Crash Course:
- Montway Auto Transport is the best car shipping company of 2023.
- Sherpa Auto Transport, SGT Auto Transport, American Auto Shipping, AmeriFreight, and Easy Auto Ship round out our top six auto transport providers for this year.
- Each auto transport company charges varying rates for different distances, and most offer more than one type of discount.
- The best car shipping companies offer bonus services such as car washes and insure your vehicle in the event of any damages.
- Choosing an auto shipping provider involves looking at the distance you need to ship a car and considering all available types of vehicle transport.
Featured Car Shipping Companies
We reviewed the industry’s top car shipping providers. Here are our featured picks:
Our #1 Rated Provider
Montway
Best for Locked-In Pricing
Sherpa
Best For a Quick Pickup
Easy Auto Ship
Affiliate disclosure: Automoblog and its partners may be compensated when you purchase the products in this article.
The best car shipping companies can safely, efficiently, and affordably get your vehicle from point A to point B. That’s not true of every auto transport company on the market, though.
To help you separate the best car shipping companies from the rest, our experts carefully examined the rates, services, and reviews of various auto transport providers. In this article, we’ll list out our top choices for car shippers and break down the ins and outs of shipping a car.
Best Car Shipping Companies: Overview
Montway Auto Transport, Sherpa Auto Transport, SGT Auto Transport, American Auto Shipping, AmeriFreight, and Easy Auto Ship are the
Our research team determined the best car shipping companies on the market for 2023 based on our research and secret shopper analysis. We compared prices, services, reputations, and customer experience of the top auto transport companies in the U.S.
Once again, Montway Auto Transport earned the highest overall score of any provider. You’ll find the scores and awards for the other top car shipping companies for 2023 in the table below.
| Best Car Shipping Companies | Rating Out of 5.0 | Award |
|---|---|---|
| Montway Auto Transport | 4.7 | Best Service |
| Sherpa Auto Transport | 4.6 | Best for Locked-In Pricing |
| SGT Auto Transport | 4.6 | Best Price-Matching Guarantee |
| American Auto Shipping | 4.6 | Best Service Availability |
| AmeriFreight | 4.5 | Best Deals |
| Easy Auto Ship | 4.4 | Best Customer Service |
What Is the Best Car Shipping Company?
We believe that Montway Auto Transport is the best auto transport provider. The company’s excellent reputation, low prices, and wide range of services makes it a great choice for anyone who’s interested in shipping a car.
However, Montway may not be the best transport option for your shipping needs. Getting free quotes from a few different providers can help you find the best rates. You’ll find brief reviews of each of the top-rated car shipping companies from our latest auto shipping study.
Car Shipping Companies: Brief Reviews
In the following section, you’ll find a short breakdown of each of the top auto transport companies. If you’d like to learn more about a specific provider, follow the links for more detailed and thorough reviews.
#1 Montway Auto Transport: Best Service
Average price: $1,097
Shipping options: Door-to-door, open shipping, enclosed shipping, international shipping
Type of company: Shipping broker
Availability: 50 states and international locations
What We Like About Montway Auto Transport
Montway Auto Transport offers affordable auto shipping services across the entire U.S., including to Alaska and Hawaii. Enclosed and open transport, door-to-door service, and expedited shipping options are available, and the car shipper guarantees pickup dates for an extra cost.
Our #1 Rated Provider
#2 Sherpa Auto Transport: Best for Locked-In Pricing
Average price: $1,720
Shipping options: Door-to-door, open shipping, enclosed shipping
Type of company: Shipping broker
Availability: 48 states (not Alaska or Hawaii)
What We Like About Sherpa Auto Transport
Consumers who want to know the cost of vehicle transportation from quote to delivery should consider Sherpa Auto Transport. Its locked-in pricing is a significant benefit that’s somewhat rare in the car shipping industry.
Best for Locked-In Pricing
#3 SGT Auto Transport: Best Price-Matching Guarantee
Average price: $1,619
Shipping options: Door-to-door, terminal-to-terminal, open shipping, enclosed shipping, guaranteed pickup service, dealership shipping
Type of company: Shipping broker
Availability: 49 states (all but Alaska)
What We Like About SGT Auto Transport
Put simply, SGT Auto Transport offers a wealth of options for individuals and businesses. Whether you need to ship a golf cart to Miami or want to move a fleet of delivery vans to New York, SGT Auto Transport can cover your needs.
Highly Rated
#4 American Auto Shipping: Best Service Availability
Average price: $1,524
Shipping options: Door-to-door, open shipping, enclosed shipping, alternative vehicles, expedited shipping
Type of company: Shipping broker
Availability: 50 states and the U.S. territories
What We Like About American Auto Shipping
American Auto Shipping offers a robust line of services for all of your transport needs. Whether you’re looking to ship a car or motorcycle or need to transport a boat or even heavy equipment, American Auto Shipping can deliver. The company has shipped 137,000 vehicles and is a reliable choice for auto transport services.
#5 AmeriFreight: Best Deals
Average price: $1,300
Shipping options: Door-to-door, terminal-to-terminal, open shipping, enclosed shipping, alternative vehicles, expedited shipping
Type of company: Shipping broker
Availability: 50 states
What We Like About AmeriFreight
AmeriFreight offers plenty of shipping options and the auto transport industry’s widest range of discounts. In addition to offering auto transport services nationwide, AmeriFreight has add-on insurance coverage to help cover gaps in the carrier’s policy. Under the AFta Total Assurance Plan, AmeriFreight will take care of deductibles up to $2,000.
#6 Easy Auto Ship: Best Customer Service
Average price: $1,168
Shipping options: Door-to-door, terminal-to-terminal, open shipping, enclosed shipping, alternative vehicles, expedited shipping
Type of company: Shipping broker
Availability: 50 states and international
What We Like About Easy Auto Ship
Another one of the industry’s best car shipping companies, Easy Auto Ship guarantees that the instant quote you receive is the price you’ll pay. The provider offers lower rates per mile than most moving companies and honors car shipping quotes up to 30 days after you’ve requested them.
Best For a Quick Pickup
How To Choose a Car Shipping Company
There’s more to finding the right auto transport provider than simply going with the lowest price. Not all companies offer the same benefits or quality of service. Taking the time to evaluate your options before signing a contract can help ensure you get the best car shipping company for your needs at the best price available to you.
See If an Auto Transport Company Is Legit
While there are less-than-reputable car shippers out there, the majority of auto transport companies are legitimate service providers. If you want to verify a company for yourself, you can look up its record with the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) using its DOT number. Customer reviews will be a good source of information, as are each provider’s years of experience.
Know What To Look For In a Car Shipping Provider
Price is the first consideration for most people, but it shouldn’t be the only one. You’ll want to compare a few other aspects of car transport companies, including:
- Auto transport prices: Price is the most important consideration for many people. That’s why we recommend comparing car shipping quotes online from multiple providers before making a decision.
- Easy shipping process: The best auto transport companies take care of the details and create a no-hassle shipping experience. Customer reviews and ratings can give you a good idea of how smooth of a process different haulers offer.
- Car shipping options: Some providers have a wide range of choices for shipping your vehicle, while others may only offer a couple. Make sure the car shipping company you choose has the shipping options you need.
- Direct provider or auto transport broker: You can often find slightly lower rates when you work with a car shipping broker. However, a direct provider of auto transport services may offer a more seamless car shipping process and centralized accountability.
- Auto carrier vetting process: If you do work with a shipping broker, your service will actually be carried about by an independent car carrier. For that reason, it’s good to look into a broker’s vetting process to make sure they only hire reputable truck drivers.
- Availability: Not all car shipping companies operate throughout the 50 states. Some will book international shipments and transports to Hawaii and Alaska but many others won’t. Be sure to weed out any car transporters that don’t operate where you need them to.
Find the Cheapest Car Shipping Companies
Price is still the primary consideration for most people. You won’t know what the best price is, however, unless you compare rates from multiple providers. Most car shipping companies offer free quotes on their websites.
How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Car?
The average car shipping cost ranges from $800 to $2,500. However, it’s entirely possible that your costs fall outside of this range. Companies offer different rates, even for the exact same shipping jobs.
Car Shipping Cost Factors
Rates vary between companies due to differences in how they calculate costs. Each company uses a different formula to account for different factors, such as:
- Cost of fuel: Shipping prices usually go up when the price of gas rises.
- Driving hazards: Poor road conditions and inclement weather can raise shipping costs.
- Type of vehicle: Larger or specialty vehicles, such as trucks and RVs, usually cost more to ship.
- Time of year: Summer and January are the busy seasons for vehicle transportation, so expect higher prices around those times.
- Destination: While auto shippers charge by the mile, rates generally go down as the distance increases. So, a long-distance shipment from Florida to Texas will cost more overall than to the next state over, but have a lower per-mile fee. Your shipment will come with additional costs if you’re relocating internationally, however.
- Transport type: Open transport is more cost-effective than shipping your car in an enclosed trailer. Terminal-to-terminal transport typically comes at a lower cost than door-to-door shipping.
- Vehicle condition: Car movers tend to charge more to transport an inoperable vehicle than one that can be driven.
Car Shipping Discounts
There are a few auto transport providers that offer discounts. You may be able to find senior citizen discounts, military discounts, early bird booking discounts, and sometimes discounts for paying in cash.
While a large number of car shipping companies don’t offer discounts, it never hurts to ask.
Compare Car Shipping Company Customer Satisfaction
The experiences of other customers can give you valuable insight into the quality of service you can expect from a shipping provider. You want to choose a company that’s reliable, sticks to its agreements, and provides a smooth shipping process. It’s also important to choose a provider that’s there for its customers if things do go wrong.
Car Shipping Company Reviews
One way to judge customer satisfaction is to look at online reviews for auto transport providers. Websites like the BBB, Google, and TrustPilot allow customers to leave reviews. They also allow companies to respond to complaints. Both are important to consider.
A few negative reviews here and there are to be expected. However, consistent patterns of complaints about an auto shipping company are a red flag.
Many companies take the time to respond to negative comments online and work with customers to resolve their issues. If you see a company offering to address complaints and fix problems consistently, it’s a good sign that they care about customer satisfaction.
Car Shipping Survey
Our research team surveyed 1,000 people who used an auto transport service to ship their cars to get independent customer satisfaction data. We found that, in general, most people were happy with their service.
An overwhelming majority of respondents – nearly 70% – said they were satisfied with their auto transport experience. A full 56% said that they would recommend their car shipping company to friends and family members.
Car Shipping Survey: Key Findings
Each of the car shipping companies mentioned in this article was used by respondents. Here’s what we discovered:
- Car shipping costs: About 41% of participants said they paid between $1,000 and $2,000 to ship their cars. Just 16% of survey participants said that they paid more than $2,000 for auto transport.
- Car shipping distances: Nearly 25% surveyed said that they shipped their car between 500 and 1,000 miles.
- Car shipping methods: Around 43% of survey respondents said that they chose open transport to ship their car.
- Car shipping company: Montway Auto Transport was the most popular company in the survey, with nearly 24% of respondents saying they used the company’s services.
In our most recent car shipping survey, an overwhelming majority of respondents – nearly 70% – said they were satisfied with their auto transport experience. A full 56% said that they would recommend their car shipping company to friends and family members.
Car Shipping Survey Results
Our research team surveyed 1,000 people who used an auto transport service to ship their cars. Each of the car shipping companies mentioned in this article was used by respondents. Here’s what we discovered:
- Car shipping costs: About 41% of participants said they paid between $1,000 and $2,000 to ship their cars. Just 16% of survey participants said that they paid more than $2,000 for auto transport.
- Car shipping distances: Nearly 25% surveyed said that they shipped their car between 500 and 1,000 miles.
- Car shipping methods: Around 43% of survey respondents said that they chose open transport to ship their car.
- Car shipping company: Montway Auto Transport was the most popular company in the survey, with nearly 24% of respondents saying they used the company’s services.
Source: Automoblog Shipping Survey
How Do I Ship a Car?
If it’s your first time shipping a car, there’s some basic information that could be useful to you. In this section, we’ve provided some of the basics to help you become a more informed car shipping customer.
Here’s how to ship a car, in a few simple steps:
Do I Need Cargo Insurance To Ship a Car?
Using one of the best car shipping companies is typically very safe. However, there’s always the chance that your car could get damaged during transit, whether due to poor weather, road debris, or even an accident.
And while many auto shipping companies do carry insurance, there are gaps between that coverage and your personal insurance policy. Additional cargo insurance, either through your provider or from a third party, can cover unforeseen costs and offer peace of mind while your vehicle is in transit.
Best Car Shipping Companies: Conclusion
Our team found that Montway Auto Transport is the best car shipping company based on its prices, services, and customer support. But that shouldn’t stop you from checking out the other car shipping companies on our list.
Sherpa Auto Transport, AmeriFreight, Easy Auto Ship, American Auto Shipping, and SGT Auto Transport performed well enough to earn places on this list as well. And the company that provides the best rates to your neighbor may not provide the best rates to you, especially after applying discounts.
Get quotes from multiple providers to compare them and make an educated decision, whether you’re shipping your car across California or need a cross-country move. All auto transporters will gladly accept money to ship your car, but only the best car shipping companies offer the rates and service you deserve.
Featured Car Shipping Companies
We reviewed the industry’s top car shipping providers. Here are our featured picks:
Our #1 Rated Provider
Montway
Best for Locked-In Pricing
Sherpa
Best For a Quick Pickup
Easy Auto Ship
Top Car Shipping Companies: FAQ
Below are some frequently asked questions about car shipping companies:
What is the best company to ship a car with?
Choosing the best company for vehicle transport depends on the destination, the type of transport, and the customer’s budget. Our research team found Montway Auto Transport, Sherpa Auto Transport, and SGT Auto Transport to be good choices because of their affordable prices and solid reputations.
Does AAA offer car shipping?
The roadside assistance provider doesn’t offer vehicle transport, though there is an unrelated car shipping company with a similar name.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car?
For cheaper car shipping, choose a company with open carrier transport, terminal-to-terminal shipping, and flexible pickup dates and delivery times. If you live on the East Coast, Amtrak also offers limited low-cost vehicle shipping by train.
How much does shipping a car usually cost?
Transport costs vary depending on the delivery location, time of year, and method of transport. We found that the average cost of car shipping is around $1,200, but choosing options such as enclosed carrier transport and door-to-door delivery comes with higher prices.
What is a bill of lading?
A bill of lading is an official document that contains all of the relevant information needed to ship your vehicle. It’s effectively a contract between you and the auto transporter and serves as a receipt after your transaction is complete. You or a representative may need to sign the bill of lading before and after shipment.
Can you ship your car to another state?
Yes, you can ship your car between states. Remember that the farther you ship your car, the more expensive the transport service will likely be. Shipping a car across the country from Miami to Los Angeles, for example, will cost more than shipping your car to the next state over.
Do car shipping companies guarantee delivery dates?
Car shipping companies don’t typically guarantee delivery dates. Some auto transporters may offer guaranteed pickup dates, but with many factors like weather and weather and traffic at play, it would be difficult to promise that a shipment will be on time.
Can I ship my car with stuff in it?
Some companies allow you to ship your car with up to 100 pounds of personal items packed away. However, they usually have strict size and weight restrictions, as well as specific instructions about how things must be packed.
How do I find a reputable auto transport company?
The best way to find a reputable auto transport company is to first confirm that the car shipping companies are legit by looking up their USDOT numbers online. Then, you can read customer reviews to learn about the experience of shipping a car with the companies. Ratings sites like the BBB and Trustpilot can also provide insight into the reputation of a company.
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 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.
*Data accurate at time of publication.
