Delivering an excellent customer experience is one of the most important aspects of running a successful online store.
However, its duration is not confined to the act of shopping—a customer’s impression of your brand continues well after they hand over their credit card information.
Your customer experience lasts until the customer receives and is satisfied with your products.
Thanks to the peak-end rule, the last impression your customers have of your brand could be how they judge you moving forward.
It affects how likely they are to recommend you to others, leave a positive review, and come back for a repeat purchase.
In this article, we’ll discuss the best Shopify shipping apps and how they can help your store provide a superb post-purchase experience.
We’ll walk you through what they are and how to choose the right ones, then show you a selection of the top apps under different categories.
Read on to learn:
#cta-visual-pb#
A Shopify shipping app is third-party software that integrates with your store and improves multiple aspects of shipping and fulfillment. This includes:
These apps help streamline your Shopify processes and refine order and inventory management, which translates to an improved customer experience overall, particularly in the post-purchase phase.
For example, an app can facilitate and speed up shipping by finding the best inventory centers to fulfill an order from.
This makes it easier to land more online shoppers, as nearly one in five (18%) select their favorite stores based on delivery speed.
Offering same-day shipping is even more powerful, with 61% of digital buyers willing to pay more for it.
Choosing the right app for your Shopify store requires looking at a few key factors.
This includes their fulfillment options, functionality, pricing, reviews, and customer support.
Take a look at what your shipping app provides in terms of logistics and fulfillment.
Some apps are purely SaaS (Software as a Service), whereas others integrate with a broader fulfillment network to facilitate your deliveries.
Ask yourself:
Depending on the app you choose, you may be able to leverage international fulfillment networks, unify your shipping from multiple sales channels, and speed up your deliveries.
Look at what functionality different shipping apps provide.
A straightforward way of approaching this is to list out your store’s needs and what your customers ask for.
Do they want tracking info? Do you need to be able to provide returns?
Once you have those listed, search for apps that match. Some basics to look for include:
The price of shipping apps is typically proportional to how much functionality you receive. However, some apps with fewer features have a higher cost than those that offer more.
Here are some useful tips to keep in mind:
Shipping is one of the most complex elements to nail in ecommerce.
So much so that 30%of shipments are returned due to issues like damaged products and wrong deliveries.
Since anything can go wrong at any time, the app you choose should have a competent and responsive support team.
How quickly do they respond to queries? Do they have guaranteed SLAs (service-level agreements)? Will they provide dedicated account managers or a general ticketing system?
How you manage customer and shipping concerns will depend on your app’s customer support services.
It’s essential to do your research when selecting a shipping app.
Take a look at the ratings and reviews for various options, and read through the happiest and most disgruntled entries to understand each app’s strengths and weaknesses.
It’s also helpful to ask other merchants who employ the app about their experience if you know someone who does.
#cta-visual-pb#
We’ll introduce you to some of the best apps available according to their reviews and ratings with the above in mind.
We sorted them into categories based on the various aspects of shipping they tackle.
Note: Many of these tools serve multiple shipping functions. For example, a rate calculator app could also print labels, and a shipment returns app might also provide order tracking. Use the headings as a guide based on your top priority, then filter for other features you want.
These Shopify shipping apps let you and your customers access the best shipping rates for different carriers, giving them the best shipping options available.
According to Baymard Institute, 48% of shoppers abandoned their carts because extra costs, such as shipping, were too high.
In addition, the UPS Pulse of the Online Shopper Survey found that 34% of consumers felt shipping costs were presented too late in the checkout process.
So, apps that can find and display more affordable shipping rates prominently are crucial to making a conversion and avoiding cart abandonment.
Shipping Rates Calculator Plus automatically shows customers their exact shipping rates and delivery estimates—for multiple major carriers—upfront on their shopping cart pages.
Shopify stores commend it for being convenient and user-friendly and mention how responsive its customer support team is.
We recommend it for smaller stores with less technical know-how.
The transparency and accuracy it provides can lower cart abandonment and improve the customer experience.
Shopify rating: 4.9 (347 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
Shipeasy lets you control and display your shipping rates through rule-based calculation, which is based on over 20 parameters.
You can also call the app’s support team for convenient, assisted setup.
Users praised the app for its nuanced functionality and gave glowing reviews for Shipeasy’s helpful customer support. They also mentioned how much it helps them run their dropshipping model.
We recommend this app for Shopify stores that have multiple suppliers, use dropshipping, and fulfill orders in specific areas.
Shopify rating: 5 (97 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
This app lets you customize your shipping rates based on many categories and presents them to customers while they shop.
You can also set up unique rates for each area you serve and have a dedicated support team help you navigate the app.
Users lauded Shipping Rates by Parcelify for its functionality and how easy it is to incorporate into their existing workflows. Many reviewers also commented on the excellent and responsive customer support.
We recommend this app for Shopify stores with a wide variety of SKUs, products, and vendors that are looking for world-class support. It’s also an excellent option for catering to multiple but specific shipping zones.
Shopify rating: 4.8 (279 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
Intuitive Shipping lets you control how shipping is calculated and displayed at checkout.
You first mix and match conditions to set your shipping costs and delivery options, then the app instantly calculates and displays them for the appropriate products and customer groups.
The app was lauded for being, as its name suggests, intuitive.
It has helped stores manage their rates (despite all the nuances), and the support team was complimented for guiding users through complex setups and scenarios.
We recommend this app for Shopify stores with a more complex setup and spread-out customer base who want to offer different rates depending on various factors.
You can utilize many carriers, charge real-time rates for rural or remote areas, and establish granular zones to offer same-day shipping in specific areas.
Shopify rating: 5 (242 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
This app lets you quickly set up simple to complex shipping requirements and finely tune your shipping rates based on product characteristics, carriers, sub-zones, and more.
Shopify stores that use it love how they can tailor their shipping rates based on several variables. They also appreciated how customer support accommodated their requests.
This app is perfect for Shopify merchants who sell many product types and ship to very specific areas.
For example, you can set the rate to free shipping when the product’s price is over $100 but weighs less than 10lbs.
Shopify rating: 4.8 (414 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
This category of apps takes care of shipping label creation, printing, and other associated services. For instance, they enable you to choose among carriers and schedule pickups.
Optimizing your shipping label processes gets items out the door and on their way to your customers faster, so these apps contribute to delivery speed.
They also help ensure you send the correct items to the right address, a significant factor in your buyer’s experience.
netParcel saves you time and money by letting you select carriers, compare rates, and print labels within minutes.
It can also import orders, schedule pickups, publish real-time rates at checkout, and enjoy discounted services for North American ecommerce merchants.
Shopify stores have commended netParcel for the savings it generated and the convenient drop-off locations. They also praised its customer service team’s timely support.
netParcel has partnerships with reliable carriers and LTL freight providers such asUPS, Purolator, DHL, Canpar/Loomis, and GO Logistic.
We recommend this app for Shopify stores that use these services, especially in the U.S. and Canada.
Shopify rating: 4.8 (220 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
ShipNerd lets you access volume shipping discounts, automate label creation, and sync shipping info with your store for faster order fulfillment.
It also offers multiple shipping speeds and some automations.
Shopify stores praise the app for providing the best shipping rates and saving them money. Its ease of use is also highlighted, making pickup scheduling convenient.
This app is best for brands with high order volumes that can take advantage of ShipNerd’s volume shipping discounts.
Shopify rating: 4.5 (36 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
This Shopify shipping app allows you to display real-time shipping rates from multiple carriers and ready all your shipping labels with one click.
Vendors receive typical features like pickup scheduling, but its flexible packing options make it stand out from other choices.
Shopify stores highly praised the app’s support team, and, besides its user-friendliness, it also helped some users break into international shipping.
We suggest this app for Shopify merchants who need packing flexibility, handle high order volumes, and ship to international markets.
Shopify rating: 4.8 (136 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
This app lets you customize professional invoices, receipts, packing slips, return forms, and gift receipts for Order Printer. Through it, you have access to on-brand documentation tailored to your business.
The app received over 1,000 five-star reviews for its many customization options, functionality, and competent customer support.
We highly recommend this for Shopify stores that want to provide customers with a branded buyer’s experience.
Shopify rating: 4.9 (1071 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
These apps keep you and your customers informed of orders’ shipping and fulfillment status.
This maintains transparency and open communication between you and your buyers.
Being able to track their products tells customers when they should expect their goods, and since they can check it on their own, it frees up your customer support as well—saving them from having to answer numerous “Where’s my item?” inquiries.
This app lets your business create a branded tracking page, track order statuses, and deliver order status notifications to customers.
It also allows customers to look up and track their orders independently.
Thousands of Shopify stores stated how effective and easy to use the app is. They also commended customer support for being timely and helpful.
However, its SMS feature is the real standout. It’s especially useful for stores with a large number of mobile shoppers in their customer base who want timely order updates.
We recommend this app for their SMS feature, which can send out order status notifications to buyers right on their mobile phones.
Shopify rating: 4.7 (3404 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
Tracktor offers real-time package tracking, order lookup, and insights for your store.
You can use this app to inform buyers of exactly where their items are at every stage of the shipping process.
It has accurate and detailed tracking, which merchants love. Another upside about Tracktor is its competent client support.
One of the more interesting features of this app is that it allows merchants to add order tracking right to their website.
This is especially useful if you allow customers to create their own accounts, so they can track items within your dashboard. Customers can enter their order number and email to see their package, while the app also supports email and SMS notifications.
We recommend this app if your customers want real-time tracking and order notifications and you’d like to add a tracking feature on your website.
Shopify rating: 4.7 (701 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
These Shopify shipping apps automate your processes and simplify shipping management.
Many of these apps integrate across multiple sales channels to help you stay on top of inventory, predict order volumes, and make multichannel revenue projections.
Packlink PRO offers several ecommerce solutions in one app. It lets you automatically:
It received superb feedback for streamlining checkout and shipping, but users heavily emphasized its professional customer support that went above and beyond to solve any issues.
We recommend this app for Shopify businesses that want a tool that can address multiple aspects of fulfillment to provide a seamless customer experience.
Shopify rating: 4.7 (779 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
ShippingEasy automates shipping workflows, offers discounted rates for carriers, integrates with other sales channels, and provides marketing tools to create a branded customer experience.
Merchants have enjoyed the app’s marketplace integrations, how it streamlined their shipping process, and the consistent customer support.
We recommend ShippingEasy for businesses that want to craft a seamless branded shipping process and have access to email marketing features.
Shopify rating: 4.6 (595 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
Easyship provides multiple shipping solutions like automated workflows and customer tracking.
It also offers discounted rates from leading couriers and transparently displays fees like taxes and duties for international shipping upfront.
Many reviewers commended Easyship’s ease of use and support team and emphasized how much it helped them streamline domestic/international shipping and reduce their workload.
We recommend this for Shopify stores with complex shipping and fulfillment processes that want one app to manage it all.
Shopify rating: 4.3 (355 ratings)
Key features:
Pricing:
This app gives you access to discounted rates and the option to use your own.
Delivery times are also transparent. ShipStation automates your shipping processes and lets you print labels in bulk. Plus, you can ship internationally as well.
Positive reviews gushed about how Shipstation enabled stores to handle larger order volumes efficiently. Overall, they say it has effectively streamlined their operations.
Shopify stores that fulfill international orders or ship from various locations should take advantage of this app.
Shopify rating: 4.5 (595 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
ShipHero helps you handle DTC fulfillment.
It simplifies inventory management, picking, packing, and shipping, therefore streamlining your operations at scale.
Many of the app’s proponents recommend ShipHero for their support and onboarding.
Its intuitive nature—which they also emphasized—allows even people without technical knowledge to master it.
We recommend this app to Shopify stores seeking an ecommerce fulfillment solution for shipping across North America. It’s also a good option for those who want to scale their businesses up slowly.
Shopify rating: 4.8 (148 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
Shipway automates order fulfillment, NDR follow-ups, returns, and refunds. It also allows vendors to create custom carrier-compliant shipping labels.
Shopify businesses appreciate how much more efficiently their stores operate thanks to the app. Their responsive client support is also a notable plus.
We suggest those who want to automate most of their fulfillment processes, handle large order volumes, and sell through major ecommerce platforms utilize this app.
Shopify rating: 4.9 (440 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
Next, we’ll discuss apps for specific major shipping carriers.
These are specially designed for a certain carrier, such as USPS or DHL, for smooth partnerships with merchants.
This app automatically calculates and displays shipping rates, generates shipping labels, and tracks orders specifically for FedEx-handled orders.
It’s considered the best solution for FedEx fulfillment.
Some found it especially useful for shipping on a Basic Shopify plan. Excellent customer service was also mentioned in many reviews.
Merchants who fulfill most of their orders via FedEx would benefit from this app.
Shopify rating: 4.9 (225 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing: $19/month
Pirate Ship gives you access to the best possible rates for USPS shipping services.
It also lets you quickly buy shipping labels and generate End-of-Day SCAN Forms. Vendors praised the app for its easy use and the cost savings it provided.
They also said customer service was amazing, but others found it lacking functionality.
If you frequently fulfill orders via USPS and want to lower costs, this is the app for you.
Shopify rating: 4.5 (80 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
This app easily integrates Deutsche Post and DHL services into your Shopify store.
Reviewers appreciate it for doing what it’s meant to do and love its timely customer support.
However, due to its current limitations, it’s beneficial only for Shopify stores that use DHL or Deutsche Post to ship in Germany.
Shopify rating: 4.4 (106 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
Up next, these apps are designed to make Shopify international shipping easier by eliminating the added administrative work involved.
They can help calculate taxes, find more affordable international rates, and more.
Zonos Duty and Tax lets you calculate, display, and collect the full landed cost of international orders at checkout.
It also lets you customize international shipping by country with rule-based options and get quotes directly from your UPS, FedEx, and DHL accounts.
Merchants left good reviews for Zonos regarding its user-friendliness and prompt customer service. They also emphasized how their international customers received noticeably improved landing costs.
This solution is excellent for Shopify stores that frequently ship internationally and want to reduce landed costs for customers.
Shopify rating: 4.4 (83 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
eShipper is a solution specifically for Canadian services that offers discounted rates, streamlined shipping and fulfillment processes, and tailored support.
In its reviews, people loved the app’s discounted rates and highly recommended it for Canadian businesses that ship locally and internationally.
If you have a strong presence or wish to sell in Canada, this app is perfect for your store.
Shopify rating: 4.6 (29 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
This app automates your shipping processes, displays discounted shipping rates, and books couriers—specifically for Royal Mail and express Courier services—to send your products throughout the UK and to global destinations.
The app currently has only two reviews, but they commended it for being super useful.
Vendors could tailor it to their shops’ needs and easily integrate it with Shopify. They also praised World Options’ first-class customer service.
UK-based Shopify stores looking to ship locally and internationally will appreciate this app. It’s also a good solution for those who sell and ship within the UK.
Shopify rating: 5 (2 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
Envia offers discounted rates for many carriers and tools that streamline shipping administration.
However, its star feature is its suite of services for South America. Shopify stores gave positive ratings for Envia’s excellent rates, customer service, and user-friendly functionality.
With carriers in multiple South American countries, this app is a must for Shopify merchants who are based or sell in the region.
Shopify rating: 4.6 (247 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing: Free
Janio Asia offers fast and affordable deliveries, transparent shipment tracking, and regional cross-border coverage throughout Southeast Asia.
All reviews reported positive experiences with Janio Asia, pointing out how it works well and easily integrates with Shopify. They also appreciated its responsive customer support.
Shopify stores based in Southeast Asia or those looking to build a regional presence should consider this app.
Shopify rating: 4.8 (5 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
Our last category features apps designed to simplify store returns.
Providing a seamless return, exchange, and refund process nurtures trust because it reassures customers that you’ll help them when issues with their orders occur.
According to the UPS 2019 Pulse of the Online Shopper report, 56% of consumers check a store’s return policy before purchasing.
Because returns substantially impact consumers’ confidence in buying from you, it’s crucial to offer hassle-free returns for every order.
AfterShip automates returns and exchanges, sends proactive return updates, lets you set flexible rules, and generates discounted prepaid return labels.
It offers a complete suite of solutions to simplify returns for you and your customer.
Shopify users spotlighted how the app helped them streamline the returns process for their stores and improve the whole shopping experience for their customers.
They also commended customer service for helping them set it up.
This is a handy app for merchants who want a seamless returns/exchange experience that saves money for your brand and customers.
Shopify rating: 4.7 (1668 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
Sorted lets you automatically send return labels to your customers while benefiting from flat shipping rates.
You can also establish a branded self-serve returns portal for customers and streamline refunds and exchanges.
Merchants praised Sorted for giving their customers a sense of security, knowing there was a solid system in place if they wanted to return something.
Other typical reviews commended its user-friendliness and customer support team.
We recommend this app for Shopify stores that want to provide superior customer service.
Offering free returns or sharing the cost with your customer can be a huge plus, and the overall experience will maintain your branding.
Shopify rating: 4.6 (415 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
This app automates returns management, return order shipping labels and processing with app integrations, and offers a solution for exchanges, refunds, and store credits.
It received praise from stores for giving customers a positive return/exchange experience and automating many of their manual processes. They also found it easy to use and loved its customer support.
We recommend this app to Shopify stores that want to offer more return options and provide a more branded returns experience.
Shopify rating: 5.0 (127 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
Return Prime lets you send return labels to customers and offer seamless order returns, exchanges, and gift card refunds through logistics integrations and customizable policies.
It received lots of positivity for its flexibility, reliability, and ease of use. Others found it complicated but noted customer support was pleasingly responsive.
We recommend this solution to Shopify stores that handle a low to medium number of domestic/international returns, exchanges, or refunds.
Exceeding your plan’s limit costs you more, and it can quickly pile up.
Shopify rating: 5.0 (183 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
This app automates your return policy to handle requests easily, lets you offer customers countless options for exchanges, and simplifies return shipping by connecting your Shopify store to warehouses, vendors, etc.
All its reviews have been positive, highlighting that the app is simple to set up, easy to manage, and significantly improved the customer journey for some stores.
The app’s high return limits best serves larger Shopify stores that handle many returns and need to improve their customer experience.
Shopify rating: 4.8 (11 reviews)
Key features:
Pricing:
#cta-paragraph-pb#Find more incredible ways to extend your store’s functionality by checking out our roundup of the 31 best Shopify integrations for scaling your store.
The internet abounds with tools to help your Shopify store provide the best possible post-purchase experience.
With so many powerful Shopify shipping apps at your disposal, it can be hard to make a selection. Use the advice we provided above to choose the best apps for your business.
Most of the Shopify shipping apps under the same category have similar capabilities.
However, the differentiators we highlighted help them stand apart and may be the deciding factors that win your pick.
Happy shipping!
Images courtesy of Shopify
#cta-visual-pb#
