Cargo Marshal and Cargo-Planner are both load planners aimed at freight forwarders. Cargo-Planner covers more load types, including air cargo and oversized cargo. Cargo Marshal covers Sea and Road equipment only, publishes its prices and starts with a 14-day trial. We make Cargo Marshal, so read this as one side's careful comparison. Last updated 6 October 2026.
Every statement about Cargo-Planner comes from its public website, with the page and the date we read it listed at the end. Where the site does not say something, the table says "not stated".
What is the difference between Cargo Marshal and Cargo-Planner?
The main difference is scope. Cargo-Planner describes a broad tool for containers, trucks, pallets and aircraft. Cargo Marshal is narrower. It plans closed rectangular equipment for Sea and Road, and it puts its effort into one question for forwarders. How many containers or trucks, and how is it loaded?
Comparison table
| Cargo Marshal | Cargo-Planner | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Freight forwarders and 3PLs | Forwarders, manufacturers, airlines, event logistics and others, per its website |
| Sea containers | 20 ft, 40 ft, 40 ft high cube, 45 ft high cube, reefers, open top | 20', 40', 40HC, 45' and reefers |
| Road equipment | EU curtain and box trailers, megatrailer, US 53 ft semi, swap bodies, box truck, van | Trailers including step decks and open tops |
| Air cargo (ULD) | Not supported | Supported, per its website |
| Oversized or out-of-gauge cargo | Not supported | Mentioned on its website |
| Pallets | Euro and GMA pallets as equipment you load into; no pallet building | Mixed pallets, interlocking and overhang |
| Axle loads | Advisory only for road equipment with an axle profile | "Axle weights" mentioned |
| Centre of gravity | Advisory warning when a Unit is unbalanced | Centre-of-gravity features mentioned |
| Multi-stop routes | Loading priority sets the unload order; no hard multi-stop rule | Discharge order for multi-stop routes |
| Cargo input | Excel and CSV import, pasted tables, manual entry, reusable library items | Excel upload or manual entry, ERP integration |
| Sharing | Read-only Share Link without an account, branded PDF Loading Report | URL-based sharing, branded PDF export |
| API | Public API on the Enterprise plan | An API is offered, plan terms not stated |
| Prices | Public | No prices on its pricing page |
| Free trial | 14 days on the Team plan, no credit card | "Free trial on any plan", length not stated |
| Interface languages | English and German | Not stated |
| Installation | Web only, nothing to install | Not stated |
What does each tool cover that the other does not?
Cargo-Planner covers load types that Cargo Marshal does not: aircraft, oversized cargo and, per its site, a wider set of trailer types such as step decks. If your work includes air freight or out-of-gauge cargo, Cargo Marshal will not do it.
Cargo Marshal covers a narrower field in more depth for forwarders. Examples from our own planner are keep-together groups that must load as one block, loading priority for unload order, side loading for curtainsiders and open-top loading for open-top containers, axle load advisories, and locked placements that survive a recalculation. We list these because they are real in our product. Cargo-Planner may offer similar functions under other names, and we did not test it.
How do the prices compare?
Cargo Marshal prices are public and in US dollars. Cargo-Planner's pricing page, when we read it, showed no prices and pointed visitors to a free trial and to contact.
| Plan | Price | Members | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pro | $99 per month, or $708 per year | 1 | For a solo planner |
| Team | $139 per month, or $1,188 per year | 5 | Adds the 3D view, Share Links and the organisation logo on PDFs |
| Enterprise | $2,388 per year | 15 | Adds API access, SSO, invoice payment and a data processing agreement |
All Cargo Marshal plans include unlimited projects and calculations. New organisations start on a 14-day Team trial. See the current numbers on the pricing section of the home page, because prices can change after this post.
Cargo-Planner's pricing page says that all plans include core load planning features and that higher tiers add collaboration tools. It says a standard licence cannot be shared across company divisions. For a price you have to ask the vendor.
Which one should you choose?
Choose by the freight you plan.
- Choose Cargo Marshal if you plan Sea and Road loads, want to see prices before you talk to anyone, and want a link or PDF that a warehouse can follow.
- Choose Cargo-Planner if you also plan air cargo or oversized cargo, or if you need one tool for those load types.
- Test both on a real packing list if both fit. A trial costs an afternoon, and the better arrangement for your cargo shows up on your own data.
You can open a sample load plan without signing up. For the numbers behind a container load, read how many pallets fit in a container.
What did we not compare?
We did not run a head-to-head test of packing results. A solver comparison needs the same cargo and equipment in both tools. We have not run Cargo-Planner as a reference, because its trial and its API both require an account, so we make no claim about whose arrangement uses fewer Units. We also did not check Cargo-Planner's languages, hosting model, trial length or plan prices, because its website does not state them. If you work at Cargo-Planner and a statement here is out of date, tell us and we will correct it.
FAQ
Is Cargo Marshal an alternative to Cargo-Planner?
For Sea and Road load planning, yes. Both plan containers and trucks from a cargo list and produce a shareable plan. For air cargo and oversized cargo, no, because Cargo Marshal does not cover them.
Which is cheaper, Cargo Marshal or Cargo-Planner?
We cannot say. Cargo Marshal starts at $99 per month for one planner. Cargo-Planner does not show prices on its pricing page, so ask the vendor and compare the quote with the plan you need.
Does Cargo Marshal have a free trial?
Yes. New organisations start on a 14-day Team trial without a credit card.
Can I import an Excel packing list?
Yes. Cargo Marshal imports Excel and CSV files and pasted tables, maps the columns, and lets you preview the result before it creates Cargo Lines. Cargo-Planner's website also lists Excel upload.
Does Cargo Marshal have an API?
Yes, on the Enterprise plan. A customer's own TMS or ERP can request a plan through the public API. Cargo Marshal does not build or maintain connectors.
Does Cargo Marshal plan air freight?
No. It plans closed rectangular equipment for Sea and Road. Air freight, flat racks and out-of-gauge cargo are not supported.
Sources
All pages read on 6 October 2026. Statements about Cargo-Planner reflect those pages on that date and may have changed.
- Cargo-Planner home page, for target users, load types, import, sharing, API and trial.
- Cargo-Planner pricing, for plan structure, the free trial and the absence of numeric prices.
- Cargo-Planner features, for centre of gravity, load-bearing limits, discharge order for multi-stop routes and sharing.