ShipBob Fulfillment vs Spaceship: Shipping Automationfor Shopify (2026)
ShipBob Fulfillment and Spaceship: Shipping Automation both address Shopify merchants' fulfillment needs, but cater to significantly different segments. ShipBob, with its established presence reflected in its high number of reviews and 4.6-star rating, positions itself as a comprehensive third-party logistics (3PL) provider. This suggests ShipBob handles warehousing, order fulfillment, and shipping entirely, appealing to merchants seeking to outsource their logistics operations completely. Spaceship, on the other hand, is a shipping automation solution focused on optimizing the shipping process for merchants who prefer to manage their own fulfillment in-house. Its perfect 5-star rating, although based on a much smaller sample size of 5 reviews, hints at strong user satisfaction with its core offering: simplifying label generation, rate comparison across carriers, and streamlined order management. Spaceship's focus on rate discounts and automation suggests an appeal to merchants who are cost-conscious and looking to improve the efficiency of their existing fulfillment processes, whereas ShipBob would appeal to merchants that are looking for a hands-off approach to fulfillment.
At a Glance
ShipBob Fulfillment
277 reviews
Spaceship: Shipping Automation
5 reviews
Detailed Overview
Spaceship: Shipping Automation
Spaceship powers e-commerce fulfillment automation with exclusive discounts on global carriers.
Key Features
- Compare shipping rates from worldwide carriers instantly
- Auto sync with Shopify stores, bulk shipments creation in a sec
- Fast-track EU shipments with one-time IOSS setup
- Share real-time tracking links with your customers
Feature Comparison
| Rating | 4.6/5 | 5/5 |
Rating ShipBob Fulfillment4.6/5 Spaceship: Shipping Automation5/5 | ||
| Reviews | 277 | 5 |
Reviews ShipBob Fulfillment277 Spaceship: Shipping Automation5 | ||
| Fulfillment Approach | Outsourced 3PL | In-house fulfillment automation |
Fulfillment Approach ShipBob FulfillmentOutsourced 3PL Spaceship: Shipping AutomationIn-house fulfillment automation | ||
| Key Benefit | Hands-off fulfillment and warehousing | Shipping rate comparison and automation, potential cost savings |
Key Benefit ShipBob FulfillmentHands-off fulfillment and warehousing Spaceship: Shipping AutomationShipping rate comparison and automation, potential cost savings | ||
| Target Merchant | High-volume merchants seeking to outsource logistics | Merchants handling their own fulfillment seeking shipping efficiency |
Target Merchant ShipBob FulfillmentHigh-volume merchants seeking to outsource logistics Spaceship: Shipping AutomationMerchants handling their own fulfillment seeking shipping efficiency | ||
| Ease of Use (Inferred) | Potentially more complex setup due to full outsourcing | Potentially easier setup focusing on automation of existing processes |
Ease of Use (Inferred) ShipBob FulfillmentPotentially more complex setup due to full outsourcing Spaceship: Shipping AutomationPotentially easier setup focusing on automation of existing processes | ||
| Value Proposition | Reduced operational burden, scalability | Cost savings, time efficiency, improved customer communication |
Value Proposition ShipBob FulfillmentReduced operational burden, scalability Spaceship: Shipping AutomationCost savings, time efficiency, improved customer communication | ||
| Shipping Focus | Full fulfillment services | Shipping label creation, tracking, and rate optimization |
Shipping Focus ShipBob FulfillmentFull fulfillment services Spaceship: Shipping AutomationShipping label creation, tracking, and rate optimization | ||
Our Verdict
For high-volume Shopify merchants who want to completely offload their fulfillment and warehousing operations, ShipBob Fulfillment appears to be the stronger choice, leveraging its established infrastructure and experience. However, its complexity and associated costs may not be suitable for all businesses.
If a Shopify merchant prefers to maintain control over their fulfillment process but wants to streamline shipping label generation, compare rates across multiple carriers, and improve the overall shipping experience, Spaceship: Shipping Automation is the better option. The ease of integration and cost savings could be particularly attractive to smaller businesses or those with existing warehousing capabilities. However, the very small number of reviews should give potential users some pause before commiting.
Common Questions
Does ShipBob offer shipping rate comparison like Spaceship?
While ShipBob likely factors shipping costs into its pricing structure, it's primarily a full-service fulfillment provider, not a shipping rate comparison tool like Spaceship.
Is Spaceship a replacement for a 3PL like ShipBob?
No. Spaceship automates shipping label creation and tracking for merchants who handle their own fulfillment. ShipBob provides a complete outsourced fulfillment solution, including warehousing and shipping.
Which app is easier to set up and use?
Spaceship is likely easier to set up as it focuses on automating a specific part of the shipping process within an existing fulfillment workflow. ShipBob's comprehensive solution may require more complex integration and configuration.
Which app is likely to be more expensive?
ShipBob, as a complete fulfillment service, will likely have higher associated costs compared to Spaceship, which offers a shipping automation tool for existing fulfillment processes. However, ShipBob may save a merchant money on warehouse and employee costs, in the long run.
How much faster can Spaceship improve my shipping times versus ShipBob?
The provided data doesn't include any information about the shipping times. Spaceship focuses on automation which may improve shipping times, while ShipBob's focus on complete fulfillment may improve shipping times. Depending on the customer's existing workflow, either app could increase or decrease shipping times.
Get More From Your Shopify Store
Run audits for SEO, CRO, PageSpeed, and AI visibility. Get a clear report and actionable fixes.
Try Fix My Store