What is the best AfterShip alternative for a small store that only needs tracking data?
If your store only needs tracking data, not a branded tracking page or buyer SMS, lastscanned is the smaller bill: Pro is $4.99/mo for 1,000 unique numbers across 549 carriers, then $0.015 each. AfterShip lists API and webhooks from Premium at $59/mo. If buyers need hosted pages or messages, stay on AfterShip.
Try it
curl "https://api.lastscanned.com/v1/track/1Z000Y770414233027"curl -X POST https://api.lastscanned.com/v1/watches \
-H "Authorization: Bearer lsk_live_YOUR_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"trackingNumber": "541270563758", "metadata": {"order": "1042"}}'AfterShip and lastscanned prices side by side
| Option | How it works | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AfterShip Essentials | Branded tracking page, email and SMS notifications, and a tracking dashboard. No Tracking API or webhooks. | From $29/mo on annual billing: 6,000 shipments a year, $0.08 per extra. | AfterShip pitches it at new stores under $1M GMV. |
| AfterShip Premium | Everything in Essentials, plus a customizable tracking page, API and webhooks. | From $59/mo on annual billing: 6,000 shipments a year, $0.12 per extra. | The first AfterShip plan with API access. |
| lastscanned Free | A free key for the API, watches, webhooks and the MCP server. | $0: 5 numbers a day. | On Free every number in every request counts, repeats included. |
| lastscanned Pro | Same API, with no daily limit. | $4.99/mo for 1,000 unique numbers, then $0.015 each. Re-checks are free. | Tracking data only: no branded page and no buyer messages. |
| lastscanned with no key | Call the API with no account. | 1 lookup a day, then MPP: $0.50 by card for a 25-number pack, or $0.02 a number in USDC on Tempo or Solana. | For scripts and AI agents that shouldn't hold an account. |
AfterShip prices and plan limits from AfterShip Tracking pricing and AfterShip help: API access by plan, read on November 9, 2026. They can change.
Details
The decision rule
Ask who reads the tracking status. If your own storefront, support tool or AI agent reads it, you need data, and a data API is enough. If your buyers read it on a page you want branded, or expect a text from you, you need AfterShip's product, not just its data.
Who this fits
Stores under about $1M GMV that have outgrown checking carrier sites by hand, show status in their own UI or agent, and don't need the tracking vendor to message buyers.
What lastscanned does
A synchronous GET for each number, watches with signed webhooks, and a remote MCP server, across 549 carriers in one response shape.
What lastscanned doesn't do
No branded tracking pages and no email or SMS to your buyers. You show the status yourself. If you want that built for you, this is the wrong product.
When to stay on AfterShip
Stay if buyers rely on your branded tracking page or milestone emails and texts, or if you use its returns and delivery estimates. Ship24 also lists a tracking page and notifications if you want to compare.
The arithmetic
From the listed prices, a year of AfterShip Premium is 12 × $59 = $708 for 6,000 shipments. A year of lastscanned Pro is 12 × $4.99 = $59.88 for up to 12,000 unique numbers, 1,000 each month. They are different products, so compare only if data is all you need.
FAQ
- What is the best AfterShip alternative for a small store?
- It depends on who reads the status. For tracking data in your own app or agent, lastscanned Pro at $4.99/mo for 1,000 unique numbers. For a hosted branded page and buyer notifications, stay on AfterShip or compare Ship24.
- Does AfterShip's cheaper plan include the API?
- No. AfterShip's help center says API access is not included in Essentials and webhook access is also unavailable on it. Both begin with Premium.
- What do webhooks cost on lastscanned?
- Watching a number counts as one tracked number, like a lookup. Every re-check and event after that is free. Pro is $4.99/mo for 1,000 unique numbers, then $0.015 each.
- Does lastscanned have a branded tracking page or buyer SMS?
- No. It returns tracking data for you to show. Eligible Pro accounts can opt in to shipment email at their own verified address, which is not a message to the buyer.