Logistics Management Software Cost India 2026: ₹2L-₹50L

Ashish Sharma
Ashish Sharma

Founder & Lead Developer, Codingclave · 200+ projects since 2017

16 min read
logistics management software cost Indialogistics software pricing India 2026custom TMS build IndiaFarEye Shipsy alternativesfleet management software cost India

Logistics Management Software Cost India 2026: The Honest Pricing Guide

If you're a 3PL operator, fleet owner, or e-commerce logistics head still running operations on WhatsApp groups, paper LRs, and three Excel files nobody trusts — you are bleeding money in places you cannot see. I've audited 30+ Indian logistics operations in the last 14 months. The pattern repeats: ₹40K-₹2L/month leaked on empty return trips, ₹15-50K/month on demurrage, ₹1-5L/year on GST e-way bill penalties, and a founder who cannot tell you which 12 vehicles are profitable and which 8 are bleeding.

I'm Ashish Sharma, founder of Codingclave. Since 2022 we've shipped 9+ custom logistics and fleet systems for Indian businesses — last-mile players in NCR and Bangalore, cold-chain operators across Maharashtra, freight forwarders moving FCL out of JNPT, a 3PL with 180 trucks across Tier-2 routes, and an e-commerce returns operation handling 40K reverse shipments/month. This guide is the real INR pricing and decision framework I'd give a logistics founder over WhatsApp at 11pm.

The headline numbers: SaaS logistics software in India costs ₹2,499/month (Zoho Inventory + Routes) at the bottom to ₹25L+/year (FarEye / Shipsy enterprise) at the top, while custom-built systems run ₹2L (lean TMS MVP) to ₹50L (enterprise LMS with AI route + ERP sync). The right answer depends entirely on fleet size, shipment volume, workflow uniqueness, and how much customer data and pricing autonomy you want to own — not on what any vendor's sales team tells you.


TL;DR — Logistics Software Cost by Business Profile

Business Profile Recommended Path Real Cost (Year 1) Timeline Who It's For
Small fleet (1-15 vehicles) under ₹3Cr Fleetx GPS + Zoho Inventory ₹50K-₹1.5L/year 1-2 weeks Single-route operator, owner-driven
Growing fleet ₹3-15Cr, 15-50 vehicles Shipsy starter or Bharat Software ₹2L-₹6L/year 3-6 weeks Multi-route FTL, basic LTL
Mid 3PL ₹15-50Cr, 50-150 vehicles FarEye mid or custom Growth tier ₹6L-₹15L/year SaaS OR ₹7L-₹14L custom 14-20 weeks Multi-hub, route opt, customer portal
E-commerce / last-mile 50K+ shipments/month Custom TMS + courier APIs ₹16L-₹28L upfront 22-30 weeks D2C logistics, returns-heavy
Large 3PL ₹50-150Cr, 150+ vehicles Custom Full tier or Locus ₹16L-₹28L upfront OR ₹15-25L/year 22-30 weeks Multi-entity, ERP sync, WMS
Cold chain / hazmat / project cargo Custom (no SaaS fits cleanly) ₹14L-₹35L upfront 18-32 weeks Specialized workflows, audit trail
Enterprise ₹150Cr+ multi-region Custom Enterprise or SAP TM ₹30L-₹50L upfront 30-44 weeks Multi-region, AI route, ERP-grade

The simple rule I give logistics founders: under 50 vehicles or under 5,000 shipments/month, SaaS almost always wins. Above 150 vehicles or 30,000 shipments/month, custom usually wins. 50-150 vehicles is the genuinely hard middle where it depends on workflow uniqueness and how badly you need to own your customer data.


SaaS vs Custom-Built: The Real INR Breakdown

SaaS Logistics Software Pricing in India 2026

Verified pricing as of June 2026 (cross-checked against vendor demos, client invoices, and public pricing where available):

Software Entry Price Mid Tier Top Tier Best For
Zoho Inventory + Routes Free (50 orders/mo) ₹2,499/mo (Standard) ₹8,999/mo (Premium) Small e-com logistics, hyperlocal
Fleetx GPS + Analytics ₹350/vehicle/mo ₹500/vehicle/mo ₹600+/vehicle/mo (full TMS) GPS-first fleet of 10-200
Trakzee / Letstrack ₹200/vehicle/mo ₹350/vehicle/mo ₹500/vehicle/mo Basic GPS + geofencing
Bharat Software TMS ₹15K/mo ₹35K/mo ₹75K/mo Indian 3PL, FTL operations
Ripples-FMS ₹25K/year basic ₹60K/year mid ₹1.5L/year enterprise Cloud TMS for SMB
Shipsy Demo-quote (~₹6L/year) ~₹12-18L/year mid ~₹25L+/year enterprise Mid-large 3PL, e-commerce
FarEye Demo-quote (~₹8L/year) ~₹15-22L/year mid ~₹30L+/year enterprise Enterprise last-mile, 3PL
Locus Demo-quote (~₹10L/year) ~₹18-25L/year mid ~₹35L+/year enterprise AI route, enterprise dispatch
LogiNext ₹40K/mo (starter) ₹1-2L/mo ₹2L+/mo Last-mile, on-demand delivery
Unicommerce ₹50K/year (starter) ₹1.5-3L/year ₹5L+/year Omnichannel D2C + 3PL sync
SAP TM ₹2L-₹3L/user/year ₹15-30L/year mid ₹40L+/year enterprise Above ₹150Cr manufacturing logistics
Oracle Logistics Cloud ₹2.5L+/user/year ₹25L+/year ₹60L+/year Enterprise multi-region

A note on the "demo-quote" platforms (FarEye, Shipsy, Locus): public pricing is hidden because deals are negotiated based on fleet size, shipment volume, geographies, and integration scope. The ranges above are derived from quotes our clients have shared with us during build-vs-buy audits. Your actual quote may vary by 30-50 percent either way.

Custom-Built Logistics Software Pricing

Real INR ranges from our 9 deliveries plus benchmarks across 6-8 Indian logistics software shops:

Build Profile Cost Range Timeline What's Included
Lean TMS MVP ₹2L-₹5L 8-12 weeks Dispatcher dashboard, driver app, GPS pull, e-way bill, basic POD, simple reports
Growth TMS ₹7L-₹14L 14-20 weeks Above + route optimization, multi-hub, full driver app, GST e-invoicing, accounting sync, customer tracking page
Full TMS + WMS ₹16L-₹28L 22-30 weeks Above + WMS module, courier API, multi-entity, WhatsApp notifications, FASTag, customer portal
Enterprise LMS ₹30L-₹50L+ 30-44 weeks Above + AI route + dynamic ETA, predictive maintenance, ERP integration, BI, dedicated SLA support

Component-by-Component Cost Breakdown (₹12L Mid-Tier Build)

This is the real allocation we use on a typical Growth-tier TMS for a ₹25Cr 3PL with 60 vehicles:

Component Effort Cost Range
Discovery, UX, flow mapping 2-3 weeks ₹80K-₹1.5L
Backend API + PostgreSQL + PostGIS 5-7 weeks ₹2.5L-₹3.5L
Dispatcher web dashboard (Next.js / React) 6-8 weeks ₹2.5L-₹3.5L
Driver app (React Native / Flutter) — offline POD, GPS, barcode 5-7 weeks ₹2L-₹3L
Customer tracking page + WhatsApp notify flow 1-2 weeks ₹40K-₹1L
GST e-invoicing + e-way bill integration 2-3 weeks ₹60K-₹1.5L
Route optimization engine (OSRM self-hosted or Google Distance Matrix) 2-3 weeks ₹80K-₹2L
Accounting sync (Tally / Zoho Books / SAP) 1-2 weeks ₹50K-₹1.5L
Reports + analytics dashboard 2-3 weeks ₹50K-₹1L
AWS / Hetzner hosting + monitoring + 3-month support ongoing ₹80K-₹1.5L
Total Growth-tier build 14-20 weeks ₹11.6L-₹19.5L

This is roughly 35-50 percent cheaper than the equivalent build in Bengaluru / NCR enterprise dev shops, and 60-75 percent cheaper than US / EU rates. The trade-off: you need a vendor who genuinely understands Indian logistics workflows (e-way bill, FASTag, multi-state GST, driver realities, low-bandwidth ground operations) and not just generic React + Node engineers.


Hidden Costs Most Indian Logistics Buyers Miss

These are the budget-killers I see in 8 of 10 logistics software audits. Plan for them upfront.

1. GPS hardware and ongoing telematics fees. A vehicle GPS device costs ₹2K-₹8K one-time (Concox, Teltonika, Atrack are typical). The SIM plus platform fee runs ₹150-₹350/month/device. For a 100-vehicle fleet that's ₹2-8L upfront and ₹1.8-4.2L/year ongoing. Most SaaS quotes don't include this clearly.

2. Google Maps / Mapbox API bills. Distance Matrix, Directions, Geocoding, and Places API calls add up brutally. At 50,000 deliveries/month with route optimization, expect ₹50K-₹3L/month in API costs. Self-hosting OSRM on a ₹4K/month server saves 70-80 percent but requires DevOps. We default to OSRM for routing and Google only for geocoding addresses.

3. Driver SIM and data plans. ₹200-₹400/driver/month for unlimited data so the driver app actually works in low-signal Tier-2 / 3 areas. Often forgotten until month 6.

4. WhatsApp Business API and SMS for customer notifications. ₹0.10-₹0.85/message via Meta partners (Gupshup, Wati, Interakt). For 1L shipments/month at 4 touches each, that's ₹40K-₹3.4L/month. Most teams quote one rate and discover the real cost after launch.

5. Data migration. Cleaning up 3-5 years of paper LRs, Excel sheets, and Tally entries to seed the new system. ₹80K-₹3L depending on volume and mess.

6. Driver and dispatcher training. Multi-state operations need multi-language training, on-site sessions, plus replacement cost for staff who refuse to adopt. Budget ₹50K-₹2L.

7. Annual maintenance. 18-22 percent of build cost per year for security patches, GST rule changes (they shift twice a year), OS upgrades, dependency updates, and small new feature requests. A ₹12L build means ₹2.1-2.6L/year ongoing.

8. FASTag reconciliation and toll software. ₹2K-₹5K/vehicle/year for proper toll capture and dispute management.

9. SaaS seat creep. Adding a planner, a key account manager, a reconciliation analyst to Shipsy or FarEye can be ₹15K-₹40K/year per seat. Custom build doesn't have this.


Cost by Feature Set: Basic, Advanced, Enterprise Tiers

Basic TMS (₹2L-₹5L, 8-12 weeks)

  • Order intake (manual + CSV upload + API)
  • Vehicle and driver master, document expiry tracking
  • Trip assignment and dispatch dashboard
  • Driver mobile app — trip view, POD upload, offline mode
  • GPS pull from existing telematics provider (Fleetx, Trakzee)
  • E-way bill generation via GSP
  • Basic GST invoice
  • Customer tracking link (no login)
  • 8-10 standard reports

Advanced TMS + WMS (₹16L-₹28L, 22-30 weeks)

All of Basic plus:

  • Route optimization (OSRM or Google) with multi-stop, time windows, vehicle capacity
  • Multi-hub transit, transhipment, route legs
  • Full WMS — putaway, picking, packing, dispatch
  • Courier API integration (Delhivery, Bluedart, DTDC, Shadowfax, Ekart, Ecom Express)
  • Tally / Zoho Books / SAP accounting sync
  • Customer self-service portal — login, shipment history, invoice download
  • WhatsApp Business API notifications at every touchpoint
  • FASTag reconciliation
  • Multi-entity, multi-branch, role-based access
  • E-invoicing, GSTR-1 auto-prep
  • Analytics dashboards — vehicle utilization, route profitability, on-time SLA

Enterprise LMS (₹30L-₹50L+, 30-44 weeks)

All of Advanced plus:

  • AI-based route optimization with dynamic ETA learning from historic trips
  • Predictive maintenance — service alerts based on km, fuel pattern, engine telemetry
  • Multi-region, multi-currency, multi-language
  • ERP integration (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, custom)
  • BI integration (PowerBI, Tableau, Metabase)
  • Dedicated SLA-backed support, 24x7 monitoring
  • Predictive demand and capacity planning
  • Cold chain temperature SLA tracking with IoT sensors
  • Hazmat and ODC compliance workflows

Real Anonymized Project Example: ₹16L Mid-Sized 3PL Build

A Lucknow-based 3PL we'll call "ClientX" came to us in Q3 2024 with 95 owned trucks plus 140 attached vendor trucks, running FTL across UP-MP-Bihar-Jharkhand for FMCG and textile clients. They were on a mix of Fleetx for GPS, a paper LR book, three Excel sheets for trip planning, and Tally for billing. Their pain: ₹3-5L/month leaked on empty return legs, ₹30K-₹1L/month in e-way bill penalties from delayed cancellations, and lost RFP bids because clients wanted live tracking links.

Build scope: Growth-tier TMS, 18 weeks, ₹16L all-in.

Line-item breakdown:

  • Discovery + flow mapping: ₹1.2L
  • Backend (Node.js + PostgreSQL + PostGIS): ₹3.2L
  • Dispatcher dashboard (Next.js): ₹3.0L
  • Driver app (Flutter, offline-first): ₹2.6L
  • Route optimization (OSRM self-hosted) + return-load matching: ₹1.8L
  • E-way bill via ClearTax GSP + GST e-invoice: ₹1.1L
  • Customer tracking page + WhatsApp notifications via Gupshup: ₹90K
  • Tally + Fleetx integration: ₹80K
  • Reports + utilization analytics: ₹70K
  • AWS hosting + monitoring + 3-month support: ₹1.0L

Outcome 9 months post-launch: empty return leg rate dropped from 28 percent to 11 percent (₹2.3L/month margin recovery), e-way bill penalties down 92 percent, on-time delivery SLA up from 73 percent to 89 percent, and they won a ₹4.2Cr/year contract specifically because the prospect's procurement team tested the live customer tracking link on a 3-truck pilot. Payback inside 14 months.


SaaS Subscription Pricing: Shipsy, FarEye, Locus, LogiNext, Fleetx in 2026

The Indian logistics SaaS market is crowded and pricing is opaque. Here's what we have actually seen on client invoices and competing quotes during 2025-2026 audits:

  • Fleetx — GPS-first, strong in TMS-lite for fleets of 20-200. Real pricing ₹350-₹600/vehicle/month. A 100-truck fleet pays ₹4.2-7.2L/year. Add-on modules (driver scorecard, fuel theft detection, video telematics) add ₹100-₹200/vehicle/month. Solid choice for fleet-first plays.
  • Shipsy — Mid-large 3PL and e-commerce focused. Typical client invoices we've seen: ₹6L/year for starter (50-100 shipments/day) to ₹25L+/year for enterprise (5,000+ shipments/day). Strong on dispatcher tools and courier integration.
  • FarEye — Enterprise last-mile and 3PL. Typical ₹8-30L/year depending on volume and modules. Best-in-class driver app and customer experience layer. Pricing usually quoted per shipment band + per user.
  • Locus — AI route optimization heavyweight. ₹10-35L/year typical range. Strongest if route optimization is the single biggest pain point.
  • LogiNext — Last-mile and on-demand delivery. ₹40K-₹2L+/month based on shipment volume.
  • Bharat Software TMS — India-focused, FTL-strong, often used by Tier-2 logistics players. ₹15K-₹75K/month for small-mid fleets.
  • Ripples-FMS — Cloud TMS for SMB. ₹25K-₹1.5L/year. Good entry option for a 10-40 vehicle 3PL.
  • Zoho Inventory + Routes — Works for e-com logistics and hyperlocal under 500 orders/day. ₹2,499-₹8,999/month.

A pattern we see repeatedly: SaaS quotes look reasonable in Year 1 (₹6-12L for a mid-3PL) but compound to ₹50-80L over 5 years with seat expansion, shipment band jumps, and add-on modules. The same workflow built custom is ₹15-25L over 5 years all-in including maintenance.


When to Build vs When to Buy SaaS

Buy SaaS if:

  • Fleet under 50 vehicles or shipments under 5,000/month — math never works for custom at this scale
  • Standard FTL, LTL, parcel, hyperlocal workflows that match how Shipsy / FarEye / Fleetx already work
  • You want to launch in 2-6 weeks, not 14-30 weeks
  • You don't want to own a tech team or DevOps overhead
  • Customer data ownership is not a competitive differentiator for you

Build custom if:

  • Fleet above 150 vehicles or shipments above 30,000/month — SaaS fees compound past ₹15L/year
  • Unique workflows: cold chain with strict temperature SLAs, hazmat with specialized routing, project cargo with ODC permits, multi-modal (road + rail + sea), milk-run with slot booking, freight forwarding with FCL/LCL ocean ops
  • Need deep ERP integration (SAP, Oracle, custom in-house) that SaaS connectors don't handle cleanly
  • Revenue above ₹100Cr where 5-year SaaS TCO crosses ₹1Cr+
  • You want to white-label the customer tracking page and driver app under your brand and pricing
  • You need to own customer shipment data (post-2026 DPDP Act compliance)
  • You're a logistics-tech startup where the software IS the product

Go hybrid (we recommend this for many ₹30-100Cr 3PLs):

  • Keep SaaS for GPS telematics (Fleetx is hard to beat per vehicle)
  • Build custom TMS + customer portal that pulls Fleetx data via API
  • Best of both — cheap reliable hardware-grade GPS, plus full control over the workflow and customer experience

The Codingclave Logistics Management Software Offering

Based on 9+ logistics, fleet, and 3PL builds since 2022, here are our four standard tiers. Each price is for end-to-end build including discovery, design, dev, testing, deployment, and 3-month post-launch support.

Starter — ₹2L-₹5L (8-12 weeks)

  • Single-tenant TMS
  • Dispatcher web dashboard
  • Driver mobile app with GPS, offline POD, document upload
  • GST e-invoice + e-way bill via GSP (ClearTax / Masters India)
  • Customer tracking link (no login)
  • 8-10 standard operational reports
  • AWS or Hetzner hosting setup

Best for: ₹3-15Cr 3PL, last-mile player, or owner-operator fleet of 10-40 vehicles upgrading from Excel and WhatsApp.

Book a Starter scoping call

Growth — ₹7L-₹14L (14-20 weeks)

All of Starter plus:

  • Route optimization with multi-stop, time windows, capacity constraints
  • Multi-hub transit and transhipment
  • Full driver app (vehicle docs, fuel log, expense, daily checklist)
  • GSTR-1 auto-prep, e-invoicing direct
  • Tally or Zoho Books accounting sync
  • Customer self-service portal with login + invoice download
  • WhatsApp Business API notifications
  • Analytics dashboard — vehicle utilization, route profitability, SLA

Best for: ₹15-50Cr 3PL, freight forwarder, or e-commerce logistics with 50-150 vehicle fleet.

Book a Growth scoping call

Full — ₹16L-₹28L (22-30 weeks)

All of Growth plus:

  • WMS module — putaway, picking, packing, dispatch with barcode/QR
  • Courier API integration (Delhivery, Bluedart, DTDC, Shadowfax, Ekart, Ecom Express)
  • Multi-entity, multi-branch, multi-currency
  • Role-based access control
  • FASTag reconciliation and toll management
  • WhatsApp Business API + SMS + email notification orchestration
  • Customer self-service portal with reverse logistics

Best for: ₹50-150Cr 3PL, e-commerce logistics with 50K+ shipments/month, or multi-state operator.

Book a Full scoping call

Enterprise — ₹30L-₹50L+ (30-44 weeks)

All of Full plus:

  • AI-based route optimization with dynamic ETA learning
  • Predictive maintenance based on km, fuel, engine telemetry
  • ERP integration (SAP, Oracle, Dynamics, custom)
  • BI integration (PowerBI, Tableau, Metabase)
  • Multi-region, multi-language, multi-currency at scale
  • Dedicated SLA-backed support, 24x7 monitoring
  • Cold chain or hazmat or freight forwarding specialized modules
  • Predictive demand and capacity planning

Best for: ₹150Cr+ logistics operator, multi-region 3PL, or logistics-tech startup where the software is the product.

Book an Enterprise scoping call

Add-on Modules

  • Cold chain temperature SLA tracking with IoT sensors: ₹3L-₹6L
  • Freight forwarding (FCL/LCL ocean, customs broker workflow): ₹4L-₹10L
  • Project cargo + ODC permit management: ₹2L-₹5L
  • Multi-modal (road + rail + sea + air) routing: ₹4L-₹8L
  • Hazmat compliance and specialized routing: ₹2L-₹5L
  • White-label driver app + customer portal (your branding, app store listing): ₹2L-₹4L
  • Custom BI dashboards beyond standard package: ₹1L-₹3L

If you're scoping logistics software, you'll probably want to read:


Multiple WhatsApp CTAs

If you've read this far, you've probably already half-decided whether you're a SaaS, hybrid, or custom buyer. The fastest way to lock the right scope is a 25-minute WhatsApp call where I'll ask 12 questions about your fleet, shipment volume, current pain, and 3-year plan, and tell you straight whether to buy Shipsy, build Growth-tier custom, or go hybrid.


About the Author

I'm Ashish Sharma, founder of Codingclave — a Top Rated Upwork agency based in Lucknow, building custom software for Indian and Gulf businesses since 2017. We've shipped 9+ logistics and fleet systems across FTL, last-mile, cold chain, freight forwarding, and 3PL warehousing, plus 80+ other custom software projects across healthcare, fintech, e-commerce, and SaaS.

Connect with me on LinkedIn or WhatsApp directly at +91 92771 84741.

If you found this guide useful, the easiest next step is to send me a 2-line WhatsApp with your fleet size, monthly shipment volume, and the one thing eating your margin most right now. I'll reply within a business day with a SaaS-vs-custom recommendation, no sales pitch.

Frequently asked questions

Real pricing depends on whether you go SaaS or custom-built. SaaS pricing: Zoho Inventory + Routes ₹2,499-₹8,999/month, LogiNext fleet ₹40K-₹2L/month, FarEye / Shipsy / Locus enterprise ₹3L-₹25L/year on demo-quote basis, Bharat Software TMS ₹15K-₹75K/month, Fleetx GPS + analytics ₹350-₹600/vehicle/month, Ripples-FMS ₹25K-₹1.5L/year. Custom build pricing: lean TMS MVP ₹2L-₹5L (basic order + dispatch + GPS pull + e-way bill), mid-tier ₹7L-₹18L (route optimization, driver app, POD, GST + e-invoicing, analytics), full TMS+WMS ₹20L-₹35L (warehouse picking, multi-hub, courier API, customer tracking page), enterprise ₹35L-₹50L+ (AI route + ETA, multi-entity, ERP sync, predictive maintenance). For most ₹10-100Cr Indian logistics players, SaaS hybrid wins year one. Above ₹100Cr revenue or fleets above 200 vehicles, custom-built starts paying back inside 24 months.

These get bundled and mis-sold constantly. TMS (Transportation Management System) plans and executes how goods move — orders, trip planning, route optimization, e-way bill, freight billing. Real INR: SaaS ₹15K-₹1L/month, custom ₹5L-₹18L. WMS (Warehouse Management System) handles inbound, putaway, picking, packing, dispatch inside a warehouse. Real INR: SaaS ₹20K-₹2L/month, custom ₹6L-₹22L. Fleet management focuses on vehicles — GPS tracking, fuel, driver behaviour, maintenance, FASTag reconciliation. Real INR: ₹350-₹600/vehicle/month SaaS, ₹3L-₹10L custom. Full logistics management software (LMS) is TMS + WMS + fleet + customer tracking + accounting integration in one platform. Real INR: SaaS ₹50K-₹5L/month enterprise, custom ₹20L-₹50L. Most Indian 3PL / FTL / LTL players we audit only need TMS + fleet. Buying enterprise LMS when you needed TMS is the most expensive mistake we see (₹15L/year wasted on average).

Stick with SaaS if: fleet under 100 vehicles or under 10,000 shipments/month; standard FTL / LTL / parcel / hyperlocal workflows; comfortable with off-the-shelf driver app + customer tracking UI; need to launch in 2-6 weeks; have predictable seasonal volume. Build custom if: fleet over 200 vehicles or shipments over 30,000/month where per-vehicle SaaS fees compound past ₹15L/year; unique workflows like multi-modal (road + rail + sea), cold chain with temperature SLAs, hazmat with specialized routing, project cargo with ODC permits, milk-run with strict slot booking; need deep ERP integration (SAP, Oracle, custom in-house) that SaaS connectors don't support cleanly; revenue above ₹100Cr where 5-year SaaS TCO crosses ₹1Cr+; want to white-label the customer tracking page and driver app under your brand; need to own customer data and shipment history (post-2026 DPDP Act compliance). Hybrid wins for many — keep SaaS for fleet GPS, build custom for TMS + customer portal.

Component breakdown for a mid-tier ₹12L custom TMS + light WMS build: Discovery + UX + flow mapping 2-3 weeks ₹80K-₹1.5L. Backend API + database schema 5-7 weeks ₹2.5L-₹3.5L (Node.js or Django with PostgreSQL + PostGIS for routing). Web dispatch dashboard 6-8 weeks ₹2.5L-₹3.5L (Next.js or React). Driver mobile app with offline POD + GPS + barcode 5-7 weeks ₹2L-₹3L (React Native or Flutter). Customer tracking page + WhatsApp notification flow ₹40K-₹1L. GST e-invoicing + e-way bill integration ₹60K-₹1.5L. Route optimization engine (OSRM self-hosted or Google Distance Matrix API) ₹80K-₹2L. Accounting sync (Tally, Zoho Books, SAP) ₹50K-₹1.5L. Reports + analytics dashboard ₹50K-₹1L. AWS or Hetzner hosting + monitoring + 3 months support ₹80K-₹1.5L. Hidden costs most buyers miss: GPS device hardware ₹2K-₹8K per vehicle, Google Maps / Mapbox API bills ₹15K-₹2L/month at scale, driver SIM + data plans ₹200-₹400/driver/month, ongoing maintenance 18-22 percent of build cost per year.

For a ₹40Cr 3PL with 80 owned vehicles, 200 attached vendor trucks, FTL + LTL + last-mile mix — real 5-year TCO. Path A (Shipsy or FarEye SaaS + Fleetx GPS): Year 1 ₹4L setup + ₹12L/year SaaS + ₹4.8L/year GPS subscription = ₹20.8L Year 1. Year 2-5 ₹17L/year ongoing. Plus integration add-ons ₹4L over 5 years. 5-year TCO around ₹93L. Path B (Custom TMS + fleet module): Year 1 ₹16L build + ₹3L hosting and maintenance. Year 2-5 ₹4L/year average maintenance and new features. 5-year TCO around ₹35L plus ₹4.8L/year GPS (kept on Fleetx) = ₹59L. Custom wins by ₹34L for this scale, plus you own the codebase, customer data, and pricing autonomy. The flip point we see: under 50 vehicles SaaS wins, 50-150 vehicles is the genuine middle (depends on workflow uniqueness), above 150 vehicles custom wins almost every time.

Yes, both are non-negotiable. As of 2026 GST e-invoicing is mandatory for businesses with turnover above ₹5Cr (threshold lowered from ₹10Cr in 2023). E-way bill is mandatory for inter-state goods movement above ₹50,000 value. Custom logistics software must integrate: IRP (Invoice Registration Portal) API for IRN generation on every B2B invoice; e-way bill API for EWB generation, update, cancellation, and consolidated EWB for multi-vehicle trips; vehicle number validation against VAHAN database; FASTag transaction reconciliation; HSN/SAC code management with auto-tax calculation; reverse charge mechanism for unregistered consignors; e-way bill auto-extension for transit delays. Integration cost: ₹60K-₹1.5L one-time for direct IRP API + EWB API integration, or ₹20K-₹50K/year via GSP (GST Suvidha Provider) like ClearTax, Masters India, Cygnet, Taxilla. We recommend GSP route for under ₹50Cr (faster, less compliance risk) and direct API for above ₹100Cr (better unit economics at scale).

Realistic timelines from 9+ logistics, fleet, and 3PL projects we have shipped since 2022. Lean TMS MVP (orders + dispatch + GPS pull + e-way bill + simple POD, web + basic driver app): 8-12 weeks. Mid-tier TMS (route optimization, multi-trip, driver app with offline POD, customer tracking page, GST e-invoicing, analytics dashboard): 14-20 weeks. Full TMS + WMS (above + warehouse putaway/picking, multi-hub transit, courier API integration, accounting sync, customer self-service portal): 22-30 weeks. Enterprise LMS (above + AI route + dynamic ETA, predictive maintenance, multi-entity, ERP integration, BI dashboards): 30-44 weeks. Implementation rollout adds 4-10 weeks (GPS device fitment, driver training, parallel run with old system, data migration). Most teams we work with phase the rollout: Phase 1 dispatcher dashboard + driver app + e-way bill (8-12 weeks), Phase 2 route optimization + customer tracking (4-6 weeks more), Phase 3 WMS + accounting integration (6-10 weeks more).

Hidden costs that wreck logistics software budgets, in order of frequency we see them at Codingclave audits: GPS hardware ₹2K-₹8K per vehicle one-time plus ₹150-₹350/month per device for SIM + platform fee (Fleetx, Trakzee, Letstrack). For a 100-vehicle fleet that is ₹2-8L upfront and ₹1.8-4.2L/year ongoing. Google Maps / Mapbox API bills — at 50,000+ deliveries/month, distance matrix and routing calls can hit ₹50K-₹3L/month. Self-hosted OSRM saves 70-80 percent but needs DevOps. Driver SIM + data ₹200-₹400/driver/month, often forgotten until 6 months in. Data migration from legacy Excel + Tally + paper LRs ₹80K-₹3L. Driver training across multi-state operations ₹50K-₹2L plus replacement costs for resistant staff. Customer portal SMS + WhatsApp Business API ₹0.10-₹0.85/message — for 1L shipments/month that is ₹10K-₹85K/month. FASTag reconciliation + toll management software ₹2K-₹5K/vehicle/year. SaaS user seat expansion — adding a planner to Shipsy can be ₹15K-₹40K/year. Annual maintenance on custom build 18-22 percent of build cost per year for security patches, GST rule changes, OS updates, dependency upgrades.

3PLs and freight forwarders have the strongest case for custom logistics software because off-the-shelf platforms force you into someone else's workflow. Decision framework: Under 30 vehicles or 5,000 shipments/month — Fleetx + Zoho Inventory + WhatsApp works for ₹50K-₹2L/year total. 30-100 vehicles — Shipsy starter or FarEye mid-tier ₹6L-₹15L/year covers most workflows. 100-300 vehicles or 30,000+ shipments/month — genuine middle. Custom build ₹15L-₹30L pays back in 22-30 months vs ₹15-30L/year SaaS. Above 300 vehicles or 1L+ shipments/month — custom almost always wins. SAP TM, Oracle Logistics Cloud, Blue Yonder run ₹40L-₹2Cr/year. Custom enterprise build ₹35L-₹60L plus 5-7L/year maintenance is cheaper and gives you full control. Freight forwarders with international consolidation, customs broker workflows, FCL/LCL ocean operations, multi-leg trips — almost always need custom because no SaaS handles all variations cleanly. We have built 9 logistics systems for ₹6L-₹38L each, covering FTL, last-mile, cold chain, freight forwarding, and 3PL warehousing — average payback 14-22 months.

Our standard logistics software tiers based on 9+ deployments since 2022: Starter ₹2L-₹5L (8-12 weeks) — single-tenant TMS, dispatcher dashboard, driver app with GPS + offline POD, e-way bill + GST invoice, customer tracking link, basic reports. Best for ₹3-15Cr 3PL or last-mile player upgrading from Excel and WhatsApp. Growth ₹7L-₹14L (14-20 weeks) — multi-hub TMS, route optimization, full driver app (vehicle docs, fuel log, expense), e-invoicing + e-way bill, accounting sync (Tally / Zoho Books), customer self-service portal, analytics dashboard. Best for ₹15-50Cr 3PL or freight player with 50-150 vehicle fleet. Full ₹16L-₹28L (22-30 weeks) — above plus WMS module (putaway, picking, packing, dispatch), courier API integration (Delhivery, Bluedart, DTDC, Shadowfax), multi-entity support, role-based access, WhatsApp Business API notification flow, FASTag reconciliation. Best for ₹50-150Cr 3PL or e-commerce logistics. Enterprise ₹30L-₹50L (30-44 weeks) — above plus AI route + dynamic ETA, predictive maintenance, ERP integration (SAP / Oracle / custom), multi-region multi-currency, BI integration, dedicated SLA support. Best for ₹150Cr+ logistics or multi-region operations. All tiers include 3-month post-launch support.

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