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.
7.3
Our score
7.3 / 10
Conversion Gems editorial verdict
Free; Advanced $75/mo for 1,000 labels
Features8/10
8 - rates, labels, pickups, tracking, webhooks, address validation, tax/duty and PUDO search across 200+ carriers.
Value7/10
7 - free plan with discounted rates; Advanced from $75/month for 1,000 labels with clear overage fees.
Ease of use6/10
6 - needs developer integration work, eased by a sandbox, SDKs and Postman collections.
Ecosystem8/10
8 - 200+ parcel and 50+ LTL carriers plus order-source integrations such as Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon and Walmart.
Support7/10
7 - documentation, 24/7 email and weekday chat (8am to 5pm CT) for North American accounts; calls on Enterprise.
What it really is
A multi-carrier shipping REST API from ShipStation, formerly sold as ShipEngine.
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. 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 it
Wide carrier coverage, a free plan with sandbox access and published tier prices.
The catch
Address validation and own carrier accounts need Advanced; extra labels cost up to 7.5 cents each.
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
Friction report
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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).
ShipStation API (formerly ShipEngine) alternatives
Other shipping tools to compare:
Shippo: Shipping software and API with pay-per-label pricing that suits lower or uneven volumes.
ShipStation: The merchant-facing shipping app from the same company, with order import, automation rules and a web dashboard.
ShipRush: Descartes ShipRush, multi-carrier label and rate-shopping software for small and mid-size online sellers.
