Overview

cargo.one is freight operations software for forwarders that want air and ocean rates connected to sales and procurement workflows. It is best suited to freight-forwarding teams, from smaller operators using off-the-shelf tools to global businesses integrating it with their TMS. Its strongest case is the breadth from rate management through customer booking; its main constraint is that registration is restricted to freight forwarders.

Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Berlin, cargo.one delivers its platform as browser-accessible SaaS, with API access for connected workflows. Its scope spans air, ocean, and multimodal quoting, bookings, rate procurement, and customer support. That concentration makes it a poor fit for businesses outside freight forwarding.

Key features

Rates, quoting, and bookings

Air freight tools combine rate management and e-booking. cargo.one lists 76 integrated airlines and more than 300 airlines overall; buyers should distinguish the integrated set from the broader airline count when assessing operational coverage. Ocean tools centralize rates and include liner integrations, account synchronization, AI contract extraction, and schedules.

Quoting covers air, ocean, and multimodal shipments, with inputs accepted as text, PDFs, and WhatsApp messages. This range can accommodate varied request formats, while the value of the workflow depends on having usable rate data and the relevant integrations in place.

Rate control and automation

The rate management system brings buy and sell rates, consol, internal products, charge codes, routing rules, and zones into one place. For teams managing complex rate structures, that centralization connects commercial rules to quoting; it may be more system than a small forwarder needs if its rate operation is simple.

Embedded AI workflows cover rate management, procurement, quoting, booking, and customer support. Co-pilot, supervised, and autonomous modes offer different levels of control over those workflows. The breadth is useful for teams seeking automation across the process, but teams should choose the operating mode that matches their oversight requirements.

Customer and API connections

The branded customer portal lets agents and shippers access self-service quoting and booking around the clock, with dynamic pricing. This gives forwarders a customer-facing channel alongside internal operations rather than a rates tool alone.

The API suite includes market rate indexes, internal buy and sell rates, live bookable rates, shipment tracking, and other workflow endpoints. Integrations include CargoWise, Cargospot, and Descartes, with specialized endpoints and bi-directional TMS synchronization. That makes cargo.one a stronger fit for teams that need it to connect to existing logistics systems than for buyers looking for an isolated rate database.

For platform data such as rate requests, bookings, and shipment information, cargo.one acts as a processor under a data processing agreement. Customer support is offered through support@cargo.one, in-product messaging, and support channels.

Pricing

cargo.one uses a freemium model. The free Starter plan costs 0.00 USD per free and includes basic platform features, but is limited to certain Export Agent functionality. It is a way for eligible forwarders to begin with the platform, not a full substitute for broader export and import workflows.

Enterprise and pro are paid plans with custom pricing: fees are notified during signup, and recurring fees may be paid monthly or for a 12-month period. Enterprise includes standard features, Export Agent and Import Agent, and additional features; Quoting Export Agent features are subject to onboarding. Pro includes Export Agent and Import Agent features, with Quoting Export Agent features also subject to onboarding. The plan distinction matters to teams evaluating the additional Enterprise features, while neither plan gives buyers a public price to compare before signup.

Registration requires an official company email and information identifying the customer as a freight forwarder. cargo.one may request proof of freight-forwarder status and can refuse registrations, so the free plan is not a general-purpose option for any business.

Platforms

cargo.one is available through the web and API. The browser-usable SaaS platform is accessed over the internet; it does not promise apps for particular operating systems or devices. Teams needing mobile or desktop-native delivery should account for that limitation.

Who it's for

cargo.one is aimed at freight forwarders, with tailored API and integration solutions for global forwarders and off-the-shelf solutions for small and medium-sized forwarders. Its combined rates, quoting, booking, and portal tools suit teams trying to connect operational rate data with customer-facing sales. The company also presents solutions for airlines, but registration eligibility is framed around freight-forwarder status; organizations should confirm they qualify before building a plan around access.

Pros and cons

Broad freight workflow coverage: Air, ocean, and multimodal quoting sit alongside rate management, booking, and customer support workflows.
Useful integration depth: Named TMS connections and bidirectional sync support teams fitting cargo.one into an existing logistics stack.
Customer self-service: A branded portal with 24/7 access and dynamic pricing gives forwarders a customer-facing booking path.
Eligibility narrows access: Company email and freight-forwarder identification are required, and registration can be refused.
Free plan is constrained: Starter covers basic features but only certain Export Agent functionality, leaving broader workflows to paid plans.
Paid costs are custom: Signup-based fee disclosure makes advance budget comparison harder, and quoting Export Agent capabilities require onboarding.

Alternatives

For a broader shortlist, see Freight Rate Management Software.

Magaya Rate Management is a paid, subscription-based option with pricing available by demo request; consider it when evaluating a subscription alternative with Android, iOS, API, and web platforms.
Descartes Customs and Regulatory Compliance is a paid API and web platform with a core module for imports, exports, and NCTS transit movements, plus concurrent-user licensing shared across modules. Choose it when customs and regulatory compliance is the priority rather than cargo.one's freight sales and procurement scope.
Freightgate is a paid API and web service with subscription fees and usage metrics set in the applicable order form; it is an alternative to consider when that order-form subscription model suits procurement.
Infor Public Sector is another paid alternative, with pricing available from Infor.
Freightify offers a seven-day free trial of Rate Search without a credit or debit card; choose it when a short, no-card evaluation of rate search is the priority.
Tratics RMS is a paid API and web alternative with pricing by quote request.
Shipthis costs 89.00 USD per month per user, with modules included and some add-ons billed per transaction; consider it when a published per-user monthly price is more useful for budgeting.
Freightek Rate Management has a free plan with five users per month and 100 GB/year storage, and a Standard plan at 145.00 USD per month; consider it when those published user and storage terms fit better than cargo.one's restricted Starter plan.

Verdict

Freight forwarders that want rates, quoting, bookings, customer self-service, and TMS connections in one workflow should put cargo.one on their shortlist. Its combination of air and ocean operations and API connectivity is the main reason to choose it. Look elsewhere if your organization cannot qualify as a freight forwarder, needs a native app commitment, or needs to compare paid prices before signup.

	cargo.one	Tally Freight
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	No	No
Paid from	Free	—
Open source	No	No
Platforms	api, Web	Web
Free plan	Yes	No
Rate comparison	Yes	Yes
Contract management	Yes	Yes
Accessorial rules	Yes	—
Rate input methods	mixed	spreadsheet

cargo.one vs Tally Freight

cargo.one

Tally Freight