Shipworks vs ShipStation: Which is Best for Your Shipping Needs?

Last Updated on April 22, 2023 by Ewen Finser

ShipWorks vs ShipStation has a lot of the same core features any business owner looking for shipping automation would appreciate. They both offer a free trial, shipping discounts, custom branding and automation, and powerful reporting.

However, there are a few differences between the platforms that could make you easily choose one over the other. Check out our in-depth comparison to see which shipping solution is right for you.

Bottom Line Up Front Summary: If you are just starting out with your first shipping platform, I recommend the easier to use solution with more flexible third party integrations. That’s definitely ShipStation here. Otherwise, ShipWorks is a decent upgrade if you’ve tried ShipStation and need a bit more AI automaation and white glove support.

The‌ ‌Main‌ ‌Differences‌ ‌Between‌ ShipWorks vs ShipStation

The Main Differences Between ShipWorks vs ShipStation are:

• ShipWorks offers unlimited phone, chat, and email support on all tiers, whereas ShipStation only offers email support.
• ShipWorks supports warehouse shipping solutions directly through the platform, whereas ShipStation uses integrations.
• ShipWorks features ShipSense, an internal data AI tool for automating recurring orders, whereas ShipStation does not.
• ShipStation has an integration for Quickbooks and Oracle, whereas ShipWorks does not.
• ShipStation has custom branding for tracking pages and returns, whereas ShipWorks does not.

The‌ ‌Similarities‌ ‌

• Free trial
• International shipping
• Shipping discounts
• Pre-built automation rules
• Custom automation rules
• Custom branding
• Order pickup option (no shipping label generated)
• Advanced reporting

ShipWorks vs ShipStation: What is ShipWorks?

ShipWorks is a cloud-based eCommerce shipping software that automates order fulfillment for inventory management. The platform features detailing reporting, personalized packing slips, and a variety of mainstream integrations.

If you currently have both a retail location(s) and an online store, ShipWorks can effectively manage your overall inventory and tag each order so you know if it needs shipping or will be picked up in-store.

ShipWorks vs ShipStation: What is ShipStation Shipping Software?

ShipStation is a cloud-based shipping solution for automating order fulfillment. It is ideal for small, medium, and large businesses. The platform has an easy to use admin dashboard.

Easily compare shipping costs, utilize custom branding, and take advantage of accounting, carrier, eCommerce, and payment processor integrations.

The Main Features of ShipWorks

Shipping Software Customization

With ShipWorks you can customize emails, packing slips, and invoices. The platform also provides powerful filters to organize customer data, orders, and shipment details.

The Works

ShipWorks caters to warehouse shippers too. Launched in 2019, The Works was created for warehouses shipping large volumes and simplifies the warehouse fulfillment process.

The Works is an automated multi-carrier solution that saves a considerable amount of time for the warehouse employee in his everyday job and training. Instead of setting up a separate station for USPS, UPS, and FedEx, for example, a single scan can generate the correct carrier at a single station.

ShipSense

ShipSense analyzes your last 25,000 processed shipments in the knowledge base so if you sell the same item(s) a second, third, etc. time you will only have to manually enter the box dimensions, weight, number of packages, add to the weight, and customs information once.

And if your shopping cart populates the wrong shipping info. and you have to manually enter the correct figures, ShipSense will remember this change so you will make fewer logistics mistakes.

This feature is a must if you sell multiple SKUs of the same item such as shirts or candles. It is important to note that using ShipSense (auto-enabled for ShipWorks versions 3.9 or higher), won’t override any shipping profiles or rules. It is meant as a supplement only.

Inventory Management Automation Rules

Custom Shipping Rules

Within the ShipWorks platform you can create custom shipping rules in three easy steps:

1. Navigate to Shipping Settings and select the provider to begin the “Add Rule” dialog.
2. Create a filter
3. Create and select a shipping profile to apply the filter to those orders.

Custom Print Rules

Constantly batch printing shipping labels? ShipWorks can work with your carrier’s Printing Output Rules within the platform. Setting up these rules can save you a significant amount of time when batch printing labels that need to be in sequential order.

Printing Output Rules have a few more steps, but are equally easy to execute. Make sure you are logged in as an admin and shut off the automatic print Shipworks function if you don’t want multiple packing slips or invoices printed for each order. You can do this by going to “Manage Actions”, uncheck the box next to the print packing slips or invoices action, and close.

To set up batch printing, complete the following actions:

1. Locate the “Manage” tab on the toolbar and click “Shipping Settings”.
2. Choose your preferred carrier from the drop-down menu.
3. Select the “Printing” tab.
4. Then “Add Group”. Give the group a relevant name and click ok.
5. Change the setting “If the shipment is in” to “Always”
6. The setting will now say “Always print with” and includes a dropdown menu. Select which invoice, label, email, or packing slip you want to automatically print with processing a shipping label.
7. Click “Close” and if prompted select the designated printer.

Reporting

Working in a cloud-based system can be beneficial for real-time reporting and reports on the go. Reports can be saved, printed, emailed, formatted into a PDF, and exported. Before any action is taken, you can also preview the report so you are confident that it includes the pertinent data.

With ShipWorks you can also copy the information from the main orders grid within the platform and paste it directly into Excel.

Utilize the Shipper Productivity report to manage the number of shipped processed (and voided) and the total cost of shipments processed. Both data sets can be filtered by the user.

Discount Postage

USPS

• Up to 40% off for domestic shipments (no volume minimum)

FedEx

• May qualify for subsidized license fees through FedEx Technology Incentive Program (FTIP)

UPS

• Up to 62% off UPS 2nd Day Air
• Up to 48% off UPS Ground
• Lower surcharges
• Reduced pickup rates (can also use your own negotiated carrier rates with ShipWorks)

DHL

• No discounts listed

OnTrac

• No Signature Required Fee
• Lower Delivery Area Surcharge and Extended Area Surcharge
• No Invalid, Missing, or Rebill Account Fee
• Higher Dimensional Factor (greater is better)
• On-Call Pickup Fee charged by pickup, not package
• Lower Residential Delivery Fee

GlobalPost

• Worry‑free shipping – Includes $100 of replacement coverage plus a refund of all shipping charges
• Trusted service – All packages utilize the same network as USPS international services
• Door‑to‑door tracking – Available for 31 countries with GlobalPost Priority
• Fast delivery – 6‑10 days when you choose GlobalPost Priority
• Easy customs form preparation – No printing of customs forms needed
• Dedicated customer service – Free phone and email support
• No hidden fees – No fuel surcharges or residential delivery fees added
• Free pickup service if you ship 10 or more international packages per day

Integrations

Business Services

• Zenventory
• Orderbot
• Globegistics
• MailChimp

Unlike most automation shipping services, ShipWorks does not currently have an integration for popular business software like Quickbooks or Oracle.

Carriers

• USPS
• UPS
• FedEx
• DHL
• OnTrac
• Global Post

eCommerce

• Amazon
• eBay
• Walmart
• Etsy
• Jet
• Groupon Goods

Payment Processors

• PayPal
• Spark Pay (Capital One’s mobile card reader)

Unlike many competitors, ShipWorks only supports PayPal and Spark Pay.

The Main Features of ShipStation

Customization

You can customize packing slips, email notifications, shipping labels, tracking pages, and returns with ShipStation. The following fields can be branded for a professional look:

• Company Name
• Phone
• Email
• Store Logo
• Website
• Social Links
• Branded Tracking Page

Automation Rules

ShipStation has over 40 pre-built automation rules. Notable options include Enable Saturday Delivery, Include a Return Label with the Outbound Label, Use a specific Packing Slip, and Email Notifications.

You can also create custom automation rules by following these steps:

1. Click “+ Create a Rule” button.
2. Name the rule.
3. Set the actions.
4. Click “+ Add Criteria”
5. Click the “Add an Action” button.
6. Save the rule.

Reporting

Insight Pages

Keep up to date with shipping volumes using Insight Pages. They are available as visual business trend reports, charts, and graphs.

Insights Reports

Customize your report by sell date, selling channel, carrier, account, SKU, and more. Easily export the data to PDF, CSV, Excel, or text or view directly in the app.

Additional monthly reports include Static Reports, Custom Orders, Custom Shipments, and Data Archives.

Discount Postage

USPS discounts

• 40% off Priority Mail
• 18% off First Class Mail Package
• 13% off Priority Mail Express
• 5% off International First Class, Priority Mail, and Priority Mail Express
• 40% off USPS Package Insurance Rate
• Plus free PC Postage account (Stamps.com) with the ShipStation Pro Plan

UPS discounts

• UPS discounts up to 62% off Daily Rates (48% off UPS Ground)
• No minimum shipping volume requirements
• Avoid certain surcharges and have others discounted, saving you even more money
• Guaranteed delivery services
• Updated UPS tracking and delivery alerts
• Domestic and international delivery services

FedEx discounts (through the FedEx Advantage Program)

• Express US services – Up to 29% off
• Express international services – Up to 25% off
• Ground services – Up to 20% off
• Office services – Up to 20% off

DHL

• Up to 66% on DHL Express postage with ShipStation Carrier Services

Shipstation Integration Options

Business Services

• QuickBooks
• Oracle
• SAP Business One and SAP Business ByDesign
• VATGlobal

Carriers

• USPS
• UPS
• FedEx
• DHL
• Amazon FBA

ShipStation has a larger variety of international mail integrations than ShipWorks. Partners include Royal Mail, Hermes UK, DPD UK, Canada Post, RR Donnelley, and Landmark Global just to name a few.

eCommerce

• Amazon
• eBay
• Walmart
• Etsy

Payment Processors

• PayPal
• Stripe

ShipWorks vs ShipStation – Pricing

ShipWorks

ShipWorks has a 30-day free trial. Seamlessly import orders from any shopping cart or marketplace. Compare shipping rates and quickly print shipping labels.

eCommerce Essential

$49 per month

• Unlimited Users
• Unlimited Carrier Accounts
• Unlimited Phone, Chat & Email Support
• 1,500 shipments per month
• 1+ Ship-from location

eCommerce Professional

$149 per month

• Unlimited Users
• Unlimited Carrier Accounts
• Unlimited Phone, Chat & Email Support
• 5,000 shipments per month
• 1+ Ship-from location

Warehouse Essential

$349 per month

• Unlimited Users
• Unlimited Carrier Accounts
• Unlimited Phone, Chat & Email Support
• 12,000 shipments per month
• 1+ Ship-from location

Warehouse Professional

$599 per month

• Unlimited Users
• Unlimited Carrier Accounts
• Unlimited Phone, Chat & Email Support
• 25,000 shipments per month
• 2+ Ship-from locations

Warehouse Elite

$799 per month

• Unlimited Users
• Unlimited Carrier Accounts
• Unlimited Phone, Chat & Email Support
• 50,000 shipments per month
• 2+ Ship-from locations

Enterprise Custom

Contact for quote

• Unlimited Users
• Unlimited Carrier Accounts
• Unlimited Phone, Chat & Email Support
• Unlimited shipments per month
• 2+ Ship-from locations

ShipStation Pricing Plans

ShipStation offers 6 main plans, Starter, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Enterprise. The platform also offers a 30-day free trial.

Plus, add a user for only $5 a month (each) to any plan.

Starter Plan

$9 per month

• 50 shipments per month
• 1 User
• Branded Labels & Packing Slips
• E-mail & Community Forum Support

Bronze Plan

$29 per month

• 500 shipments per month
• 1 User
• Branded Labels & Packing Slips
• E-mail & Community Forum Support

Silver Plan

$49 per month

• 1,500 shipments per month
• 2 Users
• Customized Labels & Packing Slips
• Live Chat, E-mail & Community Forum Support

Gold Plan

$69 per month

• 3,000 shipments per month
• 3 Users
• Customized Labels & Packing Slips
• Live Chat, E-mail & Community Forum Support

Platinum Plan

$99 per month

• 6,000 shipments per month
• 5 Users
• Customized Labels & Packing Slips
• Live Chat, E-mail & Community Forum Support

Enterprise Plan

$159 per month

• 10,000 shipments per month
• 10 Users
• Customized Labels & Packing Slips
• Live Chat, Phone Support, E-mail & Community Forum Support

ShipWorks vs ShipStation – Support

ShipWorks

Unlimited phone, chat, and email support is available on all tiers during normal business hours (Monday through Friday: 7 am – 7 pm Central Time).

ShipWorks offers a support portal that covers everything from setup to automation to configuring carriers. They also maintain a blog, a user forum, and weekly webinars.

ShipStation

ShipStation offers an online help center (for product, features, integrations, and troubleshooting), community forum, and email support on all plans. Expect to receive an email response within 4 to 24 hours M-F.

Live chat support is available for logged-in clients that have purchased the Bronze plan or higher.

Unfortunately, phone support is exclusive to Enterprise plans. Support by phone is available between 8 am and 8 pm CST. This is a significant difference compared to ShipWorks which offers phone support to all tiers during business hours.

ShipWorks vs ShipStation – Pros and Cons

ShipWorks

Pros

• Attentive customer service
• Customize fulfillment workflows
• A large variety of integrations

Cons

• Steep learning curve
• The system can crash, which forces the user to restart
• Dashboard navigation is clunky

ShipStation

Pros

• Nearly 100 integrations
• Easy to set up and use
• Free trial
• Mobile app
• Additional users are only $5 per month, regardless of the plan tier

Cons

• No phone support (except with Enterprise plan)
• Customer support is not available promptly

ShipWorks vs ShipStation – FAQs

ShipWorks vs ShipStation – Which One is Best?

Bottom Line Up Front Summary: If you are just starting out with your first shipping platform, I recommend the easier to use solution with more flexible third party integrations. That’s definitely ShipStation here. Otherwise, ShipWorks is a decent upgrade if you’ve tried ShipStation and need a bit more AI automaation and white glove support.

Do you need warehouse solutions or a wider range of integrations? ShipWorks has industry-leading warehouse support that could save you significant time and revenue. ShipWorks’ customer service is unlimited and free with all plans (by phone, live chat, or email), a huge advantage over ShipStation’s lackluster customer service.

If you’re not in the market for warehouse support, check out ShipStation. ShipStation has an essential integration for Quickbooks, internal AI to greatly decrease manual entry and human mistakes, and will brand all of your communication including tracking pages and the return portal.

Further Reading on Shipment Tracking for eCommerce Platforms:

• Shippo vs Shipstation: What are the Differences?
• ShippingEasy vs Shipstation: Which is Right for your Business?
• Shiprush vs Shipstation: Which is Best?
• Shipstation vs Ordoro Shipping Platform
• Shipstation vs Shipwire for eCommerce Sellers
• Endicia vs ShipStation: Which is the Better Shipping Software?
• Best Shipping Apps for eBay
• Best Shipping Apps for Shopify to Increase Sales
• SendX Review: A Newer Solution, But is it Better?