Top 10 AfterShip Alternatives & Competitors | Pros & Cons

Aftership is one of the post-purchase experience platforms that have risen in prominence in the wake of this shift by businesses to provide a memorable after-sale experience to customers. The tool is renowned for its dual purpose as a post-purchase experience and marketing platform which has drawn thousands of businesses to sign up for its services. However, the growing demand for diverse and customized after-sale services has led businesses to explore an Aftership alternative. 

While Aftership’s broad focus across multiple tools may dilute its effectiveness in specific functions that businesses prioritize, alternatives to Aftership offer specialized and improved features, directly addressing the unique demands of companies aiming to stand out in particular aspects of the post-purchase journey, such as enhanced real-time shipment tracking capabilities. Additionally, Aftership’s pricing plan proves too prohibitive to small businesses just setting out and bootstrapping their operations. 

These shortcomings have led to a need for a guide that explores the top 10 Aftership alternatives in 2024. Whether you are looking to enhance your business’s shipment tracking experience, partner with a new post-purchase experience platform, or familiarize yourself with other tools, this article has all that you need.

 Let’s delve into 10 alternative Aftership solutions that best fit your business needs. Below is an overview.

Alternatives & Competitors	Logo	Descripition	Website
TrackingMore		Best Aftership Alternative for Shipment Tracking	Link to Site
Route		Alternative for Green Shipping	Link to Site
ParcelPanel		Alternative for Shopify Merchants	Link to Site
Trackr		Alternative for Dropshipping	Link to Site
WeSupply Labs		Alternative for Unifying Online and Offline Sales Channels	Link to Site
Contguard		Alternative for Intelligent Shipping	Link to Site
parcelLab		Alternative for Customer Engagement	Link to Site
PAQATO		Alternative for Personalized Communication	Link to Site
Parcel Perform		Alternative for Delivery Experience	Link to Site
ShippyPro		Alternative for Shipping Solution	Link to Site

1. TrackingMore – Best Aftership Alternative for Shipment Tracking

TrackingMore is a professional shipment tracking platform built to help businesses improve logistics efficiency with advanced tracking capabilities. What makes TrackingMore the best Aftership alternative is that it is dedicated to shipment tracking. This focus ensures a specialized, comprehensive service that provides accurate, real-time updates and a seamless user experience tailored to logistics needs. 

Compared to Aftership, TrackingMore is better priced with the basic plan allowing you to track more shipments. Additional items also cost less to track on TrackingMore after you exhaust your quota. TrackingMore comes with a 14-day free trial that lets you use premium features, an offer that is not available with Aftership. 

Key Features

1. Shipment Visibility: TrackingMore allows you to get fast, accurate, and real-time tracking information of your shipments from over 1,200 carriers worldwide.
2. Tracking API: With TrackingMore’s robust tracking API, businesses can embed comprehensive shipment tracking data within their own systems, and monitor all the shipments in one place.
3. Webhooks: Reduce the number of API calls your team needs to make with automated webhook notifications sent to you whenever there is a new tracking status update.
4. Air Cargo Tracking: Follow the movement of your air cargo conveniently with TrackingMore’s AWB tracking tool that integrates with most major airlines.
5. Shipment Notifications: Keep your customers updated throughout the shipping process with proactive email and SMS alerts.
6. Branded Tracking Page: Provide a branded tracking experience to customers and improve post-purchase conversions with TrackingMore’s customizable tracking page feature.
7. Track Button: Add a shipment tracking button on your website and simplify the package tracking process for customers.
8. Ship from China: Ship your parcel or bulk cargo from China to international destinations with end-to-end tracking via TrackingMore.

Pros

• Dedicated package tracking.
• Vast carrier network of 1,220+ partners globally.
• A 14-day free trial with full access to premium features.
• Better pricing plans than Aftership.
• Shorter integration time (1-2 days) compared to Aftership (1-2 weeks).

Cons

• Limited shipping services.
• Does not integrate with many third-party tools.

Related: TrackingMore vs. Aftership

2. Route – Aftership Alternative for Green Shipping

Route is a multi-platform order tracking app that lets your customers track their orders across different sales channels, which is a good alternative if your business is looking for a green shipping platform.

Key Features

1. Track: The Route mobile app provides a convenient platform for customers to track their packages, available on both Android and iOS devices.
2. Engage: With Route’s Engage feature, you can boost your remarketing efforts significantly as it helps to match your shop’s catalog to customers’ shopping habits.
3. Green Shipping: Route lets you meet your sustainability goals by providing carbon-neutral shipping options to customers at checkout.
4. Protect: Insure customer orders as they ship through Route to minimize losses and boost confidence.

Pros

• Visual tracking & Order protection.
• Helps your business go green.
• Provides affordable shipping insurance ideal for small businesses.

Cons

• Does not offer shipping services.
• Pro plans are more expensive than Aftership’s, starting at $349.

3. ParcelPanel – Aftership Alternative for Shopify Merchant

For businesses seeking an Aftership WooCommerce alternative, ParcelPanel emerges as a viable option, catering specifically to Shopify and WooCommerce platforms. This dedicated order tracking app empowers your shop to enhance customer satisfaction through detailed, real-time shipping updates and a personalized tracking experience.

Key Features

1. All-in-one Tracking: With ParcelPanel, you can track shipment updates as they happen and sync all order tracking numbers within the same platform.
2. Branded Tracking Page: ParcelPanel lets you customize the shipment tracking experience with a branded tracking page feature that also lets you recommend products to customers.
3. Shipping Notifications: Notify your customers of the latest shipment tracking updates through email alerts.
4. Smart Analytics: ParcelPanel’s analytics tools give you data-driven insights into the performance of your carriers, letting you identify opportunities for improvement.

Pros

• Integrated with 1,219+ carriers.
• Connected with various categories of apps.
• Features a dropshipping mode that hides carrier information.
• Free trial lets you use premium features.

Cons

• Limited marketing features.
• Does not support shipping service.

4. Trackr – Aftership Alternative for Dropshipping

Trackr is another Shopify order-tracking app that gives Aftership a run for its money. Many online shop owners regard Trackr as reliable because of its “Hide Carriers” function which makes it better suited for dropshipping on the platform.

Key Features

1. Customizable Tracking Page: Trackr’s customizable tracking page feature lets you provide a branded tracking experience to your customers.
2. Email Notifications: Send automated emails to customers notifying them of status changes to their shipments. These emails can also be customized to match your brand messaging and colors.
3. Shipping Dashboard and Analytics: With Trackr’s shipping dashboard and analytics, you can gain insight into your store’s order delivery performance across 900+ carriers and improve your decision-making.
4. Returns and Exchange Panel: Allow your customers to process returns or exchange items seamlessly with the Trackr Returns and Exchange panel.

Pros

• Perfect for dropshipping Shopify merchants.
• Simplifies returns management.
• Comes with a 14-day free trial.
• Dedicated to Shopify tracking compared to Aftership.

Cons

• Only available to Shopify merchants.
• Insurance protection of items is not provided.

5. WeSupply Labs – Aftership Alternative for Unifying Online and Offline Sales Channels

WeSupply Labs is a customer post-purchase experience platform that helps businesses unify their online and offline sales channels. It also provides tracking and self-return services necessary for elevating the after-sale service businesses provide.

Key Features

Brands opting for this platform can expect to find the following primary features.

1. Tracking and Notifications: WeSupply Labs empowers your brand to boost customer experience and reduce WISMO inquiries through real-time order and shipment tracking, providing pre-purchase estimated delivery dates, and proactive notifications.
2. Returns and Exchanges: WeSupply Labs returns and exchange tools help you delight customers and develop flexible return policies. Empower customers with a self-service returns portal and incentivized returns. 
3. In-store and Curbside Pickups: Unify the digital and in-person customer post-purchase experiences easily with in-store and curbside pickup managed conveniently through the WeSupply Labs platform.

Pros

• Free trial lets you explore premium features including the returns platform.
• Supports split shipment order view.
• Integrates with multiple third-party and e-commerce platforms.

Cons

• Steeply priced paid plans.
• It is better suited to mid-market brands that need integration with ERP systems.

6. Contguard – Aftership Alternative for Intelligent Shipping

Contguard is an intelligent shipping platform that enables businesses to mitigate risks in real time, prevent theft, and gain quality assurance for their cargo. It is developed with the best-in-class AI and IoT tools that ensure the security and efficiency of supply chains, making it an ideal choice for large businesses.

Key Features

1. Monitoring: Contguard’s monitoring tools provide real-time cargo tracking with geolocation. They are further enhanced with AI-powered ETA, impact, and temperature surveillance.
2. Escalation: The Contguard Security Operations Center sends alerts 24/7, keeping your business informed about issues that require immediate attention.
3. Analytics: Analytics tools in Contguard help your business identify patterns and anomalies on selected shipments and routes. With this, you can go further and identify opportunities for enhancing efficiency.
4. Insights: More than just a robust shipping technology platform, Contguard’s team of experts share actionable insights that help you optimize your supply chain performance.

Pros

• Powered by AI and IoT tools.
• Enhances shipment security.
• Ideal for businesses looking to merge supply chain and business intelligence.

Cons

• Pricing is not transparent.
• Focused on shipping security rather than tracking or customer post-purchase experience.

7. parcelLab – Aftership Alternative for Customer Engagement

parcelLab is a leading solution for customer engagement platforms, offering innovative tools to enhance communication and interaction with customers through optimized shipping notifications and personalized post-purchase experiences.

Key Features

1. Convert: parcelLab’s conversion suite features – Promise, an estimated delivery date tool that helps you convert more customers at checkout with an estimated date of when they can expect the delivery.
2. Engage: With Engage tools, you can provide package tracking services and communicate with customers more effectively.
3. Retain: Retain more customers with parcelLab’s self-service returns portal that also supports returns tracking and reverse logistics communication.

Pros

• Provides personalized customer support.
• Best for customer engagement and communication.

Cons

• Limited carrier integration: 350+ carriers.
• Does not provide shipping services.

8. PAQATO – Aftership Alternative for Personalized Communication

PAQATO is an after-sales experience platform that aims to boost e-commerce growth. It helps businesses boost engagements and provide their customers with a branded shopping experience after checkout, which makes it an excellent Aftership alternative for WooCommerce and many other sales channels. 

Key Features

1. Speaq: With Speaq, e-commerce brands can personalize and automate shipping communication with fully customizable workflows and templates.
2. Traq: PAQATO allows you to integrate a tracking page into your online store to enhance shipment visibility.
3. Qontrol: Make data-driven optimizations to your store’s shipping processes with PAQATO’s comprehensive performance overview of your connected shipping service providers. 
4. Return: Make reverse logistics seamless with a fully automated returns portal. 

Pros

• Specialized for boosting e-commerce growth.
• Integrated with multiple sales channels.

Cons

• Steeply-priced plans start at €349.
• The number of carriers supported for tracking is not displayed.

9. Parcel Perform – Aftership Alternative for Delivery Experience

Parcel Perform features data integrations that help to improve the lifetime value (LTV) of your customers, lower logistics costs and advance customer service operations.

Key Features

1. Track: Shipment data integration tools that help you know the whereabouts of your shipments in real time.
2. Predict: An AI-powered estimated date of arrival tool that helps your customers know when an item will be delivered.
3. Analyze: This logistics intelligence suite features data tools that help you gain insights on how to improve delivery performance.
4. Comply: Manage all your partner SLA compliance in one place.
5. Returns: Enhance the customer experience with simplified returns.
6. Engage: With Engage, you can add a branded tracking widget to your website to facilitate easy shipment tracking by customers.

Pros

• 1,045+ carriers integrated.
• Provides procurement and finance solutions.
• AI-powered ETA helps you increase conversions at checkout.

Cons

• Does not offer a free trial.
• Pricing is not transparent.

10. ShippyPro – Aftership Alternative for Shipping Solution

ShippyPro is a global shipping platform that enables brands to exploit new markets through online sales and offer customers a tailored delivery experience that surpasses their expectations.

Key Features

1. Shipping Automation: Manage all your brand’s shipping needs from label creations, rate comparisons, shipping documents, and more with this suite of tools.
2. Delightful Delivery Experience: Provide customers with a memorable and branded after-sale experience with track and trace tools that also allow you to send email, SMS, and WhatsApp notifications.
3. Easier Return Management: Generate return labels, develop rules, and facilitate easy returns for customers.
4. Shipment Analysis and Reports: Access an insightful data dashboard, and generate and download reports to help with your shipping and brand expansion decisions.

Pros

• Integrates with 80+ global sales channels.
• It helps reduce shipping costs through rate comparison.
• Route optimizer lets you unify orders with the same recipient.

Cons

• Limited carrier integration: 170+ carriers.
• Rigid plans don’t allow you to pay for only what you need.

5 Considerations When Choosing an Aftership Alternative

The world of shipment tracking and post-purchase experience software is full of options. While some Aftership alternatives are free, it is important to lay out criteria for selecting them. The considerations you need to make should include the following:

• Features and Functionality

All competitors include different features and functionality in their platforms, designed to serve the unique needs of businesses in diverse industries. The top consideration you should make is whether the features and functionalities on offer match your business needs and goals. Your business pain point may be engaging customers after a sale while for another it may be to improve shipment visibility. Whatever the need is, it should inform your decision before other considerations.

• API Performance

Most shipment tracking software has an API solution designed to integrate shipment tracking data into your business. Some also have APIs for other functions such as label creation. If an API is top of your consideration, ensure you have a development team or expert on your end who will test it in a sandbox environment to gauge its performance.

• Integration Capabilities

Ask yourself how quick it will be to integrate such software with your business system. Will you need to make further investments in your business to make the process a success? What about the solution’s compatibility with your business systems? All these questions are critical to ensure you pick the right technology for your venture.

• Customer Support

While you are focused on improving the customer experience for your customers, gauge how the choice you are going for will address any issues you encounter. Check whether there is 24/7 technical support and the response time it takes to get a problem resolved. Also, pay attention to the additional support the company offers you during the integration and performance testing period.

• Cost and Pricing Structure

Lastly, consider how much it will cost your business. While some software is free for a limited period, others require a paid subscription from the onset. Others price each feature separately and will require additional payments to unlock more functionality or support extra team members.

Tips for Transitioning to a New Shipment Tracking System

Transitioning to a new shipment tracking system means overhauling your entire post-purchase workflow. This undertaking needs to be thought through well while considering the effect on your business and the end user. 

Below are some tips we recommend to help you effectively manage this transition.

• Preparation and Planning

We recommend starting with a thorough assessment of your current shipment tracking solution. Objectively identify its limitations and note down the key requirements for a new tracking software. You should also ensure that you have enough resources to facilitate the transition including a sufficient budget, enough personnel, and time. Lastly, come up with a detailed transition plan that includes clear timelines and milestones to keep the transition process within check. 

• Implementation and Training

Once you’ve settled on the alternative you will be using for your business, embark on implementing it effectively. This stage may involve data migration from the old solution to the new one. During this process, adhere to strict data management and protection rules that ensure it is successful. You will need to test the solution once implemented, to ensure it works as expected to avoid future disruptions. Additionally, come up with a thorough training program that helps your team learn about the new tracking solution and how to resolve customer issues.

• Monitoring and Optimization

With all the steps above followed the transition process progresses to the monitoring and optimization stage of the shipment tracking system, with a special focus on the tracking API. This phase involves closely monitoring the API’s performance, identifying any discrepancies or delays in shipment updates, and refining the API integration to ensure accurate tracking information is consistently delivered.

Conclusion

Selecting the right shipping solution is crucial for your business’s success. With the top 10 AfterShip alternatives for 2024 explored, consider their pros and cons carefully against your needs. The ideal choice will streamline your operations and enhance customer satisfaction. Take the next step: evaluate these options further and choose the one that best positions your business for future growth.