Shipping and fulfillment can make or break your eCommerce business. These 5 software tools streamline everything from label printing to inventory syncing. Whether you sell on Amazon, Shopify, or Etsy, these solutions improve speed, accuracy, and customer satisfaction in 2025.
What to Look for in Shipping & Fulfillment Software
Choosing the right shipping and fulfillment software requires careful consideration of several key features that directly impact your operational efficiency and customer experience.
Carrier Integrations Your software should connect seamlessly with major carriers like UPS, FedEx, USPS, and DHL. The more carrier options available, the better you can optimize for cost and delivery speed based on package size, destination, and customer preferences.
Real-Time Tracking and Order Sync Automatic order syncing across all your sales channels prevents overselling and ensures accurate inventory levels. Real-time tracking updates keep both you and your customers informed about shipment status, reducing “Where Is My Order?” (WISMO) inquiries. Learn more about managing WISMO tickets effectively.
Inventory Visibility and Multi-Warehouse Support As your business grows, you may need to manage inventory across multiple locations. Software with multi-warehouse capabilities helps you optimize fulfillment from the closest location, reducing shipping costs and delivery times. Proper inventory management is crucial for scaling your operations.
Return Management Automation An efficient returns process is crucial for customer satisfaction. Look for software that automates return label generation, tracks returned items, and streamlines the refund or exchange process. Check out our guide on eCommerce returns management for best practices.
Integration with Your eCommerce Platforms Your fulfillment software should integrate smoothly with your existing tech stack, including your shopping cart platform, marketplace accounts, and customer support software to provide a unified view of orders and customer communications.
The 5 Best Shipping & Fulfillment Tools in 2025
1. ShipStation
ShipStation remains the leading choice for small to medium-sized businesses looking for a comprehensive shipping solution.
Overview ShipStation provides automated shipping label creation, order management, and tracking across multiple sales channels, making it ideal for multichannel sellers who need to centralize their fulfillment operations.
Key Features:
- Automated label printing and batch processing
- Integration with over 70 eCommerce platforms and marketplaces
- Customizable packing slips and branded tracking pages
- Advanced automation rules based on order criteria
- Built-in shipping rate comparison across carriers
- Return label generation and management
Integrations: Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, eBay, Etsy, BigCommerce, Walmart, Magento, and many more.
Best For: Small to medium-sized businesses selling across multiple channels who want to consolidate their shipping operations in one platform.
Pricing Info: Plans start at approximately $9.99/month for up to 50 shipments, with pricing scaling based on monthly shipment volume.
Why It Stands Out in 2025: ShipStation’s extensive carrier network and marketplace integrations make it exceptionally versatile. The platform’s automation capabilities help sellers save hours on repetitive tasks, while its branded tracking pages enhance the post-purchase customer experience.
2. Easyship
Easyship specializes in helping businesses ship internationally with confidence and competitive rates.
Overview Easyship is designed for sellers who ship globally, offering real-time rate comparisons from over 250 couriers worldwide along with automated customs and tax calculations.
Key Features:
- Access to 250+ courier services globally
- Real-time shipping rate comparison with delivery time estimates
- Automated customs documentation and duty calculations
- Tax and VAT calculation for international shipments
- Discounted courier rates for high-volume shippers
- Integration with major eCommerce platforms
Integrations: Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, eBay, Magento, BigCommerce, Etsy, and custom API integration.
Best For: Businesses focused on international expansion or those already shipping to multiple countries who need simplified customs and competitive global rates.
Pricing Info: Free plan available for up to 50 shipments per month, with paid plans offering additional features and higher volume limits.
Why It Stands Out in 2025: Easyship’s strength lies in its international shipping capabilities. The platform removes the complexity of cross-border commerce by handling customs documentation, calculating duties and taxes, and providing transparent landed cost estimates to customers at checkout.
3. ShipBob
ShipBob offers a unique fulfillment-as-a-service model, combining software with physical fulfillment centers.
Overview ShipBob is a third-party logistics (3PL) provider that handles warehousing, picking, packing, and shipping for eCommerce businesses, allowing sellers to outsource their entire fulfillment operation.
Key Features:
- Network of fulfillment centers across the US and internationally
- 2-day shipping to most US locations
- Distributed inventory management across multiple warehouses
- Branded packaging options
- Returns management and restocking
- Real-time inventory and order tracking dashboard
Integrations: Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Amazon, Walmart, eBay, and more.
Best For: Growing businesses that want to outsource fulfillment to focus on marketing and product development, or those needing faster delivery without managing their own warehouse. This is particularly useful if you’re scaling your eCommerce operations.
Pricing Info: Pricing is customized based on storage space, order volume, and services required. Typically includes receiving fees, storage fees, and pick-and-pack fees per order.
Why It Stands Out in 2025: ShipBob eliminates the need for in-house fulfillment infrastructure. Their distributed warehouse network enables sellers to achieve Amazon-like delivery speeds without the complexity of managing logistics internally. This is particularly valuable during peak seasons when order volumes spike.
4. ShipHero
ShipHero serves as both a warehouse management system (WMS) and a 3PL solution for direct-to-consumer brands.
Overview ShipHero provides advanced inventory management and fulfillment tools designed for brands that either manage their own warehouses or want to work with ShipHero’s fulfillment network.
Key Features:
- Comprehensive warehouse management system
- Smart picking and packing workflows
- Barcode scanning and verification
- Inventory forecasting and demand planning
- Multi-warehouse management
- 3PL fulfillment network option
- Mobile app for warehouse operations
Integrations: Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, Amazon, eBay, and custom API connections.
Best For: DTC brands experiencing rapid growth who need sophisticated inventory management or want to upgrade from basic fulfillment software to an enterprise-grade WMS.
Pricing Info: Custom pricing based on whether you’re using the software for your own warehouse or leveraging their 3PL services.
Why It Stands Out in 2025: ShipHero bridges the gap between simple shipping software and complex enterprise WMS solutions. The platform’s smart automation reduces picking errors and increases fulfillment speed, while its forecasting tools help prevent stockouts and overstock situations.
5. ShippingEasy
ShippingEasy offers an affordable, user-friendly solution perfect for new and growing sellers.
Overview ShippingEasy combines shipping label creation with built-in email marketing tools, making it ideal for small businesses looking for an all-in-one solution at a budget-friendly price point.
Key Features:
- Discounted USPS rates (up to 89% off retail pricing)
- Automated label printing and batch processing
- Built-in email marketing for post-purchase engagement
- Customer segmentation for targeted campaigns
- Inventory management tools
- Customizable packing slips
Integrations: Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, eBay, Etsy, BigCommerce, Walmart, and more.
Best For: Small businesses and new sellers who want an affordable shipping solution with marketing capabilities to help drive repeat purchases.
Pricing Info: Free plan available for up to 25 shipments per month, with paid plans starting around $29/month for higher volumes.
Why It Stands Out in 2025: ShippingEasy’s combination of shipping and marketing tools provides excellent value for small businesses. The significant USPS discounts help reduce shipping costs, while the integrated email marketing features support customer retention strategies without requiring separate software.
Feature Comparison Table
| Tool | Best For | Key Feature | Carrier Support | Starting Price |
| ShipStation | SMBs | Multichannel Labels | 70+ carriers | $9.99/month |
| Easyship | Global Sellers | Real-Time Rates & Customs | 250+ couriers | Free (up to 50 shipments) |
| ShipBob | Outsourced Fulfillment | 2-Day Delivery Network | Custom fulfillment | Custom pricing |
| ShipHero | DTC Brands | Smart Warehousing & WMS | Major carriers | Custom pricing |
| ShippingEasy | New Sellers | USPS Discounts & Marketing | USPS, UPS, FedEx | Free (up to 25 shipments) |
How to Choose the Right Fulfillment Software
Selecting the right shipping and fulfillment software depends on your specific business needs and growth stage.
Consider Your Order Volume If you’re shipping fewer than 100 orders monthly, a simpler solution like ShippingEasy or the free tier of Easyship may suffice. Higher volumes benefit from ShipStation’s automation or ShipHero’s advanced features.
Evaluate Your Shipping Regions Domestic-only sellers can focus on USPS discounts and basic carrier integrations. International sellers should prioritize platforms like Easyship that handle customs documentation and provide global courier access.
In-House vs Outsourced Fulfillment Decide whether you want to manage fulfillment yourself or outsource it. If you have warehouse space and staff, software-only solutions work well. If you want to eliminate fulfillment headaches entirely, consider 3PL services like ShipBob. Learn more about managing your fulfillment costs.
Integration Requirements Ensure your chosen software integrates seamlessly with your existing eCommerce platforms, marketplaces, and customer support tools. This integration is crucial for maintaining accurate inventory levels and providing excellent customer service.
Budget Constraints Factor in not just software costs but also shipping rates. Some platforms offer discounted carrier rates that can offset monthly subscription fees. Calculate your total cost per shipment when comparing options.
Scalability Needs Choose software that can grow with your business. If you plan to expand internationally or add new sales channels, select a platform with the flexibility to support that growth without requiring a complete system change.
For businesses managing customer inquiries across multiple sales channels, integrating your fulfillment software with a specialized helpdesk solution can significantly improve efficiency. eDesk’s customer support platform centralizes messages from all your marketplaces and eCommerce stores, allowing your team to provide consistent, timely responses regardless of where customers reach out.
Streamline Your Entire eCommerce Operation
While shipping and fulfillment software handles the logistics side of your business, managing customer communications across multiple channels requires a dedicated solution. eDesk integrates with over 250 marketplaces and platforms, bringing all your customer messages, order data, and shipping information into one intelligent inbox.
With eDesk, your support team can:
- View complete order and shipping information without leaving the conversation
- Automate responses to common shipping inquiries with AI-powered suggestions
- Track fulfillment status and proactively update customers
- Manage returns and refunds more efficiently
- Maintain high seller ratings by responding faster to customer questions
Whether you’re selling on Amazon, Walmart, Shopify, or managing multichannel operations, eDesk helps you deliver exceptional customer experiences at scale.
Try eDesk free for 14 days and see how centralizing your customer support can complement your fulfillment operations, or book a personalized demo to learn how eDesk can transform your multichannel customer service.
FAQs
What’s the difference between shipping and fulfillment software?
Shipping software primarily focuses on label creation, carrier rate comparison, and tracking shipments. Fulfillment software encompasses the entire order fulfillment process, including inventory management, picking, packing, shipping, and sometimes warehousing. Many modern platforms combine both capabilities, though 3PL services like ShipBob provide end-to-end fulfillment as a service. For more on eCommerce operations optimization, check our comprehensive guide.
Which tool is best for international orders?
Easyship is specifically designed for international shipping, offering access to 250+ global couriers, automated customs documentation, and accurate duty and tax calculations. It simplifies the complexities of cross-border commerce better than most alternatives. You can also read about international customer service best practices to complement your shipping strategy.
Can I use these tools with Amazon or Etsy?
Yes, all five platforms mentioned integrate with major marketplaces including Amazon and Etsy. However, if you’re using Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) for Amazon orders, you won’t need separate shipping software for those items. These tools are most valuable for orders fulfilled from your own inventory or through non-Amazon warehouses.
Do I need a 3PL or can I manage fulfillment in-house?
This depends on your business size, growth trajectory, and available resources. In-house fulfillment gives you more control and can be more cost-effective at smaller volumes. Consider a 3PL like ShipBob when: you’re experiencing rapid growth that’s straining your current setup, you want to offer faster shipping without managing multiple warehouses, you prefer to focus on product development and marketing rather than logistics, or your current warehouse space is insufficient for your inventory needs.
How do these tools integrate with customer support software?
Most shipping and fulfillment platforms offer API integrations that allow customer support software to pull order and tracking information. Solutions like eDesk automatically sync order data from your eCommerce platforms and marketplaces, giving support agents instant access to shipping status, tracking numbers, and delivery information without switching between systems. This integration reduces response times and improves the customer experience. Learn more about eCommerce helpdesk software.
What shipping discounts can I expect from these platforms?
Discount levels vary by platform and your shipping volume. ShippingEasy advertises USPS discounts up to 89% off retail rates. ShipStation and Easyship offer negotiated rates with multiple carriers that become more competitive as your volume increases. The exact discount you receive depends on your shipment volume and the carriers you use most frequently.
Can I automate my shipping processes?
Absolutely. All platforms mentioned offer automation features such as: automatically selecting the cheapest or fastest carrier based on order criteria, batch printing labels for multiple orders at once, auto-generating packing slips and shipping labels when orders are placed, sending tracking information to customers automatically, and applying specific shipping rules based on product type, destination, or order value. These automations can save hours of manual work daily, especially during peak seasons.
How can I reduce my shipping costs?
Beyond choosing software with discounted carrier rates, you can reduce costs by: comparing rates across multiple carriers for each shipment, optimizing packaging to reduce dimensional weight charges, implementing flat-rate shipping where appropriate, negotiating volume discounts directly with carriers as you scale, using multi-channel fulfillment strategies to ship from the closest warehouse, and setting minimum order values for free shipping to increase average order value.
