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When you’re just starting your business, it can be difficult to find the best freight brokers. This is because many small businesses don’t have much need for large shipments or complex orders that require a lot of negotiation and paperwork. However, there are still people who use freight brokers every day- even if they only make one big purchase per year! The key to finding the right broker is knowing what type of service you need before looking at any other factors.
To get you the lowest cost for your freight shipments, a freight broker uses a large network of freight carriers. We compared the customer service, small business accessibility, pricing, and simplicity of use of popular choices FreightPros, uShip, and Global Redhawk to find the top freight brokers.
FreightPros takes the top position because their customer support is quick, responsive, and educated, and they regularly provide cheap and accurate freight estimates. FreightPros also receives a fantastic 9.1 out of 10 stars in customer ratings on TrustPilot, indicating that we’re not alone in our opinion.
Best Freight Brokerage Firms
Several freight shipping terminology and procedures, such as LTL (less-than-load), FTL (full-truck-load), and others, are used in our evaluation of the top freight brokers.
FreightPros.
We selected FreightPros as our best freight broker for small businesses because they consistently provided cheap prices and excellent customer support. Their stated goal is to meet the freight requirements of small businesses.
FreightPros provides account management-level support at every stage, whether you have one or ten dozen shipments in their system. Our other top choices provide excellent customer support as well, but not to the same extent as this one for small shippers. Redhawk Global, a conventional broker like FreightPros, is a bigger company with more customers to manage. Because UShip is an exchange rather than a conventional broker, it is a more DIY system than the other two.
FreightPros sets itself apart from the competition by proactively managing your freight reservations from pickup to delivery. Our other top choices may leave you lingering in this category. FreightPros keeps track of every cargo in their system, allowing them to identify and address any transit or delivery problems as soon as they arise. You’ll save time, headaches, and money in the long run.
On TrustPilot, customers give FreightPros a 9.1 out of 10 star rating, which is very remarkable considering the number of moving components involved in transporting freight. With all of the moving pieces involved in quotation estimations and pickup and delivery dates, “no surprises” was a frequent topic in customer evaluations, which is not very typical in this business. In this business, having a “no surprises” reputation speaks volumes about a freight broker’s dedication to service from pickup through delivery. This is made feasible by FreightPros’ proactive attitude.
FreightPros was the only firm that proactively called and left customized messages to get to know my business, including what I was sending and how to transport it at the lowest cost, when I created an account to get freight estimates. UShip’s educated representatives will help, but unlike our other top choices, they do not build account connections. Furthermore, unlike the other two, uShip’s rates are only dependent on cargo size and weight, while the other two utilize goods-based pricing, which may be more flexible in certain situations.
Both FreightPros and Redhawk Global are familiar with freight carriers and will only include those in their estimates that are a suitable fit for your requirements. They’ll also let you know if the cheapest choice isn’t the greatest for your particular cargo. uShip, on the other hand, allows you to choose your own carrier. Their comprehensive customer evaluations of providers, on the other hand, may assist you to make informed decisions.
FreightPros, like uShip and Redhawk Global, offers excellent online capabilities for pricing, booking, and tracking freight shipments. They’ll also manage everything for you if you want, much like Redhawk Global. This is a great feature that lets you be as hands-on or as hands-off as you like. Only uShip does not provide a full-service option among the three.
UShip
When it comes to handling small company freight requirements, UShip is the technology-driven new kid on the block, and it’s likely to be the wave of the future. uShip isn’t a conventional freight broker like FreightPros and Redhawk Global. It’s an online freight exchange that allows you to connect directly with a large network of carriers without having to go through a freight broker.
Many small and independent airlines operate with UShip. One of these smaller carriers offered the best deal for our test quotation, saving us approximately $40. Shipping with uShip may save you money, but it also comes with a higher risk. Try uShip whether you’re a do-it-yourselfer or a seasoned shipper. If you want personal assistance and hands-on freight account management, go with one of our conventional broker recommendations.
The only freight broker that did not respond to my quotation request with an email or a phone call was UShip. A conventional freight broker like FreightPros or Redhawk Global might be a better option if you need a dedicated account rep or someone to manage the freight procedure for you. However, the site was the most user-friendly, with useful videos and blog articles to guide you through the process.
uShip differs from conventional freight brokers in that all freight prices are based only on the size and weight of your cargo, a process known as dimensional pricing. The conventional grading systems (known as NMFC classing) are used by our other top choices, and most freight charges are based on the kind of products being transported.
The advantage is that, unlike goods-based pricing, uShip will not apply a freight reclass upcharge to your account. Good freight brokers, such as FreightPros and Redhawk Global, understand how to avoid reclass-up charges.
You must choose your carriers, schedule your shipments, and monitor delivery yourself using uShip. Furthermore, since your cost is dependent on size and weight, this must be correct in order to prevent extra charges at the time of shipping. uShip’s easy-to-use web tools, in-depth carrier ratings, and convenient mobile app make the DIY shipping process as simple as possible once you have your cargo information.
Redhawk Global
Like FreightPros, Redhawk Global is a conventional freight broker. It’s a big, full-service freight broker and logistics company with end-to-end capabilities. Redhawk Global can get anything you need to move to wherever you need it to go, and Redhawk Global is the internet platform that makes it happen.
For one reason, Redhawk Global didn’t get the top spot: they’re a huge company with a lot of accounts (some very large). FreightPros, on the other hand, is more focused on helping small company owners with their day-to-day shipping requirements. For someone who is just getting started, FreightPros is the ideal option.
Redhawk Global, like our previous choices, offers excellent online freight pricing, booking, and tracking solutions to shippers of all sizes. Redhawk Global, unlike FreightPros, usually leaves it up to you to track the cargo status and delivery. Unlike uShip, however, you may explicitly request freight tracking assistance and Redhawk Global representatives will help you. However, don’t anticipate the same aggressive, hands-on approach to account management that FreightPros does.
Redhawk Global’s account representatives, on the other hand, are top-notch and have extensive experience transporting various kinds of freight. They provide excellent shipping advice and will do whatever task you need, such as creating shipment papers or tracking freight in route. Both of our conventional brokers recommend uShip, which, as an exchange, lets you decide. However, unlike FreightPros, which makes it an essential component of their small company account services, you must request it from Redhawk Global.
FreightPros vs. UShip vs. Redhawk Global
When it comes to selecting a freight broker, the cost is a major consideration. Other variables to consider, such as the ease of use of each solution’s website and the quality of customer support provided by each solution, may influence your ultimate choice. For each of our three freight broker solutions, we’ll go over price, billing choices, website ease of use, number of freight carriers offered, freight and service kinds, online tools, and customer support in this section.
Comparing Prices and Freight Quotes
There’s one thing you should know if you’re new to freight shipping. The cost of freight is a changing goal. Rates, or freight costs, change nearly daily depending on the availability and demand of available truck space throughout the country. Pricing is influenced by a variety of variables, including gasoline prices and even weather conditions. This is why, even though your cargo is similar, the rate you receive today may not be the same next week.
We’ll also discuss how the freight industry operates. Freight brokers and exchangers use freight carriers’ wholesale rates, which are not available to most shippers directly. Brokers and exchanges then add a percentage to wholesale rates, effectively a service charge, to provide shippers a final rate. What you receive in return is typically a lower price than you would have gotten if you had dealt directly with the carrier. Plus, you’ll have a seasoned pro on your side, working for you.
Because freight prices fluctuate so often, it’s difficult to say if one broker or exchange is more expensive or less expensive than the others on any one cargo. As a result, we tested multiple shipments for pricing, carrier, and delivery time consistency for this guidance. In general, the costs of our three best choices are comparable, with uShip providing some of the lowest rates due to their larger carrier network.
The cargo I used to demonstrate the rate comparisons below is as follows:
- Shipping of one pallet
- The dimensions are 44 inches x 48 inches x 60 inches.
- With a weight of 285 pounds,
- 150th freight class
- Plastic dishes and bowls are among the items being sent.
- Pickup service with a liftgate
- Traveling from Houston (ZIP 77429) to Los Angeles using regular freight (ZIP 90025)
- $2,200 worth of goods (no additional insurance requested)
Before we go any further, I’d want to point out that getting freight quotations from several brokers and exchanges, as I did, is completely free. Shopping around provides you with bargaining power and guarantees that the brokers you choose always give you the best prices.
Sample Freight Broker Quote from FreightPros
FreightPros ended up being the most costly quotation for this cargo. We always suggest searching around for the best rates and utilizing that knowledge to assist your personal account representative to negotiate the best pricing. We didn’t do it here since we wanted to show you the prices that appear when you fill out the webform:
FreightPros quotation example
Sample Freight Broker Quote from UShip
uShip has the cheapest price in this situation. UShip collaborates with a large number of smaller airlines. FreightPros and Redhawk Global deal with a smaller number of companies. The cheapest option in this instance was via a carrier that none of the other two brokers seems to deal with.
Example of a quotation for UShip
Sample Freight Broker Quote from Redhawk Global
Redhawk’s lowest quotation was squarely in the middle of uShip’s and FreightPros’ in this sample:
Sample quotation from Redhawk Global
Billing Options for Freight Brokers
FreightPros and Redhawk Global, for example, allow you to establish a billing account and pay by check, or you may pay by credit card per shipment or per statement. If you ship often, monthly payment alternatives are beneficial. UShip is an online-only exchange, and all shipments are charged to your credit card at the time of booking.
With account registration and credit verification, FreightPros offers credit card payments or Net 15 payment options.
Payments must be made using a credit card.
With account registration and credit approval, Redhawk Global accepts credit card payments or Net 15 payment periods.
Ease of Use
Here, UShip takes the lead. Their website is entirely targeted at the neophyte in the field of freight shipping. The online quotation procedure is extremely user-friendly, and it takes you through every step of the process, from requesting a price to booking and arranging shipping, printing documentation, and tracking your cargo. They also offer a fully functional mobile app.
FreightPros and Redhawk Global, our two conventional freight brokers, both provide extremely comprehensive online freight shipment capabilities, but their platforms have a learning curve. I found FreightPros to be more user-friendly. In both instances, their knowledgeable account representatives will educate you or your employees on how to utilize them.
FreightPros’ Website
FreightPro’s website is user-friendly and comprehensive, with lots of shipping tips. FreightPros’ free quotation tool is simple and easy to use, and online shipping tools cover a wide variety of shipping requirements. Take a peek at the quotation input screen’s initial step:
FreightPros offers a straightforward method for obtaining free quotation estimates.
UShip Website
The online freight management system offered by UShip outperforms that of conventional freight brokers. uShip’s website is the clear winner of the three, with a modern web design and a highly straightforward, beginner-friendly layout. They make it very simple to get started:
The website of UShip is geared for first-time shippers.
uShip also offers a mobile app that allows you to quote, book, and monitor your shipments while on the go:
The UShip mobile app allows you to ship from anywhere.
Redhawk Global Website
The website of Redhawk Global is excellent and has a wealth of shipping information. Their online shipment management software is very robust, with a slew of sophisticated features, and it was recently upgraded to appear more contemporary and accessible. However, there are a few sites and features that haven’t been updated yet. When you discover them, you’ll know right away.
The LTL quotation tool from Redhawk Global
The “Step-by-Step” quotation tool from Redhawk Global
Number of carriers
Freight brokers such as FreightPros and Redhawk Global deal with a network of around 50 large national and regional freight carriers. It’s not like that in the United States. As an exchange, it has access to the same carrier networks as well as a database of tens of thousands of independent and specialized shippers all across the country. So, if you need to send anything unique, start with uShip.
FreightPros
There are more than 50 national and regional freight carriers.
UShip
Major freight companies, individual transporters, and specialized shippers are among the more than 778,000 service providers.
Impressed? Keep in mind that uShip is not the same as conventional freight brokers. On uShip, independent shippers of various kinds and specializations may advertise their services as an online trade. You may advertise your service on uShip if you specialize in shipping kittens between Detroit and Chicago. That’s why uShip offers a far larger selection of suppliers than our other top choices.
It’s also why, if you require a specialized service like kitten transfer, you should start with uShip. Seriously:
You name it, and uShip will ship it.
Redhawk Global
There are more than 50 national and regional freight carriers.
Types of Freight and Services
FreightPros and Redhawk Global, our two conventional freight brokers, are full-service logistics providers. They provide almost every kind of freight service conceivable, from single pallet LTL shipment to refrigerated trucks, FTL full truckloads, and even rail containers. UShip provides a complete variety of vehicle freight services, but not rail or container services, which are provided by conventional freight brokers.
FreightPros
FreightPros, like other conventional freight brokers, can get just about anything from point A to point B:
FreightPros provides a broad range of freight services.
UShip
All kinds of freight and specialized transportation are included on UShip across the United States and Canada. You may transport anything from heavy machinery to a basket of kittens via a carrier or specialized provider:
UShip can transport almost anything.
Redhawk Global
Redhawk Global, like FreightPros, is a conventional freight broker that provides a comprehensive range of logistics, distribution, and transportation services from truck to rail:
Traditional freight alternatives abound at Redhawk.
Online Tutorials and Resources for Freight Brokers
In the world of shipping, there’s a lot to learn, and all three of our best choices provide a plethora of knowledge to help you navigate this always-evolving industry. The video library, e-book library, and blog of FreightPro are the most educational and accessible tools for small company freight shippers. However, the other two have a lot to offer as well.
FreightPros
FreightPros provides up-to-date industry knowledge and shipping courses to help small company shippers through the shipping process:
FreightPros offers a fantastic online resource collection.
UShip
Another excellent resource for newcomers to shipping is UShip. Traditional blog articles on business shipping, case studies, industry trends, and corporate updates make up the majority of their web resources. They’re useful but not as in-depth as FreightPro’s tutorials and e-books for shipping newbies:
UShip offers blog articles on a variety of shipping-related subjects.
Redhawk Global
Redhawk Global, like FreightPros, has a fantastic website with up-to-date industry information that covers just about every shipping issue that may impact your company. However, their approach to information sharing is more official and big-business-speak than FreightPros and uShip’s more personal approach:
A comprehensive online resource center is available from Redhawk Global.
Customer Service
All three of our top choices provide outstanding customer service, with knowledgeable freight industry experts accessible via phone, email, or online form:
FreightPros: Phone, email, and online: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central Time Monday through Thursday; 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time Friday
FreightPros was extremely aggressive in reaching out through phone and email when seeking estimates.
UShip: Phone and online: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Time Monday through Thursday; 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central Time Saturday
After establishing my account and seeking estimates, I had no communication from uShip other than an automatic email to authenticate my account.
Redhawk Global; is available via phone, email, and online from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday.
Following my registration, a dedicated Redhawk salesperson contacted me to introduce himself.
Options for Freight Brokers
Our top choices met or surpassed all of the criteria in our freight test and service evaluations, but they aren’t the only high-quality players on the market. It’s not a bad idea to browse around to discover which provider offers the lowest rates for your particular shipping requirements. Remember that getting freight quotations from various brokers and exchanges is completely free.
Conclusion
Logistics management may be difficult, but using the services of a competent freight broker or freight exchange can help you save money and avoid surprises. Shipping estimates are basically shifting targets since there are so many various factors that go into them. This is why, if you intend on exporting often, you should deal with a business that can offer excellent assistance and service.
Take advantage of what the finest freight brokers have to offer, such as FreightPros, who are first and foremost service providers. FreightPros offers unmatched customer service that will assist you with your shipments from start to finish, in addition to competitive and precise rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose a freight broker?
Freight brokers are typically found in the yellow pages of local phone books. You can also find them online through websites like Yelp, or by doing a simple google search for your city plus freight broker
How much does a freight broker charge per load?
A freight broker charges a delivery fee per load, but it varies from company to company. For example, United Freight charges $2 for every one-thousand pounds in the truck and that includes a fuel surcharge of 25 cents per gallon.
