When you need to transport a car in the UK—whether it is an eBay Motors purchase, a dealership transfer, or a salvage non-runner from Copart or BCA—Shiply and AnyVan are the two largest household names in general delivery. Yet despite often appearing side-by-side in search results, they operate on completely different business models, add substantial platform markups to your quote, and differ sharply from a dedicated automotive marketplace like TraderMove.
How Shiply, AnyVan, and TraderMove work
Before comparing prices, it helps to understand what happens behind the scenes when you request a car delivery quote on each site:
- Shiply (~30% Deposit Markup Bidding Auction): You post your vehicle details and independent transporters enter their Net Quote (the amount the driver receives). Shiply then automatically adds a ~30% "success fee" markup on top of the driver's quote and displays that combined total to you. When you accept a quote, you pay that entire ~30% markup upfront to Shiply as a booking deposit, and pay the net quote to the driver.
- AnyVan (Instant-Quote Managed Broker): Instead of waiting for individual drivers to bid, AnyVan calculates an instant fixed price on screen and allocates the job to a sub-contracted partner driver. AnyVan does not publish its partner cut, but drivers commonly report a 20%–25%+ broker margin built into the customer's price.
- TraderMove (Flat £15 Fee Automotive Marketplace): Built strictly for cars, vans, motorcycles, and salvage recovery. You post your vehicle for free, verified recovery operators and trade plate drivers bid their exact net rate with 0% markup added on top, and you pay only a flat £15 matchmaking fee when you accept a quote.
Shiply vs AnyVan vs TraderMove: side-by-side comparison
The table below compares how all three platforms handle pricing, quote markups, booking deposits, and specialist vehicle recovery:
| Feature | TraderMove | Shiply | AnyVan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Specialism | 100% Dedicated Vehicle Transport & Recovery | General Couriers, Furniture & Vehicles | House Removals, Furniture & Vehicles |
| Pricing Model | Live Driver Bidding + Instant Cost Calculator | Reverse-Auction Driver Bidding | Instant Fixed Broker Price |
| Markup Added to Driver Quote | 0% (£0 markup added) | ~30% success fee added on top | ~20%–25%+ broker margin built in |
| What Customer Pays to Book | Flat £15 on quote acceptance | ~30% deposit upfront (e.g. £60–£113+) | 100% of total price paid upfront |
| When You Pay for Transport | 100% Payment on Delivery to Driver | ~30% deposit online; net quote to driver | 100% paid upfront at booking |
| Copart, BCA & Non-Runner Ready | Yes — Winch & Salvage Yard Specialists | Mixed — Must vet individual bidders | Limited — Geared toward standard runners |
How Shiply's ~30% deposit markup and AnyVan's broker fees inflate your price
Many buyers assume that because Shiply doesn't charge transporters an upfront fee to place a bid, the quotes shown on screen are pure trade rates. In reality, when a transporter logs into Shiply to quote on your car, they enter their Net Quote (Amount to you), and Shiply's system automatically adds a ~30% success fee on top:
- 75-Mile Car Move Example (Sandwich, Kent → London, Audi A3): When a transporter enters a £200 net quote, Shiply adds a £60 success fee (+30%) and displays £260 to the customer. On TraderMove, that exact same £200 driver quote costs £215 total (£200 to the driver + £15 flat booking fee)—saving you £45.
- 243-Mile Car Move Example (Sandwich, Kent → Stoke-on-Trent, Ford Puma): When a transporter enters a £370 net quote, Shiply adds a £113 success fee (+30.5%) and displays £483 to the customer. On TraderMove, that exact same £370 driver quote costs £385 total (£370 to the driver + £15 flat booking fee)—saving you £98.
On AnyVan, you get an instant price without waiting for bids, and standard fire and theft cover is included. However, because AnyVan acts as a middleman broker taking a 20%–25%+ margin before subcontracting the job out, its instant quotes for moving a car are routinely expensive.
On TraderMove (tradermove.co.uk), there is no percentage markup between you and the driver. Transporters keep 100% of their quote, and you pay a single flat £15 matchmaking fee regardless of whether your vehicle move is 50 miles or 400 miles. See our 6 UK Shiply Alternatives Compared guide for a full overview of all six marketplaces.
2026 UK car transport price comparison by distance
Here is how total customer costs compare across four common UK mileage brackets when a recovery operator quotes the exact same net trade rate on each platform:
| UK Route Distance | Driver's Net Trade Rate | TraderMove Total (Net + Flat £15 Fee) | Shiply Total (Net + ~30% Deposit) | AnyVan (Typical Instant Quote) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 Miles (Local / Regional) | £120 | £135 Total | ~£156 (£36 deposit) | £165 – £210 |
| 75–100 Miles (e.g. Kent → London) | £200 | £215 Total | £260 (£60 deposit) | £250 – £310 |
| 200–250 Miles (e.g. Kent → Stoke) | £370 | £385 Total | £483 (£113 deposit) | £450 – £520 |
| 300+ Miles (e.g. London → Glasgow) | £420 | £435 Total | ~£546 (£126 deposit) | £520 – £620 |
Want to check the exact mileage and 3-tier rate for your postcodes? Use our free UK Car Transport Cost Calculator to see live Backload Saver, Market Average, and Express rates in seconds.
Why auction cars & non-runners need a specialist network
If you are moving a sofa or a washing machine, a general courier site works well. Moving a 2-tonne vehicle—especially an electric vehicle (EV), a lowered sports car, or a crash-damaged salvage lot from Copart, BCA, or IAA (Synetiq)—requires specialist recovery equipment:
- Winch & Rolling Gear: Non-runners require electric or hydraulic winches, wheel skates, or Copart forklift/JCB loading clearance. General removal vans cannot load immobilized cars.
- Trade Plate vs. Trailer Options: On TraderMove, you can specify whether you want your vehicle Transported (Open Trailer), Transported (Enclosed), or Driven on Trade Plates when posting your job.
- Verified Goods in Transit (GIT) Cover: Standard parcel courier insurance often excludes motor vehicles. TraderMove awards a Verified Insured badge to operators who upload valid Motor Trade or Goods in Transit certificates.
One of the biggest risks on general classifieds and unverified sites is paying a large upfront bank transfer to a driver who fails to show up. TraderMove (operated by TRADER MOVE LTD, Company No. 17377686) prohibits drivers from requesting advance cash deposits. You pay only a flat £15 platform fee to lock in your quote, and pay the driver 100% on safe delivery.
Shiply vs AnyVan: your questions answered
Is Shiply or AnyVan cheaper for car transport in the UK?
Shiply can be cheaper than AnyVan if you wait for return-load bids, but Shiply still adds a ~30% success fee markup on top of the driver's net quote as your booking deposit. Because TraderMove adds 0% markup to the driver's bid and charges only a flat £15 booking fee, TraderMove typically saves you £45 to £100+ per vehicle move compared to both.
How do Shiply and AnyVan fees work on car transport quotes?
On Shiply, transporters enter their net quote and pay £0 directly to Shiply, but Shiply adds roughly 30% on top of that net quote and charges it to the customer upfront as a booking deposit (e.g., £60 on a £200 quote, or £113 on a £370 quote). AnyVan operates as an instant-quote broker with an estimated 20%–25%+ margin built into the upfront price. TraderMove charges a flat £15 fee on acceptance with 0% markup on the driver's rate.
Which platform is best for Copart, BCA, or eBay Motors collections?
TraderMove is built specifically for motor traders, auction buyers, and private car sales. You can flag non-runners or salvage damage upfront so only winch-equipped recovery operators and experienced auction collection drivers bid on your load.
What happens if a driver cancels my booking?
On TraderMove, if a transport provider cancels or fails to collect your vehicle, your flat £15 matchmaking fee is protected by our full refund guarantee via your Trader Dashboard.