How Much Does Sendcloud Cost?
The real price of the shipping platform, plan by plan, per-label fee included.
Short answer: Sendcloud has a free plan (20 parcels a month, 1 user), then paid plans from 28 euros a month on Lite with annual billing, plus a 14-day trial with no card required. But the subscription is not the whole story: there is a per-label processing fee (0.07 to 0.10 euros depending on the plan), and then the carrier postage, billed separately. We walk through every plan, every hidden fee, and what you actually pay based on your parcel volume.
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Sendcloud, the key numbers
What each Sendcloud plan costs
These are the shipping platform plans. The price climbs by volume tier: the more parcels you ship, the higher the plan, but the lower the per-label fee. Prices shown annually, roughly 20% cheaper than monthly. Important: the subscription and the per-label fee do NOT cover postage, which is added on top.
Prices in EUR, annual billing. Carrier postage not included. Checked June 2026.
Free
To test without paying
No credit card required
- 20 parcels per month included
- 1 user, Sendcloud rates only
- 0.10 euros per label
- API access and basic integrations
- No own-carrier contract on this plan
Lite
For small stores
0.10/label, 0.25 above 400
- Up to 400 parcels/month
- 3 users, 3 integrations
- Return portal + email tracking (2 languages)
- 5 shipping rules
- Own-carrier contract allowed
Premium
For stores that scale
0.08/label, 0.23 above 10,000
- Up to 10,000 parcels/month
- 10 users, unlimited integrations
- Branded return portal with analytics
- Unlimited shipping rules
- SMS, WhatsApp and email tracking (8 languages)
Pro
High volume and dedicated support
0.07/label, 0.22 above 30,000
- Up to 30,000 parcels/month
- Unlimited users and integrations
- Full-featured return portal
- Dedicated Customer Success Manager
- Enterprise plan on quote beyond this
Prices checked June 2026 on sendcloud.com/pricing. Third-party sources diverge (some quote Lite 35 euros, Premium 219 euros): we anchor on the official tiers, worth reconfirming on the Sendcloud page before you pay. A Growth plan at 87 euros/month (1,000 parcels, 5 users) sits between Lite and Premium. All these prices exclude postage.
Sendcloud is billed in three layers
The subscription price does not tell you what you will really spend, because Sendcloud stacks three lines of cost. Here is each layer, so your budget does not surprise you.
1. The monthly subscription
The volume tier: from 0 euros (Free, 20 parcels) to 639 euros/month (Pro, 30,000 parcels) annually. This is what the table above details. It unlocks features (return portal, rules, integrations) but pays for no shipping.
2. The Sendcloud per-label fee
Every label you generate carries a small processing fee, separate from the subscription: 0.10 euros on Free and Lite, 0.09 on Growth, 0.08 on Premium, 0.07 on Pro. On 400 parcels a month on Lite, that already adds 40 euros to the subscription.
3. The carrier postage
The real spend: the cost to actually ship the parcel. Either you use Sendcloud's pre-negotiated rates, or you plug in your own carrier contract (the cost then shows as 0 euros inside Sendcloud, and the carrier bills you directly). Either way, postage is never included in the subscription.
The overage trap
The silent trap: if you exceed your plan's parcel cap, the per-label fee jumps. On Lite, it goes from 0.10 to 0.25 euros past 400 parcels. Better to pick the right tier than to pay overages at the high rate.
- Ship fewer than 20 parcels a month? The free plan is enough.
- Already have a carrier contract? Plug it in and pay only the label fee.
- Nearing your cap? Move up a tier before paying overages.
- Want a branded return portal? Budget at least the Premium plan.
- Postage is never included: always add it to your calculation.
How we size the real cost
Sendcloud's headline price does not tell you what you really pay, because the bill stacks in three layers. For a typical store shipping 400 parcels a month on the Lite plan, with annual billing, here is the breakdown, excluding the postage that depends on your carrier.
- Lite subscription400-parcel tier, annual billing28 euros
- Label fees (400 x 0.10)The Sendcloud processing fee40 euros
- Platform per monthExcluding carrier postage~68 euros
- PostageSendcloud rates or your own contract+ variable
Estimate excluding postage, on the Lite plan. Adjust for your parcel volume and your carrier.
What you actually pay per month
The price hinges on your parcel volume and the matching plan. Four typical profiles, annual billing, excluding carrier postage (add it on top).
Estimates in EUR, annual, platform only. Postage not included.
Very small
Under 20 parcels/month
- Free plan, 1 user
- 0.10/label, Sendcloud rates
- Only postage to pay on top
Small store
~400 parcels/month
- Lite 28 + 40 in label fees
- 3 users, return portal
- Carrier postage on top
Growing store
~3,000 parcels/month
- Premium 175 + 240 in fees (0.08)
- 10 users, branded returns
- Move to Premium past ~1,500 parcels
High volume
~20,000 parcels/month
- Pro 639 + 600 in fees (0.07)
- Unlimited users and integrations
- Dedicated CSM, Enterprise beyond
Estimates with annual billing (June 2026), platform only: subscription plus per-label fee. Carrier postage is always added on top and depends on your volumes and contract. The smart move is to match your plan to your real volume to avoid overages, where the per-label fee climbs sharply.
Sendcloud's price versus the alternatives
Sendcloud sits among other multi-carrier shipping platforms. Its edge is European carrier coverage and return automation, not the entry price. Here is how the entry tiers line up.
Entry prices checked June 2026. Different billing models, mixed currencies.
Sendcloud
Subscription + per-label fee
- Free plan: 20 parcels/month
- Fee of 0.07 to 0.10 per label
- Strong on European carriers
Shippo
Free, no app fee
- Free plan: 30 labels/month
- No app fee on own-carrier accounts
- Geared to North America
ShipStation
Tiered subscription
- No free plan (30-day trial)
- 50 shipments/month base
- 20% off annual, strong in the US
Entry prices checked June 2026 on the official pages. Shippo and ShipStation are priced in USD and built for North America. Shippo charges no app fee when you use your own carrier contract, where Sendcloud always bills its per-label fee. Sendcloud's true value stays its European carrier coverage and return portal, not the lowest entry ticket.
So, is Sendcloud expensive?
Our take after testing it: the entry price is reasonable, but the real cost depends on the per-label fee and postage. Here is when it pays off, and how to pay less.
Good value if…
You ship across Europe and want to automate returns. Sendcloud shines on carrier coverage and its branded return portal. On a steady volume well matched to your tier, the per-label fee drops (down to 0.07 euros on Pro) and the platform pays for itself quickly.
Less appealing if…
You ship little, or you use your own carrier contract. There, the Sendcloud per-label fee adds up with no obvious upside, where Shippo charges nothing on own-carrier accounts. And watch for carrier surcharges billed after the shipment, a recurring complaint in reviews.
The verdict
Sendcloud is an excellent European shipping platform, as long as you think in three layers: subscription, per-label fee, postage. Match your plan to your real volume, plug in your contract if you have one, and pay only for the features you actually use.
- Pay annually: roughly 20% off the subscription.
- Match your plan to your volume to avoid overages.
- Plug in your own carrier contract from the Lite plan up.
- Use the 14-day free trial, no card, to validate the fit.
- Check your invoices for late carrier surcharges.
Frequently asked questions about Sendcloud pricing
How much does Sendcloud cost per month?
Sendcloud has a free plan that covers up to 20 parcels a month with 1 user. Paid plans start at 28 euros a month on Lite with annual billing (400 parcels), then 87 euros on Growth (1,000 parcels), 175 euros on Premium (10,000 parcels) and 639 euros on Pro (30,000 parcels). But that price only covers the subscription. You also pay a Sendcloud per-label fee, from 0.07 to 0.10 euros depending on the plan, and then the carrier postage, billed separately. For a small store shipping 400 parcels on Lite, the platform alone runs around 68 euros a month before postage.Does Sendcloud have a free plan?
Yes. Sendcloud offers a free plan at 0 euros a month that covers up to 20 parcels a month, with 1 user, API access and basic integrations, at 0.10 euros per label. You use Sendcloud's pre-negotiated carrier rates, but you cannot plug in your own carrier contract on the free plan. There is also a 14-day free trial, with no credit card, to test the paid plans. For a very small volume or an early launch, the free plan is often enough to validate the tool without paying anything on the subscription side.Is postage included in the Sendcloud price?
No, never. This is what surprises people most: the Sendcloud subscription and the per-label fee only cover the platform, not the cost to ship the parcel. You pay postage on top, either at Sendcloud's pre-negotiated rates or through your own carrier contract. In the latter case, the shipping cost shows as 0 euros inside Sendcloud because the carrier bills you directly, but you still pay the Sendcloud per-label fee. To budget properly, always think in three layers: subscription, per-label fee, then the real postage.What is the Sendcloud per-label fee?
Every shipping label you generate carries a small processing fee from Sendcloud, separate from the subscription. It is 0.10 euros on the Free and Lite plans, 0.09 on Growth, 0.08 on Premium and 0.07 on Pro. The higher your plan, the lower this fee, which rewards volume. On 400 parcels a month on Lite, this fee already adds 40 euros to the 28-euro subscription. And if you exceed your plan's parcel cap, the per-label fee climbs sharply, for example from 0.10 to 0.25 euros past 400 parcels on Lite.What does Sendcloud really cost for a small store?
For a small store shipping about 400 parcels a month on the Lite plan, expect around 68 euros a month for the platform alone: 28 euros subscription plus 40 euros in per-label fees (400 x 0.10), with annual billing. Postage is added on top and depends on your carrier and volumes. If you use your own carrier contract, you only pay the platform on the Sendcloud side, with the carrier billing the shipment directly. The smart move is to match your plan to your real volume so you do not pay overages at the high rate.Is Sendcloud more expensive than Shippo or ShipStation?
It depends on your market and your model. Shippo has a free plan (30 labels a month) and charges no app fee when you use your own carrier contract, which makes it very economical in North America. ShipStation starts at $14.99 a month with no free plan. Sendcloud enters at 0 euros then 28 euros a month, but always bills a per-label fee. Its real advantage is not the lowest entry ticket: it is its European carrier coverage and branded return portal, where Shippo and ShipStation are built for the US.What is the difference between the Lite, Growth, Premium and Pro plans?
The plans follow your parcel volume and unlock features. Lite (28 euros a month) covers 400 parcels, 3 users and 3 integrations, with a simple return portal. Growth (87 euros a month) moves up to 1,000 parcels, 5 users and the branded portal with SMS and WhatsApp tracking. Premium (175 euros a month), the most popular, covers 10,000 parcels, 10 users, unlimited integrations and return analytics. Pro (639 euros a month) targets 30,000 parcels with unlimited users and a dedicated Customer Success Manager. The higher the plan, the lower the per-label fee, from 0.10 to 0.07 euros.Is there a discount for paying Sendcloud annually?
Yes. Annual billing saves roughly 20% on the subscription versus the monthly rate, across all paid plans. That is the main lever to pay less on the Sendcloud platform side. The per-label fee and the carrier postage, however, are not affected by this discount, since they depend on your volume and your contract. To optimize your bill, combine the annual commitment, a plan matched as closely as possible to your real parcel volume, and where possible your own carrier contract to lower the shipping cost.What hidden fees should I watch for with Sendcloud?
Three items can push the bill beyond the headline subscription. First, overages: beyond your plan's parcel count, the per-label fee climbs sharply, for example from 0.10 to 0.25 euros past 400 parcels on Lite. Second, carrier surcharges, billed after the shipment, sometimes weeks later, in case of size reclassification or a fuel surcharge, a recurring complaint in reviews. Third, advanced features gated by tier, like the branded return portal or analytics, which can force you to move up a plan. Check your invoices regularly to spot late surcharges.Can I cancel Sendcloud easily?
The subscription is managed from your account and you can change plans as your parcel volume shifts. The watch-out most cited in reviews is not a minimum-term clause, which is not clearly documented, but the carrier surcharges billed after the shipment: some users report cost adjustments received up to two months after sending. Before you leave, export your data, your labels and your shipping history, and check your latest invoices to make sure no late surcharge remains. Since support is the weak point most often raised, plan your requests ahead of time.
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