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Head-to-head · Transportation Visibility Software

Descartes MacroPoint vs Terminal49

  • Updated Sep 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 6 checks side by side
Descartes MacroPoint #6 in Transportation Visibility Software 6.9/10 Pricing on request ✓ 3 of 5 features Visit Descartes
Terminal49 #8 in Transportation Visibility Software 6.9/10 Free plan · 14-day trial Free plan✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Terminal49

Descartes MacroPoint leads on 0 checks, Terminal49 on 3, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Free planonly Terminal49
  • Most featuresTerminal49 · 5 of 5

Descartes MacroPoint and Terminal49 score identically on our rubric (6.9 out of 10) for transportation visibility software; Descartes MacroPoint sits at #6 and Terminal49 at #8 in our editorial ranking, so the choice comes down to fit.

Terminal49 offers free plan; Descartes MacroPoint doesn't publish it. Terminal49 offers api access; Descartes MacroPoint doesn't publish it. Terminal49 offers webhook support; Descartes MacroPoint doesn't publish it.

Descartes MacroPoint is the better fit for multimodal freight tracking with mobile access. Terminal49 is the better fit for cost-conscious ocean and rail teams.

  • Descartes MacroPoint fits best

    Multimodal freight tracking with mobile access

  • Terminal49 fits best

    Cost-conscious ocean and rail teams

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you click some links. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Descartes MacroPoint 6.9/10 Visit ↗ Terminal49 6.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 6.9 6.9
Ranking #6 in Transportation Visibility Software #8 in Transportation Visibility Software
Best for Multimodal freight tracking with mobile access Cost-conscious ocean and rail teams
Pricing model Paid Free plan + paid
Starting price Not published Not published
Free plan Not published ✓ (best)
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Mobile Cloud
Platforms Web, iOS, Android Web
Integrations 5 integrations 150+ integrations
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Descartes MacroPoint 3/5 · Terminal49 5/5
Real-time location ✓ ✓
ETA predictions ✓ ✓
Exception alerts ✓ ✓
API access Not published ✓ (best)
Webhook support Not published ✓ (best)
Specs
Transport modes road, rail, ocean, multimodal ocean, rail, road
Carrier connections Not published Not published
Our review
Pros
  • Tracks road, rail, ocean, and multimodal shipments in real time
  • Combines predictive ETAs, arrival detection, and exception management
  • Supports web, iOS, Android, and extensive carrier tracking connections
  • Free forever plan with shipment tracking and 50 document credits
  • Real-time ocean, vessel AIS, terminal, and intermodal rail visibility
  • API, webhooks, alerts, documents, and broad system integrations
Cons
  • Pricing requires a conversation with sales
  • The broad feature set may exceed simpler tracking needs
  • API and webhook details are not part of the public product information
  • The Free plan is limited to basic notifications
  • Predictive ETAs and port congestion insights are reserved for Complete
  • Advanced collaboration, API, and workflow features require paid tiers
Our verdict

Descartes MacroPoint is a freight visibility platform for shippers, freight brokers, and third-party logistics providers. It brings shipment location, status, and estimated arrival data together from carrier systems, electronic logging…

Read the review →

Terminal49 is a transportation visibility platform for cargo owners, freight forwarders, customs brokers, and drayage providers. It brings together container milestones from ocean carriers, terminals, vessel AIS, and intermodal rail in…

Read the review →
  1. Descartes MacroPointTransportation Visibility Software 6.9Pricing on request
  2. Terminal49Transportation Visibility Software 6.9Free plan · 14-day trial

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Descartes MacroPoint — where it wins

    • Tracks road, rail, ocean, and multimodal shipments in real time
    • Combines predictive ETAs, arrival detection, and exception management
    • Supports web, iOS, Android, and extensive carrier tracking connections

    Where it doesn't

    • Pricing requires a conversation with sales
    • The broad feature set may exceed simpler tracking needs
    • API and webhook details are not part of the public product information

  • Terminal49 — where it wins

    • Free forever plan with shipment tracking and 50 document credits
    • Real-time ocean, vessel AIS, terminal, and intermodal rail visibility
    • API, webhooks, alerts, documents, and broad system integrations

    Where it doesn't

    • The Free plan is limited to basic notifications
    • Predictive ETAs and port congestion insights are reserved for Complete
    • Advanced collaboration, API, and workflow features require paid tiers
  • Descartes MacroPoint6.9/10 · Pricing on request

    A broad visibility platform for tracking freight, predicting ETAs, and managing exceptions.

    Visit DescartesFull verdict →
  • Terminal496.9/10 · Free plan · 14-day trial

    A strong starting point for ocean and rail visibility, with paid tiers for scale.

    Visit Terminal49Full verdict →

More comparisons

All transportation visibility software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026

Last updated · How we research and update