project44 is the default pick for most large shippers that need multimodal visibility across road, ocean, rail, air and parcel, while FourKites is the closest rival for North American road freight and yard work. Most enterprise tools in this list publish no price, so expect a quote based on shipment volume, modes and modules, and budget for carrier onboarding time on top of the contract. FreightWaves SONAR is the low-cost entry point for market intelligence at $9.99 per month for its mobile plan, and Terminal49 is the low-cost entry point for ocean tracking with a free plan for up to 10 active containers.
Logistics intelligence software turns live shipment data into arrival times, exception alerts and market context. The first group below tracks freight in motion and predicts arrival times. The second group adds market rates, terminal detail or transport execution around that tracking. Prices were checked on official vendor pages on 2026-11-12.
On this page
Best logistics intelligence software: comparison table
Swipe the table sideways on a phone to see every column.
| # | Name | Best for | Starting price | Free plan / trial | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | project44 | Large shippers needing global multimodal visibility | quote only | No | Visit |
| 2 | FourKites | Large shippers needing road freight and yard visibility | quote only | No | Visit |
| 3 | Descartes MacroPoint | Shippers, brokers and 3PLs needing carrier tracking | quote only | No | Visit |
| 4 | Shippeo | European shippers needing predictive ETAs | quote only | No | Visit |
| 5 | Transporeon | Shippers and carriers needing a modular transport platform | quote only | No | Visit |
| 6 | FreightWaves SONAR | Brokers and planners needing freight market rates | $9.99 per month | No | Visit |
| 7 | ShipsGo | Small importers needing ocean and air tracking | quote only | Yes | Visit |
| 8 | Terminal49 | US importers needing terminal and rail detail | quote only | Yes | Visit |
The 8 best best logistics intelligence software tools, in detail
project44
Best for: Large shippers needing global multimodal visibility
Movement by project44 is the main product, and it brings shipment and order visibility together with workflow tools and analytics. The company says it tracks more than 1.5 billion shipments a year across 191 plus countries, with 282,000 plus connected carriers. That network size matters because a visibility tool is only as good as the carriers already connected to it.
- The platform covers ocean, air, barge, rail, truckload, less-than-truckload and parcel, and it gives multi-modal ETAs from raw material to the custome
- It also adds order-level views, so a planner can see which orders sit inside a late shipment.
- Choose project44 if you run freight across several modes and regions.
- Do not choose it if you need a transport management system that tenders loads and pays carriers, because that work sits outside this platform.
Pros
- Covers road, ocean, rail, air and parcel in one platform
- predictive ETAs and exception workflows
- large carrier network with 282,000 plus connected carriers
Cons
- No published price and no free plan
- visibility only, it does not plan loads, tender freight or settle freight charges
FourKites
Best for: Large shippers needing road freight and yard visibility
FourKites started as a real-time visibility platform and now sells Outcome-as-a-Service, a model announced in October 2026 in which the company charges for business outcomes delivered by AI agents rather than for seats or dashboards. Its network graph connects 1,600 plus brands, 500,000 plus carriers and 3.6 million facilities across 176 countries, and it processes more than 3.2 million supply chain events each day. Dynamic Yard and appointment tools use live ETAs to plan dock work and facility arrivals, so a warehouse team can see which trailers are on site and which loads are due next.
- The platform also offers digital twins for shipments and facilities, which model the current state of an order, a shipment or a site.
- Choose FourKites if your pain sits at the facility as much as on the road.
- Do not choose it on price alone, because no price is published and the outcome model makes a written list of included outcomes essential before you si
Pros
- Large network with 500,000 plus carriers and 3.6 million facilities across 176 countries
- yard, dock and appointment tools in addition to in-transit tracking
- AI agents that work exceptions
Cons
- No published price and no free plan
- outcome-based contracts need careful checking of which outcomes are included
Descartes MacroPoint
Best for: Shippers, brokers and 3PLs needing carrier tracking
Descartes MacroPoint gives shippers, brokers and 3PLs automated shipment visibility with a focus on carrier connectivity. It tracks freight through ELD devices, transport management systems and a mobile app, and it brings those signals into one control tower view. The platform covers truckload, less-than-truckload, ocean and rail.
- OpsForce is an AI agent that acts when a shipment goes quiet.
- The agent makes the check call, restores tracking, updates the customer and files the paperwork, according to the vendor.
- Choose MacroPoint if you move freight through third-party carriers and you need high carrier adoption and automated status updates.
- Do not choose it if you need a self-serve trial, because there is no published price and no free plan to test first.
Pros
- Covers truckload, less-than-truckload, ocean and rail
- integrates with major transport management systems
- AI agents that make check calls when a shipment goes quiet
Cons
- No published price and no free plan
- a small team cannot test the full platform without a sales conversation
Shippeo
Best for: European shippers needing predictive ETAs
Shippeo is a Paris-based real-time transportation visibility platform with a strong base in Europe and coverage in more than 150 countries. Its platform connects to shipper transport, ERP and warehouse systems, as well as carrier telematics and ocean tracking networks. Its machine-learning ETA model is the core of the product, and it is used to flag problems early so a team can manage exceptions before they affect a customer.
- The platform also covers carbon reporting and electronic consignment notes.
- Shippeo says 94 percent of carriers were onboarded within 30 days in 2024, which is a useful check to ask about in a demo, because carrier onboarding
- Choose Shippeo if most of your freight moves in Europe and you need accurate ETAs.
- Do not choose it if you need a published price or a free trial, because neither is offered.
Pros
- Predictive ETAs from a machine-learning model
- multimodal coverage across road, rail, sea and air
- network of more than 228,000 carriers and 1,100 transport, telematics and ELD systems
Cons
- No published price and no free plan
- sales are demo-led, so a small shipper cannot start self-serve
Transporeon
Best for: Shippers and carriers needing a modular transport platform
Transporeon is a transportation management platform rather than a tracking-only tool. Its modular applications cover sourcing, execution, monitoring and settlement, and they sit on a network of more than 1,500 connected shippers and retailers and 210,000 plus carriers. The shipper side includes real-time visibility, freight rate management across ocean, air and over-the-road modes, and automated settlement.
- The carrier side includes transport operations for road, less-than-truckload, groupage and ocean freight.
- Choose Transporeon if you want visibility inside a wider transport process and you run a large European network.
- Do not choose it as a light tracking add-on, because the platform is built for teams that will use several modules and a sales-led contract.
Pros
- Modular applications from sourcing to execution, monitoring and settlement
- network of more than 1,500 connected shippers and retailers and 210,000 plus carriers
- rate management and dock appointment tools
Cons
- No published price and no free plan
- the modular design means the full set may need several modules
FreightWaves SONAR
Best for: Brokers and planners needing freight market rates
FreightWaves SONAR is market intelligence rather than shipment tracking. It turns lane-level trucking signals into spot rates, capacity conditions and broker guidance, so a broker can check if an offer on a lane is fair before accepting it. Blue to Blue costs $9.99 per month on iPhone, Quick Rates costs $24.99 per month for desktop lane rates, and FreightWaves Market Monitor costs $199 per month for 28 national indices, executive dashboards, AI-written daily briefings and research.
- The full SONAR Platform is custom priced and adds every mode, including truckload, ocean, air, bulk, less-than-truckload and intermodal, plus maps, ri
- The $9.99 plan gives a fast market read, and the $24.99 plan gives unlimited lane-level spot rate lookups, but neither tracks a live shipment.
- Choose SONAR if your main question is what a lane should cost today.
Pros
- Published prices from $9.99 per month
- lane-level spot rates with capacity signals
- 28 national indices on the $199 per month Market Monitor plan
Cons
- Lowest plans cover market rates only, with no shipment tracking
- API access and multi-user licensing are only on the custom-priced full platform
ShipsGo
Best for: Small importers needing ocean and air tracking
ShipsGo is a credit-based container and air cargo tracking platform for freight forwarders and small to mid-size importers. Each new shipment added to ShipsGo uses 1 credit, and further queries on a shipment already added use no extra credits. Tracking by master bill of lading uses only 1 credit however many containers sit under that bill of lading.
- New users receive 3 free credits to try the service on ocean and air shipments.
- Purchased credits are valid for 1 year from the purchase date, and bulk credit purchases can reduce the cost per tracking request.
- An annual API usage fee also applies, calculated on usage volume, so a team that wants API access should ask for that fee in writing.
- Choose ShipsGo if you track a modest number of ocean or air shipments and you want to pay per shipment rather than sign an annual enterprise contract.
Pros
- One credit tracks one ocean or air shipment, and one credit covers a whole bill of lading however many containers it holds
- 3 free credits for new users
- purchased credits are valid for 1 year
Cons
- No flat monthly price is shown on the pricing page, so monthly cost depends on credit use
- an annual API usage fee applies on top of credits
- no road tracking
Terminal49
Best for: US importers needing terminal and rail detail
Terminal49 is a container tracking dashboard and API for forwarders, customs brokers, importers and drayage teams, with its deepest terminal data in the United States and Canada. Its free plan is free forever and covers up to 10 active containers at a time, up to 3 users, shipment tracking and details, basic notifications and 50 document credits, with no credit card needed. The contract plans are Lite, Essential and Complete.
- Lite is an annual contract with unlimited users and full dashboards.
- Essential adds API access and webhooks, intermodal rail tracking and team collaboration, and it is offered as an annual contract or as a usage-based o
- Complete adds predictive ETAs, port congestion insights, automated workflows and SLA-backed uptime.
- Choose Terminal49 if you import into the United States and you need last free day, holds and fees next to ocean tracking.
Pros
- Free plan covers up to 10 active containers, up to 3 users and 50 document credits
- terminal holds, fees and last free day data
- intermodal rail tracking on the Essential plan
Cons
- No published price for the Lite, Essential or Complete plans
- no road or air tracking
- API access and webhooks need the Essential plan or higher
How we chose
We included tools that track live freight, predict arrival times or add market and terminal intelligence around live freight. Prices and plan limits come from official vendor pricing pages and vendor product pages opened on 2026-11-12. We did not test any tool hands-on. Five of the eight tools publish no price, so we wrote quote only for them rather than repeating third-party estimates.
Which tool fits your volume and budget
| Situation | Pick | Number to remember |
|---|---|---|
| Global enterprise, many modes | project44 | 282,000 plus connected carriers, 191 plus countries |
| Road freight plus yard work | FourKites | 500,000 plus carriers, 3.6 million facilities |
| Broker or 3PL, carrier tracking | Descartes MacroPoint | Truckload, less-than-truckload, ocean and rail in one view |
| European freight, ETA quality | Shippeo | 228,000 plus carriers, 1,100 plus connected systems |
| Full transport process | Transporeon | 1,500 plus shippers and retailers, 210,000 plus carriers |
| Lane pricing only | FreightWaves SONAR | $9.99, $24.99 or $199 per month, full platform custom priced |
| Few ocean or air shipments | ShipsGo | 3 free credits, 1 credit per shipment, credits valid 1 year |
| US imports, terminal detail | Terminal49 | Free plan for 10 active containers, 3 users, 50 document credits |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best logistics intelligence software for most large shippers?
project44 is the best pick for most large shippers because it covers road, ocean, rail, air and parcel in one platform, with predictive ETAs, order-level visibility and a network of 282,000 plus connected carriers. FourKites is the closest rival when road freight and yard work matter more than global ocean coverage. Both are quote only, so ask for a quote based on your shipment volume and modes.
How much does logistics intelligence software cost?
It ranges from $9.99 per month for FreightWaves SONAR Blue to Blue to a custom enterprise quote for project44, FourKites, Descartes MacroPoint, Shippeo and Transporeon. ShipsGo charges 1 credit per shipment with 3 free credits for new users, and Terminal49 has a free plan for up to 10 active containers. Expect the enterprise contract to scale with shipment volume, modes and modules, and ask about onboarding and API fees.
Which is best for a small importer on a tight budget?
Terminal49 is best for a small US importer because its free plan covers up to 10 active containers, up to 3 users and 50 document credits, with terminal holds, fees and last free day data. ShipsGo is best for a small importer tracking ocean and air shipments by the shipment, with 3 free credits and 1 credit per shipment. Neither needs an annual enterprise contract to start.
Which is best for European road freight?
Shippeo is best for European road freight because it is built around predictive ETAs from a machine-learning model, with multimodal coverage and a network of more than 228,000 carriers. Transporeon is the wider pick when you also need rate management, transport execution and settlement in Europe. Both are quote only and sold through a demo, so compare onboarding time as well as price.
Does any tool in this list track shipments for free?
Yes. Terminal49 has a free plan for up to 10 active containers and 3 users, and ShipsGo gives new users 3 free credits for ocean and air shipments. The enterprise tools in this list, including project44, FourKites, Descartes MacroPoint, Shippeo and Transporeon, have no free plan. SONAR has no free plan either, and its lowest published plan is $9.99 per month.
What is the difference between visibility software and market intelligence software?
Visibility software tracks a specific shipment and predicts when it will arrive, while market intelligence software shows what a lane should cost and how capacity is moving. project44, FourKites, Descartes MacroPoint, Shippeo, ShipsGo and Terminal49 are mainly visibility tools. FreightWaves SONAR is mainly market intelligence, with lane-level spot rates and 28 national indices on its $199 per month plan.
Sources
- https://www.project44.com/
- https://www.fourkites.com/
- https://macropoint.com/
- https://www.shippeo.com/
- https://www.transporeon.com/
- https://www.transporeon.com/en/platform/shipper
- https://gosonar.com/
- https://gosonar.com/sonar-packages
- https://shipsgo.com/
- https://shipsgo.com/pricing
- https://terminal49.com/
- https://terminal49.com/pricing
Prices and features were read on each company’s own website in November 2026. They change often, so confirm the current offer on the official site before you sign up or buy.