Introduction
If you’re searching for Magaya alternatives, you’re likely experiencing one of four common frustrations.
We analyzed internal data from seven freight forwarders—six current Magaya users and one recent convert—to reveal the primary challenges driving their search for a modern alternative.
The Four Pain Points Driving Magaya Alternative Searches
1. Outdated User Experience The most common complaint. Feedback consistently describes the interface as “outdated,” “not user-friendly,” and “not flexible.”
“Magaya feels outdated, not user-friendly, and has been in use for years.” — Operations Manager at a former Magaya user (now GoFreight customer)
2. Manual Data Re-Entry The “double-entry tax”—re-entering information from quotes to create shipments, disconnected accounting integration forcing duplicate entries.
“Not loving process from quote→shipment with reentering information” — Operations Manager at a current Magaya user
3. Concerns About Platform Direction (The “CargoWise Paradox”) Some users express concern that Magaya is becoming what prospects explicitly rejected:
“Worked at Magaya for 5 years, likes them a lot but said does not like the path they are going down to be more like CargoWise” — Former Magaya Employee at a mid-market freight forwarder
4. Feature Gaps + Poor Support Missing modern capabilities (AI, rate management, native accounting integrations) combined with support issues.
When Magaya Still Makes Sense
To be fair, Magaya isn’t wrong for everyone. If warehouse management is your primary requirement, Magaya’s WMS capabilities (strengthened by the Catapult acquisition) remain a differentiator.
But if you’re frustrated with UI/UX, manual workflows, or the platform’s direction—and warehousing isn’t your primary need—you have strong alternatives.
This guide compares the top Magaya alternatives, helping you find software that fits your operation.
→ Need TMS fundamentals first? Read What is TMS?
Quick Comparison: Magaya Alternatives
| Alternative | Best For | G2 Rating | Implementation | Price Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GoFreight | Mid-market forwarders | 4.8/5 (88) | 4-8 weeks | −$ |
| CargoWise | Global enterprises | 4.3/5 (30) | 6-12 months | $$$$-$$$$$ | | Descartes | Compliance focus | 4.2/5 | 12+ weeks | $$−$$$ | | Freightos | Rate management | 4.3/5 | 2-4 weeks | $$ |
| Cargobase | Procurement focus | 4.0/5 | 4-6 weeks | −$ |
#1: GoFreight — Best Alternative for Growing Forwarders
G2 Rating: 4.8/5 (88 reviews) Best For: Mid-market freight forwarders (10-100 employees) Implementation: 4-8 weeks
Why GoFreight is the Top Magaya Alternative
GoFreight directly addresses the core pain points driving Magaya users to seek alternatives:
Modern User Experience Where Magaya users cite outdated UI, GoFreight delivers a modern, intuitive interface that staff actually want to use.
“GoFreight is very user friendly, and I am quick in the system.” — Janko Wille, CEO, Allround Forwarding Midwest
No Manual Re-Entry Quote-to-shipment flow is seamless—information entered once flows through the entire workflow. No “double-entry tax.”
Native Accounting Integration Built-in accounting with P&L by shipment visibility, plus integrations with QuickBooks, Xero, Sage, and open API connectivity.
“With GoFreight, we turned financial complexity into clarity.” — Jane Xu, Straight Forwarding Inc.
Fast Implementation 4-8 weeks versus months. Staff productive in days.
“Onboarding was simple, and the platform is easy to use.” — Dipty Jardosh, Operations Director, GC Logistics
Customer Results After Switching
- TG Cargo: 200% efficiency improvement
- Whale US: 50% time savings
- Headwin: 2x shipment capacity (100 → 200/month)
- UCM: 53% reduction in demurrage costs
Real Switch Story: A Mid-Market Forwarder
One mid-market freight forwarder ran on Magaya for 5-6 years before switching to GoFreight in 2025.
Their frustration: “Outdated, not user-friendly, not flexible”
After switching, they gained the modern interface and seamless workflows they’d been missing.
Considerations
- Air freight: Solid but not as deep as ocean capabilities
- Warehouse: Core features included; heavy WMS users may need supplemental tools
- Global accounting: Strongest for North American operations
Best Fit for GoFreight
✓ Currently frustrated with Magaya UI/UX ✓ 10-100 employees ✓ US/Canada-based operations ✓ Ocean and air freight focus ✓ QuickBooks, Xero, or other accounting software users ✓ Companies valuing fast implementation
→ Compare directly: GoFreight vs Magaya
Pricing
Competitive per-user pricing with features included. Implementation typically included in subscription. No per-module nickel-and-diming.
#2: CargoWise — Enterprise-Scale Alternative
G2 Rating: 4.3/5 (30 reviews) Best For: Global enterprises (200+ employees) Implementation: 6-12+ months
Overview
CargoWise is the industry standard for large global freight forwarders. It offers comprehensive functionality but comes with significant complexity and cost.
Why Consider CargoWise
Comprehensive Features Covers virtually every logistics workflow: forwarding, customs, warehousing, transport.
Global Network Extensive carrier and partner connectivity worldwide.
Industry Standard For large enterprises, CargoWise is often the expected platform.
The CargoWise Paradox
Here’s the irony: Some Magaya users express concern that Magaya is “becoming like CargoWise”—the very system they might have already rejected.
From TRANSWORLD SHIPPING (100 users): CargoWise was evaluated and rejected for being “Too complex and expensive.”
If complexity drove you away from CargoWise, it may not be the right Magaya alternative for you either.
Considerations
Cost & Complexity > “I’m scared to death every time I see a bill from CargoWise.” — Branch Manager at a mid-size US forwarder
Long Implementation 6-12+ months. For mid-market companies, this timeline can be disruptive.
Feature Bloat > “CargoWise does everything, but we only use 20% of features.” — Common feedback
Best Fit for CargoWise
✓ Global enterprise with 200+ employees ✓ 5+ international offices requiring unified systems ✓ Dedicated IT/admin teams ✓ Partners/customers expecting CargoWise connectivity ✗ NOT ideal if complexity/cost drove Magaya frustration
#3: Descartes — Compliance-Focused Alternative
G2 Rating: 4.2/5 Best For: Compliance-heavy operations Implementation: 12+ weeks
Overview
Descartes excels in compliance, denied party screening, and trade intelligence. Best for operations where regulatory complexity is the primary challenge.
Why Consider Descartes
Compliance Excellence Industry-leading denied party screening, HTS code lookup, and trade compliance tools.
Trade Intelligence Strong capabilities for navigating complex international trade requirements.
Considerations
System Fragmentation Our analysis of Descartes users found: - 75% cite manual data entry/workflows - 50% doing quotation in Excel alongside Descartes
“Operating across multiple systems creating inefficiencies, double work” — OL USA prospect
If you’re leaving Magaya because of workflow issues, Descartes may not solve that problem.
Not a Complete FMS Many users need multiple tools alongside Descartes for complete forwarding workflows.
Best Fit for Descartes
✓ Compliance is primary requirement ✓ Trade intelligence needed ✓ Denied party screening critical ✗ NOT ideal if seeking unified platform replacing fragmented systems
#4: Freightos/WebCargo — Rate Management Focus
G2 Rating: 4.3/5 Best For: Rate comparison and booking (not full TMS) Implementation: 2-4 weeks
Overview
Freightos focuses on rate management and booking—a marketplace approach to freight procurement. Good for adding rate capabilities; not a complete Magaya replacement.
Why Consider Freightos
Fast Rate Comparison Quick visibility into spot rates across carriers.
Easy Booking Streamlined booking interface.
Considerations
Not a Full TMS/FMS Missing complete forwarding workflows: documentation, accounting, customer management. Typically used alongside another system, not as a replacement.
Best Fit for Freightos
✓ Adding rate management capability ✓ Seeking spot rate visibility ✓ Supplement to existing FMS ✗ NOT a complete Magaya replacement
#5: Cargobase — Procurement Focus
G2 Rating: 4.0/5 Best For: Freight procurement and RFQ management Implementation: 4-6 weeks
Overview
Cargobase focuses on freight procurement—more suited for shippers managing carrier relationships than freight forwarders.
Considerations
Shipper Focus Designed for companies shipping their own freight, not freight forwarders operating as intermediaries.
Limited Forwarding Features Missing core forwarding workflows (documentation, carrier bills, customer invoicing).
Best Fit for Cargobase
✓ Shippers (not forwarders) managing freight ✓ RFQ/procurement focus ✗ NOT ideal for freight forwarding operations
How to Choose the Right Magaya Alternative
Match Alternative to Your Primary Pain Point
If UI/UX is your main frustration: → GoFreight (modern interface, highest user rating)
If manual re-entry is the problem: → GoFreight (seamless quote-to-shipment flow)
If you need enterprise scale: → CargoWise (but expect complexity and cost)
If compliance is primary: → Descartes (but may need additional tools)
If you only need rate management: → Freightos (but not a complete replacement)
Questions to Ask Yourself
1. Why am I really leaving Magaya? - UI/UX frustration? → Prioritize modern interface - Manual workflows? → Prioritize seamless data flow - Feature gaps? → Identify specific capabilities needed - Cost concerns? → Evaluate TCO carefully
2. What’s my company size? - 10-50 employees: Mid-market platforms (GoFreight) best fit - 50-100 employees: Mid-market or consider enterprise - 100+ employees: Evaluate enterprise options
3. What’s my implementation timeline? - Need to be live in weeks? → Eliminate enterprise options - Can spend 6-12 months? → Enterprise options viable
4. What’s my realistic budget? - Mid-market: $100-400/user/month - Enterprise: $500-2,000+/user/month plus implementation
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Choosing Enterprise When You’re Mid-Market CargoWise for a 30-person forwarder often means: - Year-long implementation - Features you’ll never use - Complexity that frustrates staff
2. Choosing Based on Features You Won’t Use Evaluate against your actual workflows, not theoretical needs.
3. Ignoring Implementation Reality A platform that takes 12 months to implement costs more than the subscription price suggests.
4. Not Checking References Ask for customers similar to your size and use case. How was their switch from Magaya?
→ Compare all platforms: Best Freight Forwarding Software
Making the Switch: What to Expect
Pre-Migration Preparation
Audit Your Magaya Usage - Which features do you actually use? - What data needs to migrate? - What can you leave behind?
Clean Your Data - Customer/partner records - Rate agreements - Historical shipments (how much do you need?)
Document Workflows - What works that you want to keep? - What workflows should change with new system?
Typical Migration Timeline (to GoFreight)
Week 1-2: Configuration and setup Week 2-4: Data migration Week 3-5: Training Week 5-8: Go-live and support
Success Factors
What leads to smooth migration: - Clean data before migration - Engaged internal champion - Staff availability for training - Realistic expectations
“Onboarding was simple, and the platform is easy to use.” — Dipty Jardosh, GC Logistics
What Migrates from Magaya
- Customer and partner records
- Rate agreements
- Open shipments (as needed)
- Historical data (selectively)
- Document templates (may need recreation)
FAQs: Magaya Alternatives
What is the best alternative to Magaya? For most mid-market freight forwarders (10-100 employees), GoFreight offers the best alternative—addressing the core UI/UX, workflow, and integration issues that drive Magaya users to seek alternatives. For global enterprises, CargoWise provides comprehensive functionality but with significant complexity and cost.
Why are companies leaving Magaya? Our analysis found four primary reasons: outdated UI/UX, manual quote-to-shipment re-entry, concerns about platform direction, and feature gaps with poor support.
How hard is it to switch from Magaya? With proper planning, migration typically takes 4-8 weeks for mid-market platforms. Key factors: data cleanup, staff training time, and vendor support quality.
Is GoFreight better than Magaya? For most mid-market forwarders seeking modern UI, seamless workflows, and native accounting integrations—yes. GoFreight rates 4.8/5 on G2 (88 reviews) compared to Magaya’s 4.1/5. However, if warehouse management is your primary requirement, evaluate both carefully.
Can I migrate my data from Magaya? Yes. Customer records, rate agreements, and historical data can migrate. Work with your new vendor on migration planning and data mapping.
What about Magaya’s warehouse features? Magaya has stronger warehouse management (especially with Catapult). If WMS is primary, evaluate whether alternatives meet your needs or if supplemental tools are acceptable.
Conclusion
If you’re searching for Magaya alternatives, you’re not alone. The frustrations driving that search—outdated interfaces, manual workflows, platform direction concerns—are real and shared by many in your situation.
The good news: strong alternatives exist.
For most mid-market freight forwarders, GoFreight directly addresses the core Magaya pain points: - Modern, intuitive interface (vs. “outdated, not user-friendly”) - Seamless quote-to-shipment workflow (vs. manual re-entry) - Native accounting integrations (vs. disconnected accounting) - Fast implementation (weeks vs. months)
“Magaya feels outdated, not user-friendly, and has been in use for years.” — Operations Manager at a former Magaya user
Many companies like this have made the switch. So can you.
The right software becomes invisible—enabling your team to serve customers better rather than fighting technology. If your current system is holding you back, now is the time to explore what’s possible.
Ready to see the difference? Request a GoFreight Demo →
