon, eBay, Walmart and TikTok Shop.
- Automation rules and batches
- Rules batch, route and print labels automatically, with automated rate shopping. Starter has basic automations; Standard and Premium have no limit.
- LTL freight beside parcels
- Every plan can quote, book and compare LTL freight shipments in the same screens as parcels.
- Returns, tracking and inventory
- Return labels on every plan, plus customer tracking emails. Standard adds returns and exchanges, and Premium adds purchase orders, forecasting and pick-to-tote.
- Mobile app
- ShipStation Mobile for iPhone and iPad imports orders, scans barcodes to find them, prints labels and pick lists, and re-sends tracking emails.
Plans
ShipBob
Pricing could not be confirmed. See shipbob.com.
ShipStation
Starter$14.99
per month for up to 50 shipments, billed monthly
3 users, unlimited stores, rate shopping, LTL quotes, return labels and basic automations. Rises with volume: $29.99 at 100 shipments, $39.99 at 500, $174.99 at 5,000.
Standard$29.99
per month for up to 50 shipments, billed monthly
10 users, unlimited automations, your own carrier accounts, returns and exchanges, Shipping API, phone support. $449.99 a month at 10,000 shipments.
Premium$349.99
per month for up to 50 shipments, billed monthly
15 users, advanced inventory and warehouse tools, custom analytics and auto-routing. $1,099.99 a month at 10,000 shipments.
Ways to pay less
ShipBob
No public discounts listed.
ShipStation
- Annual discount
20% off with annual billing
Paying yearly saves 20%: Starter at 50 shipments is $143.90 a year instead of $14.99 a month.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, ShipBob or ShipStation?
As of Nov 12, 2026, ShipBob has no price we could confirm, and ShipStation starts at $14.99 per month for up to 50 shipments, billed monthly.
Which has a free plan, ShipBob or ShipStation?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither ShipBob nor ShipStation has a free plan. ShipStation has a free trial.
Which platforms do ShipBob and ShipStation run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only ShipStation lists an iOS app. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.