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 | ❌ | ✅ |
| Unlimited Users | ❌ (capped per plan) | ✅ |
| Unlimited Shipments | ❌ (capped per plan) | ✅ |
| Carrier Management | ✅ (limited profiles) | ✅ (unlimited) |
| Carrier/Asset Operations | ❌ | ✅ |
| Load Board Integration | ✅ | ✅ |
| QuickBooks Integration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Built-in Accounting (GL) | ❌ | ✅ |
| Driver Mobile App | ❌ | ✅ |
| AI Features | ✅ | ✅ |
| Customer Portal | ✅ | ✅ |
| E-Signatures | ✅ | ✅ |
| API Access | ✅ | ✅ |
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.
Compare Other TMS Solutions
Or see the full ranking of the best TMS software for small fleets and freight brokers.
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