uShip is one of the largest platforms for auto shipping, but is it trustworthy? In this article, we’ll take a closer look at uShip reviews, costs, and transportation options to give you a full picture of the online shipping marketplace.
Our team has reviewed several of the best car shipping companies, and one thing we’ve learned is that the only way for you to find your best option is to compare offers from multiple brokers and shippers.
In this article:
- uShip Overview
- How Much Does uShip Cost?
- uShip Auto Shipping Services
- How To Ship With uShip
- uShip Reviews
- Our Take On uShip: 4.0 Stars
- Other Recommendations For Car Shipping
- FAQ: uShip
- Methodology
uShip Overview
Founded: 2003
Headquarters: Austin, Texas
Service Area: All 50 states, plus overseas shipping
uShip is a marketplace for all sorts of shipping services. It can be used for long-distance car shipping but also anything else you might want to move – including animals, household items, RVs, boats, furniture, and heavy equipment.
The uShip marketplace works a little differently than standard auto transporters: Instead of having a dedicated shipping fleet, independent carriers bid against each other through uShip to transport your items. uShip has partnerships with Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers – the largest auctioneer of heavy equipment – and eBay Motors. It’s even been featured on the A&E show Shipping Wars.
| uShip Pros | uShip Cons |
|---|---|
| Established industry reputation | Does not verify insurance coverages of shippers |
| Makes it easy to compare offers from a wide range of shippers and brokers | Does not have the best process for resolving issues with drivers |
| Hassle-free shipping | No price guarantee, so quoted prices may fluctuate |
| Competitive prices | uShip app has mixed reviews |
How Much Does uShip Cost?
uShip shipping rates can depend on a number of factors, including:
- Size of car
- Vehicle condition
- Shipping distance
- Type of transport (open or enclosed)
- Area (urban or rural)
- Season
According to our auto shipping consumer survey, 80 percent of shoppers consider price as an important factor in choosing a service. On average, we found shipping quotes from uShip to be slightly more expensive than the industry. uShip's quote to ship a Toyota RAV4 about 1,500 miles on open transport was $1,411, while the industry average quote was $1,150.
To give you an idea of what it can cost to transport a vehicle with uShip, we reached out for quotes. These quotes are for operable vehicles (non-running cars are more expensive to ship) and represent instant booking offers — as they’re quite competitive for the industry. If we posted the same job and received bids, they would likely be for even lower rates.
| Shipping Distance | Type of Transport | Vehicle | uShip Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles to Houston (1,556 miles) | Open auto transport | Toyota RAV4 SUV | $1,411 |
| BMW 7-Series sedan | $2,067 |
uShip is a bidding marketplace where you can post an offer or browse instant rates. After you complete a form explaining your shipping dates and locations, you will be presented with offers from several shippers. You can also choose to post your shipping request to the marketplace, and shippers will bid on your job. Doing the latter may take longer, but you can find better shipping prices.
On top of whatever you pay for shipping, uShip charges an additional fee ranging from $25 to $150. You can also pay extra for insurance through uShip, though some shippers may already provide insurance.
uShip Auto Shipping Services
You can use uShip's services to transport any type of vehicle, as these common services are available:
- Open and enclosed shipping
- Expedited shipping
- Door-to-door delivery
- International shipping
uShip is a marketplace populated by a large number of shippers and brokers. Shipping details will vary depending on which contractor you choose for the job. The benefit of uShip is that you can seek out contractors that offer the specific services you require.
While many shippers include insurance with their shipping fees, this is not guaranteed. Check with your individual shipper to learn whether they provide insurance. As mentioned, uShip offers optional shipping insurance for an additional fee.
How To Ship With uShip
To transport your car with uShip, you will need to complete the following:
- Create a uShip account. Once your account is set up, you will be asked to list your shipment. You’ll need to provide details about your car such as its year, make, model, and whether it is a convertible or has any modifications.
- Specify your pickup and delivery locations. From there, you'll receive instant rates from multiple providers. These rates specify the type of transport, cost, and customer ratings for the available shippers.
- Create a listing. Choosing an instant rate is the quickest way to have your car shipped, but if you are able to wait, you can get an even lower rate by posting your request as a listing. When you create a listing, you will be asked to specify the earliest and latest pickup and delivery dates, the service type (open or enclosed), and any additional details or special instructions.
- Choose a bid. Once you post your listing, shippers start the bidding process, bid for your contract, and bring down the cost. After you choose your shipper, the pickup and delivery details are worked out between you and the shipper.
How uShip Payments Are Handled
Payments with uShip are handled differently depending on the cost of the shipment. If you're only shipping one vehicle, the cost should be less than $5,000, but if you're shipping more than one vehicle or need overseas transport, it may cost more.
The table below shows details on how to pay for uShip shipping services.
| For shipments less than $5,000 | For shipments more than $5,000 |
|---|---|
| You must pay in full upon booking through uShip’s payment processor. uShip holds the payment in escrow until you authorize its release after your car has arrived at its delivery destination. | You must pay a booking deposit on the uShip website, and you do not pay the total amount until after the shipment has been delivered. |
What To Know For A Successful Auto Shipment
Shipping a car isn't like shipping a box with UPS. Many moving parts are involved. Here are some things to keep in mind.
- Prices can change: uShip allows brokers to bid on shipments. A broker will not have access to final carrier pricing right away, so it's possible that your price could increase if you work with a broker through uShip.
- Don't look for rock-bottom prices: As a marketplace, uShip doesn't vet any of the carriers or brokers beyond making sure they are licensed. If you hold out for a rock-bottom price, you may end up working with a less experienced or less reputable carrier on the platform. Think about who you want to take care of your car on its journey, not just finding the cheapest rate.
- Be flexible: Pickup and drop-off dates may not line up with your ideal plan. Some brokers guarantee pickup dates, while almost no one guarantees drop-off dates. Anything can happen on the road to delay a shipment, so be flexible to have a smooth experience. You can also authorize a friend or family member to meet the carrier if you can't be there.
uShip Reviews
uShip holds an accredited A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). It has fielded fewer than 50 complaints in the past three years. On Trustpilot, the company has a customer review score of 4.5 out of 5.0, which is based on over 10,000 uShip reviews.
Positive uShip Reviews
Satisfied customers praise uShip for its simple process and excellent prices. Many are pleased with the transporters with which they are matched.
“Easy to use, and Eric, who did the transporting, did an excellent job. We will use it again.” - Todd Felsen via Trustpilot
“My transporter not only offered a fantastic quote but did an exceptional job delivering my furniture from over 1,000 miles away, and on a holiday weekend.” - Kathleen Hudson via Trustpilot
Negative uShip Reviews
Several customers have complained about price fluctuations from the quoted amount. This is common for auto shipping, as it can be hard to determine an exact cost upfront. Some customers have also said uShip customer service is poor when it comes to resolving issues with drivers.
“The online systems of uShip do not work properly, the quotes given are never accurate, and at the point of check-out the price always goes up by a significant irregular amount.” - C. W. via BBB
“[uShip] is a viable shipping service. They work out great until there's a problem. I recently used them to haul my boat ... Driver didn't pay tolls on the trailer ... Two weeks later, the unpaid toll bills arrived. uShip would not escalate [my] claim or try harder than a simple email to [contact the] hauler.” - Doug B. via BBB
Overall, the positive reviews outweigh the negative, with most customers claiming satisfaction with the uShip process and prices.
Our Take On uShip: 4.0 Stars
We give uShip 4.0 out of 5.0 stars and name it the Best Car Shipping Marketplace in 2021. According to uShip reviews, customers are typically pleased with their transporters and find the uShip site simple to use.
| Motor1 Rating | 4.0 |
|---|---|
| Reputation | 4.0 |
| Cost | 4.0 |
| Services | 5.0 |
| Customer Experience | 3.5 |
Overall, we believe uShip is a great place to start if you’re looking for low-cost, reliable auto shipping options.
Other Recommendations For Car Shipping
If you’re trying to find the best rates and services for your auto shipping needs, it’s a good idea to compare quotes from multiple brokers and shippers. While you can do this through uShip, there are other vetted platforms for auto shipping. Two that we recommend checking with are Montway Auto Transport and Sherpa Auto Transport.
Montway Auto Transport: 4.5 Stars
Montway Auto Transport is another auto shipping broker through which shippers can bid on your contract. Like uShip, the company has competitive prices and strong customer reviews. Montway has an A+ BBB rating and a BBB customer score of 4.5 out of 5.0 stars.
We believe Montway Auto Transport is the best overall provider for car shipping services because it combines low rates with a high level of customer service. The provider does a superb job of communicating with customers throughout the shipping process, and with live 24-hour chat support, customers can check the status of their shipment at any time.
Read our full Montway Auto Transport review to learn more.
Sherpa Auto Transport: 4.5 Stars
Both uShip and Montway Auto Transport are well-regarded by customers, but Sherpa Auto Transport boasts even better customer reviews. The company has an A+ rating from the BBB and a near-perfect BBB customer score of 4.9 out of 5.0 stars.
One benefit of Sherpa Auto Transport is that it offers locked-in pricing. With most auto shippers, your quote is subject to change before your shipping deal is finalized. Sherpa Auto Transport guarantees its quotes and will make up the difference if a shipper charges more than Sherpa’s quoted price.
You can learn more in our in-depth Sherpa Auto Transport review.
Methodology
In an effort to provide accurate and unbiased information to consumers, our expert review team collects data from dozens of car shipping companies to formulate rankings of the best transporters. Providers receive a score in each of the following categories, as well as an overall weighted score out of 5.0 stars.
- Reputation: Shippers with a history of strong business practices and endorsements from experts receive the highest scores in this category.
- Cost: Our research team reviews sample quotes for a variety of shipping routes, distances, and vehicles. Companies with lower prices and many discount opportunities receive the best scores.
- Services: This rating is based on types of auto transport services available, insurance coverage, and the ability to guarantee pick-up and dropoff dates.
- Customer Experience: We comb through customer reviews and perform our own shopper analysis to get a sense of the responsiveness and helpfulness of each car transporter.
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