Freight quote comparison
Enter up to three quotes from forwarders or carriers line by line. The tool adds up the all-in total of each, shows the cost per CBM and per kg, and lists every charge that one quote includes and another leaves out, so you compare like with like before you book.
Comparison
Ask before you book
Download the Excel template (.xlsx) ↓
The tool only adds up the amounts you enter. Forwarders word and group their charges differently, and some surcharges are billed at the level in force when the cargo ships: read each quote's terms before you book.
Guides on this topic
How to compare freight quotes like for like
Make sure every quote is for the same cargo, route, service (FCL or LCL, port or door) and shipping dates, in the same currency. Then compare line by line rather than the headline rate: one forwarder may quote a low freight rate and list the surcharges and local charges separately, while another gives an all-in figure. Enter 0 where a forwarder has confirmed a charge is included, and leave the line blank where the quote does not mention it; the tool lists those gaps so you can ask before you book.
Which charges are yours depends on the Incoterm
Incoterms 2020 split the costs between seller and buyer in articles A9 and B9 of each rule. Under EXW the buyer pays from the seller's premises. Under FCA and FOB the seller pays the costs until the goods are delivered at origin, including export clearance, and the buyer pays the main carriage. Under CFR and CIF the seller also pays the freight to the destination port, and under CIF the insurance too. Under DAP the seller pays up to the named place of destination, and under DDP also import clearance and duties. Ask every forwarder to quote the same lines: the ones that are yours.
Charges that are often missing from a quote
A quote made at origin often leaves out the destination charges (terminal handling, delivery order fee, import clearance), and the other way round. Also check fuel and other surcharges, advance cargo filing fees such as the US AMS or the EU ENS, documentation and bill of lading fees, and the free days at destination before demurrage and detention start. Every quote has a validity date: after it, the forwarder can reprice.
Common questions
What should a freight quote include?
The cargo (volume, weight, number of packages), the route and service (port to port or door to door), the Incoterm, each charge in one currency, the transit time, the free days at destination and a validity date. Ask for the charges one by one, not only an all-in figure.
Why is the cheapest freight quote not always the cheapest?
A lower base rate can come with surcharges or local charges billed on top, fewer free days (so demurrage and detention start sooner), a longer transit time or a validity that ends before you ship. Compare the all-in total first, then these terms.
What does a blank line mean in this tool?
A blank line means the quote does not state that charge. It may be included, it may be billed later, or it may not apply to your shipment. Enter 0 only when the forwarder has confirmed the charge is included.
Can I compare quotes in different currencies?
Convert them to one currency first, at the rate you expect to pay, for example with the currency converter. The tool adds the amounts exactly as you enter them.
Is there an Excel version?
Yes: download the freight quote comparison template (.xlsx). It has the same lines for three quotes, with formulas for the totals and the cost per CBM and per kg.
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