Best Free Bill of Lading Generators in 2026: Compared

If you've ever tried to generate a bill of lading online, you know the pain. Most tools are either stuck in 2005, hidden behind account walls, or generate documents that look like they were made in Microsoft Word 97. For something as critical as shipping documentation, that's not acceptable.

We tested every free bill of lading generator we could find to see which ones actually deliver a professional, usable document — and which ones waste your time.

The Tools We Tested

1. ePageUSA Bill of Lading Generator — Modern, free, no signup
2. BillOfLading.org — Dedicated BOL website
3. Smartsheet Templates — Downloadable templates
4. Saia LTL Freight — Carrier-specific generator
5. GoFreight — Freight management tools
6. Jotform BOL Templates — Form-based generators
7. PDF BOL Templates — Various downloadable PDFs

1. ePageUSA Bill of Lading Generator

What it does: A fully interactive, modern bill of lading generator that runs entirely in your browser. Fill in shipper, consignee, carrier details, and line items — then generate a professional PDF instantly. No signup, no account, no limits.

Best for: Small businesses, independent shippers, and anyone who needs to create professional BOLs quickly without installing software or signing up for a freight platform.

Key features:

• Clean, modern interface with real-time preview
• Professional PDF output with proper formatting
• Pre-filled fields for common entries
• Supports multiple line items with descriptions, weight, and class
• Special instructions and reference numbers
• Works on desktop and mobile
• Completely free — no account, no limits, no watermarks

Limitations: Designed for standard straight bills of lading. Doesn't handle ocean freight BOLs or multimodal shipping documents.

Try it: Free Bill of Lading Generator

2. BillOfLading.org

What it does: A dedicated website for generating bills of lading. Offers a web-based form that produces a BOL document.

Best for: Users who want a straightforward, no-frills BOL generator.

Key features:

• Web-based form
• Generates standard BOL format
• Been around for years (established)

Limitations: The interface is dated and hasn't been updated in years. The generated documents look basic. Limited customization options. Some features require a paid account.

3. Smartsheet BOL Templates

What it does: Provides downloadable bill of lading templates in Excel and Word format that you fill in manually.

Best for: Users who are comfortable editing spreadsheets and want offline access.

Key features:

• Multiple template formats (Excel, Word, PDF)
• Customizable fields
• Can be saved and reused

Limitations: It's a template, not a generator. You're manually editing a spreadsheet. No automatic formatting, no PDF generation, no real-time preview. Requires Microsoft Office or Google Sheets. Not a great experience on mobile.

4. Saia LTL Freight

What it does: Saia is an LTL freight carrier that offers BOL generation as part of their shipping platform.

Best for: Businesses already shipping with Saia who want integrated BOL creation.

Key features:

• Integrated with Saia's shipping system
• Auto-populates carrier information
• Rate quotes alongside BOL creation

Limitations: Requires a Saia account. Only useful if you're shipping with Saia specifically. Not a general-purpose BOL tool. Locked into their ecosystem.

5. GoFreight

What it does: Freight forwarding software that includes BOL generation as part of a larger logistics management platform.

Best for: Freight forwarders and logistics companies managing multiple shipments.

Key features:

• Professional document generation
• Integrated with freight management workflow
• Multiple document types beyond BOL

Limitations: It's enterprise software, not a free tool. The BOL generator is part of a paid platform. Free trial available, but you need a full account and commitment to use it.

6. Jotform BOL Templates

What it does: Jotform offers form-based bill of lading templates that you can fill out online and download as PDFs.

Best for: Users who want a simple online form without installing anything.

Key features:

• Multiple template designs
• Online form-based filling
• PDF download

Limitations: Jotform branding on free tier. Limited to 5 form submissions per month on the free plan. The forms are generic and may not match standard BOL formatting requirements. Paid plans start at $34/month.

7. Downloadable PDF Templates

What it does: Various websites offer blank BOL forms as downloadable PDFs that you print and fill in by hand or edit with a PDF editor.

Best for: Businesses that prefer paper-based workflows.

Limitations: It's a blank form. You're either printing and handwriting or trying to edit a PDF (which is never a good experience). No data validation, no auto-calculation, no digital workflow.

Comparison Table

Feature	ePageUSA	BillOfLading.org	Smartsheet	Saia	Jotform
Free to use	Unlimited	Limited	Yes (template)	Account req.	5/month
Modern interface	Yes	No	N/A	Yes	Partial
PDF generation	Auto	Auto	Manual	Auto	Auto
No signup required	Yes	Partial	Yes	No	No
Mobile friendly	Yes	No	No	Yes	Partial
Real-time preview	Yes	No	No	No	No
Multiple line items	Yes	Yes	Manual	Yes	Limited
Custom branding	No	No	Yes (DIY)	No	Paid

What Makes a Good BOL Generator?

After testing all of these, here's what separates the good tools from the bad ones:

1. No signup walls. If you need a BOL, you need it now. Making someone create an account to generate a shipping document is hostile UX.

2. Professional output. The generated document needs to look professional. Carriers, receivers, and customs agents see your BOL — it reflects on your business.

3. All required fields. A proper BOL needs: shipper info, consignee info, carrier info, third-party billing (if applicable), line items with descriptions/weight/class, special instructions, and reference numbers.

4. PDF generation. You need a downloadable, printable PDF. Not a Word doc, not a screenshot, not a "print this page" hack.

5. Works on any device. Shipping doesn't happen at a desk. You need a tool that works on your phone at the warehouse.

The Bottom Line

Most free bill of lading generators are either outdated, locked behind paywalls, or just downloadable templates that don't save you any time. The ePageUSA Bill of Lading Generator is the only modern, truly free option that generates professional documents without asking you to sign up, download software, or deal with branding watermarks.

If you ship freight regularly, bookmark it. If you ship occasionally, it's there when you need it — no account required.