ShipStation and ShipHero are two major eCommerce shipping and fulfillment platforms that get the most buzz in today’s commercial market niches globally. Both provide unprecedented order management opportunities that help companies streamline their eCommerce activity and get higher sales rates. But while reports rate both solutions almost equally, it is important to understand these platforms fit certain types of businesses better than others. Moreover, there are more underlying aspects based on which you should make the final decision.
To make your life easier, we have composed this brief ShipHero vs ShipStation comparison to give you a clearer idea of which solution should fit your eCommerce best. Further on, we also highlight some alternative solutions that are worth mentioning.
As much as both platforms are focused on eCommerce fulfillment, inventory management, and shipping, one may fit better based on the scope of your business.
ShipHero
ShipHero packs a wide range of enterprise features and tools that may efficiently help large companies handle eCommerce business tasks as well as 3PL operations. Two factors indicate this - the platform’s per user monthly plan and support for up to 500 depending on the company’s budget. And the budget plays quite a significant role when you compare ShipStation to ShipHero. However, there is a free version of ShipHero that ShipStation lacks, which rigs the weights a bit.
ShipStation
This platform has a per feature monthly plan, which means that it can come in quite cost-efficient for smaller businesses (e.g., companies that house up to 50 employees). You can pay only for the features you need, avoiding any extra or hidden costs. And you can scale based on your growing budget capabilities, enabling more features and tools over time.
Summary
Both platforms have a free trial opportunity for businesses of different scales to try them out and pick what fits best before purchasing. And while ShipStation is more affordable to small companies, ShipHero can fit them too, at least with its free version offering. However, you still will be able to save more while getting exactly the capacities you need with its competitor.
Result
When it comes to ShipHero vs ShipStation comparison in terms of market segments:
ShipHero is best for bigger enterprises, packing up to 500 people;
ShipStation perfectly fits smaller businesses of up to 50 people.
Price
As we already mentioned in the above section, the major difference between ShipHero and ShipStation platforms is their pricing plans. While the total price of using ShipHero depends on how many people will be using it in total, ShipStation’s pricing is bound to the number of features unlocked.
ShipHero
This ShipStation competitor costs a pretty penny, even if only several employees are to use it. The official ShipHero pricing right now is $1,850 per user per month. However, keep in mind that there is also a free trial and a free version available for demonstration and basic toolset use.
ShipStation
Alternatively, ShipStation is quite affordable and offers dynamic pricing that may grow in tune with your business scaling and budget accumulation. The ShipStation pricing right now is $9 per feature per month. And you will need to have a real appetite for features if you wish to go over a thousand bucks mark (which is pretty impossible). There is a free trial, but there is no free version of the platform due to obvious dynamic pricing reasons.
Summary
When all is said and done about ShipHero vs ShipStation in terms of pricing, ShipHero definitely comes in more expensive, especially if you are looking to involve a number of users in its operation. This is why it is better considered by established enterprises. On the other hand, ShipStation should be a reasonable choice for a growing company.
The major value of an eCommerce fulfillment platform is in its universality of deployment. I.e., the supported range of operational environments, or, in simpler words, the number of OSs and platforms the software can be installed on.
ShipHero
When we compare ShipStation and ShipHero in terms of deployment opportunities, we can see almost the same number of compatible platforms and environments. ALMOST. It may come as a surprise for many, but ShipHero doesn’t support Android. This means that the ShipHero mobile app can only be used by iPhone or iPad owners, which may spawn certain difficulties and extra costs for some companies.
ShipStation
The extent of ShipStation integration and installation opportunities equals that of ShipHero’s, yet it supports Android out-of-the-box. This can be a major ShipStation competition booster as many small businesses would prefer to employ more versatile and cost-efficient platforms (like Android).
Summary
Both platforms support the following list of operational environments:
Web
Cloud
SaaS
Windows desktop
Mac desktop
iOS phones and tablets
With the exception that ShipStation also easily supports Android phones and tablets, which makes it a more versatile choice. Mind that neither solution supports Linux and Chromebook desktops as well as Windows and Linus on-premise environments.
Result
ShipStation supports one platform more.
Features
Similarly to the situation in the previous section, both solutions pack practically an equal number of essential eCommerce fulfillment features and tools, which can make ShipHero vs ShipStation comparison a bit more difficult. However, there still are nuances.
ShipHero
ShipHero has all the features its counterpart has except for the Manufacturing inventory management feature. Keep in mind, however, that all the other present features come in out-of-the-box on the per user payment basis.
ShipStation
ShipStation software has all the features its counterpart has, adding Manufacturing inventory management, but it lacks the Kitting feature. And another nuance here is that you have to pay 9 bucks for every other feature.
Summary
Both platforms offer the following essential eCommerce fulfillment features:
Retail inventory management;
Multi-channel management;
Alerts and notifications;
Reporting;
Data analytics;
Data forecasting;
Mobile access;
Warehouse management;
Supplier management;
Reorder management;
Inventory optimization.
Result
ShipHero has the Kitting feature but lacks Manufacturing inventory management;
ShipStation has the Manufacturing inventory management feature but lacks Kitting.
You can make the final choice based on the budget and the particular need for either of those features.
Integrations
In the world of eCommerce systems, integration flexibility is crucial for achieving the highest performance by covering insightfully all the possible commercial and marketing channels. So it is really important how easily and efficiently an eCommerce fulfillment platform can integrate with various payment gateways, eCommerce systems, marketing tools, etc.
ShipHero
The ShipHero API is quite versatile and can be easily integrated with a wide range of tools and systems. To name the exact number of compatible integrations ShipHero vendors may employ, there are a total of 157 options up to date.
ShipStation
The API for ShipStation is not as versatile, but it does its job well when it comes to the integration with supported tools and systems. This may be quite enough for small businesses.
Yet another crucial aspect of the platform for eCommerce fulfillment management is the availability and efficiency of customer support. it is easy to get confused and lost in certain complications spawned on the provider’s end without the proper input from support specialists.
ShipHero
ShipHero support is well-organized, prompt, and responsive. The provider of such level cares about their reputation in the market and willingly helps users figure out any underlying issues. There is but one drawback that the platform’s competitor seems to solve.
ShipStation
ShipStation support is just as responsive and willing to help you handle any nuances in a number of ways. This is where both platforms are practically equal. Practically.
Summary
Customer support services that both platforms offer include:
Email support;
Help desk;
Dedicated knowledge base;
FAQs and forum threads;
Dedicated chat.
ShipStation customer service has but one advantage - phone support which can be the best format of support for many users out there who prefer to discuss their issues live.
Result
Both platforms could use 24/7 available customer support service that responds immediately in real time. But in this ShipHero vs ShipStation stand, the latter takes the cake with one extra option of support by phone.
Pros & Cons
With all of the above said and done, as well as according to relevant user reviews, we can finally point out the main pros and cons of both platforms to help make your final choice easier. Here we go.
ShipHero
ShipHero reviews point out the integration potential of the platform, a user interface that can be easily handled by non-tech-savvy users, and extensive shipping opportunities. Negative reviews, on the other hand, point out hidden costs, occasional support hindrances, and extensive product line displaying issues.
ShipStation
People seem to really appreciate how ShipStation support service performs, they point out personalized onboarding, and claim that all available integrations work seamlessly. Among the downsides, increased staff requirements, limited in features dashboards, and certain product placing issues are mentioned.
Summary
ShipHero pros:
Fitting operational conditions for larger enterprises;
Extensive range of possible integrations;
Top-of-the-line shipping tools;
Accessibility for non-tech-savvy users;
The Kitting feature.
ShipHero cons:
Not the best choice for small businesses;
High pricing;
Hidden costs;
Lack of customer support by phone;
Lack of Android mobile compatibility;
Lack of manufacturing inventory management.
ShipStation pros:
Fitting operational conditions for small businesses;
There are companies like ShipStation and ShipHero out there - with a similar range of services and tools. But there is a reason why these exact two platforms stand out so much. However, you can still find a good ShipHero or ShipStation alternative based on your particular needs. Your potential options may include:
Zoho Inventory;
ShipRush;
EasyShip;
Oberlo;
ShipHawk;
Shippo, etc.
But you must be inquisitive in making the final choice. Thus, if you would like to see whether ShipRush can bring you more advantages, do not neglect to conduct a full-on ShipRush vs ShipStation comparison based on the reviews and ratings available online. Similarly to tracking ShipStation or ShipHero ratings, just hit the Google search and you will find multiple various ratings.
Bottom Line
When it comes to ShipHero vs ShipStation comparison, it is difficult to pick one if you don’t know how well both of them fit certain business specifics separately. And saying plainly that ShipHero fulfillment is ONLY for big companies while ShipStation dropshipping is EXCLUSIVELY for small ones would be utterly wrong. You have to consider more than such plain statements to make the final pick wisely. We hope this comparison article helps you. The final choice is yours, but you can see why exactly you should opt for one or another solution with all of this real user reviews-backed info.
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