Shipping Software for Small Businesses: 3 Places E-Commerce Owners Can Look
April 08, 2025 | Last Updated on: April 09, 2025
By Melanie Lockert
As shopping online becomes second nature for people, e-commerce businesses continue to boom. According to the Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce, total e-commerce sales for 2024 were estimated at 1,192.6 billion, representing an 8.1% uptick from the year prior.
If you’re looking to start an e-commerce business or level up an existing one, you might use tools like Shopify, WooCommerce for WordPress, Magento or a different type of online store builder or e-commerce platform. Aside from that, you have to consider shipping costs. To help you streamline the process, you can look into shipping software for small businesses.
Article Summary:
- Shipping tools can help you score discounted rates, create packing slips, and enhance customer experience.
- These shipping management options are offered by a number of providers and are typically very user-friendly.
- Once you have a shipping management system in place and are growing, you can look into financing options and loans for e-commerce businesses.
What is Shipping Software for Small Business?
Shipping software for small business refers to different tools that help e-commerce business owners streamline their operations. These tools may help with finding the best rates, tracking shipments, and label printing.
E-commerce shipping software options aren’t in short supply. Depending on your business size and growth, you may be able to start with a free plan or pay for a mid-tier or premium plan.
What to Consider When Deciding on Shipping Software for Small Business
You want your shipping software solution to meet your needs and integrate seamlessly with your business. Some things to consider before choosing the best shipping app for your small business include:
Features and Types of Services
When looking at shipping software for small business options, review key features and the types of services the company offers. Many of these companies will help print shipping labels and make return labels.
Compatibility
You need the specific shipping software to be compatible with your e-commerce platform. For example, you might have a store on Shopify but the app you’re considering is limited to WooCommerce. If that’s the case, obviously it’s not the right fit for your business needs.
Pricing
Pricing varies when looking at different shipping software for small businesses. Some may allow a free trial while others might be per package or charge per month. High-volume shippers may find a more cost-effective solution with a flat monthly rate. On the other hand, seasonal shippers like those with a holiday store may be better off with a per-package deal.
Shipping Software for Small Businesses: Top 3 Options to Consider
1. Shippo
Shippo is one of the top shipping apps for small businesses. If you’re only looking for certain shipping features to help you streamline the shipping process and print labels, Shippo can be a solid option. The company allows you to schedule pickups through DHL or USPS. You can also set up tracking pages when you sync Shippo with your e-commerce store.
E-commerce Integrations with Shippo- Shopify
- Square
- WooCommerce
- Wix
- BigCommerce
- Magento 2
- Squarespace
- Walmart
- eBay
- Etsy
- Amazon
Shippo has three pricing tiers including Starter, Professional, and Premier. Starter account holders get 30 shipments per month and costs five cents per label. You can choose from a range of shipping carriers and get support with order management and packing slips. Higher tiers cost more but you get more support and features.
2. ShipStation
ShipStation allows e-commerce business owners to import orders from a number of marketplaces and has over 180 integrations.
The app can help automate certain tasks like printing labels, so you can do them faster and more effectively. Your company’s branding can also be used for email confirmations and tracking pages, which can help maintain brand consistency. ShipStation also offers customers access to a self-service returns portal, a mobile app, and important analytics for your business.
ShipStation Integrations- Shopify
- Wix
- BigCommerce
- Woo
- Squarespace
- USPS
- UPS, and more
ShipStation offers four different tiers for e-commerce businesses including Starter, Growth, Scale, and High-Volume. Prices start at $9.99 per month up to $399.99 per month. With Starter, you can get up to 50 shipments per month and High-Volume offers unlimited.
3.ShippingEasy
If you’re looking at shipping software for small business options and want something more robust, ShippingEasy might be a good fit for you. ShippingEasy wants to stay true to its name and has an intuitive interface and even includes email marketing and inventory management. The platform allows you to collect customer data and segment them and use automated product review campaigns or email drip campaigns.
ShippingEasy Integrations- Shopify
- Amazon
- eBay
- Magento
- Woo
- Etsy
- Walmart
- BigCommerce, and more
ShippingEasy has two options, their free plan and the Growth plan. The latter starts at $19.99 and goes up based on the number of shipments. Their free plan allows up to 25 shipments.
Financing Options and Small Business Loans for E-Commerce Businesses
Once you’ve decided on the right shipping software for your small business, you can look into scaling your operations. At some point, you might be facing cash flow issues trying to purchase more inventory and supplies or making a major investment in marketing and advertising. To help ease your growing pains, you can look into financing options and small business loans for e-commerce businesses.
- Term loans: Available from banks, credit unions, and a range of online lenders, term loans provide e-commerce entrepreneurs with a lump sum of cash. This type of financing is named as such because it’s repaid over a specific term, hence term loans.
- Merchant cash advances: E-commerce business owners doing a lot of transactions may find helpful financing with a merchant cash advance. Through a merchant cash advance, you can receive upfront cash in a lump sum. Unlike a term loan, merchant cash advances get repaid using a percentage of the company’s sales through its debit and credit card transactions.
- Invoice factoring: E-commerce enterprises that use invoices as part of their business model can utilize invoice factoring as a financing option. Business owners take their unpaid invoices and sell them as an asset to a factoring company. In return, they’ll typically get 80% to 90% of the funds upfront. Once the invoices are paid in full, the factoring company will take a fee off the top and give the business the remaining funds.
- Business credit card: For short-term business needs, business credit cards can also be an option. They come with notably higher interest rates but may help smooth out some temporary cash flow issues.
These financing options and small business loans can help e-commerce businesses get funding. However, it’s important to note that you must meet certain credit score requirements and annual revenue and time in business thresholds. Once you choose a financing option, know how long you’ll have to pay it back and your monthly payment.
Final Thoughts on Shipping Software for Small Businesses
Whether you’re just starting a new e-commerce business or are a veteran in the space, you have many options for shipping software for small businesses. Look at how much volume you’re doing and consider your business needs. For example, different functionalities and integrations with the apps and tools you’re already using. As you begin to scale, you can also look into different financing options for e-commerce businesses. Both e-commerce shipping software and financing options can help you run your business and make operations smoother.
FAQs about Shipping Software for Small Businesses
If you’re looking for a shipping solution, you have many options to choose from. Here we cover frequently asked questions about shipping software for small businesses and financing options to help you scale.
What Are Shipping Apps for Small Business?
Shipping apps for small businesses are a software solution that streamlines workflows and order management. Small business owners can look into Shippo, Shipstation, EasyShip, and ShippingEasy.
How Much Money Do I Need for Shipping for Online Business?
Shipping rates for online businesses depend on a range of factors like size of package and speed. In general, it could cost around $8 to $20 or more, depending on the item you’re shipping.
How Should I Charge for Shipping on My Website?
You have various options when it comes to charging for shipping on your website. You can bake in the costs into the product price, offer shipping discounts or free shipping if the customer orders a certain amount, or have set or flexible shipping rates based on the items purchased.
What Financing Options Are There for E-Commerce Businesses?
E-commerce businesses of all sizes may qualify for a range of financing options including term loans, merchant cash advances, and invoice factoring.
How Much is E-commerce Shipping Software for Small Businesses?
The cost of shipping platforms for e-commerce depends on the company, but typically you can start with a free plan, and then prices go up to around $20 to $60, all the up to several hundred dollars.
