Best Trucking Dispatch Software 2026: TMS Prices for Carriers and Owner-Operators

Quick answer: For owner-operators and small carriers, TruckingOffice (from $25 a month for 1 to 2 trucks) and TruckLogics (from $35.96 a month billed yearly) are the lowest published prices. AscendTMS ($69 to $149 per user per month) suits carriers that also broker loads. Growing fleets look at Truckbase (minimum $290 a month, billed annually), Alvys (quoted per load) and Rose Rocket (from $2,080 a month). Large asset carriers usually compare enterprise systems such as McLeod LoadMaster and Axon, which quote privately. All prices vendor-published, checked September 2026.

Dispatch software for trucking, usually sold as a TMS (transportation management system), is where a carrier books loads, assigns trucks and drivers, tracks each trip, and turns delivered loads into invoices and driver pay. The best choice depends less on features than on your size: an owner-operator needs cheap load tracking and IFTA, while a 100-truck carrier needs settlements, EDI and accounting.

This guide compares the main options for carriers and owner-operators, with the prices each vendor publishes, what each is built for, and how dispatch tools fit with ELD and telematics platforms such as Motive and Samsara.

What Is the Best Dispatch Software for Trucking?

Software	Best for	Published starting price	Free trial
TruckingOffice	Owner-operators and small fleets	$25/month (Basic, 1 to 2 trucks)	30 days, no card
TruckLogics	Owner-operators, small fleets, IFTA	$35.96/month billed yearly (1 to 2 trucks)	7 days
AscendTMS	Carriers that also broker freight	$69 per user/month (Basic)	30 days on Premium and PRO
Truckbase	Small and mid-size asset carriers	$290/month minimum, billed annually	Not listed
Alvys	Growing carriers wanting automation	Quoted per load	14 days (Foundations)
Rose Rocket	Carriers and brokers with custom workflows	$2,080/month	Demo
Tailwind TMS	Carriers and brokers (now part of WiseTech Global)	Not published	Demo
McLeod LoadMaster	Large truckload and LTL carriers	Quote	Demo
Axon	Carriers wanting dispatch tied to accounting	Quote	Demo
Motive / Samsara dispatch	Fleets already on their ELD	Part of a quoted subscription	Demo

For a wider list with reviews, see our trucking TMS software category.

What Software Do Truck Dispatchers Use?

Most carrier dispatchers work in three connected tools:

A TMS or dispatch board to enter loads, assign drivers and trucks, track status and produce rate confirmations and invoices.
An ELD or telematics platform for hours of service, live location and ETAs. Motive, Samsara and similar vendors feed that data into the TMS.
Load boards and accounting, such as DAT or Truckstop for finding freight and QuickBooks for the books, usually connected by integration.

Small operations often start with a spreadsheet and a load board. The switch to a TMS usually comes when invoicing, driver settlements or IFTA fuel tax reporting start taking hours each week.

Best Dispatch Software for Owner-Operators and Small Fleets

TruckingOffice

TruckingOffice prices by truck count, with no contract and monthly billing. Its pricing page lists two plans:

Tier	Basic (FTL)	Pro (FTL and LTL)
Owner/Operator (1 to 2 trucks)	$25/month	$35/month
Mid Size (3 to 7 trucks)	$55/month	$75/month
Fleet (8+ trucks)	$90/month	$130/month
Broker (unlimited)	$45/month	Not listed

A PC*MILER mileage add-on costs $5 to $25 a month depending on tier, there are no per-user fees, and the free trial runs 30 days with no credit card.

TruckLogics

TruckLogics covers dispatch, invoicing, driver settlements, maintenance and IFTA. Its pricing page lists, on yearly billing: Owner Operator (1 to 2 trucks) $35.96 a month, Small Fleet (3 to 7 trucks) $71.96, Mid-Size Fleet (8 to 14 trucks) $179.96 and Large Fleet (15 to 24 trucks) $224.96, with 25+ trucks quoted. Monthly billing costs about 10% more ($39.95 for the Owner Operator tier). It imports trucks and mileage from Motive and Samsara, and sells standalone IFTA reports at $24.95 each. The trial is 7 days, and billing is monthly or yearly with no refunds.

AscendTMS

AscendTMS was long marketed as a free TMS, and its homepage still says plans “start at zero dollars.” Its pricing page, however, now lists three paid plans: Basic $69, Premium $119 and PRO $149 per user per month, with no user limit, free setup, support and training, and no charges for drivers, trucks or loads. Premium and PRO include the first 30 days free. It is strongest for companies that both haul and broker freight, with load board search, carrier tendering and, on PRO, outbound EDI and e-signatures. If a free tier matters to you, confirm what is available when you sign up.

Best TMS Software for Growing Carriers

Truckbase

Truckbase is built for small and mid-size asset carriers. Its pricing page offers several models (per truck, per driver, per load, flat annual or custom) and states a minimum of $290 a month billed annually. It includes free live virtual onboarding and implementation and unlimited US-based 24-hour support.

Alvys

Alvys prices by load volume. Its pricing page lists three plans, Foundations, Growth and Scale, each “quoted based on volume of loads,” with a 14-day free trial on Foundations, free implementation and “cancel anytime.” Foundations includes a driver mobile app, AI load creation and two-way QuickBooks sync; Growth adds a public API and bulk load creation; Scale adds unlimited subsidiaries and a dedicated customer success manager.

Rose Rocket

Rose Rocket is a configurable TMS for carriers, brokers and shippers. Its pricing page lists the Full Service Platform from $2,080 a month, with unlimited users, order, dispatch, tracking and invoicing, no-code workflow tools, AI agents and a guaranteed 90-day go-live. An Enterprise plan with SSO, custom SLAs and unlimited API access is custom-priced.

Tailwind TMS

Tailwind TMS now sits under WiseTech Global’s CargoWise brand, and its old pricing URL redirects to a CargoWise product page. That page describes a cloud TMS for “motor carriers, freight brokers, and companies that do both,” covering quotes, orders, bills of lading, invoices and settlements. It does not list prices.

Enterprise TMS for Large Carriers

McLeod Software serves truckload carriers, LTL carriers, private fleets and brokerages, with modules for dispatch and load execution, driver management, safety, EDI and accounting. Its carrier system is McLeod LoadMaster. Pricing is by demo and quote.

Axon Software sells an integrated trucking system that keeps dispatch, accounting, financial management and driver management in one database. Pricing is by quote.

Enterprise systems make sense when you need deep settlements, EDI with large shippers, multiple terminals and custom reporting. They are rarely cost-effective under a few dozen trucks.

Do Motive and Samsara Include Dispatch?

Both ELD vendors include dispatch features, but neither replaces a full TMS for billing and settlements.

Motive lets fleet managers create, manage and track dispatches that drivers receive in the Motive Driver App, and it integrates with TMS platforms so load details flow to the driver automatically. Pricing is part of a quoted subscription; see our Motive review.
Samsara sells routing and dispatch as part of its telematics platform, alongside commercial navigation. Its licenses are priced per device on multi-year terms; see our Samsara pricing guide.

The common setup is a TMS for loads, invoicing and pay, connected to Motive or Samsara for hours of service, location and ETAs. Check that your TMS lists your ELD as an integration before you buy.

How Much Does Dispatch Software Cost?

Operation	Typical published range	Examples
Owner-operator (1 to 2 trucks)	$25 to $40 a month	TruckingOffice $25 to $35; TruckLogics $35.96 yearly or $39.95 monthly
Small fleet (3 to 14 trucks)	$55 to $180 a month	TruckingOffice $55 to $130; TruckLogics $71.96 to $179.96
Per-user TMS	$69 to $149 per user a month	AscendTMS Basic, Premium, PRO
Growing carrier	$290 a month and up, or per load	Truckbase minimum $290; Alvys per-load quote
Configurable or enterprise TMS	$2,080 a month and up, or quote	Rose Rocket; McLeod; Axon; Tailwind

Budget for extras too: mileage software such as PC*MILER, load board subscriptions (AscendTMS notes these are separate), ELD subscriptions, and any factoring or fuel card fees.

Is There Free Dispatch Software for Trucking?

We found no current free plan from the carrier TMS vendors above. The realistic ways to start at no cost are free trials: 30 days on TruckingOffice and on AscendTMS Premium and PRO, 14 days on Alvys Foundations and 7 days on TruckLogics. Use the trial to run real loads end to end, from booking to invoice, before paying.

How to Choose Trucking Dispatch Software

Match the pricing model to your business. Per-truck pricing suits stable fleets; per-load pricing (Alvys, Truckbase option) suits seasonal carriers; per-user pricing (AscendTMS) suits offices with few dispatchers and many trucks.
Check the ELD integration. Live location, HOS and mileage should flow in automatically.
Test settlements and IFTA. Driver pay and fuel tax are where small carriers lose the most time.
Check accounting sync. Most carriers need QuickBooks or a built-in ledger.
Ask about EDI if you haul for large shippers that tender loads electronically.
Read the contract. TruckingOffice and Alvys advertise no long-term contract; Truckbase’s minimum is billed annually; enterprise systems usually carry multi-year terms.

If the bigger cost worry is keeping trucks on the road, pair your TMS with fleet maintenance software. For telematics options, see our fleet management software roundup.

The Short Version

Owner-operators can run dispatch, invoicing and IFTA for $25 to $40 a month with TruckingOffice or TruckLogics. Carriers that also broker loads should trial AscendTMS. Growing fleets should compare Truckbase, Alvys and Rose Rocket on pricing model and integrations, and large carriers should get quotes from McLeod and Axon. Whatever you choose, connect it to your ELD so dispatchers stop calling drivers for updates.

Checked September 2026: prices and terms from each vendor’s pricing page (truckingoffice.com, trucklogics.com, thefreetms.com, truckbase.com, alvys.com, roserocket.com) and product pages for Tailwind TMS (cargowise.com), McLeod Software, Axon Software, Motive and Samsara. Confirm current prices with each vendor.

Frequently Asked Questions About Trucking Dispatch Software

What software do truck dispatchers use?

Most use a TMS or dispatch board such as TruckingOffice, TruckLogics, AscendTMS, Alvys, Truckbase, Rose Rocket or McLeod, connected to an ELD platform such as Motive or Samsara for location and hours of service, plus load boards and accounting software.

How much does dispatch software cost?

Published prices start at $25 a month for an owner-operator on TruckingOffice and $35.96 a month billed yearly on TruckLogics. Per-user tools such as AscendTMS run $69 to $149 per user a month, Truckbase starts at $290 a month billed annually, and Rose Rocket starts at $2,080 a month.

What is the best free dispatch software for trucking?

We found no current free plan among the main carrier TMS vendors. AscendTMS, long known as a free TMS, now lists paid plans from $69 per user a month. Free trials are available: 30 days on TruckingOffice and on AscendTMS Premium and PRO, 14 days on Alvys and 7 days on TruckLogics.

What is the difference between TMS and dispatch software?

Dispatch software focuses on assigning loads to drivers and tracking them. A TMS usually adds quoting, invoicing, driver settlements, accounting sync, EDI and reporting. Most trucking products sold today as dispatch software are small TMS platforms.

Is dispatch software good for owner-operators?

Yes, if invoicing, IFTA and expense tracking take real time each week. TruckingOffice starts at $25 a month and TruckLogics at $35.96 a month billed yearly for 1 to 2 trucks, and both offer free trials.

Does Motive have dispatch software?

Motive includes a dispatch feature that lets managers create and track dispatches sent to the Motive Driver App, and it integrates with TMS platforms. It is sold as part of a quoted Motive subscription and does not replace a TMS for invoicing and settlements.

What is the best TMS for a large trucking company?

Large asset carriers usually evaluate enterprise systems such as McLeod LoadMaster and Axon, or configurable platforms such as Rose Rocket and Tailwind TMS. All quote privately, so compare implementation time, EDI support and accounting depth alongside price.