Comparison
Crate vs ShipHero
US-focused WMS and fulfillment platform for e-commerce brands and 3PLs
ShipHero focuses heavily on outbound fulfillment — picking, packing, and shipping for e-commerce brands and 3PLs. Crate focuses on the other side of the warehouse — inbound operations including procurement, goods receiving, putaway, and inventory management. Here's how they compare across key capabilities.
Feature Comparison
How they stack up
| Feature | Crate | ShipHero |
|---|---|---|
| Warehouse structure (zones/racks/bins) | Full modeling — zones, aisles, racks, bins with capacity tracking | Location-based system optimized for pick paths and outbound flow |
| Inventory tracking | Real-time bin-level tracking with full audit trail | Real-time tracking with lot and serial number support |
| Purchase order management | Full PO lifecycle with approval workflows | Basic PO creation; focused on receiving against incoming shipments |
| Goods receiving / GRN | GRN with QC workflows, lot/batch capture, and putaway assignment | Receiving with quantity verification; less structured inbound workflow |
| Supplier management | Supplier profiles with catalogs, pricing, MOQs, and lead times | Basic vendor information; not a core feature |
| Invoice / three-way matching | Three-way matching across PO, GRN, and supplier invoice | Not available — billing focus is on outbound shipping costs |
| Barcode support | EAN-13, UPC-A, Code 128, QR codes, custom barcodes | Full barcode support optimized for picking and packing workflows |
| API access | Open REST API with full coverage and webhook support | GraphQL API with webhook support |
| Multi-warehouse | Full support with independent structure per warehouse | Multi-warehouse with inventory allocation and transfer capabilities |
| Pricing model | Free tier available; usage-based pricing | Per-order pricing starting around $0.10-0.15 per order; minimum monthly fees |
| Outbound / picking / shipping | Not yet available — focused on inbound operations | Core strength — optimized pick/pack/ship with rate shopping and batch picking |
| Carrier integrations | Not yet available | Built-in integrations with UPS, FedEx, USPS, DHL, and many regional carriers |
Crate Advantages
Why teams choose Crate
- Deeper inbound coverage — full PO management, structured GRN with QC, supplier catalogs with MOQs and lead times
- Three-way invoice matching to automatically reconcile purchase orders, goods receipts, and supplier invoices
- Granular warehouse modeling with zones, aisles, racks, and bins for precise inventory placement
- API-first REST architecture — every feature exposed through clean, documented endpoints
- Free tier available during early access with no per-order fees that scale with volume
- Platform-agnostic design — not tied to any specific e-commerce platform or fulfillment model
Fair Assessment
Where ShipHero shines
- Industry-leading outbound fulfillment features including optimized pick paths, batch picking, and pack verification
- Built-in shipping rate optimization across multiple carriers to reduce shipping costs
- Established 3PL network with ShipHero Fulfillment as a managed fulfillment option
- Deep e-commerce integrations with Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, and Amazon
- Proven at scale for high-volume e-commerce brands shipping thousands of orders daily
- Returns processing and management workflows built into the platform
Best For
Which one is right for you?
Choose Crate if your warehouse challenges are on the inbound side — managing suppliers, purchase orders, goods receiving with quality checks, bin-level putaway, and invoice reconciliation. Choose ShipHero if your primary need is outbound fulfillment — fast picking, packing, shipping label generation, and carrier rate optimization for e-commerce orders.
See Crate in action
Schedule a demo and we'll walk you through how Crate fits your warehouse operations.