# ShipStation API (slim)

> Multi-carrier shipping API from ShipStation, an Auctane brand. API v2 at api.shipstation.com/v2 quotes rates, buys and voids labels, validates addresses, tracks parcels and creates return labels, with batches, manifests, pickups and inventory.

- Full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/shipstation.md (~7,250 tokens) · this version ~1,830 tokens · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/shipstation.json · canonical https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/shipstation
- Index: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt · API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json · Updated: 2026-10-08

**C · 59.3/100 · rank #382 of 629 · #4 in Shipping & fulfilment · not agent-ready · confidence medium**


Assessment: A public OpenAPI 3.1 contract with 173 operations, Markdown docs for agents and a free ShipStation API plan with a sandbox make a first rate quote or test label reachable without a contract. One API key carries full account access, with no scopes, read-only mode or idempotency keys on label purchases.

## Facts

- Kind: HTTP API · vendor: Auctane LLC d/b/a ShipStation · category: Shipping & fulfilment · legal entity: Auctane LLC d/b/a ShipStation · provenance 85/100
- Endpoint: `https://api.shipstation.com/v2` (HTTP)
- Auth: API key · pricing: Freemium · x402: no · licence: Proprietary service under ShipStation's terms of service. The v2 OpenAPI file is marked MIT and the SDKs on GitHub are Apache 2.0
- Probe metrics: not measured yet (probes haven't run)
- Surface graded: ShipStation API v2, REST and JSON at https://api.shipstation.com/v2. OpenAPI 3.1, 173 operations on 123 paths
- Other APIs: ShipStation API (formerly ShipEngine) at https://api.shipengine.com/v1, which still works with the same keys, and the legacy V1 API at https://ssapi.shipstation.com, described as deprecated with no removal date
- Access: Self-serve API key. A ShipStation API account on any plan, Free included, or a ShipStation platform account on Standard or Premium. Platform Free and Starter plans have no API access
- Sandbox: ShipStation API accounts only, on every plan. Keys start `TEST_` and use the same host. Test labels are free, tracking is simulated and data may be cleared. Platform accounts have no sandbox
- Endpoints by plan: 159 on ShipStation API Free, 173 on Advanced and Enterprise, 147 on platform Standard and Premium, per the docs' plan pages. POST /v2/addresses/validate and the standalone tracking calls are Advanced and Enterprise only
- Rate limits: 200 requests a minute by default, higher on request. 429 with `Retry-After` in seconds
- Errors: An `errors` array with `error_source` (carrier, order_source, ShipStation, shipengine), `error_type`, `error_code`, `message` and a `request_id`. 2XX responses can carry partial errors
- Pagination: `page`, `page_size`, `sort_by`, `sort_dir`, with `total`, `pages` and `links` in the response
- Webhooks: Created with POST /v2/environment/webhooks, production only. Signed with RSA-SHA256, verified against the JWKS at https://api.shipengine.com/jwks
- MCP server: Documentation only, at https://docs.shipstation.com/mcp, no key needed. Tools such as list-apis, get-endpoints and get-endpoint-info read the specs. It makes no shipping calls
- SDKs: JavaScript (npm shipengine 1.0.7), Python (shipengine 2.1.1, 6 May 2026), .NET (v3.2.1, 27 May 2026), Java, Ruby and PHP, Apache 2.0, all written for api.shipengine.com/v1
- Carriers: The pricing page says 250+ carriers on the Advanced plan. The Free plan uses ShipStation's own carrier accounts
- Status: status.shipstation.com on Statuspage, with components for Companion API V1 and V2, carriers and marketplaces
- Prices: ShipStation API Free free per month (plan); ShipStation API Advanced, 1,000 labels $75 per month (plan); Label over the Advanced 1,000 allowance $0.075 per transaction; ShipStation platform Standard, 50 shipments $29.99 per month (plan)

- Scores: Reliability 64, Performance pending, Schema & documentation 83, Agent ergonomics 64, Security & auth 32, Payments & pricing 40, Task success pending, Maintenance & community 73, Transparency & trust 64 · total over the 7 assessed categories
- Why: Reliability, Graded on ShipStation API v2 at api.shipstation.com/v2, with the hosted lines. · Schema & documentation, OpenAPI 3.1 for v2 at docs.shipstation.com/_bundle/apis/@shipstation-v2/openapi.yaml, 173 operations on 123 paths and 372 schemas (25). · Agent ergonomics, No MCP server that performs shipping operations. · Security & auth, One secret in an `API-Key` header. · Payments & pricing, No x402, MPP or L402 (0). · Maintenance & community, Release notes list packing slips for batches under October 2026 (30). · Transparency & trust, Closed service under terms of service effective 16 July 2026 that name Auctane LLC d/b/a ShipStation.
- Sources: 22, open questions: 8, both in the full twin
- Capabilities: shipping.rates, shipping.labels, shipping.tracking, shipping.address-validation, shipping.returns
- JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/shipstation.json
- Verify (for the vendor): the badge `https://www.anchorterminal.com/badges/shipstation.svg` or a link to https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/shipstation from a page on shipstation.com or one of its subdomains, or the README of github.com/ShipEngine/shipengine-openapi, then `POST https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/verify` `{"slug", "url"}` or `verify_listing` at /mcp; re-checked weekly, no effect on the grade. Snippets in the full twin.

## Before you call it

1. Send the key in an `API-Key` header to https://api.shipstation.com/v2. A key that starts `TEST_` runs in the sandbox on the same host
2. Call GET /v2/carriers first. Rate and label calls need `carrier_ids` or a `carrier_id` and a `service_code` from that account
3. Don't blindly retry POST /v2/labels after a timeout. List labels first, then void a duplicate with PUT /v2/labels/{label_id}/void
4. Check the `errors` array on 2XX responses too, and read `error_source` to tell a carrier fault from a ShipStation one
5. On a platform (Standard or Premium) key every label is real and charged. Ask the owner before buying, and void test labels at once

## Connect

```bash
curl -iX GET https://api.shipstation.com/v2/carriers \
-H 'API-Key: __YOUR_API_KEY_HERE__'
```

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http shipstation-api https://docs.shipstation.com/mcp
```
Full config and headless snippets are in the full page. Through letme (picks today, calling later): https://letme.dev/shipstation

## Similar tools

| Tool | Grade | Score | Shared capabilities | Slim |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Easyship | B | 68.8 | shipping.rates, shipping.labels, shipping.tracking, shipping.address-validation, shipping.returns | https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/easyship.min.md |
| Sendcloud | B | 62 | shipping.rates, shipping.labels, shipping.tracking, shipping.address-validation, shipping.returns | https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/sendcloud.min.md |
| Shippo | C | 61.9 | shipping.rates, shipping.labels, shipping.tracking, shipping.address-validation, shipping.returns | https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/shippo.min.md |
| EasyPost | C | 54.3 | shipping.rates, shipping.labels, shipping.tracking, shipping.address-validation, shipping.returns | https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/easypost.min.md |
| TaxJar | C | 57.6 | shipping.address-validation | https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/taxjar.min.md |


## Panel reviews (0, desk reviews from public material, no calls made)