AI automation for a logistics business reads quote requests, booking confirmations, "where's my freight" emails and carrier invoices. It drafts a reply from your own records, and a person approves it. On a 70-point test, Hourglass AI scores 51, FreighAI 36 and FreightExchange 26. Hourglass AI publishes this page and ranks itself, and its logistics proof score is the lowest of the six.
The AI is not a new TMS. The TMS stays the system of record, and the AI does the email work around it.
This page is for one reader. An Australian transport, freight-forwarding, 3PL or distribution business of 10 to 100 people, with no engineer on staff, running quotes, bookings, tracking and freight invoices out of shared inboxes, a TMS and an accounting system.
Six options, ranked
How each one scores
Points by test, scored 3 October 2026| Hourglass AI | FreighAI | FreightExchange | Cario | Wisor | Raft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runs without an engineer10 points | |||||
| 10 of 10 | 3 of 10 | 7 of 10 | 3 of 10 | 3 of 10 | 3 of 10 |
| Works with your systems10 points | |||||
| 6 of 10 | 10 of 10 | 4 of 10 | 7 of 10 | 4 of 10 | 0 of 10 |
| Freight work it runs10 points | |||||
| 4 of 10 | 10 of 10 | 4 of 10 | 4 of 10 | 4 of 10 | 6 of 10 |
| Uses your own records10 points | |||||
| 10 of 10 | 7 of 10 | 0 of 10 | 0 of 10 | 4 of 10 | 0 of 10 |
| Published price10 points | |||||
| 10 of 10 | 0 of 10 | 4 of 10 | 0 of 10 | 0 of 10 | 0 of 10 |
| Australian fit10 points | |||||
| 10 of 10 | 3 of 10 | 4 of 10 | 7 of 10 | 0 of 10 | 0 of 10 |
| Logistics proof10 points | |||||
| 1 of 10 | 3 of 10 | 3 of 10 | 4 of 10 | 7 of 10 | 2 of 10 |
| Total scoreout of 70 | |||||
| 51 of 701st | 36 of 702nd | 26 of 703rd | 25 of 704th | 22 of 705th | 11 of 706th |
FreighAI leads two tests outright, works with your systems and freight work it runs. Wisor leads logistics proof. Hourglass AI, which publishes this page, scores lowest of the six on logistics proof.
1. Hourglass AI
- Best for
- Australian transport, forwarding and 3PL businesses of 10 to 100 people with no engineer, that want the email work around their TMS drafted from their own records, with a person approving each one
- Location
- Sydney and Melbourne
Hourglass AI publishes its prices: a $2,500 flat audit, credited against a build started within 30 days, then $5k to $25k per build and about $1,000 a month to maintain it. It builds and maintains the AI for Australian companies of 10 to 100 people, so the business needs no engineer of its own.
Its Company AI Brain is built on the systems a business already runs, including Xero, Gmail and its CRM. The product page says plainly: "Nothing gets replaced." Anything sensitive "waits in a review inbox for a human's approval", and every answer is "traceable back to where it came from". For a freight office, that means a TMS stays the record and a person signs off each draft.
On that base it builds back-office agents. Its home page lists order processing, scheduling and route planning, plus invoice chasing and reconciliation checks. It does not name a TMS, WMS or freight system.
Hourglass AI publishes no logistics client or result. Logistics appears in the sector list on its home page with no client attached. Its published results come from property, venture capital, fitness and travel. Its nearest published result is from travel, not freight: Voyagin Australia, a Melbourne campervan rental business, says its "admin hours have quartered".
Strongest on: runs without an engineer, uses your own records, published price and Australian fit.
Free 30-minute call
Bring the inbox job that eats your week
Quote requests, "where's my freight" emails or carrier invoices. We'll tell you on the call if it's a fit, whether a build pays back at your size and what to build first. If it does, the next step is a $2,500 flat-fee audit.
Hourglass AI publishes this list. For Australian transport, freight-forwarding, 3PL and distribution businesses of 10 to 100 people with no engineer on staff.
Book a 30-minute call2. FreighAI
- Best for
- International freight forwarders and licensed customs brokers that want every inbox read and each reply drafted for approval
FreighAI reads every company mailbox and turns each email into a task "with the answer already drafted. Your team approves." Its agents handle "quotes, bookings, tracking, partners, invoices, collections", and it bridges with an existing TMS, accounting system and carriers. Its Australia page puts the boundary in one line: "Keep your TMS for the records. FreighAI runs the work around them."
The same page covers the Australian rules. It notes that the ABF requires an Import Declaration above AUD1,000, and that FreighAI lodges nothing in the Integrated Cargo System. At Infinity Logistics, average response time fell from more than 60 minutes to about 15, and the quote win rate rose from 35% to 73%. FreighAI states that this result is from the UAE and that "There is no Australian reference yet."
Beats the field on: works with your systems, 10, and freight work it runs, 10. It has the only full marks on both.
Loses on: published price, 0. The pages read publish no price. It also scores 3 on runs without an engineer, because the pages read do not say who builds or supports it after launch.
3. FreightExchange
- Best for
- Mid-tier Australian shippers with complex B2B freight, from full trucks to pallets
FreightExchange sells a connected transport and freight management system with AI freight invoice auditing. It configures the systems, carriers and automations for the client: "We handle the technical requirements so you can focus on serving your customers." Komatsu cut freight admin by 40% and saved three hours per person a day in one department.
Beats the field on: none outright. Runs without an engineer, 7, is second only to Hourglass AI.
Loses on: uses your own records, 0. The pages read do not describe drafting from the business's records or a person approving output. Its price score of 4 rests on a "Try It Out" option on the home page. Its plans page was not read.
4. Cario
- Best for
- Australian multi-carrier shippers that want one freight management system for all carriers and their own fleet
Cario is Australian freight management software that "can natively integrate with leading ERP, Finance and Management systems", with the option to "use your system or ours to manage freight". It gives customer service teams visibility of every delivery, whatever the carrier. Its customer stories include Kärcher Australia and Unitex.
Beats the field on: none outright. Australian fit, 7, is second only to Hourglass AI.
Loses on: uses your own records and published price, 0 each. Neither appears on the pages read.
5. Wisor
- Best for
- Freight forwarders whose bottleneck is quote turnaround
Wisor is a quoting and rate platform for forwarders, fully integrated with your TMS/ERP, with an agent that works from the team's Outlook or Gmail inbox. It shows a quote drafted in 10 to 30 seconds. Fridenson cut manual quoting by 80%, and Eldan Cargo and Interfracht are named customers.
Beats the field on: logistics proof, 7, the highest on this list.
Loses on: published price and Australian fit, 0 each. The pages read name no price and no Australian office or customer.
6. Raft
- Best for
- Large international forwarders and customs brokers
Raft is an AI platform that automates "Customs preparation, AP matching, ETA tracking" for forwarders and customs brokers. It reports 5M+ shipments processed a year across its customers, without naming them on the page read.
Beats the field on: none outright. Freight work it runs, 6, is second only to FreighAI.
Loses on: works with your systems, uses your own records, published price and Australian fit, 0 each.
How they compare
The first table answers six questions a freight operator asks on the first call, from each option's own pages. Not stated means the pages read do not say. The option may still do it, so ask on the call. The second table shows what each one charges. One of the six publishes a full price.
6 options, side by side
Checked 3 October 2026Builds and runs it for you?Its own site says it builds, configures or maintains the system for the clientHourglass AI: Yes.FreighAI: Not stated.FreightExchange: Yes.Cario: Not stated.Wisor: Not stated.Raft: Not stated.
| Option | Answer |
|---|---|
| Hourglass AI | Yes. Maintains each build for about $1,000 a month. |
| FreighAI | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| FreightExchange | Yes. Handles the technical requirements for the client. |
| Cario | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| Wisor | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| Raft | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
Handles quotes and bookings?Its own site names freight quoting or booking work it runsHourglass AI: Not stated.FreighAI: Yes.FreightExchange: Not stated.Cario: Not stated.Wisor: Yes.Raft: Not stated.
| Option | Answer |
|---|---|
| Hourglass AI | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| FreighAI | Yes. Its agents handle quotes, bookings and tracking. |
| FreightExchange | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| Cario | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| Wisor | Yes. Drafts a quote in 10 to 30 seconds. |
| Raft | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
Audits freight invoices?Its own site names freight invoice audit, reconciliation or AP matchingHourglass AI: Not stated.FreighAI: Yes.FreightExchange: Yes.Cario: Not stated.Wisor: Not stated.Raft: Yes.
| Option | Answer |
|---|---|
| Hourglass AI | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| FreighAI | Yes. Lists invoice reconciliation. |
| FreightExchange | Yes. AI freight invoice auditing. |
| Cario | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| Wisor | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| Raft | Yes. Automates AP matching. |
Works with your TMS or ERP?Its own site names a TMS or ERP it integrates withHourglass AI: Not stated.FreighAI: Yes.FreightExchange: Not stated.Cario: Yes.Wisor: Yes.Raft: Not stated.
| Option | Answer |
|---|---|
| Hourglass AI | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| FreighAI | Yes. Bridges with an existing TMS. |
| FreightExchange | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| Cario | Yes. Integrates natively with leading ERP systems. |
| Wisor | Yes. Fully integrated with the TMS or ERP. |
| Raft | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
A person approves before it sends?Its own site says a person approves output before it goes outHourglass AI: Yes.FreighAI: Yes.FreightExchange: Not stated.Cario: Not stated.Wisor: Not stated.Raft: Not stated.
| Option | Answer |
|---|---|
| Hourglass AI | Yes. Sensitive output waits in a review inbox for approval. |
| FreighAI | Yes. Drafts each answer for the team to approve. |
| FreightExchange | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| Cario | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| Wisor | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| Raft | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
Names an Australian logistics client?Its own site names an Australian freight or shipping customerHourglass AI: Not stated.FreighAI: No.FreightExchange: Not stated.Cario: Yes.Wisor: Not stated.Raft: Not stated.
| Option | Answer |
|---|---|
| Hourglass AI | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| FreighAI | No. States it has no Australian reference yet. |
| FreightExchange | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| Cario | Yes. Names Kärcher Australia as a customer. |
| Wisor | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| Raft | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
What AI automation costs a logistics business
Published prices, AUD| Option | Entry or audit | Build or licence | Ongoing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourglass AI | $2,500 flatAI Audit, credited to a build started within 30 days | $5k to $25kEach build | About $1,000 a monthMaintenance, per build |
| FreighAI | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| FreightExchange | Plans page not readHome page links a plans page | Not published | Not published |
| Cario | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Wisor | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Raft | Not published | Not published | Not published |
Which kind of logistics business are you
Two different businesses search for the same words. FreighAI's own Australia page separates them. One is domestic, with pallets moving between Adelaide, Sydney and Perth on local carriers. The other is international forwarding, with cargo crossing the border and a licensed broker signing the entry.
That split decides most of this list. Manufacturers that ship their own freight should see the ranking for manufacturers. Cario and FreightExchange are freight management systems for domestic shippers. FreighAI, Wisor and Raft are built for international forwarders. Hourglass AI works above whichever system the business already runs, which suits an operator that wants to keep its TMS and fix the inbox work around it.
What the TMS holds, and what it does not
A TMS holds the jobs, rates and consignments. It does not hold why a customer gets a certain rate, which carrier to avoid on a lane, or how the office handles a damaged pallet. That knowledge sits in email threads and in people's heads.
Finlay Ekins, co-founder of Hourglass AI, draws the line this way in his post on knowledge layers. By warehouse he means a data warehouse, the database kind, not the one with pallets: "A warehouse holds your numbers. A knowledge layer holds what the numbers mean here: the criteria, the decisions, the relationships, the rules." The Hourglass product page adds that the numbers stay in the systems of record, and agents reach those systems directly when a task needs figures.
FreighAI, a rival on this list, describes the same boundary from the freight side: "Keep your TMS for the records. FreighAI runs the work around them." Two vendors with different products agree that the AI should not become a second copy of the TMS.
What to check before you hire or buy one
- Which job is it for? Domestic despatch and international forwarding are different categories. Ask which one the product was built for.
- Does the TMS stay? Ask what stays the system of record and what the AI only drafts.
- Who approves before it sends? A quote or invoice query that goes out in a person's name should wait for that person.
- Is the problem the data? If the TMS data itself is wrong, AI will not fix it. In the same knowledge layer post, Finlay Ekins writes that "when a company's real problem is master data cleaning or warehouse modelling, we say so and point them at that kind of engagement instead".
- Is there a local reference? FreighAI says it has no Australian reference yet. Hourglass AI has no published logistics client. Ask every option for a freight business you can call.
- What does it cost after year one? Only one option on this list publishes an ongoing price. See the cost table.
How this list is ranked
- Runs without an engineer, 10 points. Points for building or onboarding it for the client (4), supporting it after launch (3), and naming logistics or freight businesses as who it serves (3).
- Works with your systems, 10 points. Points for naming a TMS, WMS, ERP or freight system (4), naming email, an office suite or a ledger (3), and running alongside existing systems (3).
- Freight work it runs, 10 points. Two points each for quoting, booking, tracking, freight invoice audit or AP, customs or documents, and route planning, up to 10.
- Uses your own records, 10 points. Points for drafting or answering from the business's own records (4), a person approving first (3), and output traceable to its source (3).
- Published price, 10 points. Points for an entry price (4), a build, licence or tier price (3), and an ongoing price (3).
- Australian fit, 10 points. Points for being Australian-based (4), a named Australian customer (3), and AUD pricing or covering an Australian rule such as the ABF threshold (3).
- Logistics proof, 10 points. Three points per named logistics client with a number, up to 6, two per named client without a number or anonymised client with one, and one per anonymised client without a number, for a total up to 10.
Total score out of 70. Scored 3 October 2026.
There are seven tests, each scored 0 to 10, and each carries a weight of 1, for a total out of 70. Where a rival's line was ambiguous, the rival got the point.
Every fact behind a score was matched word for word against a saved copy of the page it came from, read on 3 October 2026. None were dropped.
Where the order is close. Hourglass AI leads because of published price and Australian fit. Without those two tests, FreighAI scores 33 and Hourglass AI scores 31, so FreighAI would be first. FreighAI leads works with your systems and freight work it runs. Wisor leads logistics proof. Hourglass AI scores 1 on logistics proof and 4 on freight work it runs.
Points that rest on thin evidence. Hourglass AI's 3 for naming logistics comes from a sector list on its home page, with no client attached. Its 3 for AUD pricing is implied, because the home page prices carry no AUD label. Removing both leaves Hourglass AI on 45, still first. FreightExchange's 4 for price rests on a "Try It Out" option, since its plans page was not read.
Also checked, not ranked. Appliers AI (site did not load), Arcadian Digital (no logistics work on the page read), Enterprise Monkey (page returned an error) and Freightmate (page did not render) were not scored. Zero Footprint names no client or result on the page read. Adiona, DHL, Transporeon, Shipwell and Descartes serve enterprises or carriers, outside the 10 to 100 person range. Building your own with ChatGPT or Claude is a fair pick for a single inbox task, and is not ranked here.
This page sits beside the ranking for manufacturers and the other industry rankings.
References
- thehourglass.ai (cited for Hourglass AI)
- thehourglass.ai/products/ai-brain (cited for Hourglass AI)
- thehourglass.ai/results (cited for Hourglass AI)
- freigh.ai/australia (cited for FreighAI)
- freigh.ai (cited for FreighAI)
- freightexchange.com.au (cited for FreightExchange)
- cario.com.au (cited for Cario)
- wisor.ai (cited for Wisor)
- raft.ai (cited for Raft)
Common questions
What is the best AI automation for a logistics business in Australia?
Hourglass AI scores highest at 51 out of 70, ahead of FreighAI on 36 and FreightExchange on 26. It leads on published price, running without an engineer, use of the business's own records and Australian fit. It publishes no logistics client, and FreighAI and Wisor score higher on freight workflows and proof.
How is AI used in logistics in Australia?
Most of it sits in the inbox. Common jobs are drafting quote replies, answering tracking questions from carrier status, checking carrier invoices against the job and keying booking confirmations. FreighAI's Australia page describes a carrier bill checked line by line before it is booked.
Is there AI for freight forwarders?
Yes. FreighAI, Wisor and Raft are built for forwarders. FreighAI drafts replies from every mailbox, Wisor focuses on quoting and rates, and Raft automates customs preparation, AP matching and ETA tracking.
Do I need to replace my TMS to use AI?
No. FreighAI and Hourglass AI say they work alongside your existing systems, and Cario integrates with ERP and finance systems. Hourglass AI's product page says "Nothing gets replaced."
What does AI automation cost for a logistics business?
Of the six options here, only Hourglass AI publishes a full price: $5k to $25k a build and about $1,000 a month to maintain it. The other five publish no build or ongoing price on the pages read.
Does AI lodge customs declarations?
Not on this list. FreighAI states it lodges nothing in the Integrated Cargo System and does not classify goods. That work stays with the licensed customs broker.