Tool profile
Sendcloud: cost, fit and limits
Sendcloud is a shipping platform made by Sendcloud B.V. of Eindhoven that generates carrier labels for webshops and adds a branded returns portal and advanced returns management on its higher tiers. Its pricing is built around labels per month.
What to know first
Sendcloud prices by tier and by label: Free covers 20 parcels a month, Lite is €28, Growth €87, Premium €175 and Pro €639 per month, each with a per-label fee between €0.07 and €0.10 and a €0.15 overage above the cap. The branded return portal starts at Growth and advanced returns management at Premium. A 14-day trial runs on self-serve plans. A sparkle icon marks smart recommendations, with no method described.
Sendcloud at a glance
| Maker | Sendcloud B.V., Netherlands |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Free trial only |
| Entry price | Free (20 parcels per month); paid from €28 per month (Lite) |
| API access | No |
| Category | Best AI Returns Management Software in 2026, rank 7 of 12 |
| Website | sendcloud.com |
Who Sendcloud is best for
Webshops that ship across Europe
Sendcloud is a Dutch shipping tool with eight named storefronts, so a merchant can buy labels and a returns portal from one vendor.
Small shops with a few parcels a month
The Free tier allows 20 parcels a month, which lets a hobby or launch-stage store ship without a subscription. A merchant who outgrows that cap moves to Lite at €28 a month.
Stores that want costs tied to labels
The per-label fees and published label caps let a merchant model monthly spend from parcel counts, rather than from a returns volume tier.
Sendcloud plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | €0 per month | 20 parcels a month, billed per label, with no returns portal feature listed on the plan. |
| Lite | €28 per month | Per-label fee of €0.10, up to 4,800 labels a year and a €0.15 charge per label after 400 labels in a month. |
| Growth | €87 per month | Per-label fee of €0.09, up to 12,000 labels a year, a branded return portal and a €0.15 charge after 1,000 labels monthly. |
| Premium | €175 per month | Per-label fee of €0.08, up to 120,000 labels a year and advanced returns management, with a €0.15 charge after 10,000 labels monthly. |
| Pro | €639 per month | Per-label fee of €0.07, up to 360,000 labels a year and everything in Premium, with a €0.15 charge after 30,000 labels monthly. |
Checked November 2026.
What Sendcloud does
- Branded return portal
- Starting on Growth, shoppers get a portal with the store's branding. Lite and Free list no returns portal, so a merchant who wants one must start at €87.
- Advanced returns management
- Premium lists a deeper returns feature set. The pages opened do not enumerate the rules or reports, so a merchant should request a demonstration of what it adds over Growth.
- Smart recommendations
- Recommendations and estimated delivery dates carry a sparkle icon on the pricing page. The method is not described, so treat it as an AI-style label rather than a documented model.
- Courier claim refunds
- Smart courier claim refunds are listed as a feature, which helps a merchant recover value when a carrier loses or damages a parcel. The pages do not state which carriers qualify or the fee.
- Yearly billing toggle
- A yearly toggle shows 20% off the displayed monthly amounts, which are quoted per month. Ask for the yearly total and check VAT treatment. The page does not say whether VAT is included in any displayed amount.
How Sendcloud handles your data
Sendcloud's privacy policy sets no fixed retention period for personal data and says server log files are deleted after a maximum of seven days. It does not state a hosting region, whether customer data trains AI models, or a certification such as SOC 2 or ISO. The policy links a Trust center, which returned a 404 when opened, so the vendor's trust documentation was not checked. A merchant should ask for current security reports and a data processing agreement.
Where Sendcloud falls short in practice
- Returns portal starts at €87. Free and Lite list no returns portal feature, so a shop that wants branded returns pays at least the Growth price, plus per-label fees on every shipment.
- Label fees stack. Each tier adds a per-label fee and a €0.15 charge above its monthly cap, so a store near a cap should compare the next tier before a busy season.
- Shipping first. Sendcloud is a shipping platform, so returns features are a layer on top. A merchant wanting exchange incentives, fraud scoring or bonus credit will not find them on the pages opened. Its pricing is built around labels per month.
- Trust center did not load. The Trust center linked from the privacy policy returned a 404 when we opened it, which leaves certifications unverified and may slow a procurement review.
Works with
Alternatives to Sendcloud
Sendcloud: common questions
Which Sendcloud plan includes a returns portal?
The branded return portal is listed from the Growth plan at €87 a month, and advanced returns management from Premium at €175. Free and Lite list no returns portal. Per-label fees apply on top, so check the full monthly cost for your parcel volume.
How many parcels does the free Sendcloud plan allow?
The Free plan allows 20 parcels per month at €0 and bills per label. Paid tiers start at Lite for €28 a month. A 14-day trial with no credit card is described for self-serve plans, and it renews automatically after the trial ends.
What are Sendcloud's overage fees?
Each paid tier lists a €0.15 charge per label above its monthly cap: 400 labels on Lite, 1,000 on Growth, 10,000 on Premium and 30,000 on Pro. These come on top of the per-label fee. A store that expects spikes should price the next tier up.
Does Sendcloud use AI?
The pricing page marks smart recommendations and estimated delivery dates with a sparkle icon, but it does not describe the method or any model. No AI returns feature such as fraud scoring or exchange suggestions is listed, so treat the AI claim as limited.
Is Sendcloud a European vendor?
Sendcloud B.V. is registered in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, according to its privacy policy. The pages do not state where data is hosted, and the linked Trust center returned a 404, so ask for a hosting statement if EU residency matters to you.