3Gtms vs ShipStation
transportation management (TMS) head-to-head for ERP teams: evidenced capabilities, published pricing, and which ERPs each actually integrates with.
| Starting price | Subscription (quote-based) | Subscription, tiered by users and monthly shipment volume |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud |
| Company size | Mid-market, Enterprise | SMB, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Stated ERP integrations | None listed | NetSuite, QuickBooks, Microsoft Dynamics 365 |
| Vendor | 3Gtms | ShipStation (Auctane) |
Our take
Where 3Gtms leads
- Stronger evidenced coverage on 25 of the 36 capabilities where they differ (led by load consolidation & order building and multimodal route & mode optimization).
Where ShipStation leads
- Stronger evidenced coverage on 11 of the 36 capabilities where they differ (led by bring-your-own carrier accounts and batch / bulk shipment processing).
- Stated NetSuite, QuickBooks, Microsoft Dynamics 365 integration the alternative doesn't list.
Where they differ
The 36 capabilities (of 54 in the transportation management (TMS) taxonomy) where the evidence separates them, biggest gaps first. “Not evidenced” means our research found no public documentation of this capability — the vendor may still offer it. Confirm on a demo.
| Capability | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bring-your-own carrier accountsRating & Freight Procurement | Not evidenced | Core strength Bring-your-own carrier accounts and negotiated contracts |
| Load consolidation & order buildingPlanning & Load Optimization | Core strength | Not evidenced |
| Multimodal route & mode optimizationPlanning & Load Optimization | Core strength | Not evidenced |
| Constraint-based planning enginePlanning & Load Optimization | Core strength Respects capacity and service rules | Not evidenced |
| Automated tendering & acceptanceCarrier Management | Core strength | Not evidenced |
| Batch / bulk shipment processingShipment Execution & Fulfillment | Not evidenced | Core strength |
| Returns label generation & managementShipment Execution & Fulfillment | Not evidenced | Core strength Self-serve returns portal; prepaid/automated return labels |
| Real-time multimodal shipment trackingVisibility & Tracking | Core strength Real-time tracking with proactive alerts | Not evidenced |
| Predictive / dynamic ETAsVisibility & Tracking | Core strength Intelligent ETAs | Not evidenced |
| Branded customer tracking pagesVisibility & Tracking | Not evidenced | Core strength |
| Dock appointment schedulingDock & Yard Operations | Core strength Dock Door Scheduler | Not evidenced |
| Automated freight invoice auditFreight Audit, Settlement & Payment | Core strength | Not evidenced |
| Customs documentation & declarationsCompliance & Protection | Not evidenced | Core strength International shipping with customs forms, duties, and taxes |
| Address verification & correctionCompliance & Protection | Not evidenced | Core strength |
| Operational KPI dashboardsAnalytics & Reporting | Core strength Real-time dashboards for cost, service, performance | Not evidenced |
| E-commerce & marketplace integrationsPlatform & Integrations | Not evidenced | Core strength Marketplace of 400+ prebuilt integrations |
| Carrier contract & negotiated rate managementRating & Freight Procurement | Supported Rating accounts for tariffs, density, pallets, flat rates | Not evidenced |
| Freight bid / RFP and tender managementRating & Freight Procurement | Supported | Not evidenced |
| Spot market rate accessRating & Freight Procurement | Supported Real-time market pricing and rate index guidance | Not evidenced |
| Rate benchmarking & market indexRating & Freight Procurement | Supported | Not evidenced |
| AI/ML-driven continuous re-planningPlanning & Load Optimization | Supported Machine-learning-driven task automation | Not evidenced |
| Carrier onboarding workflowsCarrier Management | Supported Structured onboarding workflows | Not evidenced |
| Carrier compliance & insurance verificationCarrier Management | Supported | Not evidenced |
| Carrier performance scorecardsCarrier Management | Supported | Not evidenced |
| Pre-vetted carrier network accessCarrier Management | Supported | Not evidenced |
| Automated shipment booking across modesShipment Execution & Fulfillment | Not evidenced | Supported Auto-routing of orders to fulfillment locations |
| Label, BOL & shipping document generationShipment Execution & Fulfillment | Not evidenced | Supported Bulk and batch label printing |
| Control-tower / aggregated visibility dashboardVisibility & Tracking | Supported End-to-end shipment visibility across modes | Not evidenced |
| Carrier payment processingFreight Audit, Settlement & Payment | Supported Faster carrier payment cycles | Not evidenced |
| Invoice dispute & claims managementFreight Audit, Settlement & Payment | Supported Invoice reconciliation and dispute reduction | Not evidenced |
| Shipping insurance / cargo protectionCompliance & Protection | Not evidenced | Supported Automatic insurance application |
| EDI connectivityPlatform & Integrations | Supported | Not evidenced |
| WMS integrationPlatform & Integrations | Supported | Not evidenced |
| Exception-based alerts & notificationsVisibility & Tracking | Core strength | Supported Order status and exception handling; proactive notifications |
| Ocean, rail & air shipment visibilityVisibility & Tracking | Partial Covers TL/LTL/parcel/drayage; ocean/rail/air not documented | Not evidenced |
| Open REST API & webhooksPlatform & Integrations | Supported Integration Hub for connecting external systems | Core strength REST shipping API |
Both grade identically on the other 18 capabilities — see each product's full profile: 3Gtms, ShipStation.
3Gtms vs ShipStation — FAQs
Is 3Gtms or ShipStation better for ERP integration?
They state different ERP coverage: 3Gtms lists no ERP integrations publicly; ShipStation lists NetSuite, QuickBooks, Microsoft Dynamics 365.
Which is cheaper, 3Gtms or ShipStation?
Neither publishes a list price — both quote. Ask each for the all-in first-year cost at your seat count, as one number, and compare those.
Get pricing for both
Tell us your ERP, seat count and must-haves and we'll come back with an independent view of what 3Gtms and ShipStation should each cost you — and whether a third option belongs on your shortlist.