Many supply chain platforms say they offer visibility. The question is: visibility into what? Tracking a shipment in transit is one thing. Understanding what was ordered, how it was booked, whether it was delivered as expected, and if the freight charges match—that’s something else. And that difference can determine how quickly teams resolve issues, manage costs, or monitor carrier performance. This article looks at eight leading supply chain visibility platforms and how well they support visibility across the shipment lifecycle, from order to invoice.
How to Define Full Supply Chain Visibility
Supply chain visibility should be about more than tracking a shipment once it’s on the move. To be truly useful, visibility needs to connect every stage of the shipment lifecycle, from the initial order through final invoicing. Without that continuity, logistics teams are left piecing together information from different systems, making it harder to plan and respond to disruptions.
There are five stages that define end-to-end visibility:
- Order: Fulfillment schedules, lead times, and projected ship dates
- Rating & Booking: Service-level comparisons and cost evaluation
- Shipping: Real-time tracking and access to documents like BOLs and customs forms
- In-Transit & Delivery: Status updates, proof of delivery, and OS&D alerts
- Invoice: Final charges validated against quoted rates to catch discrepancies
In the sections that follow, we’ll take a closer look at how six leading supply chain visibility software solutions handle each of these stages and where gaps may still exist.
Comparing Six Leading Supply Chain Visibility Platforms
1. Agistix
Agistix positions itself as a supply chain visibility platform that connects data across all modes, carriers, and systems regardless of whether shipments are booked within their platform, an external TMS, or by third parties. The platform is designed to give enterprises end-to-end visibility without disrupting existing workflows or requiring teams to switch systems.
Visibility Highlights
- Unified view of shipment activity across systems, modes, and third-party bookings
- Embedded shipment execution capabilities for rating, booking, and tendering
- Customized point solutions enable suppliers, carriers, and partners to access and update shipment data in real time
- Centralized access to tracking updates, documents, OS&D status, and invoice details
- Cloud-based architecture designed to ingest and normalize data across disparate sources
Scope Notes
- Does not include native yard or inventory management tools
- Focuses on shipment execution and visibility rather than warehouse or asset tracking
2. Project44
Project44 describes itself as a high-fidelity supply chain visibility platform built to provide predictive, real-time insights across global transportation networks. The platform supports multimodal tracking and includes visibility into yard operations, enabling teams to monitor freight from port to final delivery.
Visibility Highlights
- Multimodal logistics visibility across truckload, LTL, rail, ocean, air, and parcel
- Predictive ETAs and exception management using machine learning
- Yard visibility to monitor dwell time, gate movements, and asset status
- Global network of carriers and logistics partners across regions
Scope Notes
- Data quality and availability can limit the usefulness of certain features
- Limited customization for user-specific workflows or reporting
- Exporting large volumes of data directly from the interface may be constrained
3. FourKites
FourKites presents itself as a real-time visibility platform built to connect transportation, yard, and warehouse operations. It emphasizes tools like digital twin modeling to create a live, visual representation of the supply chain and collaboration capabilities that enable shippers, carriers, and facilities to work in a shared platform.
Visibility Highlights
- Real-time multimodal visibility across truckload, LTL, ocean, rail, air, and parcel
- Digital Twin technology to visualize network-wide freight flows
- Integrated yard management for monitoring dock status, trailer movement, and dwell time
- Predictive ETAs and exception alerts
Scope Notes
- Onboarding carriers and brokers can be slow and inconsistent, impacting early visibility
- Requires strong carrier compliance for full data capture
- Financial visibility and invoice-level reconciliation are not part of the platform’s core capabilities
4. Shippeo
Shippeo positions itself as a transportation visibility platform focused on high-accuracy ETAs, predictive insights, and fast implementation. It supports multimodal tracking with strong coverage in European road freight and expanding capabilities in ocean and rail. The platform is designed to improve operational efficiency and customer service through proactive exception management.
Visibility Highlights
- Predictive ETAs powered by proprietary machine learning models
- Real-time tracking across road, ocean, rail, and air shipments
- Integrated dashboards and exception management tools
- API-based integrations with TMS, ERP, and carrier systems
Scope Notes
- Limited customization for in-platform alerts, including appointment compliance tracking
- Data quality and consistency depend heavily on third-party carrier input
- Users report inconsistent customer support and limited flexibility for platform adjustments
5. Descartes MacroPoint
MacroPoint is one of the earliest logistics visibility platforms to enter the market, originally built to improve load tracking across North American carriers. Now part of Descartes, the platform continues to focus on in-transit freight visibility, offering multimodal tracking, predictive ETAs, and exception alerts through integrations with carrier systems and driver mobile devices.
Visibility Highlights
- Real-time shipment tracking across modes, with predictive ETAs
- Established carrier network, especially in North America
- Exception alerts to flag delays and disruptions
- Mobile-based tracking for carriers without telematics
Scope Notes
- Primarily focused on in-transit tracking; limited pre-shipment or financial visibility
- Driver app adoption can be inconsistent, affecting tracking reliability
- Manual tracking setup can be cumbersome for team-driver or split-load scenarios
6. FarEye
FarEye positions itself as a delivery management platform with strong last-mile visibility and execution capabilities. The platform is designed to help enterprises manage logistics from dispatch through customer delivery, with tools for routing, scheduling, and real-time status updates across multiple delivery partners.
Visibility Highlights
- Strong focus on last-mile tracking and customer delivery experience
- Tools for dispatch, routing, scheduling, and dynamic ETA updates
- Real-time delivery visibility with exception alerts
- Mobile app support for delivery personnel
Scope Notes
- Integrations may be complex and prone to errors without detailed specifications
- Feature set can be overwhelming and expensive for smaller teams
- Users report the system sometimes displays unclear status messaging
Choosing the Right Visibility Platform for Your Needs
Visibility platforms often specialize in one part of the shipment lifecycle. Some focus on real-time location data, while others lean into last-mile performance or delivery execution. Few offer a complete view that spans order creation, booking logic, and final invoice validation. And for many teams, that gap matters.
The right solution depends on how your organization uses visibility. If tracking alone meets your needs, plenty of platforms can deliver. But if your decisions rely on upstream accuracy or downstream cost control, limited visibility introduces unnecessary risk.
A one-size-fits-all platform doesn’t exist. What matters is whether the data supports the way your teams work, and whether the visibility extends far enough to keep everyone aligned.
