The TMS for the 1-broker shop that just got FMCSA authority.
A startup freight broker does not need a $50,000 enterprise TMS deployment, a six-week implementation, or a sales call to find out what the pricing is. A startup broker needs a way to triage the 30 carrier replies on the first posted load, a way to verify MC numbers without alt-tabbing to FMCSA SAFER, and a way to generate a rate confirmation that doesn't look like a Word template from 2009. Keelway covers all three on day one.
What we built for the first-year broker
30-50 carrier replies down to 5 ranked picks
Authority verification on every reply
One-click rate confirmation from the load record
$1/load AI or $997/mo flat TMS
The first-year freight broker stack we'd build today
If we were setting up a brand-new 2-person freight brokerage in 2026, the stack would be:
- FMCSA authority + $75K BMC-84 bond + BOC-3. Non-negotiable. See how to become a freight broker.
- Gmail or Outlook for the inbox. Don't spin up a custom domain mail server. Use Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.
- AscendTMS free tier as system of record. Free for 1-3 users. Covers load entry, carrier records, basic invoicing. Aljex if you're going to scale fast.
- Keelway AI at $1/load on top of the inbox. Carrier triage, FMCSA trust scoring, rate extraction. First 50 loads free.
- DAT One for the load board. Truckstop ITS as backup capacity.
- QuickBooks Online for accounting. Keelway pushes invoices to QBO automatically.
Total monthly software cost on this stack at 100 loads/month: roughly $100-$200 plus the DAT subscription. See the full read on the cheapest broker TMS stack.
Frequently asked questions
What does a startup freight broker actually need from a TMS?+
Three things in priority order. (1) A way to triage the carrier replies that hit the inbox the moment a load gets posted — Keelway AI at $1/load handles this from day one. (2) A way to generate rate confirmations and track who owes you what — basic TMS functionality. (3) FMCSA authority verification on every carrier so you don't book a double-broker by accident. The flashy reporting and BI features sold to enterprise brokerages don't move the needle when you're doing 50 loads a month.
What is the cheapest credible TMS stack for a brand-new brokerage?+
AscendTMS free tier (covers 1-3 users) + Keelway AI at $1/load + DAT One subscription for the load board. Total monthly software cost at 80-150 loads: roughly $80-$150 plus the DAT subscription. As soon as you outgrow AscendTMS or want to consolidate the stack, Keelway TMS at $997/month flat replaces the bottom layer with the AI bundled. See the cheapest broker stack page for the full breakdown.
Is there a free trial?+
First 50 loads on Keelway AI are free. That's enough to run a typical SMB brokerage for 2-4 weeks of real volume and decide whether the rate-extraction accuracy and trust scoring earn their keep. No credit card to start, no auto-conversion to a paid plan, no calls with a salesperson required. For the $997/month flat TMS, there's a similar paid pilot structure — talk to us.
What about FMCSA authority and the broker bond?+
Keelway is software, not a brokerage. You bring your own MC authority, your own $75K BMC-84 bond, and your own BOC-3 filings. We integrate with your authority and verify your carriers' authorities against FMCSA on every reply. For first-time brokers still working through licensing, see our learn page on how to become a freight broker — it covers the FMCSA, the bond, and the year-one pitfalls.
When does a startup broker outgrow Keelway?+
Honestly: not often, and that's by design. Keelway is calibrated to scale from a 2-person shop through to a 200-broker mid-market 3PL on the same product. The plan tier changes — $1/load AI, $997/month flat TMS, or custom enterprise — but the product is the same. We don't run a forced-upgrade ladder. Where Keelway doesn't fit: pure asset-based carriers, freight forwarders running primarily ocean and air, and brokerages whose entire book is voice-relationship-driven with no carrier-email channel.