ShipStation API (ShipEngine) vs Zonos (2026): which should you pick?

Pick ShipStation API (ShipEngine) if

• Fits if you are a developer adding labels and tracking to a store or platform
• Works for teams that want discounted carrier rates with no monthly fee

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if nobody on your team writes code
• Tight if you have your own carrier contracts, as those need Advanced at $75 a month
• Pricey if you grow: $325 at 5,000 labels and $600 at 10,000
• Watch out: ShipEngine's own site now redirects to ShipStation, and Enterprise is only for 25,000+ shipments a month through sales

Pick Zonos if

• Fits if you sell abroad and want duties and taxes shown at checkout
• Works for stores that want product codes and customs handled for them

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want a price first: only a contact-sales form is shown
• Not for you if you want to try it first: no free plan or trial is listed
• Watch out: Checkout, Landed Cost, Classify and Brokerage are separate products
• Not for you if you ship into countries other than the US: brokerage focuses on US entries

ShipStation API (ShipEngine)

• ShipEngine's site now redirects to ShipStation, and the docs say ShipStation API was formerly ShipEngine.
• Bringing your own carrier accounts needs the Advanced plan.
• Usage over the monthly allowance is billed per extra label, or pay-as-you-go for API calls.
• Enterprise is for volumes above 25,000 shipments a month and is sold through sales.

Zonos

• No prices are published; the pricing address redirects to a contact-sales form.
• Products are separate (Checkout, Landed Cost, Classify, Brokerage), so costs depend on which you use.
• The brokerage service is focused on U.S. entries.

ShipStation API (ShipEngine)

Labels and rate shopping

Create shipments and labels and compare rates across 100+ supported carriers.

Address validation

Validate addresses on the Advanced plan, with US and global validation listed.

Tracking

Track parcels and create tracking webhooks, available on the Free plan.

Taxes and duties

Calculates taxes and duties and produces customs documentation for international parcels.

LTL freight

Freight quotes, booking and tracking for LTL shipments, using your own accounts.

Sandbox

A sandbox with mock carriers lets developers test every endpoint, free beyond the trial.

Zonos

Landed cost

Calculates duties, taxes and fees for over 200 countries and territories, and says it covers the difference if customs charges more than quoted.

HS code classification

Classify assigns tariff codes from a product description or image; a deeper tier is called Classify Ultra.

Localized checkout

Checkout shows prices in the shopper's currency and supports local payment methods, with plugins for Magento, BigCommerce and WooCommerce.

Brokerage

A licensed U.S. customs brokerage subsidiary files informal entries for high-volume parcel programs.

Hello widget

A drop-in website widget that converts prices to local currency and estimates duty and tax for visitors.

Bring your own carriers

Shipping labels and commercial invoices can be generated, using the seller's own carrier rates, including DDP shipping.

ShipStation API (ShipEngine)

• Free$0

  Discounted carrier accounts, labels, rate comparison, tracking and webhooks; no bring-your-own accounts.

• Advanced$75

  per month for up to 1,000 labels

  Adds your own carrier accounts and address validation. $0.075 per extra label; $325 at 5,000 labels, $600 at 10,000.

• EnterpriseCustom

  For 25,000+ shipments a month: higher rate limits, an implementation manager and branded partner UIs.

Zonos

Pricing could not be confirmed. See zonos.com.