Shippo Pricing 2026: Free, Pro, Premier Plans & Fees
Figuring out shipping software costs can feel complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. Shippo pricing is designed to be accessible for every business, with plans ranging from a free Starter tier to scalable paid options. For the 300,000+ businesses using Shippo, the structure is simple: the Starter plan is $0 per month, the Professional plan starts around $19 per month, and the Premier plan offers custom pricing for high-volume sellers. Understanding this upfront is the first step to saving money.
This guide breaks down everything you need to know about Shippo pricing. We’ll walk through each plan, explain the key policies, and help you decide which option is the perfect fit for your business.
An Overview of Shippo’s Pricing Plans
The Shippo pricing model is built to be flexible and scalable. It’s structured around three main tiers: Starter (which is free), Professional, and Premier.
No matter which plan you choose, the cost has two main parts:
- The Subscription Fee: This is the monthly or annual fee you pay for using Shippo’s software. For the Starter plan, this fee is $0.
- The Postage Cost: This is the actual price of the shipping label you buy from carriers like USPS, UPS, or DHL Express. This is a separate cost on every plan.
Every plan gives you access to core features like printing labels, tracking packages, and managing returns (including prepaid return labels), along with access to shipping discounts. As you move up to higher tiers, you unlock more advanced features, better support, and more user accounts.
The Shippo Starter Plan: A Free Starting Point
The Starter plan is Shippo’s free tier, designed for new sellers, individuals, or businesses with low shipping volume.
- Cost: $0 per month. There is no subscription fee.
- Best For: Merchants shipping around 30 or fewer packages per month.
- Key Features: You get immediate access to deeply discounted rates from top carriers (often 50% to 80% off retail prices), unlimited store integrations (like Shopify, eBay, and Etsy), international shipping capabilities (see our guide to the cheapest international shipping), and shipment analytics. Support is available via email, and you get one user login.
The Pay Per Use Model
The Starter plan operates on a pay per use basis. Instead of a monthly fee, you only pay for what you use. Specifically, Shippo charges a small $0.05 fee for each label you create only if you use your own connected carrier accounts. However, if you use the default discounted rates Shippo provides, this 5 cent fee is completely waived. If you’re new to labels, start with our guide to your shipping label to understand what carriers require. This means most users on the Starter plan pay nothing to Shippo beyond the cost of postage.
The Shippo Professional (Pro) Plan: For Growing Businesses
The Professional plan, often called Shippo Pro, is the mid tier subscription for businesses that are scaling up and need more powerful tools.
- Cost: The Pro plan uses a tiered pricing model based on your shipping volume. It starts at about $19 per month for up to 200 labels.
- Best For: Growing businesses that need a more efficient workflow and a branded customer experience.
- Key Features: The Pro plan includes everything in the Starter plan, plus several key upgrades. If you’ll be printing labels daily, consider a thermal model—see our picks for the best shipping label printers.
- Branded Experience: Customize your tracking pages, packing slips, and email notifications with your own logo and colors.
- Better Support: Get access to live chat and phone support for faster assistance.
- More Users: Add up to five user logins for your team members.
- No Per Label Fees: All per label fees are waived, so you only pay your monthly subscription and the cost of postage.
Shippo also offers a 30 day free trial for the Pro plan, so you can test out all the premium features without any risk.
The Shippo Premier Plan: For High Volume Shippers
The Premier plan is Shippo’s top tier solution for large businesses and enterprises with significant shipping volume.
- Cost: Premier pricing is customized. You need to contact Shippo’s sales team for a quote based on your specific needs and monthly volume. It’s designed for businesses shipping thousands of packages a month, often beyond the 10,000 label limit of the Pro plan.
- Best For: High volume sellers who require dedicated support and maximum flexibility.
- Key Features: Premier includes all Pro features, plus:
- Dedicated Support: You get a dedicated account manager to provide personalized help.
- More Logins: The plan supports 15 or more user logins for larger teams.
- Unlimited Shipments: There are no volume caps, and you may be able to negotiate even deeper shipping discounts.
Understanding Key Shippo Pricing Policies
To get the most out of your plan, it helps to understand a few key policies that affect your Shippo pricing and experience.
Label Volume Tiers
For the Professional plan, Shippo pricing is based on label volume tiers. This means your monthly subscription fee corresponds to a specific range of shipments. For example, there are tiers for 1 to 200 labels, 201 to 500, and so on, all the way up to 10,000 labels per month. This structure ensures you only pay for the volume you actually need.
Monthly vs. Annual Billing Discount
Shippo offers both monthly and annual billing options for its paid plans. If you choose to pay annually, you can get a discount of about 10% compared to the month to month rate. Monthly billing offers more flexibility, while annual billing provides better value if you’re committed to the platform long term.
Overage and Auto Upgrade Policy
One of the best things about Shippo’s tiered system is the absence of surprise overage fees. If your shipping volume exceeds your current tier, Shippo doesn’t charge you a penalty. Instead, they will automatically upgrade you to the next appropriate pricing tier on your next billing cycle. This user friendly policy allows your plan to scale smoothly with your business growth.
Billing, Cancellations, and Refunds
Your billing cycle is a core part of the Shippo pricing structure, representing the recurring period for your subscription, either monthly or annual. You can downgrade or cancel your Pro plan at any time from your account settings, and the change will take effect at the end of your current paid period.
Shippo’s refund policy is straightforward:
- Subscription Fees: They do not offer prorated refunds if you cancel a paid plan before the end of your billing cycle.
- Postage: If you buy a shipping label and don’t use it, you can request a refund for the postage cost. This process typically takes about 14 business days for the carrier to approve.
Is Postage Included in the Fee?
No, the cost of postage is never included in any Shippo subscription fee. Your plan fee covers the use of the software and its features. The cost of each shipping label is always a separate charge. This is why it’s so important to find the cheapest shipping option for every package. Before you print a label in Shippo, you can use a free tool to compare shipping rates from USPS, UPS, and FedEx to ensure you’re not overpaying on postage, and see which is cheaper: UPS or USPS for your package.
Shippo Pricing Plans: A Quick Comparison
So, how do the plans stack up? Here’s a simple breakdown to help you choose the right Shippo pricing plan.
Feature
Starter Plan
Professional Plan
Premier Plan
Monthly Cost
$0
Starts at ~$19
Custom
Per Label Fee
$0.05 (waived with Shippo rates)
$0
$0
Best For
New or low volume sellers
Growing businesses
High volume enterprises
Branding
No
Yes
Yes
Support
Email, Chat, & Phone
Dedicated Manager
User Logins
1
Up to 5
15+
The great thing about the Shippo pricing model is that every user, regardless of their plan, gets access to the same excellent commercial shipping discounts. You don’t have to upgrade to a paid plan just to save money on postage. The decision to upgrade is about unlocking features that save you time and improve your customer experience.
While Shippo provides the platform to buy discounted labels, using a tool like the Online Shipping Calculator first helps you make an informed choice. It lets you see all your options side by side, so you can confidently pick the cheapest or fastest service every single time. Once you’ve bought labels, you can schedule a free USPS pickup to skip the trip to the post office.
Frequently Asked Questions About Shippo Pricing
1. Is Shippo really free to use?
Yes, the Shippo Starter plan is completely free. There are no monthly subscription fees. You only pay the cost of the postage you purchase. A small 5 cent per label fee applies only if you connect your own carrier accounts, but it’s waived when using Shippo’s default discounted rates.
2. How much does Shippo cost per month?
The cost depends on your plan. The Starter plan is $0 per month. The Professional plan starts at around $19 per month and increases based on your shipping volume. The Premier plan has custom pricing for enterprise clients.
3. When should I upgrade from Shippo Starter to Pro?
It’s a good idea to consider upgrading to the Pro plan when your shipping volume consistently exceeds 30 to 50 labels per month. At that point, the monthly fee is often offset by the time saved, the value of branded features, and having no per label fees to worry about.
4. What is cheaper, Shippo or ShipStation?
For very low volume shippers, Shippo is cheaper because its Starter plan is free, whereas ShipStation’s lowest tier plan starts at $14.99 per month. For higher volumes, the costs can be competitive, so it’s best to compare the features and specific pricing tiers that match your needs.
5. Does Shippo have any hidden fees?
No, Shippo is known for its transparent pricing. There are no hidden processing or service fees. The costs are straightforward: your subscription fee (if any) and the cost of postage.
6. Can I try the Professional plan before paying?
Yes, Shippo offers a 30 day free trial of its Professional plan. This lets you test all the premium features, like branded tracking and multi user access, to see if they are a good fit for your business before you commit.