What Descartes does

The Descartes Systems Group Inc. (TSX: DSG) is a Canadian publicly traded logistics and supply chain management software company serving global freight forwarders, logistics operators, and fleet managers. Its portfolio includes Descartes MacroPoint, a real-time freight visibility platform integrated with over 1,000 carrier networks; Descartes Forwarder Enterprise, a transportation management system for freight forwarders with quoting automation, multi-modal support, carrier collaboration, and cost visibility; and the Descartes Fleet Data Intelligence Platform, an AI-enhanced fleet analytics solution that received an AI capability expansion in April 2026. The company is positioned as one of three market leaders in real-time freight visibility alongside Project44 and FourKites, operating in markets sized at $4.8B in 2025 (12.5% CAGR to 2034) for visibility and $18.5B in 2025 (14.9% CAGR to 2030) for TMS.

The company generates revenue primarily through subscription-based software licensing for its TMS and visibility platforms, supplemented by professional services for enterprise implementation and integration support. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales targeting large logistics operators and freight forwarders globally. In 2026, Descartes executed a ~$115M acquisition of 3GTMS to deepen TMS capabilities and posted Q3 EPS of US$0.50, up 19% year-over-year and 16% sequentially.

Note: The input also contains material about Sticos Descartes, a Norwegian audit software product from Sticos AS (part of Visma), with a customer testimonial from Sant Revisjon and a firmographic profile founded in 1998 in Oslo. This appears to be a separate product/entity inadvertently conflated in the source data. The analysis above is grounded in the Descartes Systems Group data set.

Name

Descartes

Legal name

The Descartes Systems Group Inc.

Website

https://descartesaudit.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Descartes Systems Group Inc. (TSX: DSG) is a Canadian logistics technology company providing transportation management, real-time freight visibility, and AI-enhanced fleet analytics software to global freight forwarders, logistics operators, and fleet managers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Logistics and Supply Chain Management Software

NAICS

Support Activities for Transportation (488)

akta.pro primary industry

Real-Time Operational Visibility & Exception Management (TLAEAKAC)

Keywords

• Logistics software platform
• Transportation management system
• Freight visibility solutions
• Supply chain analytics
• Fleet management software

Headquarters

HQ city

Oslo

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. TMS Software Licensing and Subscription: Transportation Management System software providing logistics and supply chain management solutions with recurring subscription revenue
2. Enterprise Software Implementation: Professional services and implementation support for enterprise TMS deployments

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Descartes provides a portfolio of interconnected logistics and supply chain management software products for global freight forwarders, logistics operators, and fleet managers. Core offerings include transportation management system (TMS) software with quoting automation and shipment tracking, real-time freight visibility through carrier network integrations exceeding 1,000 networks, and AI-enhanced fleet data intelligence platforms for operational efficiency.

Product overview

Descartes (The Descartes Systems Group Inc.) is a logistics and supply chain management solutions company offering a portfolio of interconnected products including Descartes MacroPoint for freight visibility with carrier network integrations, Descartes Forwarder Enterprise for freight forwarder TMS capabilities, and the Descartes Fleet Data Intelligence Platform for AI-powered fleet management analytics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Descartes MacroPoint: Freight visibility platform maintained by Descartes, competing with Project44 and FourKites in the real-time freight visibility market.
• Descartes Forwarder Enterprise

Quantifiable outcome

• 19% increase in Q3 EPS year-over-year
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• 3GTMScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDescartes acquired 3GTMS for approximately USD 115 million, representing active consolidation in the TMS sector. This acquisition enhances Descartes' transportation management capabilities for freight forwarders.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Uber Freight: Digital freight marketplace and managed transportation offering visibility and brokerage services that partially overlap with Descartes MacroPoint and Forwarder Enterprise.
• Turvo: Cloud-native TMS and collaboration platform for shippers, brokers, and 3PLs; a newer entrant challenging incumbent TMS vendors including Descartes in mid-market and enterprise deals.

Broad incumbents

• Trimble Transportation: Established fleet and transportation management provider with telematics, TMS, and visibility capabilities that overlap with Descartes MacroPoint and Forwarder Enterprise.
• SAP Transportation Management: Incumbent ERP-vendor TMS module competing with Descartes in large enterprise shipper environments, typically bundled with broader SAP logistics suite.
• Oracle Transportation Management: Broader enterprise software incumbent offering TMS capabilities within its larger supply chain suite, competing with Descartes in large global shipper deployments.
• Manhattan Associates: Supply chain and inventory optimization incumbent whose transportation management capabilities overlap with Descartes' TMS and visibility offerings for large enterprises.
• Blue Yonder: Supply chain planning and execution platform with TMS and visibility modules, overlapping with Descartes across transportation management and real-time shipment tracking.

Direct peers

• Project44: Direct competitor to Descartes MacroPoint in real-time freight visibility, offering carrier network integrations and shipment tracking for shippers, 3PLs, and carriers worldwide.
• MercuryGate International: TMS provider for shippers, 3PLs, and brokers, directly comparable to Descartes Forwarder Enterprise in mid-market and enterprise transportation management.
• FourKites: Direct competitor to Descartes MacroPoint in real-time transportation visibility, providing predictive ETAs and supply chain visibility across ocean, road, rail, and air.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Descartes