Yard management software for small and mid-size 3PLs.
Short answer: for a mid-size 3PL, shortlist YardView or GoRamp for a dedicated YMS sold by quote, Made4net or Manhattan if you want yard and warehouse software on one platform, C3 Solutions if dock scheduling is the hard part, and Vantage if you want a published price and no gate hardware. Vantage runs the gate, the yard map, Yard Check and the door board on an iPhone or in any web browser: Free for 1 yard and up to 3 users with no card, Lite $149/mo for 2 yards and 5 users, Pro $349/mo for 5 yards and 12 users with the C-TPAT inspection.
Who wrote this: Vantage, one of the vendors below. What Vantage does not do yet is listed next to what it does, and every claim about another vendor links to that vendor's own page (opened October 20, 2026).
What a 3PL needs from a YMS, and where Vantage stands
| Need | Why it matters at a 3PL | Vantage today |
|---|---|---|
| Gate records | Every client's trailers come through one gate | Timestamp on every gate-in and gate-out. iPhone app reads the trailer or container number from a photo, the clerk confirms; web app numbers are typed; seals are typed. |
| Live yard list | Find a client's trailer without walking the yard | Live yard map and door board on every plan. Yard Check on the iPhone marks each unit Verified, Wrong location, Missing or Unexpected. |
| More than one site | Growth usually means a second building | Free 1 yard, Lite 2, Pro 5; Scale and Enterprise for more. |
| Carrier appointments | Fewer calls and emails per load | Carrier portal for booking. |
| Yard moves and tasks | Spotters and forklift drivers get the next job | Yard moves, driver task queues and dispatch on Pro and up. |
| Detention proof | Disputes with carriers and clients | Free-time clock starts at the actual gate-in; a completed visit prints as a detention record PDF. |
| C-TPAT | Import clients ask for it | 7-point inspection and audit pack on Pro; C-TPAT gate log on every plan. |
| Several clients in one yard | Billing and reporting per client | Not built in: no per-client billing or client portals. |
| WMS link | Orders and appointments in one place | No ready-made WMS connector (no Extensiv integration). API on Pro and up. |
| Devices | What your clerks carry | iPhone app, web app, and an Android app on Google Play (an update fixing Google sign-in is on its way). |
Mid-size 3PL YMS options, compared
| Tool | What its own page says | Fits a 3PL that | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| YardView | Yard software "since 1998": gate, drag-and-drop yard map, rules-based dock scheduling; AI cameras and kiosks optional (yardview.com) | wants a dedicated YMS with a long track record | Quote |
| GoRamp | "Yard and dock orchestration platform": yard management and dock scheduling together (goramp.com) | wants yard and appointments in one tool | Quote |
| Made4net | YardExpert and AppointmentExpert; manages "multiple locations, zones, tractors, and trailers"; also sells a 3PL WMS (made4net.com) | wants yard and WMS from one vendor | Quote |
| C3 Solutions | Dock scheduling software and a yard management system, plus a carrier pre-check platform (c3solutions.com) | has complex appointment rules across sites | Quote |
| Kaleris | Packages from "minimal hardware" to IoT tracking; WMS, TMS and ERP integration (kaleris.com) | is large, multi-site, or wants automation | Quote |
| Vantage | iPhone and web gate, yard map, Yard Check, door board; no gate hardware (pricing) | wants a published price and to set up its own yard | Free $0; $149 / $349 / $649 a month |
"Quote" = we found no public price list on the vendor's site on October 20, 2026. Vantage prices are per month, billed annually. More vendors in best yard management software 2026.
Cutting detention and driver wait time at a 3PL dock
ATRI found detention on 39.3% of stops in its 2024 study (ATRI). At a 3PL the invoice can land on you or on your client, so the record matters as much as the speed.
- Stamp the real arrival. Record gate-in when the truck arrives, not when it reaches a door. In Vantage the free-time clock starts at the actual gate-in.
- Work trailers by free time left. The yard map shows which trailers are past free time, so the next door goes to the one that costs money first.
- Keep doors turning. A door board shows which doors are empty, so a waiting truck is not parked next to an open door. See why trucks wait when doors are empty.
- Answer every detention invoice with your own times. Print the completed visit as a detention record PDF and check it against the bill (how to verify a detention invoice).
- Put a number on it. The detention cost calculator turns your free time, rate and dwell into a monthly figure.
Price, trial and pilot
Vantage publishes its prices: Free $0 (up to 3 users, 1 yard, 100 gate transactions a month, 30 days of history), Lite $149 (5 users, 2 yards, 2,000 transactions, 180 days), Pro $349 (12 users, 5 yards, 10,000 transactions, 365 days, C-TPAT inspection, API), Scale $649 (25 users). Start free with no card: every Pro feature for 14 days, then the Free plan, which never expires. Choosing a paid plan up front? Card at checkout, $0 today, first charge on day 15 unless you cancel.
Separate from the trial, there is a 30-day pilot program for up to 5 warehouses, by application: you set up your own doors in Vantage and pay only if it works.
Frequently asked
What is the best yard management system for a mid-size 3PL?
For a mid-size 3PL, shortlist YardView or GoRamp for a dedicated YMS sold by quote, Made4net or Manhattan if you want yard and warehouse software on one platform, C3 Solutions if dock scheduling is the hard part, and Vantage if you want a published price and no gate hardware. Vantage runs the gate, yard map, Yard Check and door board on an iPhone or in any web browser: Free for 1 yard and up to 3 users, Lite $149 a month for 2 yards and 5 users, Pro $349 a month for 5 yards and 12 users.
What is the best YMS for a small 3PL?
A small 3PL with one or two yards usually gets the most from clean gate records, a live yard list and a published price, without a hardware install. Vantage's Free plan covers 1 yard, up to 3 users and 100 gate transactions a month with no card; Lite at $149 a month covers 2 yards and 5 users.
How much does yard management software cost for a 3PL?
Most YMS vendors sell by quote, often with hardware and an implementation project. Vantage publishes its prices: Free $0, Lite $149, Pro $349 and Scale $649 a month, billed annually. Each plan has a set number of yards and users, so adding a site is a plan change, not a new project.
Can one YMS handle several clients in the same yard?
Ask every vendor to show it. Vantage records every trailer in a yard on one list and does not have per-client billing or client portals. If you bill storage or yard time per client from the YMS, put that requirement in your demo script.
Does Vantage integrate with our WMS, such as Extensiv?
There is no ready-made WMS connector today, and no Extensiv integration. Pro and up include an API. If a live WMS link is a must on day one, Made4net, Manhattan or Kaleris, which list WMS integration, are a better fit.
Do we need RFID or gate hardware?
No. In the Vantage iPhone app the camera reads the trailer or container number and the clerk confirms it; in the web app the number is typed. Seals are typed. There is also an Android app on Google Play (an update fixing Google sign-in is on its way); photo number reading is on iPhone.
How can a 3PL reduce truck detention and driver wait time at the dock?
Start the clock at the real arrival: stamp every gate-in and gate-out, work trailers in order of free time left, keep doors moving with a door board, and answer each detention invoice with your own timestamps. In Vantage the free-time clock starts at the actual gate-in, trailers past free time are flagged, and a completed visit can be printed as a detention record PDF.
Is there a yard check app for iPhone?
Yes. In the Vantage iPhone app you pick the spot, photograph the trailer or container number, confirm it, and each unit is marked Verified, Wrong location, Missing or Unexpected against the yard list. Yard Check is on the Free plan.
Run your 3PL yard from an iPhone or a browser.
Free plan, no card, no hardware. No sales call required, but we're happy to hop on one.
Also useful: best yard management software 2026 · best yard management software for small yards · what a YMS actually costs · do I need a YMS if I have a WMS? · how Vantage compares · yard time savings estimator
By yard type: yard management for food and beverage distribution · cold storage and reefer yards · retail distribution centers · e-commerce fulfillment yards