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Pirate Ship

Free web app for buying discounted USPS and UPS shipping labels, with no monthly fees, for small online sellers and home shippers in the US.

Our take: For a US seller who ships with USPS or UPS, Pirate Ship is the default starting point: no subscription, no markup, decent order imports and real human support.

Best forFee-free USPS and UPS labels
ReviewedPricing: Free
7.7 out of 105 criteria · see breakdown
Try PirateFree; pay only for postage

Pirate Ship is a free web app for buying discounted USPS and UPS shipping labels, built for small US sellers and home shippers. There is no subscription, payment fee or markup: you pay only for postage, and the company says the carriers pay it. It does not offer FedEx or DHL.

The bottom line

The cheapest way to buy USPS and UPS labels if two carriers are enough.

Our score

Reviewed by the Conversion Gems editorial team. Hover a facet to focus it; click to pin.Tap a facet to focus it.

What it is, and why we rate it

One line each. Open a row for detail.

What it really isA free web app that sells discounted USPS and UPS labels with no subscription, paid for by the carriers.
Our takeFor a US seller who ships with USPS or UPS, Pirate Ship is the default starting point: no subscription, no markup, decent order imports and real human support.
You outgrow it when you need FedEx or DHL, live rates at checkout, inventory sync or several warehouses, at which point a paid platform like ShipStation earns its fee.
Why we rate itNo-fee access to discounted USPS and UPS rates, batch labels and 15 store integrations is hard to beat for small US shippers.
The catchOnly USPS and UPS, no checkout rate plugin, no listed API, and InsureShield cancels the carrier's built-in cover.

Best / not good for

Best for
  • Small US online sellers
  • Etsy, eBay and Shopify stores
  • Occasional and home shippers
Not good for
  • Shippers who need FedEx or DHL
  • Stores that want live rates at checkout
  • Warehouse or inventory management
Trade-offs

Friction report

Trade-offs to know before signing up.

  1. Time to value
    Sign up without a card and print a first label in a few minutes.
  2. Scale breakpoint
    Breaks when you need more carriers, inventory sync, multiple warehouses or an API.
  3. Walled garden
    Low: labels and tracking are standard carrier products, and orders come in by integration or spreadsheet.
Still a fit?
If none of these block you, start on the free plan.
Try Pirate

What Pirate Ship costs

ItemCostDetails
Account and softwareFreeNo monthly fees, payment fees or markup; no credit card to sign up
PostageDiscounted carrier rateUSPS and UPS only; vendor lists savings of up to 88% off retail
Store integrationsFreeShopify, eBay, Etsy, WooCommerce, Squarespace, Wix, BigCommerce and more
Built-in coverageIncluded$100 on most USPS and UPS services ($50 on UPS Ground Saver)
InsureShield insurance$1 per $100 of coverageUp to $10,000 UPS, $5,000 USPS, $2,500 international; replaces built-in cover

From Pirate Ship's rates page and help center, checked 4 October 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Pirate Ship actually free?

Yes. Pirate Ship says it charges no monthly fees, payment fees or markup, and needs no credit card to sign up (checked 4 October 2026). You pay only for the postage on each label, and the company says the carriers pay it instead. Optional InsureShield insurance costs $1 per $100 of coverage.

Is Pirate Ship legit and approved by USPS?

Pirate Ship has sold USPS and UPS labels since 2014 and describes its rates as pre-negotiated discounts with both carriers. Labels bought there are real carrier labels you drop off at a Post Office or UPS location or schedule for pickup.

Why is Pirate Ship cheaper than buying at the Post Office?

It passes through discounted commercial rates, such as USPS Commercial Pricing, Priority Mail Cubic and Simple Export Rate, that are lower than retail counter prices. Pirate Ship lists maximum savings of 88% on Priority Mail and 87% on Ground Advantage; your saving depends on weight, size and distance.

Does Pirate Ship have hidden fees?

Its rates page says there are no monthly fees, label costs, markup or hidden gotchas (checked 4 October 2026). Costs you can add yourself are InsureShield insurance, signature confirmation and carrier surcharges. Note that InsureShield replaces, rather than adds to, the carrier's built-in $100 coverage.

Does Pirate Ship support FedEx or DHL?

No. Pirate Ship offers USPS and UPS services only. If you need FedEx or DHL Express labels, Shippo and ShipStation both list them.

Which stores does Pirate Ship connect to?

Its integrations page lists Big Cartel, BigCommerce, Cratejoy, Discogs, eBay, Ecwid, Etsy, PayPal, Shopify, Square, Squarespace, Subbly, Wix and WooCommerce, plus spreadsheet upload. Imported orders are marked as shipped with tracking once you buy the label.

Pirate Ship alternatives

Other shipping tools we review:

Showing 1–3 of 4See all 4 reviewed Pirate Ship alternatives, compared side by side
Sources checked October 4, 2026: Pirate Ship homepage, Pirate Ship rates, Pirate Ship integrations, Pirate Ship integrations help, Pirate Ship insurance help, Getting started with Pirate Ship, Pirate Ship payment help, ShipStation pricing, Shippo pricing, Ordoro pricing.

Conversion Gems independently reviews every tool.

Tags

#ShippingLabels#USPS#SmallBusiness

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