uShip Review: Pricing, Services & Reputation
Here’s the bottom line: uShip is an online shipping marketplace where independent carriers bid to haul cars, furniture, pets, and other large items, often for less than a moving company charges. uShip holds 4.4 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot and is our pick for competitive pricing among the best small-load moving companies, but it’s a poor fit for whole-home moves because you’re tied to a driver’s existing route and schedule. This uShip review covers pricing, customer feedback, services, and the best alternatives.
rating
3.9 / 5
Pros & cons of uShip
- Great for cars, furniture & oversized items
- Often cheaper than booking a mover directly
- Competing bids & negotiable prices
- Secure payment through the platform
- Tied to a driver’s route & schedule
- No firm price until a carrier bids
- Doesn’t verify carrier licensing or insurance
- No guarantee a carrier takes your job
Why moveBuddha:
- On average, moveBuddha users save more than 30% by comparing movers before booking.
- When you choose a moveBuddha Certified mover, you get $1,000 in added move coverage, plus dedicated support throughout your move.
- If something goes wrong, moveBuddha provides dispute mediation with Certified movers to help resolve the issue and protect your move.
Jump to the uShip info you’re looking for:
Key takeaways:
- A marketplace, not a mover: uShip is an online marketplace where you list a shipment and hire an independent carrier. uShip isn’t a broker or carrier and doesn’t hold FMCSA authority for your move, so the carrier you choose is responsible for its own licensing.
- Lower prices, less certainty: Carriers bid on your listing or accept your asking price, so costs can beat full-service movers. In exchange, you work around the driver’s route and schedule.
- Vetting is on you: uShip doesn’t verify providers’ licensing or insurance, so check each carrier’s reviews and USDOT number before you book.
- Our take: uShip works best if you have flexible dates, a small apartment, or a single item like a car or couch.
How much does uShip cost?
uShip doesn’t set prices. Carriers bid on your listing or accept the price you offer, so what you pay depends on the item, the distance, and how much space a driver has left. Car shipping is the exception, since uShip offers instant published rates for single-vehicle shipments.
That bidding model can mean big savings. One listing we reviewed for 20 boxes from Meridian, Idaho, to Santa Ana, California, a distance of 854 miles, drew two bids: $275 and $563.
uShip adds a service charge to every shipment. The fee isn’t fixed: uShip calculates it based on what you’re shipping and lists it next to the bid price and total due, both on active bids and at checkout.
uShip’s service charge varies by what you ship, so compare the total due on each bid, not just the bid price.
We collected the price ranges below from bids on listed home moves. Carriers set their own prices, so your costs can vary widely.
| Move type | 1 bedroom | 2 – 3 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|
| Local | $275 – $600 | $350 – $725 |
| Under 250 miles | $400 – $1,000 | $1,250 – $2,500 |
| Cross-country | $580 – $2,500 | $2,500+ |
Local moves for 4 – 5 bedroom homes started at $1,200, but we didn’t find enough bids to price larger homes on longer routes.
Because bids vary so much, check them against our Moving Cost Calculator. It runs on 1,000+ live price points moveBuddha collects every month, which gives you a real benchmark for judging whether a uShip bid is a good deal.
What do customers say about uShip?
Most uShip customers report good experiences, and most complaints involve individual carriers rather than the platform. As of September 2026, uShip holds 4.4 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot from more than 12,000 reviews, and 89% of reviewers give four or five stars.
The Better Business Bureau has accredited uShip since 2005 and gives it an A+ rating. The BBB lists 80 complaints in the past three years, with 23 closed in the past 12 months.
Negative reviews usually describe slow pickups, damaged items, or carriers who stop responding. uShip doesn’t verify its providers’ licensing or insurance, so vetting your carrier is up to you.
“Everything went perfectly!! Shipment of a very fragile & heavy glass art sculpture was flawless!! Ended up being much cheaper than UPS and quicker delivery too!! I realize that there was a bit of luck involved in that I found a service provider already en route to the pickup city, but that’s the way it goes sometimes!”
—Mark, ConsumerAffairs
“They took a long time for pickup but the delivery was well worth the wait. The price was fair and the delivery was good, but the long pickup incurred storage fees that I could have done without. Overall I was satisfied with the delivery and will continue to use them.”
—Richard, ConsumerAffairs
“Very bad experience. My TVs arrived damaged, and photos from their own team clearly show poor packaging. When I contacted them, they tried to blame me and even claimed the TVs were already packaged by the sender, which is not true.”
—Pavel, ConsumerAffairs
What services does uShip offer?
uShip started as a car shipping marketplace and now lists shipments for vehicles, motorcycles, RVs, boats, household goods and furniture, LTL and full-truckload freight, heavy equipment, horses and livestock, and pets.
You can list almost anything, but carriers decide whether a shipment fits their schedule and space. There’s no guarantee a carrier will bid on your listing.
uShip isn’t a full-service moving company, so it doesn’t offer packing or loading. If you want affordable help with the heavy lifting, HireAHelper connects you with local moving labor.
uShip also sells an optional Protection Plan that covers up to $200,000, depending on what you ship. You must file a claim within seven days of the actual or scheduled delivery date, and uShip deducts a processing fee of $100 – $750 from any reimbursement.
- Online marketplace that connects people with movers and transporters
- Multiple providers compete for your move by offering bids or name your own price
- Make complex moves simpler and more organized
- Secure payment methods once you choose a driver
How does uShip compare to other moving options?
uShip is usually the cheapest way to ship single items and small loads, but it’s also the least predictable. For a whole-home move, a moving container or full-service mover gives you firmer dates, and moving containers cost about 30% less than full-service movers on average.
uShip vs. U-Pack
U-Pack is a long-distance moving container company, not a marketplace. Each ReloCube holds 308 cubic feet, and on U-Pack’s 28-foot trailer you pay only for the space you use, with a 5-foot minimum. U-Pack gives you three business days to load and unload, and it doesn’t handle local moves.
rating
5 / 5
uShip vs. PODS
PODS is a moving container company that rents by the month, so you can load at your own pace instead of racing a three-day window. PODS drops the container in your driveway and moves it to storage or your new home when you’re ready.
PODS doesn’t serve Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, or Wyoming. Some cities also restrict parking containers on the street, so check local rules before you book.
rating
4.8 / 5
uShip vs. Safeway Moving
Safeway Moving is a moveBuddha Certified full-service mover that handles packing, loading, transport, and unloading. uShip fills spare space on routes carriers are already driving, while Safeway plans the move around your dates. Safeway offers flat-rate local moves as well as long-distance moves, so it’s a strong white-glove option for any distance.
rating
4.9 / 5
uShip vs. Mayzlin Relocation
Mayzlin Relocation is a full-service carrier (USDOT 3182355) based in Charlotte, North Carolina, that moves customers to any state. As a carrier, Mayzlin runs its own trucks and crews instead of relying on independent drivers. Mayzlin refunds deposits in full if you cancel in writing at least seven business days before your move.
rating
4.79 / 5
uShip vs. U-Haul
U-Haul is a budget truck rental company with more than 25,000 locations across the U.S. and Canada. uShip pairs you with a driver, but with U-Haul you handle the loading, driving, and unloading yourself. U-Haul is the easiest option to book on your own schedule, but it takes the most physical work.
How does moving with uShip work?
uShip works like a cross between Airbnb and Craigslist. You post a listing on the uShip website or app with a full inventory of what you’re moving, then open it to bids or name your price. Before you set a price, run your move through our Moving Cost Calculator, which factors in distance, home size, services, and access, so your offer starts from a realistic number.
When a carrier bids or accepts your price, uShip notifies you in your account. Check each carrier’s profile for reviews, ratings, and a USDOT or MC number before you choose.
You pay when you book, through uShip’s platform. Never pay outside the platform, since that leaves you exposed to scams.
Prices and terms are between you and the carrier, so negotiate and ask exactly what each bid includes. uShip keeps a record of every message, so get the details in writing before you book.
uShip’s Ship with Confidence Guarantee covers up to $500 per shipment if services aren’t rendered, items are lost or damaged without other coverage, or a provider charges more than the booked price. For freight, uShip’s Guaranteed LTL Service refunds all or part of your freight charges when select LTL carriers miss the displayed transit time.
Pro tip: Look up every carrier’s USDOT number on the FMCSA SAFER website before you pay, and read our guide to moving brokers to spot common red flags.
Should you use uShip to move?
uShip is a smart way to save on small or single-item moves, but it isn’t the right fit for most whole-home moves.
Use uShip if:
- You’re on a tight budget: Competing bids often beat what a moving company would charge for a small load.
- Your dates are flexible: Carriers fit your shipment around routes they’re already driving, so a loose timeline gets you more bids.
- You’re moving a few items: uShip works best for a studio apartment, a single piece of furniture, a car, or a pet.
Skip uShip if you’re moving a large home, have fixed dates, or don’t want to negotiate with drivers. For a whole-home move, the moveBuddha Mover Marketplace collects up to five no-obligation quotes from one request, matched to movers’ real-time availability, so you book around your dates instead of a driver’s route.
Booking a moveBuddha Certified mover also adds $1,000 in move coverage and dispute mediation if something goes wrong. Compare more options in our guide to the best moving companies.
FAQ
Is uShip legit?
Yes, uShip is a legitimate online shipping marketplace founded in 2004 and based in Austin, Texas. It has an A+ rating from the BBB and 4.4 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot. Your experience depends on the carrier you hire, so check reviews before you book.
How much does uShip charge?
uShip adds a service charge to every shipment, calculated based on what you’re shipping. The fee appears next to the bid price and total due before you pay. Carriers set the shipping price itself through bids or published rates.
How much does uShip charge per mile?
For car shipping, uShip lists average rates of about $2.92 per mile for trips under 200 miles and $0.78 per mile for trips over 1,000 miles. Longer trips cost less per mile. Other shipments vary by carrier bid.
How long does uShip take to deliver?
uShip estimates car shipments take 2 – 4 days under 500 miles, 3 – 7 days for 500 – 1,500 miles, and 7 – 10 days over 1,500 miles. Other shipments depend on the carrier’s route and stops. Confirm pickup and delivery dates in writing before you book.
Is it safe to pay through uShip?
Yes, paying through uShip’s platform is the safest way to pay. uShip’s Ship with Confidence Guarantee can reimburse up to $500 if a carrier you paid never delivers, as long as you follow uShip’s Safe Shipping Guide. Never pay a carrier directly or in advance outside uShip.
Does uShip offer insurance?
uShip sells an optional Protection Plan that covers up to $200,000, depending on what you ship. You must file a claim within seven days of the actual or scheduled delivery date. uShip deducts a processing fee of $100 – $750 from any reimbursement.
Can I cancel a uShip shipment?
You can cancel for a full refund if your shipment hasn’t been picked up and you paid through uShip Payments. If you booked with a deposit, uShip keeps the deposit or service charge as a cancellation fee, though it may offer a credit instead. Refunds typically reach your original payment method in 3 – 7 business days.
How we chose the best moving companies
The moveBuddha team has spent nearly 10 years evaluating moving companies using a rigorous review system to identify the best moving companies. Our thorough methodology evaluates each moving company's services, cost, customer service, and reputation:
Moving services (35%):
We verify operating authority, insurance, and service scope against FMCSA/SAFER and state databases. We confirm availability via standardized mystery-shopping calls (packing tiers, storage type, specialty handling, delivery windows, valuation), and then review contracts alongside complaint and claims patterns over time.
Customer feedback (28%):
We run structured post-move surveys through our Better Moves Project with verifiable documentation. We emphasize on-time performance, care of goods, and estimates’ accuracy, and we investigate outliers before they influence scores.
Online reviews (7%):
We aggregate ratings across multiple third-party sites to reduce platform bias, analyze overall trends and company response behavior, and discount obvious spam/fake signals such as sudden bursts, duplicate language, and low-history profiles.
State availability (12%):
We confirm USDOT numbers, broker vs. carrier status, and any required state permits, then score a state-by-state service matrix that accounts for coverage gaps, seasonal limits, and lane strength. We award additional credit for documented cross-border or specialty lanes.
Additional services (12%):
We verify whether add-ons are performed in-house or subcontracted, look for crew training/certifications for high-value or oversized items, count only documented offerings (tariffs, photos, written service descriptions) confirmed via mystery shopping, and reward robust pre-move planning (virtual surveys, itemized crating).
Quotes/Payment options (6%):
We test standardized move profiles to assess estimate type (binding, not-to-exceed, non-binding), line-item transparency, and disclosed surcharges, require clear written policies for deposits, refunds, and cancellations, and award points for secure, flexible payment methods and customer portals.
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