Shipping now drives growth. Customers expect fast, reliable delivery, and brands that can’t adapt to delays or rising costs fall behind. Multi-carrier software gives teams the flexibility and resilience to keep promises and control costs.

This guide compares seven platforms for 2025 and shows why Voila is the strongest choice for growing brands.

Summary

• Voila: Best for scaling brands needing resilience, 150+ carriers, proactive tracking, and fast onboarding.

• Metapack: Enterprise-grade, best for global retailers with complex delivery promises.

• Easyship: Strong cross-border focus, good for SMEs shipping internationally.

• ShippyPro: Flexible API-first platform with solid returns and checkout modules.

• Sendcloud: Popular in Europe for SMEs, strong UX, limited enterprise depth.

• ShipStation API: Developer-focused APIs, great for embedding shipping in SaaS or custom apps.

• ShipStation: Widely adopted by SMEs, simple multi-carrier hub, weaker analytics.

  
  

Evaluation Criteria (with weights)

• Coverage (30%): Number and breadth of carrier integrations.

• Automation & Failover (25%): Rules engines, fallback carriers, configurability.

• Post-Purchase (20%): Branded tracking, proactive notifications, returns.

• Analytics (15%): Depth of reporting, carrier performance insights.

• Cost/Value (10%): Transparency, scalability, ROI.

  
  

The 7 Multi Carrier Shipping Best Platforms

1. Voila

Overview: Voila (formerly Courier API) is a UK-based delivery management platform with 17+ years of logistics technology experience. Today, it serves 3,000+ businesses, with 80% SMEs and 20% enterprise-level clients.

Core strengths:

• 150+ carriers and 7,000+ services out-of-the-box.

• Smart automation & rules engine: Automates carrier/service selection based on destination, weight, value, etc.

• Branded tracking pages and 14 standardised delivery statuses, with proactive email/SMS updates.

• AI assistant “Hey Voila” for customer WISMO queries.

• Returns portal, checkout delivery options (incl. Evri ParcelShop and DPD locker selection), and scan-to-pack warehouse app.

• Reporting & analytics: Carrier performance, surcharges, delivery SLAs.

• Sustainability tools: Carbon emissions calculation, offset programmes, greener routing, and paperless returns.

• Onboarding: Self-service setup in as little as 24 hours; white-glove onboarding 1–4 weeks.

Best for: SMEs through to enterprises wanting one end-to-end solution with strong customer experience and reporting capabilities.

Pricing: Starting from £125 per month for 2,500 orders (tracking only).

2. Metapack

Overview: Metapack is an enterprise delivery management platform used by large retailers; Delivery Manager is the configuration hub for carriers, rules, warehouses, and more.

Core strengths:

• Carrier coverage: “Over 450 carriers and 5,500 delivery and return services” managed in Delivery Manager.

• Rules & allocation: Service validation and allocation rules by carrier, warehouse, ship-to region, etc.

• Returns & tracking: Native returns label flows and tracking file delivery.

• Enterprise controls: Warehouses, cut-offs, costs/charges, audit history, and data export.

Best for: Large, multi-country retailers with complex service promises and SLAs.

Limitations: Pricing/packaging not publicly listed on site. Not publicly listed.

Pricing: Not publicly listed.

3. Easyship

Overview: Cross-border oriented shipping platform with discounted rates, tax/duty tools, and branded post-purchase.

Core strengths:

• Carrier/services breadth: Marketing states “250+ couriers” and “550+ courier services” available in the rate tool.

• Cross-border: Duties & tax calculators and documents are first-party features.

• Branded tracking & emails across plans (details shown on pricing/features page).

• Integrations: 55+ eCommerce/marketplace platforms (per pricing page modules).

Best for: SMEs expanding internationally who want discounted rates + landed cost transparency.

Limitations: Exact paid plan prices aren’t shown

Pricing: Free plan available; paid tiers shown but with no public numeric price on the page at time of writing.

4. ShippyPro

Overview: ShippyPro API-forward multi-carrier platform with shipping, tracking, returns, checkout, and analytics.

Core strengths:

• Carrier coverage: “+184 Carriers and +80 Sales Channels” stated on the official pricing page.

• Automation & rules: Shipping rules, pickup scheduling, and label/document generation.

• Post-purchase: Branded tracking page, email/SMS/WhatsApp notifications, and branded return portal.

• Analytics: Shipping KPIs dashboards, carrier & ERP analytics, invoice analysis.

Best for: Mid-market brands needing modular features and a modern UI, or teams prioritising returns/tracking UX.

Limitations: Some advanced analytics/notifications are “on-demand” add-ons on lower tiers.

Pricing: Professional “starting from £169/month” (50% off billed annually shown), Enterprise custom; page lists feature differences and carrier/library access.

5. Sendcloud

Overview: All-in-one shipping platform popular with European SMEs; emphasises ease-of-use, automation, and post-purchase.

Core strengths:

• Carrier coverage: Official site states “connect to 160+ different carriers.”

• Automation & rules: Shipping rules across plans; dynamic delivery options/checkout at higher tiers.

• Post-purchase: Branded tracking pages, email/SMS/WhatsApp notifications; branded return portal and return rules on Premium+.

• Analytics: Tracking page analytics (GA4) and shipping analytics on Premium+.

Best for: SMEs in Europe needing fast setup, multi-carrier access, and branded post-purchase.

Limitations: Label processing fees per plan; some features gated to higher tiers.

Pricing: Free €0, Lite €33/mo, Growth €99/mo, Premium €195/mo, Pro €799/mo (monthly; -20% annually).

6. ShipStation API

Overview: Developer-first shipping APIs (labels, rates, tracking, address validation) for platforms/brands.

Core strengths:

• Carrier breadth: Pricing page/FAQ indicates “100+ carriers supported.”

• APIs: Label creation, rate shopping, tracking webhooks, address validation, PUDO, and more.

• Embeddable elements and SDKs for building custom shipping experiences.

Best for: SaaS platforms, marketplaces, or teams embedding shipping in custom apps.

Limitations: UI for branded post-purchase is limited vs full shipping apps; it’s API-centric.

Pricing: Free $0 (discounted carriers), Advanced from $75/month, Enterprise custom; overage rates listed.

7. ShipStation (app)

Overview: Long-standing shipping app for SMEs; batch labels, rules, returns, and many channel integrations.

Core strengths:

• Automations & rules: Unlimited automations from Standard tier; rate shopping & label workflows on all paid plans.

• Post-purchase: Branded tracking/emails and returns portal on Standard+.

• Integrations: Broad marketplace/cart coverage and bring-your-own carrier accounts on Standard+.

Best for: Small to mid-size businesses standardising multi-carrier labels across channels.

Limitations: Advanced analytics and warehouse features gated to higher tiers.

Pricing: Free $0, Starter from $14.99/mo, Standard from $29.99/mo, Premium from $349.99/mo (shipment-tiered).

The Hidden ROI of Multi Carrier Shipping

Multi carrier platforms aren’t just “label printers.” Their ROI compounds across operations and customer experience: 

• Cutting WISMO (Where Is My Order?) tickets: Industry benchmarks suggest WISMO queries make up 30–50% of inbound support contacts at eCommerce brands. With Voila, proactive email/SMS alerts at 14 standardised delivery milestones reduce the need for customers to ask at all. This decreases support volume and frees teams to focus on higher-value work. 

• Reducing failed delivery surcharges: Carriers often apply penalties for address errors, re-delivery, or mis-routed shipments. By scanning addresses at order ingestion, applying rules (e.g. fragile/oversized routing), and offering pickup-point delivery at checkout, multi carrier systems reduce these costly surcharges. Voila clients can even configure fallback rules so that if one courier fails, another automatically takes over. 

• Enabling carrier performance benchmarking: Without centralised analytics, merchants rely on carrier-reported SLA stats (often inflated). Platforms like Voila log on-time delivery, first-attempt delivery success, and delay exceptions per carrier. Merchants can then use hard data in quarterly reviews improving SLAs or renegotiating rates. 

• Saving ops staff hours with automation: Manual carrier selection and label printing wastes time. Voila processes 250+ shipments in a single batch asynchronously, applies rules without human intervention, and standardises manifests. One case cited in the Voila playbook: scan-to-pack workflows cut packing errors to near zero, halving training time for seasonal warehouse staff. 

• Net effect: ROI accrues both directly (reduced surcharges, improved carrier terms) and indirectly (happier customers, less churn, freed-up staff capacity).

  
  

Common Pitfalls When Choosing Multi Carrier Software

• Overvaluing carrier count: It’s tempting to chase the vendor with “500+ carriers.” But breadth without depth often leads to shallow integrations missing advanced features like failover rules or exception reporting. For example, Metapack’s 5,500 services matter most to enterprises with highly complex global footprints, whereas Voila’s 7,000+ services and 150+ deeply integrated couriers with performance analytics and failover rules provide more practical value.

• Ignoring onboarding models: Many legacy vendors still require months of professional services to integrate with ERPs or WMS. By contrast, Voila supports self-service setup (live in 24 hours) or white-glove onboarding (1–4 weeks). This agility is a serious differentiator for brands facing seasonal peaks or fast market entries.

• Neglecting post-purchase: Branded tracking and proactive comms are no longer “nice to have.” Salesforce CX survey, 2024 shows 83% of shoppers expect proactive delivery updates. Vendors that only provide generic carrier tracking push customers off-site, whereas Voila lets merchants keep buyers on track.mybrand.com, fully branded.

Future Trends in Delivery Management

• AI-powered customer comms: Generative AI is rapidly becoming standard for CX. Voila’s “Hey Voila” assistant already handles common queries like “Where is my order?” directly on all webpages. Expect AI-driven delivery chatbots to expand into checkout support and carrier issue triage.

• Growth of out-of-home (OOH) delivery: Lockers, parcel shops, and click-and-collect are surging. In Europe, OOH deliveries are projected to grow 15% CAGR through 2027 (PostEurop forecast). Platforms like Voila already integrate Evri ParcelShop locators and DPD lockers at checkout.

• Sustainability as a default setting: Consumers increasingly expect greener shipping. Voila provides carbon emissions calculators, paperless workflows, and routing rules that favour eco-friendly carriers. Future buyer RFPs are likely to demand carbon reporting as a baseline feature.

• API-first adoption: More SaaS vendors are embedding shipping as part of their stack (e.g., marketplaces). Platforms like ShipStation API already specialise in APIs, but Voila’s robust REST APIs and sandbox environment mean developers can integrate delivery directly into WMS, OMS, or custom marketplaces.

How to Evaluate Vendors Using This Guide

To avoid analysis paralysis, apply the weighted framework introduced earlier:

• Coverage (30%): Do they support the carriers you actually need today and tomorrow? (Voila: 150+, Metapack: 450+).

• Automation & Failover (25%): Do they let you configure rules by weight, postcode, order value, and provide fallback carriers? (Voila: full-featured, with IF/AND failover logic).

• Post-purchase (20%): Is branded tracking native, or an add-on? Are notifications proactive and customisable? (Voila: fully included; ShipStation API: API-only, no native portal).

• Analytics (15%): Can you measure carrier KPIs, WISMO trends, or only track parcels? (Voila: carrier performance dashboards).

• Cost/Value (10%): Transparent pricing tiers, or custom enterprise contracts only?

Tip: Don’t just compare “# of carriers.” Score each vendor against your business needs (multi-warehouse? cross-border? customer experience focus?). That matrix reveals whether you need Voila’s resilient automation and branded CX or a developer-first API platform like ShipStation API.

See how Voila cuts WISMO, speeds up packing, and gives you control across 150+ carriers.

Book your demo today.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is multi carrier shipping software?

It’s a delivery management hub that connects dozens or hundreds of carriers into one interface. Instead of staff juggling multiple portals, labels, and tracking pages, everything is centralised. You can print labels, apply automation rules, and standardise tracking across carriers.

Why do growing brands need multi carrier rather than single carrier?

Single-carrier strategies are fragile: when a courier raises prices, suffers delays, or can’t handle peak season, operations grind to a halt. Multi carrier platforms like Voila provide resilience by letting you failover to alternatives instantly. They also give flexibility (domestic, cross-border, express, pickup-point) and negotiation leverage.

How fast can a team implement Voila?

Voila is built for agility. SMEs can self-serve and be live in 24 hours. Enterprise clients typically onboard in 1–4 weeks with white-glove support, training, and API integration.

Does Voila support branded tracking pages and proactive notifications?

Yes. Every order gets a branded tracking page (on your own URL, in your design) plus proactive email/SMS updates at 14 standardised delivery milestones.

Can Voila reduce WISMO and improve first-attempt delivery success?

Yes. By keeping customers updated proactively, Voila reduces “Where is my order?” calls. Data visibility lets ops teams spot and resolve exceptions before customers complain. Branded portals and AI-assisted FAQs also increase first-attempt delivery rates.

Does Voila support returns portals and analytics for carrier performance?

Yes. Merchants can configure branded, self-service returns portals and enforce custom rules. Analytics dashboards show on-time delivery rates, carrier performance, and exception trends arming teams with data for SLA reviews and carrier negotiations.

Is multi carrier software more expensive than single carrier approaches?

It depends. Basic single-carrier portals may have lower upfront costs, but multi carrier tools deliver ROI via lower failed delivery costs, faster operations, and competitive carrier rates. Public pricing varies by vendor (see comparison table).