ShipStation vs Shipsurance (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 1.6.
Checked Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
ShipStation grades higher on the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money.
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
Shipsurance
Discounted shipping insurance for parcels and freight
Which one is for you
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
Pick Shipsurance if
- Fits if you ship a lot of FedEx or UPS parcels and want cover cheaper than the carrier's
- Works for a shipper that wants claims filed electronically
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a fixed price: rates depend on volume, commodity and claims history
- Watch out: some USPS international services get no cover; First Class International is separate
- Watch out: rates are per $100 per package, and the first $100 is covered free by most carriers but not USPS
- Not for you if you want a free plan or trial: none is listed
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAShipStationGood | 1.6GPAShipsuranceWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | CRates are by quote: $0.10 to $0.40 per $100 for FedEx and UPS and $0.30 to $0.60 for USPS. No plan price is published, so we put it in the middle. |
| Free plan and trial | 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. | FNo free plan and no trial; cover is bought by quote. |
| Features | 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. | CLoss and damage cover for domestic and international parcels, electronic claims and shipping software integrations. No cover on some USPS international services, and rates depend on your claims history. |
| Ease of use | 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. | CNo store rating on record. You get a quote, then link it to your shipping software. |
| Platforms and integrations | 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. | CWeb quote and claims, with shipping software integrations mentioned but not named on the pages we read. |
| Best for | busy shops shipping from many sales channels | discounted insurance for parcels and freight |
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: ShipStation and Shipsurance. How we grade
Where they differ
- ShipStation also covers workflow automation, inventory, barcode scanning and shipping labels.
At a glance
| ShipStation | Shipsurance | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Paid |
| Starts at | $14.99 per month for up to 50 shipments, billed monthly | Custom quote; typical rates $0.10 to $0.60 per $100 of coverage per package |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial, no credit card required | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Auctane | Shipsurance |
| Price read from | shipstation.com | shipsurance.com |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Shipsurance
- Rates are quote-based and depend on volume, commodity and claims history.
- The page notes no coverage on some USPS international services and says First Class International is available separately.
- Rates are shown per $100 of coverage, and the first $100 is covered free by most carriers but not USPS.
Key features
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.
Shipsurance
- Loss and damage coverage
- Covers loss and damage in transit for shipments on major carriers.
- Quote-based policy
- Request a quote; if approved, a coverage certificate is issued.
- Shipping software integrations
- Works with most shipping systems, plus API calls to insure, void and manage claims.
- Electronic claims
- The site says a claim takes about 5 minutes to file and most are paid within a week.
- Domestic and international
- Covers domestic and worldwide shipments, with some First Class International limits.
Plans
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.
Shipsurance
Custom policyCustom
Rate per $100 of coverage depends on volume, commodity and claims history. Site shows $0.10-$0.40 for FedEx and UPS, $0.30-$0.60 for domestic USPS. Quote only.
Ways to pay less
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.
Shipsurance
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, ShipStation or Shipsurance?
As of Nov 13, 2026, ShipStation starts at $14.99 per month for up to 50 shipments, billed monthly, and Shipsurance starts at Custom quote; typical rates $0.10 to $0.60 per $100 of coverage per package.
Which has a free plan, ShipStation or Shipsurance?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither ShipStation nor Shipsurance has a free plan. ShipStation has a free trial.
Which platforms do ShipStation and Shipsurance run on?
As of Nov 13, 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.