uShip Auto Transport Review: 2020 Pricing & Services

Bottom line: uShip shows you the best rates in the car shipping biz in an instant, multi-quote format. Plus, it ships everything from dogs to jacuzzis.

If you’re thinking about shipping your car but want to see all your options in one place, we recommend checking out uShip—for auto transport or just about anything else.

So, what is uShip? uShip is not an auto transport company or even a shipping company. Instead, uShip serves as a marketplace to facilitate connections between shippers (you) and carriers (the people who do the actual shipping).

You list your car—or whatever else you need moved—and get estimates or bids from several carriers. That means you get to be your own broker, finding the best rates for your needs.

Although it’s not perfect, uShip offers two rare perks in the moving industry: the ability to coordinate complicated moves in one spot, and instant quotes.

See where uShip ranks on our Best Car Shipping Companies list.

How much does uShip cost?

Your uShip cost depends on what you’re shipping. uShip is one of the best car shipping companies, but it can help you ship a myriad of things: household goods, animals and livestock, and construction equipment (just to name a few).

Of course, you’ll pay more to move your whole house than just your car, but shipping a single couch will be cheaper than shipping a vehicle.

uShip costs also depend on the company you choose. uShip’s business model connects movers and carriers with individuals who need smaller shipments moved (that’s you). These movers and carriers often quote very different prices for moving the same object (we’ll show you an example below).

uShip cost factors

Your bill with uShip will depend on the following factors:

• Distance
• Total weight of shipment
• Time of year
• Added features (like if you want to pay extra to have your car sit on the top shelf)Really, it all boils down to the company you choose to do business with, and the rate that company sets.

uShip suggests you can get a better deal through its services than through a traditional shipping company. Our research showed that’s often, but not always, true.

Ready to get quotes?

We weren’t lying when we said uShip’s multi-quote generator is user friendly and ultra helpful. See for yourself below.

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uShip quote options

There are lots of ways to get a car shipping quote, and uShip provides instant estimates so you can make an informed choice after seeing all your options. All you have to do is give uShip basic info on your vehicle (year, make, model) and specify where it needs to go.

Then the magic happens.

The site shows you multiple quotes from different companies. If you see a price you like, you can book right then and there. The estimates can vary widely, but in our experience, we always got at least one estimate that was comparable to—if not better than—estimates from other car shipping companies.

For example, we said we wanted to ship a compact car—in this case, a 2006 Scion xA—from Albuquerque, NM, to Baltimore, MD (around 1,800 miles). The estimates had a range of over $1,400.

Data as of 09/03/19. Offers and availability are subject to change.

Then we looked at shipping the same car in-state from Augusta, ME, to Bath (around 30 miles).

Data as of 09/03/19. Offers and availability are subject to change.

Keep in mind that the number you see does not include a “uShip fee.” This fee varies depending on your shipment.

uShip shows you what the fee will be before you actually book your service, but we wish the fees were more transparent from the get-go. We’ve seen fees as low as $25 and as high as $150, so be sure to check the fee before you book a service.
For more information on features for your shipment, you’ll need to look at the specific carrier you’re using. uShip makes this easy—carriers have extensive profile pages that include a company’s summary, its rank in various categories, and feedback from its customers.

Ultimately, you’ll want to communicate directly with your carrier of choice to make sure you understand what features are included in your uShip quote.

uShip features and services

To see why you might prefer uShip to a traditional shipping company, take a look at these features that make uShip stand out from the crowd.

1. A marketplace to list your shipment and get bids from drivers
2. Shipping for your car—and everything else

We’ll look at these features in detail in just a moment, but first, a word on features and services:

As we said, uShip doesn’t ship your belongings—it puts you in touch with the companies that can. That means that the exact features of your move could vary depending on the company you choose.

For example, some auto transport companies on uShip will use open vehicle trailers, while others will use enclosed. Likewise, if you choose to move homes with uShip, you can look for quotes from movers who offer white-glove service or movers who simply transport your belongings after you pack.

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Why we recommend uShip

uShip lets you list your shipments to find the best rates

If you don’t like the estimates you get or if you want to ship something besides a car, you can list your shipment on uShip’s marketplace. (If you’re shipping a car, you can choose to list your vehicle after looking at estimates.)

You’ll have to confirm the details, and then your listing goes live. Once your car is listed, you just wait for the quotes to start rolling in.

As the quotes come in, you can look at each company’s profile and reviews to ensure you get good service in addition to a good price. If you get a quote you like from a company that looks reputable, you can go ahead and book.

For some items—a single couch, for example—uShip provides a graph that shows the low, average, and high prices people pay for similar shipments.

Don’t forget about the uShip service fee. This fee is more visible on marketplace quotes, and it is included in the total dollar amount, but if you’re just glancing through a list of quotes it’s easy to overlook this.

uShip ships cars—plus a whole lot more

uShip has a reputation as a car shipping solution, but that’s only one small part of what it offers. In fact, uShip helps you ship all sorts of items. Here are just a few of the categories on the uShip website:

• Cars
• Motorcycles
• RVs
• Trailers
• Car parts
• Furniture
• Household appliances
• Home moves
• Construction equipment
• Dogs
• Cats
• Livestock
• Waterslides
• Jacuzzis

You can use uShip to transport your Scion xA, but you can also use it to send your old couch to your friend, ship your old washing machine to your Craigslist buyer, or even get your llamas to your new home.

That could make uShip particularly useful for people with more complicated moves. For example, say you’re moving from one state to another, and for logistical reasons, you choose to fly rather than drive to your new home.

You need to move your three-bedroom house, your car, your horse, and your dog to your new place. You also need to send your mother’s antique piano to your sister, since you won’t have room for it in your new place.

Normally, you’d have to arrange separate shipping services for all of those tasks. With uShip, however, you can simplify matters by using just one website and letting the carriers come to you.

As we pointed out earlier, you won’t necessarily get an instant estimate for shipments of livestock or pianos or hot tubs—you’ll simply list your shipment on the marketplace and receive bids.

Our recommendation

uShip offers a simple way to get competitive prices for your shipments—whether that’s cars, livestock, or packed boxes.

In particular, uShip could be right for you if you want to get several quotes without doing the research yourself, or if you have a complicated move and want to coordinate your shipments from one central hub.

That being said, book carefully. Make sure you know what the uShip fee will be for your quoted price, and always check out company reviews before accepting a quote. Don’t simply assume the cheapest option is the best.

If you’re looking for a more traditional car transport option, check out our recommendations on our best auto transport companies list.

Give uShip a gander!

See how much car shipping companies charge to ship your car, or list something yourself and watch companies bid to the death.

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Have you shipped a car (or anything else) with uShip? We’d love to hear about your experience. Tell us about it in the comments below.