ShipWave vs Stamps.com: Full Comparison (2025)

Stamps.com pioneered online postage in 1996, but it's showing its age. It's USPS-only, charges monthly subscriptions, and has a notoriously difficult cancellation process.

Bottom line: ShipWave offers equal or better USPS rates, adds UPS/FedEx/DHL, and costs $216-$300 less per year. Unless you're deeply embedded in Stamps.com, there's no reason to pay for it.

Stamps.com is infamous for difficult cancellations. Here's what users report:

• Phone-only cancellation: Can't cancel online. Must call during business hours.
• Aggressive retention: Expect multiple discount offers and escalations before they'll process cancellation.
• Continued billing: Many users report being charged after thinking they cancelled.
• Postage balance complications: Getting refunds for unused postage balance is a lengthy process.
• Fine print traps: Auto-enrollment in premium services users didn't request.

ShipWave: No subscription means nothing to cancel. Stop using it whenever you want. No phone calls, no retention tactics, no balance refund hassles.

Let's calculate the true annual cost of Stamps.com vs ShipWave:

But wait—what about carrier rates?

ShipWave offers USPS Commercial Plus pricing (the deepest USPS discount tier). Stamps.com offers Commercial or Commercial Plus depending on plan and volume. Rates are nearly identical, but ShipWave gives you the best tier automatically—no plan upgrade needed.

Notable Stamps.com advantage: Phone support and specialized USPS services (Certified Mail, Registered Mail). But is that worth $216+/year?

Stamps.com locks you into USPS. But USPS isn't always the cheapest option:

Example: A 10 lb package to a business address might cost $15 via UPS Ground vs $22 via USPS Priority Mail. With Stamps.com, you'd never know. With ShipWave, you'd automatically see the cheaper option.

Stamps.com interface:

• Originally desktop software, now web-based
• Cluttered menus and dated design
• Steep learning curve
• Feels like 2005-era software
• Prepaid balance management adds friction

ShipWave interface:

• Modern, clean web-based design
• Optimized for speed
• Setup to first label in under 5 minutes
• Mobile-friendly for shipping on any device
• No balance management—pay when you print

Most users switching from Stamps.com say: "Why did I wait so long? This is so much easier."

Choose ShipWave if you:

• Don't want to pay $17.99+/month for shipping software
• Want to compare USPS vs UPS vs FedEx rates
• Prefer a modern, fast interface
• Run a Shopify store and want native checkout rates
• Prefer pay-as-you-go over prepaid balances
• Value automated billing dispute detection and refunds
• Don't want to fight to cancel your subscription

ShipWave is for: Modern e-commerce sellers who want flexibility, simplicity, and to stop paying subscription fees.

Choose Stamps.com if you:

• Need phone support (can't work with email/chat)
• Use specialized services like Registered Mail extensively
• Have deeply embedded Stamps.com workflows you can't change
• Are okay paying $216+/year for USPS-only shipping
• Don't mind the prepaid balance model

Honest assessment: Most Stamps.com users are there because they signed up years ago and haven't evaluated alternatives. The subscription model is profitable for Stamps.com because of inertia, not value.

Ready to stop paying $17.99+/month? Here's how:

1. Create free ShipWave account (2 minutes, no credit card)
2. Connect your e-commerce stores
3. Export address book from Stamps.com (Settings → Export)
4. Test ShipWave for 1-2 weeks while subscription is still active
5. Use up your Stamps.com postage balance (refunds are difficult)
6. Cancel Stamps.com (call required—be firm, ignore retention offers)

Pro tip: Screenshot your cancellation confirmation. Some users report being billed after cancelling.

Annual savings: $215.88-$299.88 in subscription fees, plus potential carrier savings from multi-carrier comparison.