Tyllus vs Flexport
Tyllus vs Flexport: import software vs forwarder and customs broker
Tyllus is import operations software that coordinates the suppliers, freight forwarders and customs brokers an importer already uses, for teams moving roughly 10 to 100+ ocean containers a month into the US and Mexico. Flexport describes itself as a freight forwarder, customs broker and fulfillment company with its own platform. With Flexport you buy the logistics service; with Tyllus you run your own partners.
Updated: October 3, 2026
What is the main difference between Tyllus and Flexport?
Flexport moves freight by ocean, air and truck, clears customs through its licensed customs brokers, and gives customers a platform to see and manage that work. Flexport also offers a Control Tower that it says works on freight Flexport is not moving.
Tyllus is not a freight forwarder, carrier or licensed customs broker, and it does not file customs entries. It runs the import around the partners you choose: it sends each supplier, forwarder and broker the right request at each step, reads the documents they return, and builds the landed cost.
How do Tyllus and Flexport compare side by side?
Flexport cells follow Flexport's own website as of 3 October 2026.
| Dimension | Tyllus | Flexport |
|---|---|---|
| What you buy | Software for your import team | Freight forwarding, customs brokerage and fulfillment services, with its platform |
| Who moves the freight | The freight forwarders and carriers you choose | Flexport, as your freight forwarder |
| Who files customs entries | Your licensed customs broker; Tyllus sends the request 7 days before ETA and records the clearance status | Flexport's licensed customs brokers |
| Modes | Ocean containers into the US and Mexico | Ocean, air and trucking |
| Partner coordination | Automatic requests and reminders to any supplier, forwarder and broker through secure links, no account needed | Flexport as one partner and one platform; Control Tower for freight moved by other carriers or forwarders |
| Purchase orders | Orders page with six statuses and one-click shipment creation | Order management with ordered, booked and in-transit units and supplier scorecards |
| Documents | Reads 8 US document types, including ISF and CBP Form 7501, and 7 for Mexico | Document ingestion inside its customs brokerage process; documents stored in its system |
| Customs analytics | Filed entries, duty history and spend by HTS or TIGIE/NICO code from your 7501s and pedimentos | Customs technology suite: tariff simulator, broker audit, duty drawback and classification |
| Landed cost | Per shipment: goods, freight, broker fees, duties, taxes and fees | SKU-level landed-cost reporting |
| Other services | Ask Tyllus AI across up to 1,000 shipments; public Import Change Radar | Fulfillment, trade finance and insurance |
| Network | Your team and partners can work from any country | Operations network across 135 countries |
When is Tyllus the better choice?
Tyllus fits importers who want to keep choosing their own logistics partners.
- You want to keep your current freight forwarders and customs brokers, or use several at once, and still run every shipment in one place.
- You want suppliers, forwarders and brokers to receive requests and reminders automatically, without creating accounts.
- You want your own record of every shipment's documents, customs entries, duty and landed cost, whichever forwarder moved it.
- You import into Mexico with your own customs broker and need the pedimento read and its duties, taxes and fees added to landed cost.
- Your team moves roughly 10 to 100+ ocean containers a month and wants partner chasing to run on its own as volume grows.
When is Flexport the better choice?
Flexport is stronger when you want the service itself, not software to coordinate other logistics companies.
- You want one company to book and move your freight, clear customs and handle fulfillment.
- You ship by air or truck as well as ocean.
- You want licensed customs brokerage, classification, duty drawback or trade finance from the same company.
- You want SKU-level landed cost and order data inside your logistics company's platform.
Can you use Tyllus with Flexport as your forwarder?
Yes. Tyllus coordinates any freight forwarder or customs broker, so Flexport can be the forwarder or broker on a Tyllus shipment. Its team receives booking, document, arrival and invoice requests through secure links, without a Tyllus account, like any other partner.
This suits importers who use Flexport on some lanes and other forwarders on others: every shipment still runs through the same import flow (11 steps for US imports; Mexico skips the ISF step), and Tyllus reads the documents each partner returns.
Keep your partners, run every shipment in one place
Create an account, add your suppliers, forwarders and brokers, and let Tyllus send the requests for your next shipment.