TMS pricing models explained: per truck, per user, per load or flat
Trucking software is priced in at least six different ways, which makes quotes hard to compare. Here is how each model works, who it suits and what a 5-truck fleet with one office user pays, calculated from vendors' published prices.
Per truck
Predictable and fair as you grow; check whether the price is per truck or per active truck, and whether users and add-ons cost extra.
| Tool | Pricing | Monthly cost, 5 trucks |
|---|---|---|
| TruckPanel AI | Per truck, graduated ($29 / $25 / $19) | $133 |
| ITS Dispatch (Truckstop) | Flat monthly + per truck | $75 |
| iTrucked | Per truck | $145 |
| Truckin | Per truck | $74.95 |
| TrucksTMS | Per truck | $245 |
By fleet-size band
Cheap inside a band, but the price can jump when you add one truck past a threshold.
| Tool | Pricing | Monthly cost, 5 trucks |
|---|---|---|
| TruckLogics | Per fleet, truck-count bands | $79.95 |
| TruckingOffice | Per fleet, truck-count bands | $55 |
| TenTrucks | Per fleet, truck-count bands | $145 |
| Doft Dispatch | Per fleet, truck-count bands | $299 |
Per user or seat
Cost depends on how many office users you have, not trucks; a 2-truck fleet with 3 dispatchers pays more than a 10-truck fleet with one.
| Tool | Pricing | Monthly cost, 5 trucks |
|---|---|---|
| AscendTMS | Per office user, freemium | $138 |
| Tailwind TMS | Per user | not published |
| Rose Rocket | Flat monthly, unlimited users | from $2,080 |
| ezLoads TMS | Flat monthly by user slots | not published |
| Super Dispatch | Per seat | $385 |
Per driver
Close to per-truck pricing, but drivers who share trucks or seasonal drivers change the bill.
| Tool | Pricing | Monthly cost, 5 trucks |
|---|---|---|
| LoadOps | Per active driver | $375 |
Per load (usage-based)
Good for low volume; expect the bill to rise with busy months, so ask for a monthly cap.
Flat monthly
Easiest to budget; check user limits and which features sit in higher tiers.
Custom quote
No public price. Expect a sales call, possible setup fees and annual contracts.
| Tool | Pricing | Monthly cost, 5 trucks |
|---|---|---|
| Axon Software | Custom quote | not published |
| Toro TMS | Custom quote, month-to-month | not published |
| PCS TMS | Custom quote | not published |
| Ditat | Custom quote | not published |
| Dr Dispatch | Custom quote | not published |
How to compare quotes
- Count your trucks, drivers and office users, and what you expect in 12 months.
- Ask for the monthly price at that size, including every add-on you need.
- Ask about setup fees, contract length and the price after the first year.
- Use our pricing calculator to see published prices at 1, 3, 5, 10, 20 and 30 trucks.
Related: dispatch service vs software and the cheapest TMS with public pricing.
FAQ
How is trucking software priced?
Most TMS vendors price per truck, per user, per driver, per load, by fleet-size band, as a flat monthly fee, or by custom quote. Which model is cheapest depends on how many trucks and office users you have.
What is the cheapest TMS pricing model for a small fleet?
For one to five trucks, per-truck and fleet-band pricing are usually cheapest and easiest to predict. Per-user pricing is cheap when you have a single dispatcher; flat enterprise pricing is rarely worth it below 20 trucks.
Why do so many TMS vendors hide their prices?
8 of the 24 tools we track do not publish a complete price list. Quote-based pricing lets vendors adapt to fleet size and add implementation fees, which is why we compute costs only from published prices.
Are there hidden costs in TMS pricing?
Common extras are setup or onboarding fees, per-report fees (for example IFTA), extra users, ELD or load board integrations, payment processing, and annual-only discounts. Always ask what is included at your fleet size.