A container ship seen from above, mid-ocean.

Freight quoting software falls into five main categories. Each category handles a different part of the work. A forwarder may need several of them.

This guide explains what each category does and where the boundaries sit. We build Nexcade, which belongs to the workflow-agent category. We have linked material claims to public sources so you can check them.

Quoting spans several systems

A spot quote usually starts with a customer request. The forwarder must extract the shipment details and find suitable rates. Those rates may sit in contracts, carrier platforms, tariff sheets or email threads.

The forwarder then adds pickup, delivery, handling and local charges. They apply their pricing policy and record the finished quote. The TMS should retain the official record and support a booking if the quote wins.

Each software category handles a different part of this process.

Rate platforms provide live carrier capacity

Examples: cargo.one and WebCargo by Freightos.

These platforms connect carriers and forwarders. Forwarders can compare rates and book available capacity. They can also manage and quote from rates loaded by their own teams.

cargo.one’s October 2025 product release describes AI-assisted quoting, a rate engine and customer pricing controls. WebCargo’s product page describes static and live air freight rates, rate management, quoting, booking and TMS integrations.

Their main distinction is direct access to carrier rates and bookable capacity. The coverage depends on the carriers, modes and rate sources connected to each platform.

Rate management systems organise contracted rates

Examples: Freightify and CargoSphere.

A rate management system centralises a forwarder’s contracted and spot rates. It supports procurement, storage, normalisation and distribution.

Freightify describes its platform as a way to centralise rate procurement, management and distribution. It also lists CargoWise and other TMS or ERP integrations. CargoSphere describes a neutral ocean rate network that turns static carrier contracts into structured rate data.

The rate management system makes rate data available to pricing teams and other tools. Its usefulness depends on the coverage and quality of the data kept in it.

TMS quoting modules keep the official record

Example: CargoWise Quotations and One Off Quotes.

Many forwarders create contract or spot quotes in their TMS. Logixboard’s public CargoWise training guide shows how quotations and One Off Quotes work in CargoWise.

The TMS keeps the operational record. A forwarder still needs a process for gathering rates, resolving missing information and assembling the quote.

Workflow agents connect requests, rates and the TMS

Example: Nexcade.

This category starts with incoming work. Agents read requests, extract shipment details and gather rates from the forwarder’s existing sources. They prepare the quote, apply the forwarder’s pricing policy and write approved work into the TMS.

The Nexcade product page describes agents for coordination, quotations, tenders, bookings and analytics. It also shows how review gates control consequential work.

The workflow layer must handle requests that span several sources. It must also manage missing rates, exceptions and reliable TMS writeback.

Large companies can build their own tools

Public examples have different levels of evidence.

C.H. Robinson reported in 2024 that its software read email quote requests and retrieved prices from its Dynamic Pricing Engine. The release says the workflow started with truckload and expanded to less-than-truckload quotes. Its June 2025 update reports scaled use, but does not establish the same results for air or ocean forwarding.

DSV’s May 2026 Capital Markets Day included a demonstration of an Air and Sea email quotation workflow. The official presentation labels spot quotation enhancement as a product roadmap. DSV has not published production coverage or measured results for that workflow.

DP World said through a cargo.one release that it was developing internal quoting tools while using cargo.one to aggregate airline rates. This describes the architecture, not an operating result.

These examples show why a build needs clear evidence boundaries. Company announcements may cover different modes, workflows and stages of deployment.

Most forwarders combine several layers

The categories can work together. A forwarder might use a platform for carrier capacity, a rate management system for contracted rates and a TMS for the official record. A workflow layer can connect the customer request to those systems.

Use four questions to assess your setup:

  • where do the rates come from
  • where does the official quote and booking record live
  • who handles missing information and exceptions
  • who owns the integrations and ongoing maintenance

For closer comparisons, see Nexcade and cargo.one and Nexcade and rate management systems. For the ownership decision, see build or buy AI quoting.

Common questions

What is the difference between a rate management system and an AI quoting tool?

A rate management system centralises a forwarder's rates. An AI quote-workflow tool handles the process around those rates: reading requests, gathering and comparing options, preparing the quote and recording it in the TMS. The workflow layer can query the rate management system as one of several sources.

Is Nexcade a rate management system?

Nexcade is a workflow-agent layer. It reads the rate sources a forwarder already uses, including rate management systems and booking platforms, then writes reviewed quotes and bookings into the forwarder's TMS.

Do rate platforms like cargo.one and WebCargo replace a rate management system?

They can overlap. Both platforms offer tools for a forwarder's own rates alongside live carrier rates and booking. Some forwarders also use a separate rate management system. The right setup depends on mode, region, contract mix and existing systems.

Should a forwarder build its own AI quoting?

Start with the layer you need to own. C.H. Robinson reports scaled quoting agents in truckload and less-than-truckload workflows. DSV has demonstrated an Air and Sea quotation roadmap but has not published production results. Compare your engineering capacity and long-term maintenance obligation with a bought workflow layer.

Sources

These public sources support the factual claims and product descriptions above. Evidence last reviewed 16 July 2026.