Shipping software for customs brokers: what to look for in 2026

Australian customs brokers choosing software in 2026 have more options than at any point in the last two decades. The established platforms are CargoWise (WiseTech Global) and Expedient (recently divested from WiseTech after ACCC intervention), while newer entrants like StarShipper, Clear.ai, Wove, Cargonautix, and EzyEntry offer AI-driven document extraction, HS classification, and compliance checking at lower price points and faster implementation timelines.

For most of the last 20 years, the choice was simple: CargoWise if you were large, Expedient if you were mid-size. That binary is breaking down. Smaller brokers and freight forwarders want proper compliance tooling without six-figure contracts and 12-month implementations. A handful of newer platforms are trying to fill that gap, each with a different angle on what customs software should look like.

What customs broker software actually does

It's worth separating customs brokerage software from general freight TMS (Transport Management Systems). A TMS handles quoting, booking, warehouse management, invoicing, and rate management. Customs software is narrower and deeper: it sits between "documents arrive" and "goods clear customs."

The core functions are document processing (extracting data from commercial invoices, bills of lading, packing lists), HS classification (assigning the correct tariff code to each product), duty calculation (working out what's owed based on the tariff rate, origin country, and applicable free trade agreements), and N10 declaration generation (producing the import declaration that gets lodged with ABF through ICS).

Beyond those basics, most platforms also handle shipment tracking, client management, cross-document reconciliation (checking that the weight on the invoice matches the packing list, that container numbers are consistent across documents), and integration with downstream systems like accounting software or other TMS platforms.

The question isn't really "does it do these things?" because they all do, to varying degrees. The question is how much manual work each step requires, how well the system handles Australian-specific requirements (FTAs, biosecurity, anti-dumping), and whether it replaces your existing TMS or works alongside it.

The established players

CargoWise

CargoWise is built by WiseTech Global (ASX: WTC), a Sydney-based company with a market cap north of $40 billion. It's the dominant platform for large freight and logistics operations globally, not just in Australia. The system covers everything from customs brokerage to warehousing, forwarding, and accounting. It's a full TMS with customs built in.

Pricing is per-transaction, which means costs scale with volume. Implementation timelines are measured in months, sometimes longer for complex operations. The system is powerful but dense. Staff training is a real consideration, and there's an entire ecosystem of CargoWise consultants and training providers.

CargoWise is the right choice for large brokerages with 50+ staff who need a single platform across multiple offices and countries. If you're running a 5-person operation in Brisbane, the implementation cost and complexity probably don't make sense.

Expedient

Expedient is a Melbourne-based customs and forwarding system that's been around for roughly 30 years. It was acquired by e2open, then by WiseTech Global, and then the ACCC forced WiseTech to divest it in December 2025 due to competition concerns. At the time of writing, its ownership situation is still settling.

Expedient uses email-based EDI for data exchange, which means integrations work by sending formatted files (typically CSV) to an intake email address. It's not a REST API, but it works and plenty of integrations are built around it. Many mid-size Australian forwarders have been on Expedient for a decade or more and know the system well.

Best for: mid-size freight forwarders who've been using it for years and have their workflows built around it.

EzyEntry

EzyEntry launched in 2018 and takes a credit-based pricing approach. You buy credits and spend them on document extractions. It focuses on document extraction for customs and freight workflows, with integrations into both Expedient and CargoWise. It also offers biosecurity declaration templates, which is a practical feature for anyone dealing with BICON requirements.

EzyEntry doesn't try to be a TMS. It sits in front of your existing system and handles the extraction and data prep work. Best for: brokers who want AI extraction without changing their TMS.

The new wave

A cluster of newer platforms have launched or are launching in 2025-2026, all built with AI document processing as a core assumption rather than a bolt-on.

StarShipper

StarShipper is a Brisbane-based platform for customs brokers, freight forwarders, and importers. It handles AI document extraction, HS classification, duty calculation, N10 generation, ocean tracking, and integrations with CargoWise, Expedient, and Xero. Several free tools (tariff lookup, HS classifier, landed cost calculator) are available without an account.

Clear.ai

Clear.ai describes itself as Australia's first AI-native customs lodgement platform. Their pitch is direct ICS integration, meaning the system lodges declarations with ABF directly rather than going through a TMS intermediary. If that works well in practice, it removes a step from the workflow.

Wove

Wove focuses on AI document extraction for freight forwarding workflows. The emphasis is on pulling structured data from shipping documents and feeding it into existing systems, similar to EzyEntry's approach but with a different extraction stack.

Cargonautix

Cargonautix is a Melbourne-based platform building an ICS-native customs system, with a launch planned for 2026. Like Clear.ai, they're going for direct ICS lodgement rather than routing through an existing TMS.

Platform	Type	ICS Lodgement	HS Classification	Extraction	TMS Integration	Pricing Model
CargoWise	Full TMS	Yes	Lookup	Add-on	N/A (is the TMS)	Per-transaction
Expedient	Full TMS	Yes	Lookup	Add-on	N/A (is the TMS)	Licence
EzyEntry	Extraction layer	Via TMS	Via TMS	Yes (AI)	CargoWise, Expedient	Credit-based
StarShipper	Compliance platform	N10 generation	Yes (AI)	Yes (AI)	CargoWise, Expedient, Xero	Subscription
Clear.ai	Lodgement platform	Yes (direct)	TBC	Yes (AI)	TBC	TBC
Wove	Extraction layer	Via TMS	TBC	Yes (AI)	Yes	TBC
Cargonautix	Lodgement platform	Yes (direct)	TBC	Yes (AI)	TBC	TBC

A note on the "TBC" entries: some of these platforms are still in early stages or don't publish detailed feature lists. The table reflects what's publicly available as of May 2026.

How to evaluate customs software

If you're comparing options, here are the questions that actually matter. Not in any particular order, because which ones matter most depends on your operation.

Does it generate N10 declarations? Some platforms extract data and hand it off to your TMS for lodgement. Others generate the N10 directly. If you already have a TMS that handles lodgement, extraction-only might be fine. If you're looking to replace your TMS, you need direct ICS capability.

HS classification: AI or just lookup? There's a difference between a tariff lookup (you enter the code, it shows you the rate) and AI classification (you describe the product, it suggests the code). If your team already knows their HS codes, lookup is sufficient. If you're handling diverse products and want a second opinion, AI classification saves time. Try the free HS classifier to see what AI classification looks like in practice.

Does it integrate with your existing TMS or replace it? This is the big fork in the road. Platforms like EzyEntry, Wove, and StarShipper are designed to work alongside CargoWise or Expedient. Clear.ai and Cargonautix are building direct ICS lodgement, which means they could replace your TMS for customs work. Neither approach is inherently better. It depends on whether you want to keep your existing system.

What's the pricing model? Per-transaction, credit-based, and subscription models all exist. Per-transaction scales linearly with volume, which is predictable but can get expensive. Credits give you flexibility but require forecasting. Subscription is flat and predictable. Calculate your monthly volume and do the maths for each.

How long does implementation take? CargoWise implementations are measured in months. Newer platforms often claim days or weeks. Ask for references from operations similar to yours in size and complexity.

Does it check FTAs automatically? Australia has free trade agreements with China (ChAFTA), Japan (JAEPA), Korea (KAFTA), ASEAN (AANZFTA), and others. Each has different rules of origin and documentation requirements. Calculating duty correctly means checking FTA eligibility, not just the general tariff rate.

Is there a client portal? If you're a broker managing importers, a portal where your clients can track their shipments and see compliance status reduces the back-and-forth emails.

Picking the right tool

We built StarShipper because we think compliance shouldn't require a six-figure TMS contract. But we're biased. The honest answer is that the right software depends on your size, your existing systems, your budget, and how much of your workflow you want to change.

If you're a 50-person brokerage already on CargoWise, you probably don't need to switch. If you're a 3-person freight forwarder doing everything in spreadsheets, any of the platforms listed here would be an improvement. The best approach is to try a few options with your actual documents and see which one handles your specific workflows. Most offer trials or demos. Use them.