# Tai TMS vs Diesel TMS: Pricing & Features Compared (2026) | Diesel TMS

> Diesel TMS is free with unlimited users and loads. Tai TMS starts at $995/month for 2 users and 200 shipments. Compare pricing, features, and which TMS fits sma

Source: https://www.dieseltms.com/compare/tai-tms

# Tai TMS vs Diesel TMS
        An enterprise broker TMS starting at $995/month vs a free TMS with no shipment caps.

Last updated September 2026. Competitor pricing is taken from publicly published pricing pages and may change; always confirm with the vendor.

## At a Glance

- **Tai TMS:** Enterprise freight-broker TMS. $995–$7,925/month tiers with staff-login and shipment caps. Strong LTL, integrations, and automation. No free plan, no carrier/fleet operations.
- **Diesel TMS:** Free TMS for brokers and carriers. Unlimited users, loads, and carriers at $0/month; Pro is $40/user/month. AI Email to Quote, built-in accounting, driver app, and QuickBooks Online sync included.
- **Best for:** Tai if you are a 10+ person brokerage moving 1,000+ shipments/month with an implementation budget. Diesel TMS if you are a startup, small, or hybrid broker-carrier that wants full features without a $995/month floor.

## Overview

Tai TMS (by Tai Software) is a cloud-based transportation management system designed primarily for freight brokers handling Full Truckload (FTL) and Less Than Truckload (LTL) shipments. Based in Huntington Beach, California, Tai positions itself as a premium, automation-focused platform with 500+ carrier integrations and AI-powered features.

While Tai offers a polished product, its pricing structure places it firmly in the mid-market to enterprise tier—far out of reach for most startups and small brokerages.

## Pricing Comparison

| Plan | Tai TMS | Diesel TMS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Starter / Free | Not available | $0/month (Free forever with ads) |
| Small Team (2 users) | $995/month (Growth plan, 200 shipment cap) | $80/month (Pro) or ~$80/month (Flex) |
| Growing Team (6 users) | $2,465/month (Premium plan, 600 shipment cap) | $240/month (Pro) or usage-based (Flex) |
| Mid-Size (12 users) | $4,595/month (Premium+ plan, 1,200 shipment cap) | $480/month (Pro) or usage-based (Flex) |
| Large (25 users) | $7,925/month (Pro plan, 2,500 shipment cap) | $1,000/month (Pro) or usage-based (Flex) |

## Key Differences

### Pricing Model

- **Tai TMS:** Tiered plans with shipments cap and limited staff logins. Overages and scaling require upgrading to more expensive tiers. Starting at $995/month with only 2 staff logins and 200 shipments included.
- **Diesel TMS:** Simple per-user pricing ($40/user/month for Pro) or pay-per-hour ($0.40/user/hour for Flex). No shipment caps, no carrier limits, unlimited loads. Free tier available with full features.

### Shipment & Carrier Limits

- **Tai TMS:** Each plan limits shipments (200-2,500/month) and carrier profiles (500-6,000). Growing beyond these caps forces expensive plan upgrades.
- **Diesel TMS:** Unlimited shipments, unlimited carriers, unlimited loads on every plan—including the free tier.

### Target Market

- **Tai TMS:** Primarily focused on freight brokers. Does not serve carriers or hybrid operations.
- **Diesel TMS:** Built for both freight brokers AND carriers/owner-operators in a single platform. Supports brokerage, dispatching, and hybrid operations.

### Contracts & Commitments

- **Tai TMS:** While they claim no long-term contracts, their high entry price ($995/month) creates a significant financial commitment for startups.
- **Diesel TMS:** No contracts, no setup fees, no minimums. Cancel anytime and retain access to your data for 10 years.

## Feature Comparison

| Feature | Tai TMS | Diesel TMS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free Tier | No | Yes |
| Unlimited Users | No (Capped) | Yes |
| Unlimited Shipments | No (Capped) | Yes |
| Unlimited Carriers | No (Capped) | Yes |
| Carrier/Asset Operations | No | Yes |
| Load Board Integration | Yes | Yes |
| QuickBooks Integration | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Accounting (GL) | No | Yes |
| Driver Mobile App | No | Yes |
| AI Features | Yes | Yes |
| Customer Portal | Yes | Yes |
| E-Signatures | Yes | Yes |
| API Access | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | 500+ | 9,000+ |

## The Bottom Line

Tai TMS is a capable platform for established freight brokerages with substantial budgets, but its **$995/month starting price** with only 2 staff logins and 200 shipments cap makes it impractical for startups and growing operations. For the cost of Tai’s entry-level plan, you could run a 25-person team on Diesel TMS Pro.

Diesel TMS offers a genuinely free tier with no feature gates, unlimited shipments and carriers, and transparent per-user pricing that scales linearly as you grow—making it the clear choice for startups and cost-conscious brokerages that don’t want to be locked into expensive tiers before they’ve proven their model.

## Tai TMS vs Diesel TMS: Frequently Asked Questions

### How much does Tai TMS cost?

Tai TMS publishes four monthly tiers: $995 (2 staff logins, 200 shipments), $2,465 (5 logins, 500 shipments), $4,595 (10 logins, 1,250 shipments), and $7,925 (20 logins, 2,500 shipments). Additional logins and shipments require a higher tier. Diesel TMS is free with unlimited users and loads, or $40/user/month for Pro.

### Does Tai TMS have a free plan?

No. Tai TMS has no free plan or public trial; the entry point is $995/month. Diesel TMS offers a free-forever plan with every feature included.

### Is Tai TMS good for a small freight brokerage?

Tai is built for established brokerages moving hundreds of shipments per month and includes deep LTL, carrier-connectivity, and workflow automation. For a startup or small brokerage, $995/month for 2 logins is a steep fixed cost; Diesel TMS covers brokerage, quoting, carrier onboarding, and invoicing for free.

### Does Tai TMS work for carriers?

Tai TMS is broker-focused and does not offer asset/fleet management for carriers. Diesel TMS supports freight brokers, carriers, and hybrid operations in a single account.

### What is the best alternative to Tai TMS?

For small and mid-size brokerages, Diesel TMS is a free alternative with unlimited users and shipments, AI email-to-quote, built-in accounting, QuickBooks Online sync, and load board integrations.

### How many integrations does Tai TMS have compared to Diesel TMS?

Tai TMS claims 500+ API and EDI integrations, including 100+ direct carrier connections. Diesel TMS offers 9,000+ app integrations via Zapier, plus native QuickBooks Online, 123Loadboard, MyCarrierPortal, Samsara & Motive ELD, factoring, email, and an open API — all included free.

## Compare Other TMS Solutions

Ascend TMS

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BrokerPro

TruckingOffice

Datatruck

Excel / Google Sheets

Or see the [full ranking of the best TMS software for small fleets and freight brokers](https://www.dieseltms.com/compare).

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