ShipMonk 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 ShipMonk if
- Fits if you are a growing online brand that wants storage and shipping done for you
- Makes sense if you sell both to shoppers and to retailers and want one provider
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a price list, because there isn't one
- Pricey if you add services: returns, lot control and gift messages each raise the bill
- Watch out: custom packaging is billed as an extra item during pick and pack
- Watch out: bonded warehouses are a separate service
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
| 2.0GPAShipMonkFair | 2.6GPAShipStationGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo prices published; the pricing page leads to a request for a proposal. That leaves it mid-table 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 or trial-based on record; the pricing page leads to a proposal request. | 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, fulfillment, B2B and direct orders, returns, its own warehouse software and international orders handled like domestic ones. Special projects are billed separately. | 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. Store connections and inventory transfers are work 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 only, but it links to Shopify, BigCommerce, eBay and Loop Returns, 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 | outsourced ecommerce fulfillment | 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: ShipMonk and ShipStation. How we grade
Where they differ
- ShipStation also covers workflow automation, reports and barcode scanning.
At a glance
| ShipMonk | 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 | ShipMonk | Auctane |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | shipstation.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 |
Worth knowing
ShipMonk
- No prices are published; the pricing page leads to a request for a proposal.
- Fees are split into storage, fulfillment, special projects and shipping, and rise with services such as returns, lot control and gift messages.
- Custom packaging is billed as an additional item during pick and pack.
- ShipMonk says international orders are processed like domestic ones, and bonded warehouses are a separate service.
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
ShipMonk
- Fulfillment centers
- The homepage describes 12+ fulfillment centers on 7 campuses, used for DTC, marketplace and retail orders.
- Warehouse and order software
- A proprietary platform combines order, warehouse and inventory management, with reporting and analytics.
- Virtual Carrier Network
- ShipMonk's own shipping program that it says delivers orders on time at lower rates, including 2-day options.
- Returns and special projects
- A return portal lets sellers set how returns are handled, and extra services cover labeling, lot control and gift messages.
- International and B2B
- Ships to 200+ countries and offers cross-border and B2B fulfillment, plus bonded warehouses.
- Integrations
- Connects to more than 100 shopping carts, marketplaces and tools, and offers API and developer tools.
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
ShipMonk
Pricing could not be confirmed. See shipmonk.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
ShipMonk
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, ShipMonk or ShipStation?
As of Nov 12, 2026, ShipMonk 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, ShipMonk or ShipStation?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither ShipMonk nor ShipStation has a free plan. ShipStation has a free trial.
Which platforms do ShipMonk 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.