Cheap Car Shipping: Affordable Providers (March 2023)

Montway Auto Transport, Sherpa Auto Transport, and SGT Auto Transport are the cheapest car shipping companies. Find out more about cheap car shipping in the article that follows.

Affiliate disclosure: Automoblog and its partners may be compensated when you purchase the products below.

Key Takeaways

• Based on our comprehensive rating methodology, Montway and Sherpa offer the cheapest car shipping services overall. 
• The easiest way to find cheap car shipping is by comparing quotes from multiple providers.
• Keep your dates flexible, book well in advance, and choose open transport services to get affordable rates.

With the cost of gas and other goods and services, finding cheap car shipping can be a hassle. To help you find the best price for your upcoming car shipment, our research team pulled cost and provider data from our wide-ranging study of the auto transport industry.

In the following article, our car transport experts included pricing estimates from some of the best and most affordable car shipping companies. You’ll also find helpful information about how pricing works for car transport services and some tips to help you get the cheapest rates you can.

Cheapest Car Shipping

Which auto shipping company offers the cheapest rates varies depending on your shipping distance, the options you choose, and other factors. We included real quotes from our car shipping research to offer a better idea of which provider may have the cheapest prices for your needs.

What Are The Best Affordable Car Transport Companies?

We believe Montway Auto Transport, Sherpa Auto Transport, SGT Auto Transport, American Auto Shipping, AmeriFreight, and uShip are the best affordable car transport companies.

In the table below, you’ll find the overall rating and cost ratings for the best auto transport companies from our industry-wide car shipping study. Montway Auto Transport earned the highest overall score in that study, but AmeriFreight has the highest cost rating of all providers.

Car Shipping CompanyOverall RatingCost RatingMontway Auto Transport4.74.5Sherpa Auto Transport4.64.5SGT Auto Transport4.64.4American Auto Shipping4.64.4AmeriFreight4.54.6uShip4.54.5

If you’d like to learn more about these providers, you can read our summaries at the end of the article.

Cheap Car Shipping Rates

Car shipping costs vary widely, with rates typically ranging from $600 to $2,500. Our researchers found per-mile shipping rates as cheap as $0.52 and as expensive as $1.51. In general, auto shippers charge less per mile as shipping distance increases. Other variables such as whether you choose open or enclosed transport to ship your car also factor into shipping costs.

What Is the Cheapest Company To Ship Your Car?

Based on our research, Sherpa Auto Transport is the most affordable provider, with an average quote of $1,188. The table below ranks some of the cheapest auto transport companies by their average price for short, medium, and long-distance shipments.

CompanyAverage QuoteSherpa Auto Transport$1,188SGT Auto Transport$1,410Montway Auto Transport$1,419AmeriFreight$1,426American Auto Shipping$1,539uShip$1,636

Cheapest Open Car Transport

In our car shipping research, we got the cheapest open shipping quotes from SGT Auto Transport for both short and long-distance shipments.

CompanyShipping DistanceCost EstimateSGT Auto Transport535 miles$610uShip535 miles$649Montway Auto Transport535 miles$709American Auto Shipping535 miles$729Sherpa Auto Transport535 miles$750AmeriFreight535 miles$869SGT Auto Transport2,445 miles$1,565AmeriFreight2,445 miles$1,598Sherpa Auto Transport2,445 miles$1,650Montway Auto Transport2,445 miles$1,679American Auto Shipping2,445 miles$1,789uShip2,445 miles$2,293

Cheapest Enclosed Car Transport

When it comes to enclosed shipping, however, we got the most affordable quotes from Sherpa Auto Transport.

CompanyShipping DistanceCost EstimateSherpa Auto Transport1,500 miles$1,075AmeriFreight1,500 miles$1,199Montway Auto Transport1,500 miles$1,459uShip1,500 miles$1,995American Auto Shipping1,500 miles$2,079SGT Auto Transport1,500 miles$2,079

Cheap Short-Distance Car Transport

Our team got quotes for short-distance car shipping services from Orlando, Florida, to Durham, North Carolina – a distance of 535 miles. SGT Auto Transport gave us the cheapest quotes to ship our SUV:

CompanyShipping CostCost Per MileSGT Auto Transport$610$1.14uShip$647$1.21Montway Auto Transport$712$1.33American Auto Shipping$728$1.36Sherpa Auto Transport$749$1.40AmeriFreight$867$1.62

Cheap Long-Distance Car Transport

We also requested quotes to transport our SUV from New York City, New York, to Los Angeles, California. SGT Auto Transport gave us the cheapest quote for this long-distance shipment of 2,445 miles:

CompanyShipping CostCost Per MileSGT Auto Transport$1,565$0.64AmeriFreight$1,589$0.65Sherpa Auto Transport$1,638$0.67Montway Auto Transport$1,687$0.69American Auto Shipping$1,785$0.73uShip$2,298$0.94

Is Shipping a Car Expensive?

If you find the right provider and service, shipping a car will be less expensive than you think. Most of the estimates we received in our research fell between $1,000 and $2,000. The average quote for a 1,500-mile shipment between two urban areas was around $1,350. However, your cost could easily be cheaper or more expensive, depending on your needs and preferences.

There are many factors that go into the rates auto transporters charge for shipping. Some of these are out of your control. However, you can get cheaper car shipping by choosing less expensive options when you can. The variables that go into your auto transport rates include:

• Vehicle condition: Operable vehicles are more likely to get cheap vehicle shipping rates.
• Fuel cost: Gasoline is one of the biggest costs for car carriers, so when gas prices go up, you can expect your auto shipping rates to go up, too.
• Type of vehicle: Larger vehicles like trucks and SUVs tend to cost more to ship than smaller cars like sedans. In many cases, more expensive vehicles may also cost more to ship than cheaper ones.
• Delivery time frame: Some shippers offer guaranteed delivery windows for an extra fee. If you want cheap car shipping, you’ll need to be flexible about your delivery time.
• Time of year: Car shipping prices are seasonal to reflect demand. January tends to be the cheapest time to ship a car and the summer months are typically the most expensive.
• Delivery method: When available, terminal-to-terminal shipping is usually cheaper than shipping your car door-to-door.
• Pickup and delivery locations: Auto transport companies tend to charge less for pickup and delivery locations that are near urban centers or along major transport routes. If your location is in a more rural area, you may be able to get a cheaper shipping rate by meeting your driver in a more convenient location.
• Shipping distance: While long-distance moves like a cross-country shipment usually cost more than shipping a car short distances, you’ll usually pay less per mile the longer the shipment.
• Transport type: Shipping your vehicle on an open carrier is typically more affordable than transporting it in an enclosed trailer.
• Route competition: Market conditions play a major role in setting car shipping prices. The more auto transport carriers that serve a route, the cheaper your shipment should be.
• Service options: Additional auto transport services like expedited shipping and extra insurance add to the cost of your shipment.

Types of Car Shipping

Most providers offer several options when you book a car shipment. If you’re looking for cheap car shipping, you’ll need to stick to the more budget-friendly options. However, if you have more specialized needs, it may be worth considering the added cost of alternative options.

The types of auto shipping you’ll find include:

• Open carrier shipping: Transporting your car in an open-air container is the least expensive option, but it exposes your vehicle to damage from road debris, inclement weather, and more.
• Enclosed trailer shipping: You can choose to ship your vehicle in an enclosed container. This option offers more protection from damage, but also costs more than open shipping.
• Expedited shipping: If you need to transport your car in a hurry, many companies offer faster shipping options for an additional fee.
• Terminal-to-terminal shipping: When available, the option to ship a vehicle from one central location to another is a good way to save money on auto transport.
• Door-to-door transport: Most providers offer the option to ship your car from your old address to your new address, but it’s more expensive than the terminal-to-terminal option when you have the choice.

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Cheapest Way To Ship a Car

Over the course of our research, we found a few things you can do to get cheaper car shipping rates. These include:

• Booking in advance: When you book your shipment ahead of time, you’ll have more time to shop around for options. If you’re using a shipping broker, this also leaves more time for carriers to bid against each other on your job.
• Being flexible about your timeline: You’ll open bidding to more vehicle movers with a wider pickup and dropoff window, which could bring your final price down in the process. If you need a specific delivery date, you’ll have to pay extra.
• Choosing terminal-to-terminal shipping: When possible, it’s cheaper to drop your car off and pick it up at a shipping terminal than the door-to-door shipping option.
• Opting for open auto transport: If you are shipping a classic car or other high-value vehicles, the additional protection of an enclosed carrier may be worth the extra cost. If you want to save money, using an open carrier tends to be cheaper.
• Traveling to a convenient pickup or delivery location: If you live in an out-of-the-way rural area or are moving to one, you may want to consider meeting your driver in a more convenient place. Transporters usually charge less when pickup and dropoff locations are near urban centers or along major highways.
• Shopping around: As you can see from the rate tables above, shipping rates vary between providers even for the same shipment. Getting free quotes from several providers allows you to see which one offers the best prices for your needs.

Top Cheap Car Shipping Companies

While cheap rates are important, prices aren’t the only thing that matters. Not every car transport company is as dependable and trustworthy as the next.

Our team evaluated providers based on the ease of their shipping process, the services they offer, and their reputations among industry rating organizations and car shipping customers. Below, you’ll find three of the top performers in our most recent auto transport study.

#1 Montway Auto Transport: Best Overall

Montway Auto Transport works with over 15,000 verified carriers across the United States to provide you with competitive car shipping costs on most routes. The company offers expedited shipping, guaranteed pickup dates, and door-to-door services. Montway Auto Transport ships to all 50 states including Alaska and Hawaii and to international locations as well.

Customers give Montway Auto Transport high marks on various review sites. The company has 4.6 out of 5.0 stars from over 2,200 customer reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website. Montway Auto Transport also earns 4.6 out of 5.0 stars based on over 1,100 Trustpilot reviews.

Keep reading: Montway Auto Transport review

#2 Sherpa Auto Transport: Best for Locked-In Rates

Sherpa Auto Transport is known for its Price Lock Promise, which protects drivers against most fees that can be added mid-shipment. The company also reimburses customers for car washes upon vehicle arrival through its Clean Car Guarantee. Sherpa Auto Transport requires all carriers to have at least a $100,000 cargo insurance policy and more than $1 million in liability coverage.

Sherpa Auto Transport carries an impressive A+ rating and 4.9 out of 5.0 stars with the BBB. Note that Sherpa Auto Transport does not offer terminal-to-terminal shipping, which can lower car shipping costs, and it won’t ship vehicles to Alaska or Hawaii.

Keep reading: Sherpa Auto Transport review

#3 AmeriFreight: Best Discounts

AmeriFreight ships to all 50 states and offers a wide selection of discounts. The company offers reduced rates to first responders, students, active-duty military members, health care workers, and older adults. AmeriFreight ships motorcycles, RVs, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), and even boats.

On the BBB website, AmeriFreight receives 4.9 out of 5.0 stars from previous customers. The company also boasts a 4.7- out of 5.0-star rating based on more than 3,200 customer reviews on Google.

Keep reading: AmeriFreight review

Cheap Auto Transport: Conclusion

You can find cheap car shipping compared to average transport costs if you know where to look and what your options are. Choosing cheaper vehicle transport options, planning ahead, and being flexible can help you get the lowest rates available.

However, the most important step is getting car shipping quotes from multiple providers and comparing them. Most providers offer instant quotes online.

But remember: price isn’t everything. Choosing a reputable provider can help ensure peace of mind while your car is being transported to its new home.

Cheap Car Transport: FAQ

Below are some frequently asked questions about cheap car shipping services.

What is the cheapest company to ship your car?

Montway Auto Transport, Sherpa Auto Transport, and AmeriFreight are among your best options for cheap car shipping. The best price will depend on a multitude of factors. Comparing quotes from multiple shipping brokers and booking early are two proven ways to lock in lower shipping rates.

How can I save money on car shipping?

It’s much easier to save money on car shipping if you compare quotes from multiple providers, book early, and opt for terminal-to-terminal transport using an open shipping method. While getting enclosed auto transport and having the car delivered to your house is nice, you’ll have a much tougher time finding cheap car shipping.

Is it cheaper to ship or drive a car?

It’s typically cheaper to drive a car if you only need to move it a few hundred miles. However, it’s probably cheaper to ship your vehicle for longer moves, where you’d need to factor in costs such as food, lodging, and lost wages.

How much will it cost to ship my car?

The average cost to ship a car varies greatly. In addition to shipping distance, factors such as the type of transport you choose, the time of year, and where your pickup and dropoff points are can all affect the cost of your shipment.

Can I ship personal items with my car?

Some carriers allow you to ship personal items inside your car. However, they typically have weight restrictions and requirements about how these items are packed.

Our Methodology

Our expert review team takes satisfaction in providing accurate and unbiased information. We identified the following rating categories based on consumer survey data and conducted extensive research to formulate rankings of the best car shipping companies.

• Prices: A variety of factors influence cost, so it can be difficult to compare quotes between providers. Our team performs ongoing secret shopper analyses for different vehicles, services, and shipping routes to give this rating.
• Services: Because each consumer has unique needs, it’s essential that an auto transport company offers an array of services. We take into account the availability of services, ability to guarantee pickup and drop-off dates, and insurance coverage options.
• Reputation: Our team considers Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings, a company’s history of service, and years in business when giving this score.
• Customer Service: Reputable car shippers operate with a certain degree of care for consumers. We take into account customer reviews, BBB complaints, and the responsiveness of the customer service team.