Our research team handpicked the top five free TMS systems. We’ll discuss their features, benefits and more. Here’s a quick overview:

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The Best Free TMS Software

AscendTMS

AscendTMS is a feature-packed tool that’s free for two users. There are no setup charges or contracts. It stores unlimited data and scales easily. It’s perfect for carriers, shippers, brokers and more.

No matter your company size, AscendTMS is a good fit. It handles logistics and supply chain tasks with support for simplified load management. It reduces costly errors and boosts productivity to lower expenses.

Its real-time GPS tracking prevents expensive delays, and it helps choose the cheapest carriers and best routes.

Find a driver’s exact location by simply using their cell phone’s GPS. Source

Top Benefits

• Use for Free: Sign up without a credit card or contract. AscendTMS’s unique pricing offers a free plan to small teams or per-user payments for its paid plan.
• Reduce Errors: Let employees access customized information to simplify tasks and boost work clarity. It also lowers the risk of mistakes for increased efficiency.
• Automate Tasks: Increase ROI by automating workloads. Automated tasks include load posting, driver duties and payroll. Managers save time planning.
• Use a Single View: Track freight from one platform. Create loads and choose carriers. An accessible, real-time view of the supply chain raises efficiency.

Primary Features

• Load Management: Monitor your loads through their full cycle. View critical info like load ID, status, last contact date and customer details. You’ll also see pick-up and drop-off dates and times, carrier and driver details, and equipment used.
• Driver Management: Track drivers via phone GPS. You can also use it to see if a driver is qualified and genuine.
• Branch or Department Management: Manage user visibility into the system. Let users view the information needed to perform their jobs.
• Accounting Management: Access accounting capabilities such as customer invoicing, driver and carrier settlements, customer credit limits, and more.
• Credit Checks: Conduct unlimited credit checks for customers or brokers that update daily.

Features Not Available in the Free Plan

Free features aren’t as extensive as those included in the paid subscription plans. These include but are not limited to:

• Advance Accounting
• Cargo Claim Handling
• Carrier Management

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EnvioHQ

EnvioHQ is easy-to-use trucking software that’s free if you run one truck. You can dispatch, plan routes, handle money and safety, track progress, and more. It even helps with freight billing and load planning.

Get real-time reports that cover vital business information. See how often you’re on time, track transit time and check fuel efficiency. It’s easy to keep up with your schedule with its real-time updates.

Have a team? Good news! The platform offers collaborative tools to support widespread teams.

Assign drivers and trucks to loads before dispatching them. Source

Top Benefits

• Track Compliance: Track driver skills, licenses, health certificates and road accidents for DOT compliance. This free TMS also sends rule-break alerts. Refine maintenance records by vendor, truck, cost or date. It prepares all documents for checks.
• Schedule Maintenance: Create custom care plans for your vehicles. Set maintenance reminders by time period or miles driven to avoid breakdowns and delays.
• Generate IFTA Reports: EnvioHQ works with PCMiler to track how far your trucks travel in each state. That way, you have the right information for your IFTA reports, saving you time and avoiding tax issues. Use its fuel card integration to record where your trucks refuel, which is important for reporting and taxation.

Primary Features

• Load Management: Create, manage and plan loads. Upload documents, assign drivers and plan deliveries—all in one place.
• Route Optimization: Plan the best routes before sending out packages. See all pick-up and drop-off locations at once to cut travel waste.
• Real-Time Tracking: Track progress, monitor truck and driver locations, and get pick-up alerts. Use this data to plan future loads better.
• Invoice Tracking: Track all load-related costs and invoices. Get a clear view of your fleet’s performance to find ways to save up.
• Driver Management: Manage driver records. Ensure licenses and training are up-to-date. Spot unsafe driving and provide training to improve performance.

Features Not Available in the Free Plan

This free TMS software offers all the above features for one vehicle, but charges the following for businesses with fleets:

• Small Fleet: $69/month for 2 – 10 trucks.
• Mid-Sized Fleet: $125/month for 11 – 20 trucks.
• Large Fleet: $250/month for 21 – 40 trucks.
• Enterprise: Quote-based custom prices for more than 41 trucks.

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Rose Rocket

Rose Rocket is a flexible trucking management tool. You can adjust workflows and templates, and as your business grows, you can add more features.

The platform handles all transport tasks and improves communication with clients and customers. The mobile app is perfect for tech-savvy drivers. It includes route navigation, document capture and real-time updates that boost driver efficiency and simplify tasks.

I took Rose Rocket for a spin and noticed the following:

• The dashboard presents data across sections: Starred Orders, Default, Booked Orders. That’s good news for businesses with complex operations.
• I could filter data views to focus on specific aspects (e.g., in-transit orders) or create custom views to see the information most relevant to my needs.
• Its layout is clean and uncluttered, presenting a user-friendly interface.
• It prioritizes visibility. Various data points (e.g., orders and receivables) appear at a glance, providing you with a quick overview of key metrics.

Track driver progress on satellite maps. Source

Top Benefits

• Create Boards: Add and share boards with custom views. Share these records with internal and external stakeholders.
• Use the OrderBot: Scan broker rate confirmations and turn them into orders with Rose Rocket’s bot. Email or upload them to the company, and OrderBot will auto-create the orders.
• Log Activities: Keep a log of all financial activities on the system.
• Track Shipments: Track deliveries and pick-ups using maps or satellites. See the last known location or track in real time with telematics.
• Offer a Customer Portal: Share the live location of loads on their route. Update order details and filter them by statuses like booked, in-transit, delivered, invoice created and sent.

Primary Features

• Order Management: Create orders for brokers and carriers. Add details like order ID, customer name, first pickup, last delivery and partners. Add tasks and stops via the order widget. Split a leg into two. Add a stop to unload and load.
• Quote Management: Create quotes with details like quote ID, status, type, customer name, quotes and cost. Store quote history for future use. Brokers can share quotes with customers or partners.
• Invoice Management: Create invoices by adding invoice ID, status, order ID, customer and amount. Edit and send invoices to customers.
• Document Management: Access, upload and auto-generate documents for each order.
• Digital Tendering and E-Signatures: Send load confirmations to carrier emails for digital signing.

Features Not Available in the Free Plan

Free features aren’t as extensive as those included in the paid subscription plans. Free plans may miss out on:

• Accounting Software Integration With Quickbooks Online
• ELD Integration
• Customer Address Book

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Trucking365.io TMS

Trucking365.io TMS simplifies trucking, fleet and dispatch management. Its goals are smooth operations, lower costs and timely deliveries.

This free TMS serves owner-operators, drivers, brokers and shippers. Its Dispatch Board manages loads and trips. For drivers, it includes payroll, medical cards and drug tests. It also offers truck and trailer management.

Its free pricing model makes it a great option, especially for small fleets and owners. It also has helpful customer support to assist and guide you.

Add shippers, trucks and more to the dashboard.

Top Benefits

• Go Paperless: Manage all your load documents electronically, including load confirmations and bills of lading. No more searching through files—everything is organized and easy to find.
• Ensure DOT Compliance: Schedule and track inspections with details like level, driver and vehicle information. Stay ahead of DOT inspections. Get helpful alerts reminding you of upcoming inspections, license plate expirations or insurance renewals.
• Save on Fuel Costs: Track fuel consumption and vehicle mileage. This valuable data can help you identify areas for improvement in fuel efficiency and potentially save money at the pump.
• Integrate With ELDs: Integrate seamlessly with Motive ELD software. Eliminate manual data entry and ensure you’re compliant with ELD regulations.

Primary Features

• Dispatch Board: Assign tasks to drivers and vehicles with this free TMS board.
• Customer Management: Add customer details like type (broker, shipper, or consignee), name, company, email and address.
• Trucks and Trailer Management: Add trucks by entering details like unit number, VIN, make, model, year and ownership. For trailers, add type, unit number and VIN. The system also tracks statuses like running or in need of repairs.
• Drivers Management: Add driver details such as name, email, CDL number and hire date. The system tracks driver statuses, like on a trip or needing to renew their CDL.
• Loads and Trip Creation: Create loads with details like number, customer, weight and quantity. Trips contain info like the trip number, driver, truck and distance.

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Freight and Logistics TMS

Freight and Logistics TMS tracks shipments in real time. It provides useful insights and ensures compliance. The software is free for managing small packages, less-than-truckload (LTL) and full-truckload shipments.

You can quote prices, book shipments and track them online. It’s perfect for different shipping needs, such as small packages, LTL, special handling, short-distance transport and large shipments.

Top Benefits

• Automate Shipments: Automate inbound and outbound logistics management to save time and reduce errors.
• Check National Motor Freight Classification Codes: Search for the correct NMFC code for your specific freight with details like product description, weight and packaging type. The right NMFC code prevents overpaying for freight charges.
• Export Information: Export shipping details to Excel. Keep records and share information with others.
• Use Dynamic Dashboards: Use the free dashboard to view your transport costs and support decision-making.

Primary Features

• Carrier Selection: Pick a carrier by comparing their prices, delivery times and rates.
• Bill of Lading and Label Generation: The system creates the necessary shipping documents and labels for you. BOLs make sure your shipment is properly documented and labeled.
• Accessorials: Add extra services, like liftgate or inside delivery and see how much they cost. Cover the varied shipping needs of customers.
• Pick-up Schedules: Arrange for a carrier to pick up your items at a convenient set time.
• Batch Quoting and Booking: Get price quotes and book shipments for multiple items at once. Save time and simplify the process if you have many shipments.

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How We Choose Products

For the scope of this article, we only considered the freemium version of a product or solutions that are completely free to use. We haven’t included products that only offer a free trial. Using that starting point, our analysts used an in-depth research process to understand the market. They then recommended the best 5 products based on a range of criteria.

We looked at the following criteria: feature comprehensiveness, product popularity, user reviews and ratings, SelectHub in-house data, hands-on experience, market analysts’ reports, thought leaders’ opinions and information availability in the public domain.

Products with better user reviews were given preference, provided they adequately met the other criteria listed.

Free vs. Open-Source TMS: What’s the Difference?

As the industry changes and you reach out to new markets, you might need more than what free TMS can offer.

What’s lacking? Deeper integrations and customization.

But don’t worry, Matthew Franzyshen from Ascendant feels positive:

Consider integrations with freight marketplaces or carrier networks to access a wide range of shipping options and competitive rates. While free TMS software may have limited customization options, careful selection of integrations can help bridge functionality gaps and optimize your transportation operation.”

Want to game the system without investing in paid plans? Look into open-source transportation management systems.

Here’s a table outlining the differences between free options and open-source TMS software options:

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How To Choose the Right TMS Software

So, what should businesses consider when choosing the best free TMS software for their needs?

We asked Robert Khachatryan, the CEO of Freight Right Global Logistics, exactly that. Here are his tips:

– Feature set: Ensure the TMS offers essential features like tracking, dispatch management, and route optimization.
– User-friendliness: The system should be easy to use to minimize training costs and improve adoption rates.
– Scalability: Choose a TMS that can grow with your business, even if it’s free to start.”

If customizability is your priority and you have in-house developers, you’d love the flexibility that open-source TMS software offers.

But if you’re not tech-savvy and want a head-start in free options, here’s what you need to know — free TMS solutions have a distinctive go-to-market strategy:

Resource-Rich Content Marketing

Free TMS vendors are like friendly shipping experts who offer tons of free resources to help you out. They create blog posts, webinars and ebooks that explain the benefits of using a TMS system (think: way less time spent wrestling with spreadsheets!). They’ll also show you the downsides of manual work (think: lots of room for errors!).

Free Tier With Clear Benefits

They offer a free tier of their software. This lets you try out the core parts and see how much easier a TMS can make your life. Plus, they’re upfront about any limitations in the free plan, so you know exactly what you’re getting. If you need more advanced features later on, you can always upgrade – but the free tier is a great way to get started!

Still in a fix? Try mixing and matching the features you need with our free requirements template.

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Next Steps

Select a TMS software provider with great customer support. Prioritize getting proper training. Consider the features you need now and in the future. Grab our free comparison report to explore the top vendors with an apples-to-apples comparison of their platforms.

Which free TMS tool have you considered? Let us know in the comments!

SME Contributors

Matthew Franzyshen is the Business Development Manager at Ascendant Technologies, Inc. He oversees campaign development, identifies industry trends and seeks new innovative solutions.

Robert Khachatryan is the CEO and founder of Freight Right Global Logistics. He is an expert in supply chain design, eCommerce shipping, freight marketplaces and booking automation. With a background in rates and supply chain dynamics, he offers insights into current industry trends and challenges.