Website & Development · Developer & Technical

ShipStation API (formerly ShipEngine)

Multi-carrier shipping API for developers and ecommerce platforms: rates, labels, tracking and address validation. Free plan; paid from $75/mo.

Our take: ShipStation API is a sensible default for developers who need many carriers behind one API, and the free plan lets you build and test before paying.

Best forDevelopers adding shipping

ReviewedOct 2026Freemium

7.35 criteria · see breakdown

Try ShipStationFree; Advanced $75/mo for 1,000 labels

ShipStation API, known as ShipEngine until February 2025, is a shipping API that lets developers compare carrier rates, print labels, track parcels and validate addresses inside their own software. It is aimed at ecommerce platforms, warehouse and ERP vendors, and merchants with developers. The Free plan costs $0 with sandbox access and discounted carrier rates; Advanced starts at $75 a month for 1,000 labels.

ShipEngine is now ShipStation API

On 28 February 2025 ShipEngine was rebranded as ShipStation API. ShipStation says all endpoints, URLs, contracts, integrations, API keys and support addresses stayed the same, and the developer dashboard is still at dashboard.shipengine.com.

ShipStation says ShipEngine and ShipStation share the same parent company, Auctane. ShipStation API is a separate product from the ShipStation shipping app and from ShipStation's older V1 and V2 APIs.

Checked October 4, 2026

The bottom line

Broad carrier coverage and a real free plan; paid tiers start at $75/month for 1,000 labels.

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 multi-carrier shipping REST API from ShipStation, formerly sold as ShipEngine.

Our takeShipStation API is a sensible default for developers who need many carriers behind one API, and the free plan lets you build and test before paying.

Costs become predictable once you pick a label tier, but watch the per-label overage and note that address validation is a paid feature. If you are a merchant without developers, the ShipStation app is the better fit.

Why we rate itWide carrier coverage, a free plan with sandbox access and published tier prices.

The catchAddress validation and own carrier accounts need Advanced; extra labels cost up to 7.5 cents each.

Best / not good for

Best for

Ecommerce platforms adding shipping
ERP and warehouse software vendors
Merchants with in-house developers

Not good for

Merchants without developers
Teams wanting phone support on a small plan

Trade-offs

Friction report

Trade-offs to know before signing up.

Time to value
Hours to days: get API keys, test in the sandbox, then build label and tracking flows.
Scale breakpoint
Going past your label tier triggers overage; 25,000+ shipments a month moves you to Enterprise.
Walled garden
Low: standard REST API, SDKs and Postman collections; ShipEngine keys and endpoints kept working after the rename.

Still a fit?

If none of these block you, start on the free plan.

Try ShipStation

ShipStation API (ShipEngine) plans

Plan	Price per month	Labels included	Extra labels	Notable inclusions
Free	$0	n/a	n/a	Sandbox, discounted carrier rates, labels, tracking, webhooks
Advanced	$75	1,000	$0.075 each	Own carrier accounts, address validation, PUDO search, tax and duty, unlimited selling channels
Advanced	$325	5,000	$0.065 each	Same as above
Advanced	$600	10,000	$0.060 each	Same as above
Enterprise	Custom quote	25,000+ shipments a month	Custom	Higher rate limits, implementation manager, Shipping Elements, scheduled calls

From ShipStation's ShipStation API pricing page, checked 4 October 2026. A 30-day sandbox trial is offered; overage is billed monthly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does ShipEngine do?What is the difference between ShipStation and ShipEngine?Did ShipStation buy ShipEngine?How much does ShipEngine (ShipStation API) cost?How do I log in to ShipEngine?Is there a free trial?

What does ShipEngine do?

ShipEngine, now called ShipStation API, is a shipping API. Developers use it to compare carrier rates, print labels, schedule pickups, track parcels and validate addresses inside their own apps, stores or warehouse systems.

What is the difference between ShipStation and ShipEngine?

ShipStation is a shipping app merchants log in to and use directly. ShipEngine, renamed ShipStation API in February 2025, is a separate API product for developers who build shipping into their own software.

Did ShipStation buy ShipEngine?

No purchase happened in 2025; it was a rename. ShipStation says ShipEngine and ShipStation share the same parent company, Auctane, and on 28 February 2025 ShipEngine was rebranded as ShipStation API.

How much does ShipEngine (ShipStation API) cost?

The Free plan is $0 with sandbox access and discounted carrier rates. Advanced costs $75/month for 1,000 labels, $325 for 5,000 or $600 for 10,000, with extra labels at $0.060 to $0.075. Enterprise (25,000+ shipments a month) is quoted (checked 4 October 2026).

How do I log in to ShipEngine?

Conversion Gems is a review site, not ShipStation. ShipStation's API page links the dashboard at dashboard.shipengine.com; the merchant ShipStation app signs in at ship.shipstation.com.

Is there a free trial?

Yes. ShipStation API offers a 30-day trial of its sandbox environment, and the Free plan continues after that with sandbox access and discounted carrier rates (checked 4 October 2026).