The Best Freight Forwarding Software
Freight forwarding software helps businesses manage various aspects of shipping and logistics processes. We’ve reviewed top platforms for companies of all sizes, from global carriers to small forwarders.
- Predictable pricing
- Fast implementation
- Built-in WMS
- Dashboard provides quick overview of daily reports
- Integrated container tracking
- Excellent customer support
- Users can search and compare rates for multiple routes
- Enables users to manage operations on one database in multiple locations
This type of software streamlines and automates various processes, including shipment tracking, documentation management, rate procurement, and carrier selection. We used our review methodology to review and rank our favorites.
- Magaya: Best Overall
- GoFreight: Strong Carrier Integration
- CargoWise: Best Compliance Management
- GoComet: Best for Global Operations
- Scope: Best End-to-End Logistics Management
- Logitude World: Best for Small and Medium Forwarders
- Linbis: Best for Cargo Management
- Descartes Aljex: Best for Order Management
Magaya - Best Overall
Magaya Supply Chain offers a streamlined digital freight portal. We like that it provides a branded, interactive experience with the functionalities of a digital forwarder. This portal enhances the user experience by allowing for better customer interaction and service automation — a feature we don’t commonly find in all freight forwarding software.
We also like that Magaya includes dimensioner technology. This is a specialized tool that automates the measurement of cargo dimensions, ensuring precise freight calculations and improving warehouse efficiency. We found its Live View feature useful, allowing users to monitor shipments in real time with status and event updates.
While Magaya Supply Chain is a decent option for freight forwarders, we wouldn’t recommend it for trucking companies needing truck dispatch software. There is also an initial learning curve, especially for new users. To offset this, Magaya offers self-paced online training courses and a knowledge base with how-to articles and videos.
GoFreight - Strong Carrier Integration
GoFreight includes effective carrier integration capabilities. It offers native integration with over 125 ocean, air, and rail carriers as well as 45 U.S. terminals. This allows real-time visibility as the container status can be automatically updated in shipments.
GoFreight integrates with carrier EDI systems, allowing freight forwarders to track shipments with EDI-integrated container tracking and eliminating the need for manual tracking. We also like that the platform can merge with large carrier portals, which helps users access and manage shipments across multiple carriers on one system.
Additionally, GoFreight’s feature set is comprehensive. While many freight forwarding solutions require third-party accounting software, GoFreight has built-in accounting capabilities. This means that revenue, expenses, and profitability can be tracked directly within the platform. However, GoFreight’s design can be a bit complex and confusing for new users.
CargoWise - Best Compliance Management
CargoWise is our top pick due to its integrated global platform, customs, and compliance management. CargoWise enables freight forwarders to manage operations on one database across multiple users, offices, countries, currencies, and languages.
The system can also navigate border compliance to ensure operations are within the law regardless of the countries worked in or the borders goods are moved across. We also like that the software has features like quick-view dashboards, search filters, and customizable grids to help users stay on top of business-specific workflows.
However, some users have mentioned that CargoWise’s customer service is poor and has long response times.
GoComet - Best for Global Operations
GoComet is a suitable freight forwarding platform for global operations. The system provides ocean coverage and integration with telematics providers, ensuring visibility across the supply chain. The system also uses predictive ETAs based on carrier data, AIS, and live vessel data.
We like that GoComet automates workflows like shipment tracking from shipper to consignee, invoice reconciliation, and BL uploads. This can help users save time and reduce the number of errors compared to manual processing. The platform also offers analytics on port congestion, carrier performance, sailing schedules, and freight rates. However, one potential drawback of GoComet is that its coverage for road freight may not be as extensive as its coverage for ocean freight.
Scope - Best End-to-End Logistics Management
Scope is a good end-to-end logistics management software for freight forwarders due to its integrations, process automation, and digital collaboration. Scope handles documentation, communication, customer and supplier relationships, reporting, and financial accounting all under one roof. The software also integrates air and ocean freight and customs management into a single platform, eliminating the need for multiple software systems.
We like that the system can automate various processes like billing, uploading rate sheets, and performing rate calculations. Scope also collaborates with third-party providers and portals, allowing freight forwarders to manage shipments digitally along the global supply chain.
However, companies risk becoming overly reliant on the system if they don’t build their competencies in areas like regulatory compliance and carrier selection.
Logitude World - Best for Small and Medium Forwarders
We found Logitude World to be a good choice for small to medium-sized forwarders due to its affordable pricing. The software offers plans that start at $39/user/month, billed annually, making it cost-effective for smaller businesses. We like that Logitude World has a user-friendly design that’s easy to navigate. The software allows users to create their own style for various documents and templates.
The system allows users to manage air, ocean, and land freight shipments, imports, exports, consolidations, and cross-dock warehousing operations on one platform. The software also offers many strong features like quote generation, shipment tracking, email notifications, accounting, reporting, and contact management.
However, one potential drawback is that Logitude World has a dated user interface.
Linbis - Best for Cargo Management
Linbis offers a comprehensive cargo management tool with a customizable KPI dashboard to track and monitor important data metrics for your business. These include:
- Freight cost per unit: Calculate the cost of each unit to optimize pricing strategies and ensure cost-efficiency.
- On-time delivery rate: See how often your cargo gets delivered on time. Drill down into specific orders to identify late causes.
- Inventory turnover: Track inventory replenishment rates to identify demand. This helps you align stock levels with shipping schedules to avoid stockouts or excess inventory.
Linbis’ pricing starts at $150/month for one user. Its most popular plan is the $299/month premium package, though it only includes three users, which can limit larger companies.
Descartes Aljex - Best for Order Management
Descartes Aljex’s order management module helps you automate the entire lifecycle. The tool instantly processes customer transaction requests and auto-populates details like freight specifications and destination. This creates efficient order processing by reducing manual data entry.
The order management tool integrates with the system’s built-in EDI messaging. This lets you exchange crucial documents for all orders with your customers. From bills of landing to invoices, this ensures every trading partner receives your documents easily. This makes the ordering process more efficient, and you don’t have to chase down invoices by email or even physical letters.
While Descartes Aljex’s pricing is quote-based, we estimate the starting price to be around $290/month for up to five users. This makes it a strong option for small to midsized freight brokers and carriers.
What is Freight Forwarding Software?
Freight forwarding software is a digital solution that’s designed to manage and streamline logistics operations involved in transporting goods globally. It serves as a platform that automates and facilitates various aspects of the freight forwarding process, from initial quoting and booking to shipment tracking, documentation management, and invoicing.
Key Features
- Invoicing: Manage your shipping, land, and air freight by creating documents detailing what is owed to your shipping partners, agents, and customs. Oversee primary accounting software capabilities such as multi-currency payments.
- Quotations: Generate and send quotations for any of your modes of transportation. Track the status of quotes and convert them into orders whenever necessary. Include ad-hoc quotes, one-click shipment generation, email templates, and shipping rate generation.
- Order Management: Capture, track, and fulfill orders across multiple sales channels. Track order status, manage invoicing and recurring orders, integrate with shipping carriers, clone orders, detect errors, handle back orders, manage returns, and reconcile with purchase orders.
- CRM: Includes email tools, phone call notes, and user behavior tracking to score leads and determine leads that are ready to buy services.
- Air/Sea/Land Shipment Management: Consolidate or direct shipments to inbound or outbound destinations. Generate all required documentation, such as waybills, cargo manifests, booking confirmations, TSA letters, loading plans, and more.
- Supply Chain Planning: Anticipate customer demand and plan resources or production appropriately by coordinating data from separate business units. Collect historical data on order volumes and inventory turns while mixing it with continually updated forecasts from your sales personnel. Procure what is needed and eliminate the need to store too many raw materials or finished goods.
- Warehouse Management: Manage and coordinate inventory and actions throughout a warehouse or distribution center. Optimize picking and shipping. Ensure higher order fulfillment accuracy, faster delivery times, efficient labor management, increased visibility of an order’s status, optimized storage space, minimized inventory movement, and improved yard and dock productivity.
Freight Broker vs. Freight Forwarding Software
Freight broker software streamlines the connection between shippers and carriers, ensuring reliable services at competitive rates. In contrast, freight forwarding software oversees comprehensive international shipping tasks, encompassing goods handling, storage, and multi-stage transportation.
All of these software solutions improve business processes by letting freight management companies manage the operations and transportation related to shipping goods via trucks, airlines, boats, trains, and more. They also include modules for vehicle maintenance, routing and mapping, warehousing, and electronic data interchange. Alternatively, freight broker software options may be better suited for your needs.
Primary functionality included in freight forwarding systems includes modules to handle the operations (logistics), financials (accounting), and customer service involved in managing a transportation and shipping business. This can include managing master and house contracts, storing information on vendors such as their contact details and their shipping rates, recording details about cargo such as freight costs and weight, compliance documents, and customer sales and rate information.
Benefits
Some of the benefits of freight forwarding software include:
Increased Automation and Efficiency
Given the relationship with logistics software and transportation management software, freight forwarding software can be seen as an industry-specific ERP application for freight forwarders.
Freight forwarding systems that connect internal modules eliminate the need for double-entry data. Sales personnel can convert a quote into an order, which is then sent to a shipyard to begin the fulfillment process. The accounting department can easily track paid and unpaid invoices from these orders and ensure the company is not missing any payments.
Moving all shipping information via an electronic system will also help keep your data secure and stored safely. Manual shipping methods include various paperwork, including original quotes, sales orders, bills of lading, and warehouse documents.
Keep Better Tabs on Your Shipments
Incorporating all shipping methods your business uses (such as road, rail, ocean, and air) within your freight management software will allow you to better track where all your shipments are at any given time. Consolidating and optimizing shipments for time-saving purposes and cost-effectiveness can be the difference between repeat business and clients.
Gain a Competitive Edge on Your Competition
A scalable implementation lets your business save on initial costs and ramp up your needs as you become more successful. You may begin to discover key areas your business can improve through built-in analytics features.
Pricing Guide
The cost of freight forwarding software ranges from $35/user/month to $2,000/user/month. This subscription-based pricing model is commonly found in web-based solutions providing cloud (SaaS) accessibility. This cost varies depending on the size of your shipping operations, the number of shipments you handle, the number of users that require concurrent access, and the level of included services such as support and hosting. It will also depend on the functionality included and any integrations needed with outside systems.
Locally installed software (also known as on-premise software) can be found in the world of freight broker software options. These solutions will start as low as $4,000 to $11,000 for purchase with implementation and training. A large multinational company with detailed logistics needs could realistically spend upwards of $100,000 on a software package. Each company has varying needs, and it can be hard to pinpoint the average cost of freight forwarding software for this reason.
Reasons to Implement Software
Businesses need freight forwarding software for automation, real-time tracking, documentation and compliance, risk management, and cost savings.
- Efficiency and Automation: Modern freight forwarding software automates many of the routine processes, such as booking, tracking, and billing. This reduces manual data entry, minimizes errors, and speeds up operations.
- Real-time Tracking: Customers expect to be able to track their shipments in real time. Freight forwarding software offers tracking capabilities, providing both your team and your customers with up-to-date information on shipment locations and status.
- Documentation and Compliance: Shipping internationally involves a lot of paperwork, from invoices to customs documentation. Freight forwarding software can automate and streamline these documents’ creation, storage, and retrieval, ensuring compliance with regulations and reducing the risk of penalties or shipment delays.
- Risk Management: The software can provide alerts for potential disruptions, such as weather events or geopolitical issues, allowing your company to adjust routes or schedules and minimize risks proactively.
- Cost Savings: With features such as route optimization and carrier comparison, freight forwarding software can help you identify cost-effective shipping options.
