What are the best car shipping companies in America?
Shipping large items can be difficult, but when you’re shipping a car, things can get even more complicated!
Fortunately, there are a lot of car shipping companies in America, and today we’re taking a look at the best in the business.
The Best Car Shipping Companies In America
These companies have been chosen after researching and comparing services, customer reviews, and insurance coverage to ensure they can deliver the best experience for customers.
Here’s our list of the 10 best car shipping companies in America:
10. RoadRunner Auto Transport
Best For: Affordable Large Vehicle Shipping
RoadRunner Auto Transport is well-known for being an affordable auto transport company for both small and large vehicles.
Unlike some other car shipping companies, RoadRunner can ship even the largest vehicles, such as the most expensive RVs in the world, as simply as they would a mini-cooper.
They can even ship boats!
Using their network of over 14,000 nationwide shipping carriers, RoadRunner makes shipping large vehicles easy, as all you’ll need to do is let them know the thing you are shipping and the pickup and drop-off locations.
Once everything is set up, they will contract one of their carriers to do all the heavy lifting.
Because they use a lot of different carriers, they can quote you a wide array of prices, which the shipping distance and dates will impact as well.
That said, you won’t be required to pay anything until the day your vehicle is picked up, so if you change your mind and need to reschedule, that is always an option that won’t cost you extra.
Pros:
- Round the clock online tracking
- Affordable prices
- Liability insurance is provided
Cons:
- No rating from the Better Business Bureau
- Some customer reviews have been negative
Bottom Line:
RoadRunner is a solid nationwide auto transport company and its affordability makes it one of the most appealing to consumers.
That said, the fact that they aren’t accredited by the BBB combined with their negative reviews can make some people hesitant.
However, bad reviews can be good and this company can be worth checking out if you need a large vehicle transported without breaking the bank.
9. e-Ship
Best For: No Hidden Fees
E-Ship Transport company can ship cars, boats, motorcycles, and RVs across the country, and they are open seven days a week, so you can always get ahold of someone if you have questions.
This company is also capable of handling household shipping, so if you’re moving to a new home across the country, they can take care of that as well.
What really makes them stand out is their price-lock promise, meaning that once a carrier has been assigned and a price is set, that is what you will be paying without worrying about extra hidden fees once your vehicle is delivered.
All vehicles and drivers are insured, and if you need to reschedule, a refund can be issued up to the time a carrier is assigned to your vehicle.
Throughout the entire process, you will have your own personal agent responsible for handling everything, and they are who you can contact at any time to answer your questions.
Pros:
- Offers a price-lock promise
- $300 reimbursement if your vehicle is delayed more than 48 hours
- Door-to-door delivery
Cons:
- No terminal-to-terminal shipping options
Bottom Line:
E-Ship can transport almost everything and it does so without hidden fees.
While they do lack a terminal-to-terminal shipping option, for those shipping cars to their new homes or to a relative’s house, this isn’t going to be a big issue.
Although they aren’t the most affordable, their transparency is definitely appreciated and it makes you feel more secure while shipping your vehicles with them.
8. Nexus Auto Transport
Best For: Fast Quotes
Established in Chicago, Illinois in 2016, Nexus Auto Transport emerged as a nationwide auto shipping company that prides itself on reasonable pricing and straightforward shipping options.
Along with basic door-to-door delivery, Nexus Auto Transport offers additional options such as premium closed-container shipping, a choice that would be favorable for vehicles like sports cars, or the best retro-style motorcycles you can buy that need extra care during transport.
They also offer less expensive open-container options and fast expedited shipping, depending on what your budget is.
Best of all, Nexus has an incredibly fast quote process that is super easy to get started.
Although some find their website hard to navigate, we find that it is fairly concise, with visitors able to enter a route and get a quote right from the front page.
Pros:
- Fast quoting and online booking
- Many different optional shipping options
- Door-to-door delivery
Cons:
- Some customers find their website confusing
Bottom Line:
If you need to ship your vehicle and want to get a quote quickly, Nexus Auto Transport is going to be your best bet.
Furthermore, this car shipping company has plenty of options that make shipping even the fanciest sports cars easy and safe.
Even if you ultimately decide to go with another company, getting a quote from Nexus can be a good way to get a general idea of what shipping will cost overall.
7. Ship A Car Direct
Best For: Comprehensive Insurance Coverage
Although Ship A Car Direct doesn’t offer international shipping, it is going to be the best in terms of insurance coverage for coast-to-coast vehicle transport.
Founded in 2008, Ship A Car Direct has quickly become one of the most reputable names in the auto transport industry due to the fact that it extensively vets each carrier that it works with while also offering some of the most generous insurance coverage packages on the market.
This car shipping company can transport all kinds of vehicles, though no boats or heavy equipment.
Expedited shipping is available for when you need your car somewhere fast, and you can even ship up to 100lbs in the car without any extra charge.
So, if you’re transporting your car to a new home, you can load it up with essentials without worrying about it impacting your quoted price.
Similarly, Ship A Car Direct has a damage-free guarantee and a $500 complimentary loss or damage coverage policy.
Pros:
- Comprehensive insurance coverage
- No deposit to schedule
- Door-to-door service
Cons:
- No international shipping
- Cannot ship boats or heavy pieces of equipment
Bottom Line:
If you need to ship a car and want to make sure that it is completely insured so that, should damage occur, you don’t have to worry, then Ship A Car Direct is a company you should check out.
Although they can’t ship internationally, for coast-to-coast shipping they are one of the most trusted names in the car shipping industry.
6. U-Ship
Best For: Online User Experience
U-Ship operates a vast marketplace of shipping providers which allows anyone to find the carrier that is right for them.
Unlike some of the other car shipping companies on our list that act as middlemen between carriers and customers, U-Ship gives you complete control over who you hire.
All you need to do is enter the details of the vehicle you need to be shipped and U-Ship will show you a list of all the haulers who can get the job done.
However, while this does remove the middleman, it does mean that it falls to you to vet these individual shippers, as quality can vary between them.
You’ll need to carefully consider all of your possible options before making a selection to ensure that you get the best carrier for your vehicle and not someone who has a less than stellar rating.
Pros:
- Instant pricing from a large number of carriers
- Shipment options for any type of vehicle
- Manage your shipment from a computer or mobile device
Cons:
- No standardized contracts between carriers
- Quality can vary between carriers
Bottom Line:
If you want to manage your own shipment, U-Ship is a great option, but it does have its own drawbacks.
It will require you to do more research for yourself to find the best carriers, and each carrier has its own contracts, so you will need to keep that in mind.
While this isn’t necessarily a dealbreaker, it does mean more work for you overall.
5. AmeriFreight
Best For: Discounts & Deals
AmeriFreight took inspiration from some of the best car insurance providers in America by offering great discounts that make them appealing to customers looking to save money.
This car shipping company also provides price matching, so you can be sure to receive the most competitive rates possible.
They ship to all 50 states and are capable of shipping anything from ATVs all the way to large RVs.
Each of their carriers are thoroughly vetted by the company to ensure that they have full insurance coverage and high customer ratings.
Although only their early bird discount can be combined with their other offers, AmeriFreight also has savings opportunities for students, seniors, military, first responders, returning customers, and those shipping multiple vehicles.
Furthermore, AmeriFreight has maintained an A+ from the BBB since 2008 and only 13 negative customer reviews in the past three years.
Pros:
- Loads of discounts
- Able to transport specialty vehicles
- Numerous positive customer reviews
Cons:
- No live tracking or mobile app access
Bottom Line:
If you are looking to save the most money, AmeriFreight is a company that you should definitely consider.
While it doesn’t have a real-time tracking feature, this is more of a minor inconvenience and it will most likely be a feature that they will add in the future.
4. American Auto Shipping
Best For: Calculating Price & Quotations
The last thing you want to do is overspend on auto shipping, even if you do have one of the best credit cards in America and the ability to pay off the amount.
Fortunately, American Auto Shipping provides guaranteed pricing that can help you get the best price possible.
While their initial quotes are often high, the total amount that you end up paying is usually much lower.
The reason for this is that auto shipping companies usually provide their best estimates on what transport will cost before giving your details to their carriers, who then bid on the job.
Often, this leads to the final cost sometimes being as much as 25% higher than your original quote.
With American Auto Shipping, the price you pay will never be higher than your original quote and, in many cases, it can actually end up being less!
This can help take a lot of the guesswork out of transporting your vehicle and it can prevent you from needing to overcharge your credit card to make up for the unexpected difference.
As for the transport options that American Auto Shipping offers, you can expect much of what the others on this list provide, including expedited pickup, open or enclosed transport, and up to $500 dollars towards your deductible if damage occurs.
Pros:
- Guaranteed pricing
- No deposit
- Instant quotes
Cons:
- High quote prices initially
Bottom Line:
American Auto Shipping has been around for over 20 years and, for pricing that doesn’t come with any surprises, they are one of the best car shipping companies.
While the initial quotes can appear high, just keep in mind that you’re not going to be paying more than that, and you may actually end up spending much less overall.
3. Sherpa Auto Transport
Best For: Locked-In Transport Rates
While meditation and mindfulness are awesome you’re not going to have anything to stress about if you choose Sherpa Auto Transport to ship your car.
With an A+ rating from the BBB, Sherpa makes it a point to deliver the best customer experience possible, and they do this by providing excellent service and a price-lock promise that ensures you never overpay for shipping.
Although you cannot get a price online, once you speak to an agent and give them all of your details, you will be quoted a price with the guarantee that you will never pay more than that amount.
Like American Auto Shipping rates, the initial quote that you get may seem a bit high, but there is always a chance that you will end up paying less, which is always a nice surprise.
Furthermore, all of the carriers that work with Sherpa are required to have at least $100,000 in cargo insurance coverage plus an additional $1 million in commercial auto insurance.
Pros:
- Price-lock guarantee
- Door-to-door service
- Real-time updates provided by agents
Cons:
- No instant quote
- No shipping to Alaska or Hawaii
Bottom Line:
If you need to ship your vehicle and want to make sure that it is secure and safe without hidden fees, Sherpa Auto Transport is a company that warrants a closer look.
While it will only ship within the mainland United States, for coast-to-coast shipping it is one of the finest transport companies you can find without needing to worry about paying more than what you were quoted.
2. Easy Auto-Ship
Best For: International Transport
Easy Auto-Ship routinely has some of the lowest price quotes in the auto transport industry and their car shipping services don’t come with any hidden fees.
In addition to this, they also provide other considerable benefits such as specially vehicle shipping, instant quotes, international shipping, and $100,000 additional insurance coverage at no extra charge.
Despite having some of the lowest prices, Easy Auto-Ship has maintained an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and they will even pay for a car wash if your vehicle gets dirty from open transport.
This car shipping company really does its best to go above and beyond for its customers, and the benefits that it offers really drive home this point.
The fact that they also offer international shipping at affordable prices, is a major bonus that can be hard to find elsewhere.
Pros:
- Highly affordable pricing
- Specialty vehicle shipping
- International shipping
Cons:
- Real-time tracking isn’t available
Bottom Line:
If you need to ship a car across the globe, Easy Auto-Ship is the company for you.
While it is a bit disappointing that they don’t yet have real-time tracking, like AmeriFreight, we’re confident that this feature will be added in the future.
1. Montway Auto Transport
Best For: Overall Value
Montway Auto Transport is one of the biggest names in the car shipping industry and in 2020 alone they shipped over 140,000 cars.
Although they don’t ship anything other than vehicles for transporting cars and trucks, they offer the best value overall.
When you get a quote from Montway Auto Transport, you will receive a cash price and a credit/debit card price.
Almost always, the cash price is slightly lower than the credit/debit price, sometimes saving you more than $60.
You don’t have to be using one of the best personal finance apps to see that this is a good deal.
If that wasn’t enough, they also offer door-to-door shipping and the ability for you to transport up to 100lbs extra in the vehicle at no extra expense.
Pros:
- Greatest value with cash
- No deposit required
- Discounts
Cons:
- Quotes can expire after a week
Bottom Line:
Whether you have legitimate reasons to stop owning a car and need to ship it to a buyer or you’re just moving and need it at your new home, Montway Auto Transport can give you the best value overall.
Between the lower cash price and the slew of discounts that you can receive, you’ll have a hard time finding better prices you can get with this car shipping company.
Summary
We hope you learned a thing or two from our list of the best car shipping companies in America!
Although each of these companies has its own set of benefits, each one is the biggest name in the industry and you can definitely trust them to take good care of your vehicle shipping needs.
Here’s a quick recap of the 10 best car shipping companies in America:
- Montway Auto Transport
- Easy Auto-Ship
- Sherpa Auto Transport
- American Auto Shipping
- AmeriFreight
- U-Ship
- Ship A Car Direct
- Nexus Auto Transport
- e-Ship
- RoadRunner Auto Transport
