Which Features Define the Best Shipping Software in 2025
- The Ship Genie
- Sep 29
- 6 min read
Updated: Oct 23
The best shipping software in 2025 does more than merely print shipping labels. With increasing shipping costs, customer expectations are at an all-time high. Businesses need intelligent tools to reduce costs and deliver faster.
We have witnessed countless times how the right shipping platform can transform a profitless fulfilment center into a profit center. Usually, it's the software choice, its features, and if it fits the business size and goals that determine whether a company is successful or not.
What Makes Shipping Software Essential in 2025?
E-commerce is projected to hit $7.9 trillion globally in 2025. That's enormous growth, but it comes with all sorts of challenges. Carrier rates keep climbing, and customers expect faster, cheaper shipping.
Without smart shipping tools, businesses face:
Manual data entry that wastes hours daily.
Missed opportunities for savings.
Bottlenecks in shipping orders that deter customer satisfaction.
Scaling issues when a spike in orders occurs.
The scene is too familiar; we have witnessed businesses grappling with these issues before implementing proper solutions.
How Important Is Carrier Rate Shopping?
In real-time, checking the rates from UPS to USPS, to FedEx, and even DHL may mean up to an 89 percent saving in shipping charges for a business. That is not some glitzy marketing jargon. That is plain math.
The top shipping platforms allow you to compare rates in an instant and choose the best rate for each shipment. And better yet, many platforms now offer a "bring-your-own-carrier" option, allowing you to apply your existing negotiated rates alongside the platform discounts.
For instance, a 2-pound package going to California may cost $12.50 on UPS Ground but only $8.75 on USPS Priority Mail. Consider multiplying those savings by hundreds of shipments monthly to gain a good amount of cost reduction.
That's the driving force behind our platform design: how much do you pay more when you don't have to?
Do Integrations Really Save Time?
Absolutely. Manual CSV uploads and data entry are productivity killers in 2025. Leading shipping solutions link directly with Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, eBay, Walmart, and other major platforms. Orders are synced automatically, eliminating the copy-paste nightmare that plagued earlier e-commerce operations.
Key advantages:
75% less time in processing orders
Limited to fewer manual errors that cause shipping delays
Order status updates automatically across channels
Streamlined communication with customers
If integrated with logistics management software correctly, it becomes the central nervous system for growing businesses. The strength of this approach lies in the perfect integration of shipping into your general logistics strategy, thereby making scaling easier.
Why Is Automation the Backbone of Scaling?
Automation rules work to carry out repetitive tasks that otherwise would need human intervention or consideration. For instance, carrier selection based on weight, destination zones, or delivery speed requirements. Package dimensions also play a role here. This is why Cartonization exists.
All-in-one shipping systems use automation to:
Cut down on label creation time by at least 50%
Maintain the standards of service level agreements (SLA) consistently
Allow labor costs to be minimized with increased order levels
Ensure packaging consistency for all shipments
We have seen businesses turning from 50 orders a day to 500+ orders with the same staff, purely through smart automation rules. That's the power of letting software handle routine decisions.
What Role Does Cartonization Play in 2025?
Dimensional weight (DIM weight) pricing from carriers makes box selection critical. Your choice of packaging might seriously double your shipping costs overnight.
Advanced delivery management software with cartonization capabilities aids the business in packaging optimization. According to the industry research, a majority of shippers stand to tremendously reduce packaging-related shipping costs through improved cartonization:
Cartonization Cost Savings Potential
Improvement Area | Potential Savings | Source |
Optimized packaging configurations | 20-40% reduction in shipping costs | |
3D cartonization software | 7-12% savings vs traditional packaging | |
Reduced empty space (avg 50% air) | Up to 40% cost reduction |
How Do Warehouse Features Help Larger Businesses?
The multi-warehouse approach is becoming increasingly standard for large enterprises. Even mid-sized companies make use of multiple fulfillment centers to minimize the number of shipping zones and delivery days.
Modern WMS features include:
Inventory tracking across multiple locations
Intelligent order routing to the nearest location that can fulfill the complete order (avoiding unnecessary split shipments)
Pick and pack optimization for faster fulfillment
Real-time stock level monitoring
For example, routing an order from Los Angeles to Nevada rather than New York saves 40% of shipping costs and 2-3 days for delivery.
But multi-warehousing isn't without pitfalls.
If a popular SKU runs out of stock in one location, orders might automatically be routed to another warehouse that isn’t optimal, thereby adding unnecessary cost.
Without careful inventory balancing, businesses often face split shipments (shipping one order from multiple warehouses). This can double shipping costs and wipe out margins, sometimes erasing the savings of the last ten optimized shipments.
How ShipGenius Solves This:
Shared Client Pools: ShipGenius WMS enables two different 3PLs or independent warehouses using ShipGenius to share clients seamlessly, preventing costly fulfillment gaps.
Analytics & Reporting: Both 3PL companies and their clients get detailed analytics that flag potential split-shipment risks before they happen.
AI-Driven Forecasting: ShipGenius WMS forecasts demand for each SKU using historical data and AI-driven estimations, helping businesses avoid costly stockouts or imbalances.
What security and pricing information should you be looking for?
Security matters more than ever with increasing data breaches. Look for platforms that follow industry-standard security practices, have SOC 2 Type II certification, and are GDPR-ready for data protection and privacy.
There are several pricing models:
Pay-per-label: Good for a variable number of shipments
Monthly subscriptions: Suitable for a fixed number of orders
Enterprise contracts: For big-volume needs with custom requirements
Key questions to ask:
Are there any setup fees or minimum commitments?
Are there any pass-through fees applied to the carrier's discounts?
What if shipping volumes fluctuate seasonally?
At ShipGenius, we believe in transparent, pay-per-use pricing because businesses shouldn’t pay for features they don’t need or labels they don’t print. Payments are securely processed via Stripe, which handles PCI compliance, so you can focus on shipping without worrying about sensitive payment data.
Shipping Software Market Growth Trends
The data shows just how fast this industry is moving:
Market Size and Growth Projections
Metric | 2025 Value | 2030 Projection | Growth Rate | Source |
Global Shipping Software Market | $14.26 billion | $22.23 billion | 9.29% CAGR | |
E-commerce Shipping Software | $5 billion | $15 billion | 15% CAGR |
This rapid growth reflects businesses recognizing that shipping software isn't optional anymore; it's essential infrastructure.
The Bottom Line
At its core, the best shipping software in 2025 marries savings, automation, and scalability. Carrier rate shopping, integrations, intelligent automation, and warehouse management are no longer nice-to-have features; they are business requirements.
Having learned tremendously from deploying our system, we at ShipGenius have developed it with these principles in mind. When your shipping software handles the complex tasks automatically, focus on what truly matters: growing your business and satisfying customers.
The future belongs to smarter shipping, not faster shipping.
Ready to cut shipping costs by as much as 89%? ShipGenius offers all these essential features without any contracts or hidden fees, all while using a transparent pay-per-label price. Instantly compare rates among UPS, USPS, FedEx, and DHL while ensuring complete automation with your fulfillment process.
FAQs
What is shipping software, and how does it work?
Shipping software automates the generation of shipping labels, comparing rates, and shipment management. It gets connected to your e-commerce store to download orders and assist with printing labels and tracking packages.
What's the difference between shipping software and a TMS?
Shipping software accounts mostly for label generation and rate shopping for small to medium businesses. TMS is an enterprise tool designed for handling logistics and supply chain optimization.
Can shipping software integrate with my e-commerce platform?
In most cases, these platforms can be integrated with all major e-commerce systems like Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, eBay, Etsy, BigCommerce, Magento, and several more via APIs or direct connections.
What carriers work with shipping software?
Major platforms support shipping through USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL, OnTrac, LSO, and regional carriers. Some also work with international carriers for global shipping.
Does shipping software provide tracking information?
Yes, most platforms generate tracking numbers on behalf of the user and provide real-time tracking updates. Many platforms also send out automated tracking emails to customers.
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