The Ultimate Guide to AI Freight Forwarding Tools (2025)

Detailed breakdown of the leading solutions in the freight forwarding and brokerage space.

Choosing the right AI tool requires understanding the nuances of what each platform offers. Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the leading solutions in the freight forwarding and brokerage space, each with its own unique approach and strengths.

Alterion

This tool positions itself as a true AI co-pilot, designed to augment, not replace, the freight forwarder. Its primary strength is its seamless integration into existing workflows as a browser extension. This approach eliminates the need for disruptive software changes or lengthy onboarding processes. Alterion works in the background to automate repetitive tasks like data entry from shipping documents and emails, provides actionable insights from your operational data, and helps streamline communications. The core idea is to allow users to work smarter and faster within the platforms they already use every day, making it an excellent choice for teams looking for immediate efficiency gains without overhauling their entire tech stack.

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Raft

Raft offers a comprehensive, end-to-end platform aimed at automating the entire shipment lifecycle. It excels at centralizing and making sense of unstructured data from various sources like emails, PDFs, and spreadsheets. By leveraging its own proprietary Large Language Models (LLMs), Raft can extract critical information, automate complex document processing for things like customs entries and accounts payable, and provide a unified dashboard for powerful analytics. It's an ideal choice for larger organizations that are looking to build a single source of truth for their data and achieve deep, systemic automation.

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Starboard

Speed and accuracy in quoting are Starboard's core strengths. Its AI-driven Quote Tool is designed to generate precise quotes in seconds, a critical advantage in a fast-paced market. By integrating real-time data from carriers and other sources, it ensures that quotes are not only fast but also competitive and accurate. Starboard also provides tools for shipment tracking and invoice reconciliation, but its primary focus on the ‘top-of-the-funnel’ sales process makes it particularly valuable for forwarders who want to increase their win rates by being the first to respond to RFQs.

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Linbis

Linbis provides a broad logistics software suite with an integrated AI assistant at its core. It's designed to be a user-friendly and scalable solution, making it a great entry point for small to medium-sized businesses beginning their AI adoption journey. The assistant can handle a wide range of tasks, from automated data entry and document processing to answering natural language queries about shipments (‘Where is my container?’). This focus on simplifying a wide array of daily operations makes it an accessible all-in-one choice.

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Virtualworkforce.ai

This is a highly specialized tool focused exclusively on email automation for logistics teams. Recognizing that the inbox is a major bottleneck, Virtualworkforce.ai integrates with existing TMS and ERP systems to read, understand, and act on emails. Its AI agents can handle routine correspondence, extract data for booking, respond to tracking inquiries, and categorize messages automatically. This frees up human staff from their inbox to focus on higher-value, relationship-building tasks.

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Flexport

As a major player and pioneer in the digital forwarding space, Flexport offers a mature and robust technology platform. While not just an ‘AI tool,’ it deeply embeds AI and machine learning into its core operations to provide customers with exceptional end-to-end visibility and control over their supply chain. Flexport's AI capabilities power its real-time tracking, sophisticated analytics, and network optimization features, all delivered within its comprehensive freight management services.

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Shipthis

Shipthis provides a versatile, all-in-one AI-powered platform covering a wide spectrum of freight forwarding needs, from shipment management to regulatory compliance. A standout feature is its ‘Magic Drop’ functionality, which simplifies document validation by allowing users to drag and drop files for instant data extraction and processing into their system. Its AI copilot is designed to automate a variety of repetitive tasks and workflows, making it a strong, well-rounded option for forwarders seeking a single platform to manage their operations.

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KlearNow.AI

For businesses where customs and drayage are major operational components, KlearNow.AI offers a niche, highly specialized solution. It uses AI to automate the complex and often manual processes of customs clearance, converting trade documents like commercial invoices and packing lists into structured, actionable data with impressive efficiency. This dedicated focus helps significantly reduce delays, ensure compliance, and improve visibility at the port.

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Transflo

Transflo's Workflow AI is purpose-built for the back-office operations of freight brokers and 3PLs. It leverages AI and machine learning to automate the entire document lifecycle, from ingesting invoices and Bills of Lading (BOLs) to intelligent exception handling and fraud detection (like spotting double brokering). By streamlining these financial and administrative tasks, Transflo helps brokers improve cash flow, reduce errors, and scale their operations without a proportional increase in headcount.

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Uber Freight

By leveraging the immense scale of its parent company's network, Uber Freight brings big data and powerful AI optimization to the logistics industry. It offers a comprehensive suite of enterprise-level solutions that use AI to optimize everything from real-time pricing and capacity matching to full truckload route planning. Its combination of technology and managed services makes it a formidable option for large shippers and carriers looking for efficiency at scale.

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Truck Mind

This is a dedicated AI-powered Transportation Management System (TMS) built for freight brokers. Its features are tailored to the specific challenges brokers face. For instance, its AI can perform smart risk detection by analyzing FMCSA data to flag potentially unsafe carriers. It also offers advanced email automation for parsing load offers and a built-in load auction system to streamline the bidding process, making it a comprehensive operational tool for brokerages.

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Freight Genie

Freight Genie carves out a unique space by focusing on sales and marketing automation for brokers. Its most notable feature is an AI-powered cold caller that can autonomously contact thousands of potential shippers, handle objections, and book meetings directly on a sales rep's calendar. It's a growth-focused tool designed to fill the sales pipeline, making it ideal for brokers who are prioritizing business development and lead generation.

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Tilt

Tilt operates as a forward-looking Transportation-as-a-Service (TaaS) platform. It emphasizes using AI to provide enhanced data visibility and predictive insights across the entire shipping process. For brokers and agents on its platform, Tilt aims to create a smarter, more connected ecosystem by automating administrative tasks, providing tools for better decision-making, and using data to foster stronger relationships between all parties in a transaction.

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What to Look for in an AI Freight Forwarding Tool

While the features in the table are important, the right tool for you will depend on your specific needs and goals. Here are a few key considerations:

Augmentation, Not Replacement: The most effective AI tools act as a co-pilot, augmenting the skills and expertise of your team rather than trying to replace them. Look for a “human-in-the-loop” approach that empowers your staff to make smarter, faster decisions. A solution that functions as a true assistant, working alongside your team, will often yield the best results.

Seamless Integration: Adopting new software can be disruptive. The ideal AI tool should integrate seamlessly with your existing workflows. Solutions that can be easily incorporated into your current processes, such as a browser extension, can significantly reduce the friction of adoption and lead to a faster return on investment.

Actionable Insights: Data is only useful if it leads to action. Don't be swayed by platforms that simply present you with a flood of information. The best tools will distill complex data into clear, actionable insights that you can use to optimize your operations, reduce costs, and improve customer service.

Proactive and Predictive Capabilities: The future of logistics is proactive, not reactive. Look for AI tools that can learn and adapt, anticipating your needs and providing proactive recommendations. This predictive power can help you get ahead of potential disruptions and stay one step ahead of the competition.