Last updated 4 November 2026. By Derek O’Sullivan, Day 90.
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Derek here from Day 90.
I wrote this after an hour on the phone with a forwarder who’s had enough of her CargoWise bills. She’s not alone. I’m also just finishing my CargoWise certification. (*I’m getting certified to understand the system properly, not as a partner.) So let’s look at the facts, the pros and cons, and what your options really are.
Since the new CargoWise invoices started landing, it’s become one of the most talked-about systems in freight forwarding. Some forwarders are cutting costs, some are shopping around, and most are somewhere in between. This guide pulls together what’s public, what it means for you, and the questions I’d ask before touching anything. I’ll keep it updated as readers tell me what’s happening on their side.
The short answer
CargoWise, the freight forwarding software made by WiseTech Global, moved to per-job pricing called Value Packs on 1 December 2025, and many forwarders report higher bills. For the largest global forwarders there is still no like-for-like alternative. For small and mid-size forwarders there are credible options, including Magaya, Riege Scope, Descartes, Logistaas, GoFreight and Softlink.
Before you switch, check what you’re really paying for, and whether your team can survive the go-live. Replacing a forwarding system is one of the riskiest projects a forwarder can run, and most of the pain shows up in the first 90 days.
Key facts at a glance
Product: CargoWise, freight forwarding software (FMS) made by WiseTech Global.
Pricing model: Value Packs, a fee per job or shipment, live since 1 December 2025. It replaced per-seat licences.
Fees: from $2.63 to $19.95 per forwarding job (published list prices, version 26.10).
Users: no seat fees, so users can be added at no extra cost.
On shipper invoices: by default the fee is passed on as a disbursement called the “CargoWise Automation Fee”.
Reported impact: forwarders modelled increases of 20 to 50%; WiseTech says some customers pay less.
What changed with CargoWise pricing?
WiseTech Global told more than 95% of CargoWise customers about the change on 31 October 2025, and the Value Pack model took effect on 1 December 2025. It replaced the seat and transaction licence model used since 2014 with one fee per logistics job, such as a shipment or a customs declaration. Seat fees and cloud hosting charges were removed. (CargoWise FAQ, STAT Times)
By default, the Forwarding and Customs packs pass the fee on to the shipper as a disbursement labelled “CargoWise Automation Fee”. Forwarders can change that setting and absorb the cost instead. (CargoWise FAQ)
Early invoices also carried a “Transitional Pricing Protection” line that offset part of the increase. According to GoFreight, WiseTech has not given it a fixed end date, so the bill you see today may not be the bill you pay later. (GoFreight, The Loadstar)
How much does CargoWise cost now?
CargoWise publishes the same USD list prices for all customers. These are the per-job fees from its Value Pack price list, version 26.10:
Job type | Fee per job (USD) |
|---|---|
Forwarding import, FCL or FTL | $19.95 |
Forwarding import, LCL, LTL, air or non-FCL | $13.30 |
Forwarding export, FCL or FTL | $12.75 |
Forwarding export, LCL, LTL, air or non-FCL | $8.35 |
Gateway, transit, cross-trade or co-load, FCL or FTL | $3.95 |
Gateway, transit, cross-trade or co-load, LCL, LTL, air or non-FCL | $2.63 |
Customs only: import, duty deferral or drawback | $9.95 |
Customs only: export, land border or other procedures | $3.28 |
Source: CargoWise Value Pack pricing. Customs is included in the Forwarding pack; the customs-only prices apply to the stand-alone Customs pack.
What does that mean for your bill? Forwarders modelled increases of 20 to 50%, and some expect costs to more than double. WiseTech’s position is that the impact varies and some customers pay less. The only number that matters is yours, so check your own invoices. (GoFreight, The Loadstar)
Why are forwarders rethinking CargoWise?
Cost. Per-job fees mean your bill follows your volumes, including duplicate and test jobs.
Invoices that are hard to check. One forwarder told The Loadstar its own figures didn’t match WiseTech’s job counts. Another said removing the charges from shipper invoices had become “an extremely manual process”. (The Loadstar)
AI charges. WiseTech expects CargoWise revenue to grow 12 to 20% in FY27, partly by charging for AI agents. Its CEO said that if an AI agent makes a wrong decision, responsibility sits with the forwarder or broker. (The Loadstar)
Consolidation. WiseTech bought e2open for $2.1bn, extending its reach from forwarders into shippers. (The Loadstar)
Support and flexibility. Rival vendors say CargoWise customers complain of being pointed to training videos and of a platform that’s hard to adapt. Treat that as a competitor’s view. (The Loadstar)
What are the alternatives to CargoWise?
There’s no single replacement. The right one depends on your size, your region and how much customs work you do. This table uses public information, most of it written by vendors and competitors, so treat it as a starting point, not a verdict.
Vendor and product | Best fit | Strongest in | Pricing (public) |
|---|---|---|---|
WiseTech Global (CargoWise), for comparison | Large, multi-country forwarders | Global; customs links in about 20 countries | Per job, from $2.63 to $19.95 |
Magaya (Magaya Supply Chain) | Forwarders with 20 to 200 staff and warehouses | North and Latin America | Per user and module, on quote |
Riege Software (Scope) | Air and ocean forwarders with heavy EU customs work | Germany, Austria, Switzerland | On quote |
Descartes (forwarder suite) | Enterprise forwarders and brokers, compliance-heavy | Global | Enterprise quote |
Softlink Global (Logi-Sys) | Mid-size to enterprise, multi-country | Asia Pacific, Middle East | On quote |
Logistaas | Small to multi-office forwarders and NVOCCs | Used in 80+ countries | From $45 per user per month; price rises capped at 3% a year |
GoFreight | Small to mid-size forwarders | North America, Asia Pacific | Per-user subscription, on quote |
Logitude (Logitude World) | Small forwarders moving off spreadsheets | Global, small businesses | From $45 to $75 per user per month (sources differ) |
Yojee (Mosaic) | Forwarders and customs brokers looking for an alternative | Australia and New Zealand | Not public; commercial launch July 2026, four customers live |
DAKOSY (CargoSoft) | Sea, air and land forwarders | Germany | On quote |
Often compared, but not forwarding systems: SAP TM, Oracle Transportation Management and Blue Yonder are built for shippers and 3PLs moving loads, and typically take 6 to 24 months to roll out. (GoFreight)
Even rivals are cautious. Riege told The Loadstar there is “really no alternative” to CargoWise for the biggest global forwarders, and Magaya compared replacing a TMS to brain surgery. (The Loadstar)
Should you keep CargoWise, fix it or replace it?
Keep it if you’re large and multi-country; fix it if the system works but the bill doesn’t; replace it only if cost has outgrown value and you can staff a proper migration.
Keep it if you’re a large, multi-country forwarder that relies on CargoWise’s customs links (about 20 countries) and deep integrations. (The Loadstar)
Fix it if the system works but the bill doesn’t. Most unhappy forwarders should start here.
Replace it only if the cost has outgrown the value, you use a small share of the modules, and you have the people and time to run a migration properly.
How can you cut your CargoWise bill?
Reconcile every invoice against your own job count.
Stop creating duplicate, test and cancelled jobs. Each one now costs money.
Decide whether to pass the CargoWise Automation Fee on to shippers or absorb it, and check the setting matches your decision.
Negotiate before the transitional pricing credit ends.
Look at specialist tools for quoting or document handling alongside CargoWise, rather than paying for everything inside it.
What should you check before replacing CargoWise?
Replacing your forwarding system touches every shipment, every customer and every customs filing. Let’s face it, the demo always looks great. Most of the risk shows up in the first 90 days after go-live. Before you sign, ask the new vendor:
Data migration: how many test migrations will you run, and who signs off that open jobs, balances and history came across correctly?
Customs and integrations: which of our customs, carrier and accounting connections have you run live, not in a demo?
Cutover: what’s the plan if day one goes wrong, and how fast can we fall back?
People: who from your side is on site in the first 90 days, and what productivity dip should we plan for?
References: can we speak to a customer like us, at Day 90, without you on the call?
The free Day 90 Pre-Mortem Kit walks your team through this in one hour, with 10 questions to put to any vendor.
Frequently asked questions
Is CargoWise a TMS or a forwarding system?
CargoWise is a freight forwarding system (FMS). It’s built around the shipment file: bookings, house and master bills, customs, documents and accounting. Many forwarders call it their TMS. A TMS in the stricter sense plans and executes loads for shippers, 3PLs and hauliers.
Who makes CargoWise?
CargoWise is made by WiseTech Global, which is listed on the Australian stock exchange.
How is CargoWise priced in 2026?
CargoWise charges a fee per job or shipment under its Value Pack model, live since 1 December 2025. Forwarding fees run from $2.63 to $19.95 per job, depending on the job type, and there are no seat fees.
What is the CargoWise Automation Fee?
It’s the name of the Value Pack charge when it is passed on to shippers as a disbursement. That’s the default for the Forwarding and Customs packs. Forwarders can change the setting and absorb the fee instead.
What is CargoWise Transitional Pricing Protection?
A line on early Value Pack invoices that offset part of the price increase. According to GoFreight, WiseTech has not given it a fixed end date, so check how much of your bill it is covering today.
Can forwarders pass CargoWise fees on to shippers?
Yes. The fee is passed on by default as a disbursement, and WiseTech’s CEO has said it is “entirely up to the forwarder” whether to recover it. Some forwarders dispute how simple that is in practice, describing the invoice handling as manual work. (The Loadstar)
Who is responsible if a CargoWise AI agent makes a mistake?
According to WiseTech’s CEO, the forwarder or the broker. Check your contract before you switch AI features on. (The Loadstar)
Is there a CargoWise alternative for large global forwarders?
Not a like-for-like one today, and even rival vendors say so. Large forwarders tend to keep CargoWise and work on cost, or add specialist tools around it.
How long does it take to switch from CargoWise?
Vendors quote anything from 4 to 8 weeks for a small forwarder to 6 to 12 months or more for a large, multi-country operation. Plan for the go-live and the first 90 days after it, not just the build. (GoFreight, Deliwell)
Tell me what happened to you
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How this guide was put together
This guide uses CargoWise’s own published pricing and FAQ, trade press reporting (mainly The Loadstar), and vendor and competitor comparisons, each linked where it’s used. Vendor claims are labelled as such. It contains no sponsored content and no affiliate links. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Reply to any Day 90 email and I’ll fix it.
About Day 90
Day 90 is an independent weekly email for people buying and running logistics tech. It’s written by me, Derek O’Sullivan. I started out designing container cranes at Liebherr, and I’ve bought, sold and rolled out logistics systems since. I’m also completing my CargoWise certification. No vendor pays to appear in Day 90 or on this page.