Our free and easy car shipping calculator allows you to instantly get an auto transport cost estimate without providing any personal information
Updated:
Jun 18, 2024
Written by:
Alex Carver
Alex Carver
Writer
Edited by:
Rashawn Mitchner
Rashawn Mitchner
Senior Editor
You can use the car shipping cost calculator below to receive free instant car shipping estimates.
The calculators used on this website are being provided for educational purposes only. Data will not be collected or stored. The results are estimates based on information you provide and may not reflect actual pricing of your quote.
Key Takeaways:
- Using an online car shipping calculator is a good way to gather multiple quotes while you research providers for your auto shipment.
- Many factors go into determining your car shipping estimate. The most important factors are the service you select, the distance of transport and the size of your vehicle.
- Your actual auto shipping price may differ from your instant quote for a variety of reasons, including greater demand and added fees.
Whether you’re planning a cross-country move or you need to ship your car only a couple hundred miles, a car shipping calculator is a great way to find out what you’d pay for auto transport services. In this article, we at the MarketWatch Guides team will walk you through how to get hassle-free auto transport estimates by using a car shipping calculator and how these transport rates are determined. We’ll also help you strategically compare quotes to lock in the best car shipping rates.
Learn more about our methodology and editorial guidelines.
How Much Does Car Shipping Cost?
According to our research, the average cost to ship a car in the U.S. (not including Hawaii) is $1,366, or about $0.82 per mile. We came to this figure by secret shopping our top five car shipping companies. The actual cost to ship your car depends on a wide variety of factors, some of which are out of your control. Keep reading to learn more about what determines the final cost of a vehicle shipment and get some tips for comparing car shipping estimates.
Factors That Affect Car Shipping Costs
To calculate instant quotes, car shipping companies use an equation that instantly determines the price. Their equation factors in certain metrics, including distance, time of year, carrier demand and more:
Distance: Whether you’re making a long-distance move or shipping your vehicle under 500 miles, car transport companies charge by the mile. You’ll receive a lower rate per mile for shipments of longer distances, though the overall cost will be higher.
Pickup and drop-off locations: Having a vehicle shipped door-to-door will cost more than using terminal-to-terminal shipping.
Time of year: The auto transport industry typically sees higher demand during the summer and January, which leads to higher prices.
Season: Car shipping is a seasonal business, with higher rates in the summer months (when many families move) and in January (when snowbirds fly south for the winter).
Vehicle transport type: Enclosed transport offers your vehicle more protection during the shipment but at a higher price point than open transport. An enclosed car carrier is often a good choice for shipping luxury and classic cars.
Type of vehicle: Larger vehicles like trucks and RVs are more expensive to ship than sedans.
Vehicle condition: Inoperable vehicles are more expensive to ship since they require more resources to transport than those that are in working order.
Cost of fuel: Higher fuel costs often lead to higher car shipping prices.
Discounts: Some companies offer discounts for members of the military, senior citizens, first responders and first-time shoppers. You may also be able to save by shipping multiple vehicles.
Compare Car Shipping Cost
Click each button below to see how service type, shipping distance and vehicle type affect average car shipping costs.
Compare Car Shipping Cost by Service Type
The type of auto transport service you choose — open or enclosed — can impact the average cost of car shipping by as much as 70%. Here’s a look at average shipping costs for open and enclosed auto transport:
| Shipping Provider | Average Open Transport Cost | Average Enclosed Transport Cost |
| AmeriFreight | $931 | $1,582 |
| Mercury Auto Transport | $957 | $1,359 |
| Ship a Car Direct | $1,131 | $1,483 |
| Montway Auto Transport | $1,247 | $1,829 |
| SGT Auto Transport | $1,248 | $1,899 |
Read more: Open vs. Enclosed Car Shipping
Compare Car Shipping Cost by Shipping Distance
Car shipping costs are significantly affected by distance, with 30% to 40% differences on average. Below are some auto transport quotes we received for various shipping distances:
| Provider | Average Transport Cost for 549 Miles | Average Transport Cost for 1,588 Miles | Average Transport Cost for 2,877 Miles |
| Mercury Auto Transport | $594 | $1,237 | $1,643 |
| Ship a Car Direct | $788 | $1,350 | $1,783 |
| SGT Auto Transport | $836 | $1,865 | $2,019 |
| AmeriFreight | $898 | $1,328 | $1,543 |
| Montway Auto Transport | $931 | $1,784 | $1,899 |
Compare Car Shipping Cost by Vehicle Type
The type and size of the vehicle you’re shipping can shift transport costs around 15% in either direction. Here’s a breakdown of auto transport costs by basic vehicle type:
| Provider | Average Transport Cost for Sedans | Average Transport Cost for SUVs | Average Transport Cost for Trucks |
| Mercury Auto Transport | $1,044 | $1,165 | $1,265 |
| Ship a Car Direct | $1,129 | $1,229 | $1,563 |
| AmeriFreight | $1,155 | $1,290 | $1,324 |
| SGT Auto Transport | $1,285 | $1,633 | $1,802 |
| Montway Auto Transport | $1,374 | $1,547 | $1,692 |
*Sedan costs are based on a 2020 Honda Civic, SUV costs are based on a 2020 Toyota RAV-4 and truck costs are based on a 2020 Ford F-150.
What To Know When Comparing Car Shipping Estimates
Not all car shipping estimates are created equal. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you compare auto transport quotes from different companies:
Know Your Initial Quote May Change
Although a few car shipping companies offer guaranteed pricing, it isn’t the industry standard. There’s a good chance that the initial quote you receive for your vehicle shipment will have various fees and charges added to it when you actually book your appointment. It’s best to provide as much detail as possible about your car and shipment details before you start gathering quotes.
For example, a member of our team recently shipped their vehicle across the country and saw her initial quote increase by $200 after she booked her shipment. This isn’t terribly unusual, as we found in our August 2023 survey of 1,000 car shipping customers. About a quarter of respondents in the survey reported that their shipping prices also went up after booking.
Book Far in Advance
Allowing plenty of lead time is always a good idea when booking a car shipment. Doing so allows brokers more time to find a carrier to take your job at the quoted price. If possible, try to schedule your car shipment two weeks or more before your first available pick-up date.
Compare All Your Shipping Options
Along with auto transport brokers, look into shipping marketplaces that will open up your vehicle shipment to a wide variety of bidders. You could also deal directly with a carrier, but this likely isn’t the cheapest option.
Ask About Insurance
Make sure you understand how much insurance is included in the auto transport estimate you receive. You can expect a carrier to have cargo insurance, but the amount of coverage will pertain to all the vehicles in a shipment. You may want extra insurance coverage, especially if you’re transporting a high-value vehicle.
Prepare Your Car
You’ll need to clean out your car and take photos to document any existing damage before it’s picked up by a carrier. If you plan to pack any personal belongings in your vehicle, be sure not to exceed your carrier’s weight limit. In our experience, going over this limit can mean hundreds of dollars in fees. Keep in mind that personal items packed in your vehicle likely won’t be covered by the carrier’s insurance.
When you meet your transport driver, you’ll inspect your car with them and sign a bill of lading. You’ll inspect it again when you arrive to pick up your car, sign the bill of lading once more and then pay any remaining balance.
Driving Your Car vs. Shipping It
Driving your car instead of shipping it could make financial sense for shorter moves. For longer distances, you’ll likely find that auto transport services are both more convenient and cheaper than driving your car. We found that for distances greater than 2,000 miles, shipping your car instead of driving it can save you about $0.13 per mile. For a cross-country shipment of about 2,900 miles, this would mean saving around $350.
Car Shipping Estimate Calculator: The Bottom Line
Online car shipping calculators are useful for estimating the cost of shipping a vehicle. However, the calculator doesn’t take into account every factor and the rate you pay may exceed the price you received from an online car shipping calculator.
Car Shipping Calculator: FAQ
Below are common questions related to car shipping calculators:
Our experts’ research shows that the average cost of shipping a vehicle via open transport is about $1,366 or $0.82 per mile. This estimate covers shipping distances between 500 and 3,000 miles. Car shipping prices vary based on factors including the provider, the distance, the time of year and whether enclosed transport or open transport is used.
The easiest way to calculate the cost of shipping a car is to use a calculator like the one on this page or from a company like Montway Auto Transport. Our data shows open shipping costs $670 for 549 miles, $1,341 for 1,588 miles and $1,554 for 2,877 miles.
Our team named Mercury Auto Transport Best for Affordable Shipments because it offers cheap shipping rates on average. For example, Mercury’s rate for shipping a car 1,588 miles with open transport, $1,255, is 6% cheaper than the industry average of $1,341.
According to our rate data, it costs an average of $1,554 to ship a car cross-country from Philadelphia to San Francisco with open transport. You’ll pay more to use enclosed shipping or to ship an oversized vehicle.
Ultimately, it’s cheaper to drive a car than to ship it. However, shipping your car saves you time — meaning you don’t have to take time off work or worry about the hassle of unfamiliar roads and bad traffic.
Our Methodology
Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best car shipping companies. We collected data on dozens of auto transport providers to grade the companies on a wide range of ranking factors. The end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the companies that scored the most points topping the list.
Here are the factors our ratings take into account:
- Cost (33% of total score): Auto shipping companies with affordable rates, locked-in pricing and discount opportunities score highest in this category.
- Customer Experience (25% of total score): This score is based on customer satisfaction ratings and the availability of extras like GPS tracking. We also consider the responsiveness, friendliness and helpfulness of each transporter’s customer service team based on our own shopper analysis.
- Reputation (22% of total score): Our research team considers availability, ratings from industry experts and years in business when giving this score.
- Shipping Methods (10% of total score): Companies that offer a variety of choices for car transport and added benefits are more likely to meet consumer needs.
- Logistics (10% of total score): A smooth shipment is all about the details, which is why we look at how long it takes providers to pick up and ship vehicles, whether they include additional insurance coverage and more.
How We Determined the Cheapest Car Shipping Companies
Our team gathered auto transport quotes from 13 national car shipping companies, covering various shipping routes, transport types and vehicle models, to determine which providers offer the cheapest rates.
Our credentials:
- 200+ hours researched
- 20+ companies reviewed
- 2,000+ consumers surveyed
*Data accurate at time of publication.
If you have feedback or questions about this article, please email the MarketWatch Guides team at editors@marketwatchguides.
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