ShipStation MCP Connector

ShipStation

logisticsStatus: Active★ 4.5 ratingSecurity score: 8/10Context size: Small

Connect AI agents to ShipStation for multi-carrier shipping automation, order management, label generation, and shipment tracking.

Back to catalog View API docs View on GitHub

Auth notes

Two API versions with different auth methods. V1: Basic HTTP authentication — encode API Key as username and API Secret as password in Base64 format, pass as Authorization: Basic header. V2: API key passed directly in api-key header. V1 and V2 keys are NOT interchangeable. Generate keys from Settings → Account → API Settings in ShipStation. Keys visible only once at generation — store immediately. Note: V2 sandbox environment not yet available as of 2025.

Rate limits

V1: 40 requests per minute per API key. V2: 200 requests per minute per key — contact apisupport@shipstation.com for higher limits. Response headers include X-Rate-Limit-Limit, X-Rate-Limit-Remaining, and X-Rate-Limit-Reset. Stop all requests when X-Rate-Limit-Remaining reaches 0 and wait for X-Rate-Limit-Reset seconds. Bulk endpoints available for label creation and rate comparison.

Edge cases

V1 and V2 keys are completely separate and not interchangeable — a common source of authentication failures. DateTime values use PST/PDT timezone not UTC — convert carefully. API responses paginate at 500 records per page. Rate comparison across many carriers can quickly hit limits — use bulk rates endpoint instead of individual calls. No sandbox for V2 yet — test carefully in production with low-volume orders first.

Sandbox testing

Run test calls against ShipStation from Pipeyard. Try prompts below to see a simulated response; real MCP integration is coming in a future release.

Test prompt

Have a connector you'd like us to prioritize or a specific test flow you care about? Use the Requests page to submit new ideas.

Quick Start — curl example

curl

curl -X GET "https://ssapi.shipstation.com/orders?orderStatus=awaiting_shipment&pageSize=10" \
  -H "Authorization: Basic {base64_encoded_key:secret}" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json"

Credential Setup Guide

11. Log in to ShipStation and go to Settings then Account then API Settings
22. Click Generate API Keys to create your API Key and API Secret
33. Base64 encode your key and secret in format key:secret using btoa() or base64 command
44. Use as Authorization: Basic {encoded_string} in all requests
55. V1 API base URL: https://ssapi.shipstation.com
66. V2 API uses api-key header instead — not interchangeable with V1 keys
77. Note: ShipStation V2 sandbox not yet available — test carefully with V1 sandbox
88. Monitor X-Rate-Limit-Remaining header — stop requests when it reaches 0

Example API Response

Sample data

curl

{
  "orders": [
    {
      "orderId": 294513652,
      "orderNumber": "ORD-88421",
      "orderStatus": "awaiting_shipment",
      "orderDate": "2025-03-10T14:30:00.000Z",
      "customerUsername": "john.customer",
      "orderTotal": 149.99,
      "amountPaid": 149.99,
      "shippingAmount": 9.99,
      "shipTo": {
        "name": "John Customer",
        "street1": "456 Pine Street",
        "city": "Portland",
        "state": "OR",
        "postalCode": "97201"
      },
      "items": [
        {
          "name": "Wireless Headphones",
          "quantity": 1,
          "unitPrice": 139.99,
          "sku": "WH-PRO-BLK"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "total": 1,
  "page": 1,
  "pages": 1
}