Choosing a free transportation management system (TMS) can be a smart starting point, but only if it matches how your team actually runs freight. The wrong “free” option often creates more work: duplicate data entry, missed updates, and limited reporting that shows up fast during peak periods.
Use the four steps below to compare free plans and free trials side by side, test them against real workflows, and choose a platform you can grow with as shipment volume and complexity increase.
One quick distinction matters as you evaluate options. A free plan (freemium) is usable long term with built-in limits, while a free trial typically offers full functionality for a short evaluation window, often 14 to 30 days. Treat these differently when comparing tools.
Below is the four-step framework you can use to find the best free TMS software for your company.
Start by defining your requirements before evaluating tools. The objective is to reduce touchpoints per shipment, not collect features. A clear requirements list keeps you focused on what will actually eliminate manual work from planning, tendering, tracking, and reporting.
In order to build a requirement list for prospective TMS options, we recommend taking about a week to monitor your daily operations. What are your common pain points? What eats up the biggest chunk of your day? Don't hesitate to also ask managers and staff. As you document requirements, focus on both your current operation and where you expect volume, users, and complexity to grow over the next 12–24 months.
The goal is creating a list of both must-have and nice-to-have features, in addition to a few other requirements such as:
Once you’ve gathered this information, you want to be able to easily refer back to it. For example, you can fill out this table with your ideal TMS requirements:
|
Requirements |
Current Stats / Current Tool |
TMS #1 |
TMS #2 |
TMS #3 |
|
Must-have features |
|
|||
|
Nice-to-have features |
|
|||
|
Fleet Size Capabilities (Current vs. Target) |
5 vs. 15 |
|||
|
Monthly load volume |
60-70 |
|||
|
Numbers of users |
10 users |
Note: This table is meant to be a working comparison tool. Fill it out as you evaluate each option so you can quickly see which free TMS solutions meet your minimum requirements and which introduce gaps you would need to work around.
The second step is to match your requirements to prospective TMS solutions you're considering. This step is about matching your documented requirements to real product capabilities. Review each option against your must-haves first, then eliminate any tool that fails to meet minimum operational needs.
The goal in this step is to quickly eliminate all the transportation management systems you're considering that don't actually meet your minimums. So maybe one provides nitty-gritty details for carrier routes, which is great for monitoring and optimizing routes, but the same tool lacks notifications upon arrival of freight, which is one of your requirements. In this case, you'd eliminate it from consideration, since there are plenty of other free TMS options that may have both features.
In this step, you want to shortlist 2-3 candidates at most.
The third step is when you get hands-on by signing up for free trials or free tiers of the TMS systems. This will allow you to test each tool with real workflows and simulations to see how they operate.
This will give you a great idea of how each tool feels and functions, from how the user interface looks to how it responds, and whether the layout makes sense to you. Ideally, in this step you also gather user feedback from different members of your team, managers and staff alike. Measure the performance of each tool against KPIs.
The fourth step is the last one, though not necessarily the easiest. Here's where you make your decision.
Compare your expectations with each tool versus your actual experience during the free trial. Try to evaluate long-term viability, and look at what users of the software have said in reviews over the years. Also, make sure to check out the TMS pricing plans and see how the features and costs grow, which may become more relevant to you as you continue to scale your business and require more from the tool.
Lastly, check contract terms. You want to make sure that the TMS you settle on is viable in the long term for your business, whether your business grows steadily or exponentially.
To help simplify matters, here is a quick rundown of common scenarios that warehouse managers and supply chain directors find themselves in when they’re considering upgrading to using a TMS. We’ll include our recommendation for the scenarios for business owners that need quick solutions to grating problems.
Scenario: "I have 10 trucks and I’m growing fast."
Recommendation: Try ShipperGuide Free.
Why: ShipperGuide TMS lets you create a free account which positions you to call and book in seconds, get real-time pricing and sites, and monitor and share the real-time location of your shipments. This positions you to easily be able to manage your current fleet, and upgrading plans is easy and clear thanks to ShipperGuide TMS coming with generous limits and a clear scaling path.
Scenario: “I need to test TMS as a concept first.”
Recommendation: Try any TMS with a 30-day trial option.
Why: Jumping into a trial of TMS is the best way to get a feel for how the various features can aid your supply chain management. Once you can see all the data TMS can collect and how easy it is to communicate that information to carriers and your staff, you can better understand why so many business owners are adopting TMS software in their operations. There’s a reason the transportation management system market is forecasted to reach $37.04 billion by 2030 (doubling from $18.50 billion in 2025).
Scenario: "I'm price-sensitive but need automation features"
Recommendation: Jump into ShipperGuide Free and choose the TruckOffice Lite plan.
Why: ShipperGuide TMS lets users create a free account, and using the TruckOffice Lite plan allows you to start free and then swap to a low-cost upgrade as the automation features help your business scale.
Using a free TMS is a quick and easy way to improve your business operations, but there are some caveats. For one, the benefits are not always quick to go into effect. There’s also choice paralysis to consider, with an overwhelming amount of TMS software on the market. That said, hopefully the below FAQ section can help you figure out how to find the best free TMS.
You can choose the right TMS for your company by following our four-step framework which includes defining requirements, comparing those requirements to solutions, testing out various TMS tools, and finally making an educated decision on a tool you can scale with.
The best free TMS software is one that comes with a variety of features, has an intuitive design that makes it easy for even non-tech savvy employees to utilize, and comes with scalability both in features and price.
If you’re evaluating free TMS options and want a platform designed to scale with shipper workflows, ShipperGuide TMS offers a free plan that supports booking, visibility, and carrier communication in one system. You can apply the four-step framework above to see whether it fits your operation today and as it grows.
Click here to sign up for ShipperGuide TMS free!