ShipStation Free Plan 2026: What's Included & What's Not
Honest breakdown of the free tier limits and features
ShipStation costs Free to $349.99 per month as of June 2026, with 4 plans available including a free tier. Plans: Free (free), Starter at $14.99/month, Standard at $29.99/month, and Premium at $349.99/month. Pricing depends on your chosen tier, contract length, and negotiated discounts.
Use the interactive pricing calculator to estimate your exact cost based on team size and requirements.
- Free tier: Yes
ShipStation offers 4 pricing tiers: Free, Starter, Standard, Premium. A free plan is available. Paid plans include Starter at $14.99/month, Standard at $29.99/month, Premium at $349.99/month. The Starter plan is small businesses to set up and manage shipping.
Yes, ShipStation offers a freemium plan as of June 2026. The free tier includes 5 features with limits on shipments and users. Paid plans start at $14.99/month (Starter). Pricing verified from 1 sources by CostBench.
ShipStation offers a freemium model with limited features; upgrade to unlock more.
What's Included in the Free Plan
- 1 user
- 1 store connection
- Discounted carrier rates
- Tracking emails
- Chatbot support
What's NOT Included (Paid Only)
- 3 users
- Unlimited store connections
- Automated rate shopping
- Return labels
- Basic automations
- Reporting
- Email support
Free Plan Limits
| Limit | Free Plan | Paid Plans |
|---|---|---|
| shipments | 10 | Unlimited/Higher |
| users | 1 | Unlimited/Higher |
| storeConnections | 1 | Unlimited/Higher |
You'll Need to Upgrade When...
- You exceed the user limit
- You need features like 3 users or Unlimited store connections
- You require premium support or SLA guarantees
- You need to remove branding or watermarks
- You need advanced integrations or API access
Hidden Restrictions on Free Plan
- ShipStation branding may appear on your content or communications
- Support is limited to community forums or email with longer response times
- Export options may be restricted or include watermarks
- API access is typically limited or not available
- Advanced reporting and analytics require paid plans
Free vs Paid: Which Do You Need?
Free Plan is Enough If...
- You're an individual or very small team
- You need only basic features
- You don't mind usage limits
- Branding on output is acceptable
- Community support is sufficient
You Need Paid If...
- Your team is growing beyond limits
- You need advanced features
- Professional branding is required
- You need priority support
- Integrations/API access is critical
Free vs Starter Plan Comparison
| Free $0 | Starter $14.99/month | |
|---|---|---|
| Features | 5 included | 7+ included |
| Support | Community/Email | Priority Support |
| Branding | ShipStation branding | Your branding |
| Best For | Quick label printing and basic shipping | Small businesses to set up and manage shipping |
Frequently Asked Questions
01 Is ShipStation free?
Yes, ShipStation offers a freemium plan with 5 core features included. However, there are limits on shipments, users that may require upgrading.
02 What's included in ShipStation's free plan?
ShipStation's free plan includes: 1 user, 1 store connection, Discounted carrier rates, Tracking emails, Chatbot support. Key limits include shipments: 10, users: 1, storeConnections: 1.
03 What's NOT included in ShipStation's free plan?
The free plan excludes: 3 users, Unlimited store connections, Automated rate shopping, Return labels, Basic automations. You'll also have ShipStation branding and limited support options.
04 When should I upgrade from ShipStation's free plan?
Consider upgrading when: you hit user or storage limits, need features like 3 users or Unlimited store connections, require premium support, or want to remove branding. The cheapest paid plan starts at $14.99/month.
05 Is ShipStation's free plan really free forever?
Yes, ShipStation's free plan is available indefinitely with no time limit. However, feature and usage limits may restrict what you can do without upgrading to a paid plan.