The Pirate Ship Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Pirate Ship in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Pirate Ship
The Insider’s Guide
Free web app for discounted USPS and UPS labels, with no monthly fee
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among shipping software, read from Pirate Ship’s own pages.
Made by Pirate Ship · checked Oct 18, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Pirate Ship’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Pirate Ship’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 18, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 9 of the 10 other shipping software we grade
Pirate Ship is free, browser-based shipping software for US shippers. It compares discounted USPS and UPS rates, prints labels one at a time or in batches from a spreadsheet or a connected store, and sends tracking emails you can customize. The software has no monthly fee; you pay only for the postage, and the company says the carriers pay it instead.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Pirate Ship, taken from its own pages and our grades.
The catch is it's USPS and UPS only, with no FedEx or DHL, and it runs in a browser.
- 1
Best for free USPS and UPS labels
It imports orders from Shopify, Etsy, eBay and others and sends tracking emails you can customize.
- 2
It is free
Pirate Ship has no paid plan at all. The software is free with unlimited users and no monthly fee, markup or minimum volume. You pay for each label's postage with a card or PayPal.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Discounted USPS and UPS rates
Rate-shops every USPS and UPS service, including Priority Mail Cubic and Ground Saver. Pirate Ship says the discounts reach up to 88% off retail rates; that is its claim.
- 5
Simple Export Rate
An international service Pirate Ship says is exclusive to it, alongside USPS and UPS international services with electronic customs forms.
- 6
Store and spreadsheet imports
Imports orders from Shopify, Etsy, eBay, WooCommerce, Squarespace, BigCommerce, Square, Wix and others, or from CSV, Excel and ODS spreadsheets.
- 7
A 3.0 GPA, above 9 of 10
That is against the other shipping software we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Pirate Ship is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Pirate Ship at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Pirate Ship, since 2014
- Category
- Shipping Software
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for free USPS and UPS labels
Pirate Ship is the one to beat on price: the software is free, with unlimited users and no monthly fee or markup, and you pay only the postage. It imports orders from Shopify, Etsy, eBay and others and sends tracking emails you can customize. The catch is it's USPS and UPS only, with no FedEx or DHL, and it runs in a browser.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | The software costs $0, with unlimited users and no monthly fee, markup or minimum volume, so 200 parcels a month costs only the postage. Free and this substantial is an A in any category. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free outright: every feature and unlimited users, with no paid plan to upgrade to. You pay each label's postage by card or PayPal, and return labels are charged only when used. |
| Features | C | Rates for every USPS and UPS service, batch labels from a spreadsheet or store, presets, custom tracking emails, reports, insurance and pay-on-use returns. The gap is carriers: no FedEx or DHL, and UPS discounts only for shipments from the US. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. You sign up free and can buy a label straight away, but for a shop the work is connecting the store and saving package presets, which is the ordinary setup here. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web only, with no mobile app listed, but orders come in from Shopify, Etsy, eBay, WooCommerce, Squarespace, BigCommerce, Square and Wix, or from CSV, Excel and ODS files. Web with integrations is a B. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Pirate Ship is for
- Great if you sell on Etsy, eBay or Shopify and ship mostly with USPS
- Handy when you print a stack of identical labels from a spreadsheet, like a crowdfunding run
- Good for small sellers who'd rather not pay a monthly software fee at all
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you ship with FedEx or DHL, as only USPS and UPS are offered
- Not for you if you ship from outside the US, since UPS discounts apply only to US shipments
- Tight if you want phone support or an app, as it's chat and email in a browser only
Good to know
Good for
- Small sellers and occasional shippers in the US who want no software fee
- Etsy, eBay and Shopify sellers shipping with USPS or UPS
- Subscription box and crowdfunding shippers printing labels from a spreadsheet
Worth knowing
- Only USPS and UPS are offered; there is no FedEx or DHL option.
- Postage is the only cost. The "up to 88%" savings figure is Pirate Ship's own comparison with retail rates.
- UPS discounts apply only to shipments that start in the US.
- It runs in a web browser only; the site lists no mobile app, and support is by chat and email.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Pirate Ship is free to use.
Free and this substantial is an A in any category.
Free account
$0
Every feature and unlimited users at no charge; postage is paid per label at Pirate Ship's discounted rates.
The free plan
The software is free with unlimited users and no monthly fee, markup or minimum volume. You pay for each label's postage with a card or PayPal.
Read from pirateship.com on Oct 18, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Free web app for discounted USPS and UPS labels, with no monthly fee. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: reports, shipping labels.
The gap is carriers: no FedEx or DHL, and UPS discounts only for shipments from the US.
- Discounted USPS and UPS rates
- Rate-shops every USPS and UPS service, including Priority Mail Cubic and Ground Saver. Pirate Ship says the discounts reach up to 88% off retail rates; that is its claim.
- Simple Export Rate
- An international service Pirate Ship says is exclusive to it, alongside USPS and UPS international services with electronic customs forms.
- Store and spreadsheet imports
- Imports orders from Shopify, Etsy, eBay, WooCommerce, Squarespace, BigCommerce, Square, Wix and others, or from CSV, Excel and ODS spreadsheets.
- Batch labels and presets
- Buy and print many identical labels at once from a spreadsheet or integration, and save presets for packages you ship often.
- Tracking emails and reports
- Customizable HTML tracking emails for recipients, plus tracking and accounting reports for your own records.
- Insurance and return labels
- Discounted shipping insurance is available, and return labels are pay-on-use, so you are charged only when one is used.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Shopify
- Etsy
- eBay
- WooCommerce
- Squarespace
- BigCommerce
- Square
- PayPal
Pirate Ship is made by Pirate Ship, and has been around since 2014.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
9/10
Other shipping software it is graded above
Pirate Ship's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 9 of the 10 other shipping software we grade, and level with 1.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 9 of 10) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Pirate Ship has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 11 shipping software we grade, cut by the letter each got. Pirate Ship’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 9 of 10
- AFree plan and trialAbove 9 of 10
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 10
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 10
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 1 of 10
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 11 shipping software. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Pirate Ship is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Pirate Ship is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 9 of the 10 other shipping software we grade.
What you could make
- Reports: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Discounted carrier rates and labels, which take an agreement with each carrier.
- It plugs into other products, Shopify, Etsy and eBay among them.
What this rests on. Pirate Ship’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Shippo, Stamps.com, ShipStation, PitneyShip and Easyship
The 5 tools Pirate Ship is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Shippo
Free plan · from $17/mo
Multi-carrier shipping app and API, priced by labels a month.
- Shippo also covers workflow automation.
- 2.2GPA
Stamps.com
Free trial · from $14.99/mo
Print postage, stamps and discounted shipping labels from the office.
- Pirate Ship has a free plan. Stamps.com does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Stamps.com lists Windows, macOS, iOS and Android apps.
- 2.6GPA
ShipStation
Free trial · from $14.99/mo
Shipping software for online sellers, priced by shipments a month.
- Pirate Ship has a free plan. ShipStation does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only ShipStation lists an iOS app.
- ShipStation also covers workflow automation, inventory and barcode scanning.
- 2.4GPA
PitneyShip
Free plan · from $34.99/mo
Pitney Bowes app for discounted labels, stamps and Certified Mail.
- Only PitneyShip lists iOS and Android apps.
- Pirate Ship also covers reports.
- 2.4GPA
Easyship
Free plan · from $23/mo
Shipping software with 550+ courier services and duty estimates.
- Easyship also covers workflow automation.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Pirate Ship free?
Yes. Pirate Ship is free to use.
How much does Pirate Ship cost?
Pirate Ship lists one plan. Free account: $0.
What platforms does Pirate Ship work on?
Pirate Ship is available on Web.
Does Pirate Ship have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 18, 2026. Pirate Ship is listed for Web.
Does Pirate Ship have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 18, 2026. Pirate Ship is listed for Web.
Is Pirate Ship open source?
Pirate Ship is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 18, 2026.
What does Pirate Ship integrate with?
Pirate Ship's listing names Shopify, Etsy, eBay, WooCommerce, Squarespace, BigCommerce, Square and PayPal.
Who makes Pirate Ship?
Pirate Ship is made by Pirate Ship. It dates from 2014.
What are the alternatives to Pirate Ship?
The closest alternatives to Pirate Ship in our directory are Shippo, Stamps.com, ShipStation, PitneyShip and Easyship.
How does Pirate Ship compare with other shipping software?
Pirate Ship's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 9 of the 10 other shipping software we grade, and level with 1.
Is Pirate Ship good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Pirate Ship A for value for money. Pirate Ship has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Pirate Ship?
Pirate Ship is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Pirate Ship’s own pages on Oct 18, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 18, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Pirate Ship's own pages on 18 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Pirate Ship. Prices change, so check pirateship.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
2,068
Tools graded, in 57 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
2,068
tools graded
57
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Pirate Ship, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/pirate-ship
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Pirate Ship: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 18, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/pirate-ship
Know someone choosing between shipping software?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/pirate-ship/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded shipping software after Pirate Ship, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Shipping Software Insider's GuideEvery one of the 11 shipping software we grade, compared
- Veeqo Insider's GuideAmazon's free multichannel shipping app, with paid inventory tools3.0 GPA
- ShipStation Insider's GuideShipping software for online sellers, priced by shipments a month2.6 GPA
- Easyship Insider's GuideShipping software with 550+ courier services and duty estimates2.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Pirate Ship’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. Pirate Ship is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Pirate Ship. Prices and plans change: check pirateship.com before you buy.