ShipWave vs Shippo: Full Comparison (2025)

ShipWave and Shippo both offer discounted shipping labels across multiple carriers, but they differ significantly in pricing model and value proposition.

*Shippo's highest discounts only on paid Professional plan. Free tier has significantly lower rates.

Bottom line: For growing e-commerce businesses, ShipWave's deeper discounts and unlimited features without monthly fees typically save more money. Shippo's free tier works for very low volume (<50 labels/month) but adds up quickly with per-label fees.

Let's look at actual monthly costs for a business shipping 500 packages:

That's $228-$300/year in savings on software alone—before counting carrier rate differences. ShipWave's deeper USPS discounts (especially on high-zone Priority Mail) can save another $1-3 per label.

ShipWave exclusive features no competitor offers:

• Billing Dispute Detection: Automatically detects dimensional weight overbilling and service failures. Files refunds automatically. Saves $100s-$1000s/year.
• Insurance Claims Automation: Auto-detects lost/damaged shipments and files claims with follow-up tracking.
• Amazon Dropship: Fulfill orders directly from Amazon's consumer marketplace.

Before choosing Shippo, be aware of common user complaints:

• Hidden costs on free tier: The $0.05/label markup adds up quickly. At 200 labels/month, that's $120/year just in markup fees.
• Best rates locked behind paywall: Shippo's advertised "up to 89% off" discounts require the $19/month Professional plan. Free tier rates are significantly lower.
• Complex pricing tiers: Multiple plan levels create confusion about which features you're actually getting.
• Cluttered interface: Users report the dashboard can feel overwhelming with many options and menus.
• Support limitations: Phone support only available on enterprise (Premier) plan. Standard users limited to email.

ShipWave alternative: One price ($0), all features included, deepest discounts from day one. No tiers, no hidden fees, no confusion.

Both platforms connect to major e-commerce platforms:

Shippo has more niche integrations. ShipWave covers the platforms that 95%+ of sellers actually use, with deeper integration (like Amazon MCF fulfillment that Shippo doesn't offer).

Choose ShipWave if you:

• Want simple, transparent pricing without monthly fees
• Ship primarily to US addresses (domestic focus)
• Need deep Shopify integration with checkout rates
• Want all features available without plan upgrades
• Value automated billing dispute detection and refund recovery
• Need Amazon MCF or dropship fulfillment
• Prefer a streamlined, fast interface

ShipWave is ideal for: Shopify stores, eBay/Etsy sellers, and small-to-medium businesses that want powerful shipping tools without subscription complexity.

Choose Shippo if you:

• Ship internationally and need 50+ carrier options
• Need specific niche platform integrations (Magento, Squarespace)
• Want extensive API documentation for custom development
• Prefer a native mobile app over web-based
• Are building a shipping software product using their API

Shippo is a good fit for developers building custom shipping solutions or businesses with complex international logistics requiring many carrier options.

Switching from Shippo to ShipWave takes about 10 minutes:

1. Create free ShipWave account (no credit card required)
2. Connect your e-commerce stores (same platforms you use with Shippo)
3. Import your address book via CSV export from Shippo
4. Test with a few shipments to verify rates and workflow
5. Run both platforms simultaneously during transition week
6. Cancel Shippo when confident in ShipWave

Since ShipWave is free, there's zero risk to try. Most Shippo users see immediate savings and never look back.