TMS Software

TMS software, and how to choose the right kind.

Transportation management software plans, books, tracks and bills freight. The term covers three quite different products, built for shippers, carriers and brokers. Here is what each does, what a TMS costs, and what to check before you buy.

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One name, three products
Shipper TMS
Companies shipping their own freight
Carrier TMS
Trucking companies
Broker and 3PL TMS
Freight brokers and 3PLs
Polt
Shipper
Broker / 3PL
Carrier

What transportation management software does

A transportation management system, or TMS, is the system of record for moving freight. Whatever kind you buy, it covers the same five jobs.

01
Plan
Build the load and its stops.
02
Book
Choose or source the carrier and agree the rate.
03
Track
Follow the shipment and handle check calls.
04
Document
Keep the rate confirmation, bill of lading and proof of delivery.
05
Bill
Invoice the customer and pay the carrier.

The three kinds of TMS software

Most confusion about TMS software comes from one name covering three products. Buying the wrong kind is the most common mistake.

Shipper TMS
Carrier TMS
Broker and 3PL TMSPolt
Built forCompanies shipping their own freightTrucking companiesFreight brokers and 3PLs
Main jobChoose carriers and control freight spendDispatch trucks and driversManage customers, carriers and the margin on each load
Centres onOrders and routing guidesTrucks, drivers and hoursLoads, with a customer on one side and a carrier on the other
Typical extrasRate shopping, freight auditFuel, maintenance, driver payCarrier vetting, load boards, rate confirmations
Shipper TMS
Built for
Companies shipping their own freight
Main job
Choose carriers and control freight spend
Centres on
Orders and routing guides
Typical extras
Rate shopping, freight audit
Carrier TMS
Built for
Trucking companies
Main job
Dispatch trucks and drivers
Centres on
Trucks, drivers and hours
Typical extras
Fuel, maintenance, driver pay
Broker and 3PL TMSPolt
Built for
Freight brokers and 3PLs
Main job
Manage customers, carriers and the margin on each load
Centres on
Loads, with a customer on one side and a carrier on the other
Typical extras
Carrier vetting, load boards, rate confirmations

Polt is the third kind. It is built for freight brokers and 3PLs, and it is not a fit for a carrier running its own trucks or a shipper managing only its own freight.

Freight broker software →

TMS for 3PLs →

Cloud-based TMS software vs on-premise

Older transportation management systems were installed on a company’s own servers. Most TMS software sold today is cloud-based: you log in through a browser, the vendor runs the system and updates arrive automatically.

Cloud-based TMS software costs less to start, needs no IT team and works from anywhere, which is why almost every small and mid-size brokerage chooses it. On-premise systems still exist at very large companies with special security or customisation needs. Polt is cloud-based.

Cloud-basedPolt
Where it runs
The vendor’s servers. You log in through a browser.
Updates
Arrive automatically.
Cost to start
Lower. No IT team needed.
Typical buyer
Almost every small and mid-size brokerage.
On-premise
Where it runs
Your company’s own servers.
Updates
Run by your own IT team.
Cost to start
Higher.
Typical buyer
Very large companies with special security or customisation needs.

How much does TMS software cost?

TMS software price depends on the pricing model more than on the feature list. There are four common models.

Bill as the team grows
Per user, per month
The bill grows with every person you hire.
Bill as loads grow
By shipment volumePolt
You pay for the loads you move.
Bill as you add tools
Platform fee plus add-ons
A base price, with tracking, vetting, EDI or load board connections charged separately.
Bill over the contract
Enterprise licence
A negotiated contract, often with implementation fees.
Charts show the shape of each model, not real prices.

Compare the total cost of everything needed to run a load, not the headline price.

Polt has no user fees and no carrier limits. Pricing is based on shipment volume and AI consumption, starting at $1,199/month for up to 200 loads.

See pricing →

How to choose TMS software

01
Buy the right kind
A carrier TMS with the truck fields hidden is not a broker TMS.
02
Check what is built in
Tracking, carrier vetting and document handling are often separate products.
03
Ask which integrations are live
Live today, not on a roadmap.
04
Run your own numbers
Test the pricing model at today’s volume and at double.
05
Ask about implementation
Who does it, and how long it takes.
06
See your own load
Watch it run one of your own loads before you sign.

Compare products in our guide to the best TMS for freight brokers →

See the full Polt TMS overview →

TMS Software FAQ

Frequently asked questions

TMS stands for transportation management system. It is software that plans, books, tracks and bills the movement of freight. Shippers, carriers and freight brokers each use a different kind.

Nothing. They are two names for the same thing, and both are shortened to TMS.

It depends on the kind of business. A shipper, a carrier and a freight broker need different systems. For brokers and 3PLs, compare how each product handles load building, carrier vetting, tracking, documents and pricing as you grow.

It depends on the pricing model: per user, by shipment volume, a platform fee with add-ons, or an enterprise licence. Polt has no user fees and no carrier limits; pricing is based on shipment volume and AI consumption, starting at $1,199/month for up to 200 loads.

A few vendors offer a free tier with limits on users, loads or features. Polt does not have a free plan. When comparing a free tier, check what you would need to pay for as volume grows.

For a small brokerage, look for cloud-based software with pricing that does not rise with every hire, and with tracking, carrier vetting and documents included, so you are not paying for several tools.

Most TMS software sold today is. On-premise systems remain at some very large companies. Polt is cloud-based.

Many do, but not all. Polt handles both: you can request LTL rates from your connected LTL carriers, compare them and book, in the same system as your truckload freight.

See it run one of your own tenders.

Book a demo and bring a real load. It is the fastest way to judge any TMS software.

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