Your Shopify brand kicked off, and you’re making waves, so what now? Many experienced e-com veterans will agree with me that shipping is probably one of the most stressful aspects of running an online business. From tracking your shipments, managing returns, and ensuring your customers are satisfied with their experience, are all things that will only become harder as your brand grows.
To help you scale your business and save hours on tasks you’d lose your mind over if you kept doing them manually, I wanted to present to you a list of the best Shopify shipping apps.
What Are the Best Shopify Shipping Apps?
Depending on which aspect of your shipping process you are trying to improve will determine which shipping app you need. That being said, here is my list of the top 9 best Shopify shipping apps to encompass a variety of needs.
1. Aftership
Overview
Aftership is one of the leading e-com shipping platforms, offering its users customizable tracking pages, multi-lingual tracking features, sophisticated email triggers, and robust analytics at decently approachable monthly fees.
A comprehensive shipment dashboard is one of the most exciting features of Aftership. You will have a clear overview of your shipments from here. It covers shipment number tracking, status, estimated time until delivery, and more.
The dashboard also features separate tabs for exceptions, failed shipment attempts, expired shipments, out-for-delivery shipments, delivered, and pending shipments.
The “Analytics” segment is an important part of Aftership’s feature suite. It covers key data on your tracking pages, allowing you to see what your customers think as they browse your Shopify store. This feature was built into the dashboard so that users can quickly monitor customer behavior and interactions with the products before and after receiving them.
Delivery Date is an amazing feature that allows you to modify the delivery status of each shipment. Set an estimated date if you are confident the products will arrive on time, or explain what’s causing the delay so that you can maintain good relationships with customers either way.
Aftership integrates with a range of e-commerce platforms and apps, including Shopify, Shopify Plus, eBay, Oracle, WooCommerce, Square Space, Big Commerce, Magento, Sap, SalesForce, and over 900 other apps.
Key Features
- Detailed shipment tracking dashboard
- Branded tracking pages
- Shipment notifications
- Enterprise-grade analytics
- Delivery date prediction
- Order look-up widget
- Integrates with Shopify, Shopify Plus, Magento, Big Commerce, Squarespace, Woo Commerce, and other popular merchant platforms
Pricing
Aftership offers three pricing plans, including Essentials at $9 per month; Pro at $99 per month, and Premium at $199 per month. A free trial is available, as well as a Custom plan for Shopify merchants that want to benefit from a dedicated onboarding manager, external SSO, and quarterly account reviews.
What I Like / Dislike About Aftership
Aftership’s flexible subscription packages are arguably its most substantial benefit. Even the cheap Essentials pack allows you to benefit from detailed notifications and accurate reports while providing access to the shipment tracking dashboard (and all of its features).
The pricier subscriptions differ from the Essentials in that they offer developer APIs, more advanced integrations, support for multilingual tracking pages, and several other fairly interesting features.
One of the things I didn’t particularly like about Aftership is that it imposes the exact same shipment-per-year restriction on both Pro and Premium subscription packages. After paying more than double for the latter, you’d expect to see a significant increase in coverage rather than the same limitation.
Who Is This For?
I would recommend Aftership to all Shopify merchants, regardless of how experienced you are or how large your brand may be. This platform’s creators have ensured everyone can benefit from streamlined shipment tracking.
2. Shippo
Overview
Shippo is a streamlined Shopify shipping app that allows you to synchronize multiple e-commerce stores, track all of your shipments, create discounts, simplify shipment returns, and automate the bulk of shipment tracking operations.
This app’s shipment tracking features are comprehensive, yet simple enough to be used by non-tech savvy Shopify merchants and brand owners. You can use this app to not only track all of your shipments but also display original or updated ETAs, access your shipment tracking history, and benefit from scan-based returns.
One of the most important features of Shippo is a set of features revolving around shipment insurance. Basically, this app allows you to find and partner with insurance carriers that will best fit your company’s needs, organize reimbursements in the blink of an eye, and streamline insurance claims through a digital, paperless process.
Shippo integrates with dozens of e-commerce carriers, platforms, and applications, including but not limited to WooCommerce, Shopify, FedEx, GLS, Magento, ShipBob, DHL, eBay, Freestyle Solutions, and more.
Key Features
- Up to 15 user seats
- Branded shipment pages
- E-commerce shipment automation
- Negotiable shipment rates
- Unlimited carrier accounts
- Custom branding email notifications
Pricing
Shippo’s subscription costs $10 per month. An unlimited free version is also available, as well as a Custom plan for larger Shopify brands that want to extend their Shippo seats.
What I Like / Dislike About Shippo
Shippo’s affordability is not the only reason why I think it’s one of the best Shopify shipping apps. It also helps you streamline shipping insurance, automate the shipping process, simplify returns and insurance claims, and so much more.
There are no major flaws to Shippo. The only thing I don’t completely understand about it is the need to upgrade to a Premier (custom) plan, as it offers basically the same features and benefits as the cheap Professional package.
Who Is This For?
Even though Shippo offers a little bit of everything while being highly affordable, I mainly recommend it to smaller and emerging Shopify merchants.
3. ShippingEasy
Overview
ShippingEasy is a simple e-commerce shipment automation app that offers a range of innovative features meant to help you bolster your sales, improve your customers’ shipment experience, and raise the awareness of your brand.
With ShippingEasy, you can put your custom logos on the labels, send customized tracking emails, add tracking numbers to drop-shipped orders, and automate product returns.
On the dashboard, you’ll find a Create Return Label panel, which you can use to customize product returns for each shipment in the simplest way possible.
Furthermore, ShippingEasy offers a vast email template library, featuring welcome emails, review requests (which can also be done with most Shopify review apps), product recommendations, abandoned cart emails, and more. Not only does this feature allow you to communicate with leads and customers in a simple fashion but it also enables you to bring losing leads back to the fold and expand your reach.
Key Features
- Discounted USPS and UPS shipping rates
- Shipping Automation
- Dozens of pre-built email templates (using a dedicated Shopify email marketing tool for even more versatility)
- Automatic order imports
- Custom logos and branding on all labels
- Advanced reporting and analytics
Pricing
ShippingEasy offers five subscription plans, including Basic at $29 per month; Plus at $49 per month; Select at $69 per month; Premium at $99 per month, and Enterprise at $159 per month. A free version is available for everyone, covering 25 monthly shipments and sporting limited features.
What I Like / Dislike About ShippingEasy
ShippingEasy is far more than a shipment tracking app. It enables you to engage larger groups of customers and increases your chances of scoring deals; it helps you increase brand awareness with branded tracking and labels, but more importantly, it allows you to streamline shipment and returns with a simple click.
Although this is clearly stated on the pricing page, ShippingEasy’s main drawback is the cascading limitations imposed on monthly shipment coverage. Even though the Basic plan is dirt-cheap, you only get 500 shipments covered each month; the Plus package costs twice as much, but it covers 1,500. Keep that in mind when deciding, as there are five options in front of you.
Who Is This For?
ShippingEasy is an excellent choice for Shopify merchants that just started out, fairly experienced e-com brand owners, and larger enterprises. I recommend it to everyone using Shopify to sell products, especially if you’re on the verge of entering the higher leagues.
4. Shipping Rates Calculator Plus
Overview
Shipping Rates Calculator Plus was made by Shop Circle to help e-commerce merchants edify their customers about shipping rates, fees, estimated shipping times, and pretty much everything someone would want to know about products they aim to buy.
It’s one of the simplest and arguably the best Shopify shipping apps mainly because it has a single but remarkably powerful feature. The Sipping Rates Calculator Plus is an embeddable shipping calculator that you can place on your Shopify cart page for your customers to use.
The app is very simple and integrates with Shopify. The installation is a breeze too, and you won’t have to manually maintain or update it – Shop Circle will do it for you whenever a new update or patch becomes available.
Key Features
- Automatic geolocation for all users
- Insert an on-page shipping calculator on your cart pages
- Integrates with Shopify
Pricing
Shop Circle’s Shipping Rates Calculator Plus costs $7.99 per month.
What I Like / Dislike About Shipping Rates Calculator Plus
If you value simplicity and don’t want to waste time with apps and platforms that take forever to learn, master, and integrate into existing workflows, look no further than Shop Circle’s Shipping Rates Calculator Plus. After you subscribe, you’ll be one click away from having reliable shipping calculators on your Shopify cart pages.
I wouldn’t say this app has any flaws whatsoever. It’s laser-focused on solving a single issue most Shopify merchants face at one point or another, but I wouldn’t dub it a “versatile” app by any stretch.
Who Is This For?
If you’re searching for a simple solution to show your customers how much shipping will cost them, the Shipping Rates Calculator Plus is what you’re after. Simple, cheap, and effective, I highly recommend it to all small and medium-sized Shopify brands.
5. ShipStation
Overview
ShipStation is a comprehensive e-commerce platform designed to help its users manage their orders, shipping, branding, and inventory management tasks.
Regarding shipping, it offers a multitude of innovative features. Users of ShipStation can almost skip all the hassle surrounding the shipping formalities by scanning orders, printing shipping slips, generating & printing shipping documents, and more.
The Scan to Verify and Scan to Print features are also remarkably useful, allowing you to keep track of each shipped unit with a click of a button. These features sport advanced technologies that provide both audio and visual feedback whenever your products’ barcodes are scanned.
Another interesting feature of ShipStation’s platform is the ability it provides to its users to quickly find relevant shipping rates for each product or bundles of products. With the Rate Browser, you can easily access any rate, whether it be custom or pre-negotiated, and select it for individual shipments.
As for its branding segment, the platform allows you to build dedicated tracking pages, create digitalized packing slips, send texts to your customers regarding any updates on the shipping status, and stamp your company’s logo on all shipping labels.
On a side note, you will also be able to use ShipStation’s inventory management solutions when you subscribe to the app. These include the ability to allocate or deallocate stock, browse stock levels, set custom alerts that would alarm you when selected products fall below the specified line, and more.
Key Features
- Covers up to 10,000 monthly shipments and 10 users
- Rate Browser
- Scan to Verify & Scan to Print
- Generate shipping documents
- Custom shipping labels
- SMS notifications
- Packaging slips
- Dedicated tracking pages
Pricing
ShipStation offers six subscription options, including Starter at $9.99 per month; Bronze at $29.99 per month; Silver at $49.99 per month; Gold at $69.99 per month; Platinum at $99.99 per month, and Enterprise at $159.99 per month.
What I Like / Dislike About ShipStation
In my opinion, ShipStation is one of the most comprehensive, if not the best Shopify shipping apps on the current market for a variety of reasons. It covers everything from item management to item tracking, streamlines the formalities of the shipping process, and helps you communicate better with your customers.
From a technical viewpoint, ShipStation is virtually flawless. All of its features work probably even better than intended, but it’s the pricing side of things that I couldn’t wrap my head around.
Namely, the Starter package may be dirt-cheap, but it only covers 50 monthly shipments. The Bronze isn’t far more expensive, yet it covers 500 shipments per month. Understandably, not all of ShipStation’s features are unlocked across all subscription plans, so double-check each one before you make your final decision.
Who Is This For?
ShipStation is one of the best Shopify shipping apps for medium and large-sized e-commerce businesses. It’s a decent option for emerging Shopify merchants, especially if you’re selling low quantities of high-priced items.
6. EasyShip
Overview
EasyShip is an advanced e-commerce shipping platform that is a godsend for merchants that are outsourcing clunky tax and crowdfunding apps.
Its inbuilt tax and duty calculators are remarkably handy, allowing you to almost instantly determine your obligations to the state’s coffers from the same platform that you’d use to calculate shipping costs, set up custom rules, and set up shipping fees, schedule pickups, and more.
Regarding its shipment management features, EasyShip rocks a range of printing options, allowing users to streamline the process of arranging, printing, and submitting shipment documentation; custom notifications for customers (SMS or email), as well as the ability to organize batch shipments.
EasyShip also offers advanced analytics, allowing you to collect valuable data on your customers and what they think when they come to your site, and browse through your catalog.
Key Features
- EasyShip shipping dashboard
- Covers up to 1,500 shipments per month
- Partnered with over 250 shipping couriers and services
- Customer notifications
- Schedule pickups
- Shipping rate calculator
- Printable documentation
- CSV uploads
- Automated shipping rules
- USPC scan forms
Pricing
EasyShip provides two payment packages, including Plus at $29 per month and Premier at $69 per month. A free version is also available, covering 50 monthly shipments. A free version is available, as well as 14-day free trials for premium subscription plans.
What I Like / Dislike About EasyShip
I love that EasyShip is pretty much the only app you’ll need to simplify and automate nearly all shipping tasks. It’s very easy to use, despite the fact that it’s laden with numerous features, not all of which are tightly connected to each other.
For the price, I wouldn’t say EasyShip has any negative sides worth mentioning. It’s not the cheapest Shopify shipping app, and some of its features you may never use, but overall, it does the job, and then some.
Who Is This For?
EasyShip is ideal for Shopify merchants that seek to organize and execute all shipping tasks from a single app. Its simplicity makes it an excellent choice for merchants that aren’t too great with modern technology.
7. Parcelify
Overview
The Clever Few has made Parcelify with a mission to bring shipping documentation, organization and tracking tasks from computer desks to an easily accessible app.
This is one of the simplest applications a Shopify merchant can use, as it doesn’t come supplied with tons of unnecessary functions. After installing the app, all you have to do is set up your shipping zones, configure the way your shipping rates are calculated and initiate custom shipping rules and conditions.
It integrates with Shopify through the CS (Calculated Shipping) system, although anyone can use it by enabling its Storefront feature.
Key Features
- Storefront feature for merchants that do not use Shopify CS
- Postal code filters
- Unlimited custom rates and rate look-ups
- Custom zones
- Custom rate calculators
- Set up rate rules and conditions
Pricing
Parcelify costs $19.99 per month. A 14-day free trial is available.
What I Like / Dislike About Parcelify
Similar to Shipping Rate Calculator Plus, Parcelify is a simple app with a small kit of innovative features. This consequentially means that it’s easy to install and use, plus you won’t have to worry about maintaining it by keeping a constant eye on Clever Few’s update logs.
I dislike the same thing I disliked about all Shopify shipping apps that are a bit “too” simple. Its lack of versatility means that you’ll probably have to complement Parcelify’s performance with a few other apps.
Who Is This For?
I recommend Parcelify to people that are searching for practical shipping management solutions. It works the best for smaller and medium-sized Shopify brands, mainly because it doesn’t support too many bulk shipping features.
8. Intuitive Shipping
Overview
Intuitive Shipping is one of the most streamlined Shopify shipping apps out there. It enables you to create custom shipping rules, send products in custom parcels, ship units in pieces if they need to be assembled, and more.
With Intuitive Shipping, you can fully customize the options you offer regarding boxing, packaging, free shipping, shipping dates, and custom shipping methods. You can also keep your customers informed about every aspect of the shipping products with SMS or email.
Key Features
- Covers up to 8,000 monthly shipments
- Custom rates and shipping rules
- Advanced Rate Blending
- Custom free shipping options
- Custom delivery dates
Pricing
Intuitive Shipping offers three subscription plans, including Silver at $29.99 per month; Platinum at $49.99 per month, and Prestige at $99.99 per month. A Free “Sandbox” version is also available, as well as 15-day free trial versions for all premium subscription plans.
What I Like / Dislike About Intuitive Shipping
I liked each feature Intuitive Shipping has to offer, but I loved the way they work in synergy even more. From setting product dimensions and shipping dates to organizing shipping packaging to tackling custom shipping rules, this app’s got it covered.
Its only drawback is the fact that its cheapest subscription is slightly more expensive than average, but its price tag is far from being out of place.
Who Is This For?
Intuitive Shipping is perfect for virtually all e-commerce merchants. It’s not too expensive, yet it offers simple solutions for quite a few nerve-wracking problems you’d otherwise have to wrestle with manually.
9. AfterShip Returns Center
Overview
AfterShip Returns Center is an app that can make your life easier by automating the way your brand processes product returns.
It allows you to create custom branded returns pages, configure returns automation and non-returnable rules, receive notifications whenever a customer returns a product and set up custom return methods.
A custom branded returns page helps build trust and instills a sense of security for your customers. After all, most Shopify store merchants remove the “powered by Shopify” text to give their store a more branded look.
The Aftership Returns Management Portal is a comprehensive dashboard that gives you a clear overview of all returns, giving you insight into who returned which product and when. The advanced analytics also give you the answer as to “why” customers are returning their products.
Key Features
- Branded returns page
- Configurable return methods
- Refunds & exchanges
- Non-returnable rules
- Return notifications
- Returns management portal
- Robust analytics
Pricing
Aftership Returns Center is available across three subscription plans, including Essentials at $9 per month; Pro at $99 per month, and Premium at $199 per month.
What I Like / Dislike About AfterShip Returns Center
ASRC is the ultimate solution for merchants that want to automate and analyze all returns-related tasks. This is its only flaw, given that it’s laser-focused on product returns exclusively.
Who Is This For?
It’s hard enough to write off a sale and write “product returned” in your books, especially if this happens over a hundred times each week. If you want to save hours of your time on these tasks, you may want to start using Aftership Returns Center.
Final Thoughts
The definition of the “best Shopify shipping apps” is hard to give from an objective standpoint. Some merchants handle hundreds of shipments monthly, in which case Aftership would be my prime choice.
If you’re not too confident with new technology and would rather pick up on a simple, easy-to-use shipping app, both Parcelify and the Shipping Rates Calculator Plus fit the bill. Other apps on the list are more versatile and could cater to the needs of pretty much anyone.
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