Freight Exchange Comparison: 4 Platforms in 2026

Which freight exchange? Short answer: it depends on what you need. We give no ranking, only a match between need and platform:

• You work from Poland and want PLN pricing and a guarantee on marked loads: Trans.eu, from PLN 530 net per month, with the SafePay guarantee (trans.eu).
• You need offers from many countries and want to test first: TIMOCOM, with offers from 46 countries according to the platform and a trial of up to 4 weeks (timocom.pl).
• You want to start without paying: Cargopedia, with a Free plan in which you do not see other users’ contact details (plans).
• You want a payment guarantee on selected offers across Europe: Teleroute, with a guarantee provided together with Coface (payment guarantee).

So the choice depends on your lanes, on which side of the deal you are and on what you want protection from. This guide sets out the price, offer model, company verification, payment protection and coverage of four platforms used for European road freight.

It is written for carriers who look for truck loads on international routes, and for shippers who look for a carrier, wherever in Europe you are based. Every section links its source.

How we checked: on 3 November 2026 we read the platforms’ official pages, price lists and terms, mostly on their Polish-language sites. We did not buy subscriptions or test accounts, so we describe what the platforms publish.

This guide is published by ONYX, a TMS vendor with its own transport order model. We do not rate the platforms, and we describe our model separately at the end: Transport Orders in ONYX.

How a freight exchange works

A freight exchange, also called a load board, is an online platform where companies post free loads and free trucks, then agree the rate and terms of carriage between themselves. The platform gives access to offers and tools, but it is not a party to the contract of carriage.

TIMOCOM states plainly that the parties agree the contract terms and the platform has no influence on them (TIMOCOM). Teleroute describes it the same way: the parties contact each other directly and settle the details (Teleroute).

On an exchange you often look for a spot load, a one-off trip for the next few days. Shippers usually place regular contract work for longer periods through tenders or a private exchange.

A carrier’s dispatcher filters the offers by country and loading date, body type and weight. It is also called a freight marketplace.

Load board: load exchange and vehicle exchange

On a load exchange, a shipper or forwarder posts a load to be moved. On a vehicle exchange, a carrier posts a free truck, for example a semi-trailer free in Lyon from Thursday.

Trans.eu and Teleroute handle both kinds of offer in one service: loads and free vehicles (Trans.eu, Teleroute). We explain the day-to-day use in our guide on how to find loads.

Public and private exchanges

On a public exchange, every verified user of the platform sees your offer. On a private exchange, you post loads only to a chosen group of regular carriers.

Trans.eu sells its private exchange as a separate product, from PLN 675 net per month for one company with one Trans ID (Trans.eu price list).

What to check before you choose a freight exchange

Before you pay for a subscription, check five things. You will find the same five points as rows in the table.

1. Price. How much a freight exchange costs in your setup: for how many users, for what period and with or without international access. A “from” price is usually the smallest plan.
2. Offer model. Whether you can negotiate the rate inside the platform, or only contact the other side. This decides how much work stays with your dispatcher.
3. Verification. Which documents the platform checks before access, and what its terms say about it. With high-value goods on a long route to Spain, this is the basics.
4. Payment. Whether the payment term is part of the offer, and whether the platform offers a guarantee or debt collection. On a long trip, a carrier pays for fuel and tolls up front and waits until the invoice is paid.
5. Coverage. Which countries the offers come from, and whether your return lanes are there. A run from Milan to Rotterdam makes sense when you come back from Benelux with a load.

Besides the four platforms in this table, other exchanges exist. The criteria stay the same.

Write the answers in a simple spreadsheet, one column per platform. Count the cost for a full year and for all your dispatchers, not for one account per month.

If a platform offers a trial or a free plan, use that time to check the offers on your own lanes. After a week you will see how many loads fit your fleet.

If your company is based outside Poland

We read the Polish-language pages of each platform, so some prices appear in Polish zloty (PLN). Your local site may show the price in another currency, so check the price list for your own country before you buy.

Each platform also works under its own terms. Cargopedia’s terms, for example, fall under Romanian and EU law, and TIMOCOM calculates part of its debt collection fee under a German statute.

Read the terms in a language you know well. If a clause matters to your decision, ask the platform’s sales team to confirm it in writing.

Freight exchange cost: price list of 4 platforms

Starting prices from the platforms’ pages, as of 3 November 2026. We give them in the currency and period the platform shows.

The final amount depends on the number of users, the period and the scope of access. You will find plan details in the platform sections below.

Freight exchange comparison table, as of 3 November 2026

The table shows facts from the platforms’ own pages, without scores and in no order of preference. We give prices in the currency shown on the platform’s page, net where the platform describes them that way, and “from” means a starting price.

Looking for a freight exchange ranking? We do not publish one, because the right choice depends on your lanes and your side of the deal, and a score would hide those differences.

“Not published” means the pages we read do not give that information. ONYX offers a different order model, described at the end of this guide, so it is not in the table.

Platform prices and terms can change. Check them at the source before you buy; the date of our check is in the table heading.

The biggest differences are in payment protection. Two platforms publish a guarantee, one offers paid debt collection, and one publishes none of these services.

Trans.eu: price, SafePay and verification

Trans.eu combines a load exchange and a vehicle exchange in one subscription. According to the platform, its users come from 24 European countries (trans.eu).

Trans.eu price and offer model

Access to the load and vehicle exchange costs from PLN 530 net per month (trans.eu). Prices of the other products, CargoON, Trans for Forwarders and Trans for Carriers, are in PDF price lists (price list), so we do not give them in the table.

You can accept an offer, reject it or negotiate the rate. The regulations require an offer to show the true parameters of the order, including the place and date of loading and unloading, the payment term and the body type (regulations, ch. V item 3.3(a)).

SafePay: what it covers

SafePay is a payment guarantee that Trans.eu provides through Pactus.eu. The platform guarantees at least 90% of payment for loads from verified principals that carry the SafePay mark (SafePay).

You pay nothing upfront. When you use the guarantee, the commission is 10% (or less) plus VAT of the invoice value, and you apply within 21 days of the invoice due date (SafePay).

The guarantee covers SafePay-marked loads only. The page also mentions a few excluded countries, but does not list them.

What the regulations say

The platform regulations of 1 May 2026 exclude its liability for the accuracy of registration data, for non-performance of contracts between users and for users’ insolvency (regulations, ch. VI item 1.5(a), (c) and (e)). Company verification and SafePay are separate things, so check whether a given load carries the SafePay mark.

Trans.eu fits when you want many load and vehicle offers in one place.

TIMOCOM: price, contract and debt collection

TIMOCOM is an exchange with offers from 46 countries, according to the platform (timocom.pl). Prices start from EUR 71.62 per month for international access and from EUR 29.90 per month for domestic access.

The final fee depends on the number of seats and the scope of access. You can test the full version for up to 4 weeks at no charge.

Contract and fees

Under TIMOCOM’s general terms, you pay the fee in advance at the start of each period, and prices are net of VAT (terms § 4(1)). The contract for the load and vehicle offers service (“Frachty i Przestrzenie Ładunkowe” in the Polish terms) runs for one month and renews every month, and either side can end it with 14 days’ notice to the end of a calendar month (terms § 3b(3)).

We do not quote prices from the TIMOCOM shop, such as promotions or the activation fee. We could not confirm them on an official page.

Verification and its limits

Every company goes through a multi-stage verification, and the second step of registration is an automatic company check. On top of that comes an optional document check: EU licence, commercial register extract and insurance (Business Partner Check).

The check is free but needs a TIMOCOM customer account. The page does not say from which countries companies can take it.

The general terms state that a positive check is not a guarantee (terms § 3p(2)). TIMOCOM is also neither a party to nor an intermediary in contracts concluded through the Marketplace (terms § 6(4)).

Payment and debt collection

The parties agree the rate and payment term. The exchange page shows no payment guarantee.

There is a paid debt collection service instead: a EUR 25 handling fee per case plus a fee calculated under the German Lawyers’ Remuneration Act, RVG (debt collection). At least 30 days must have passed since the payment due date (debt collection).

TIMOCOM fits when you need offers from many countries and want to test the full version first.

Cargopedia: plan prices and verification

Cargopedia lists its prices in EUR for 6 or 12 months (plans). Standard costs EUR 60 for 6 months or EUR 90 for 12, and Premium EUR 75 for 6 months or EUR 115 for 12.

Free plan and extras

The Free plan costs nothing, but you do not see other users’ contact details in it. On the Standard plan you see them once your company is verified.

Every plan includes 5 free route calculations, and each further one costs EUR 0.05 (plans). Premium adds bonus credits: EUR 2 on the 6-month plan and EUR 5 on the 12-month plan (plans).

An extra user costs EUR 1 per month according to the FAQ (FAQ). The plans page leaves this field blank, so we quote the FAQ amount.

Verification

Each company confirms its identity, and a Cargopedia operator checks the account and documents by hand before activation (security). Companies with many payment incidents are blocked, also when they register again.

According to the platform, it also blocks access for more than 1,000 companies suspended on other exchanges for payment incidents or fraud (security). It handles disputes, including payment incidents, based on the documents and facts the parties provide.

Payment and terms

Cargopedia publishes no payment guarantee. We also found no confirmation that a listing has a separate payment term field.

The operator is Cargopedia SRL in Romania, and the terms fall under Romanian and EU law (items 1 and 15 of the terms). The platform is not responsible for content that users publish (terms, item 13).

You get the fee back only if you bought the service by mistake, did not use it and applied within 7 days of activation (terms, item 10).

Cargopedia fits when you want to start on a free plan, then pay upfront for 6 or 12 months.

Teleroute: fee model and payment guarantee

Teleroute works on one fixed monthly fee (teleroute.com). The amount depends on company size, number of users and markets, but the platform does not publish it.

Offer model and coverage

Shippers and forwarders post loads, and carriers post free vehicles. The parties then contact each other directly and settle the details.

According to the platform, Teleroute covers all of Europe, on domestic and international routes. With one account you also use the Alpega group’s sister platforms: Wtransnet in Spain and Portugal, and BursaTransport/123cargo in Romania and neighbouring markets (teleroute.com).

Access is for registered companies based in Europe only. The platform is not meant for private persons or courier services (teleroute.com).

Verification

Only a carrier with a transport licence and a current insurance certificate can post and browse offers. Verification has four steps: form, documents, check by Teleroute and approval with a listing in the company directory (verification process).

The page states that the identity check level has no contractual or legal value. Alpega Group also disclaims liability for the effects of incorrect information.

Payment guarantee

Teleroute guarantees at least 90% of the invoice amount, together with Coface (payment guarantee). You switch the service on in the panel when you accept an offer.

Before any payout, the Teleroute team first contacts the client. According to the platform, 87% of such cases end without a payout claim (payment guarantee).

The page does not give the guarantee fee, its cap or the claim deadlines. Ask the sales team about them before you sign.

Teleroute fits when you run trucks across Europe and want a payment guarantee on selected offers.

Freight exchange reviews: how to read them

Searching for freight exchange reviews? Ratings of specific companies tell you more than ratings of the platform itself.

On Trans.eu, a company profile shows documents, licences, insurance policies, and ratings and reviews from users who worked with that company (Trans.eu). You also see which company left each rating.

Remember that users give the ratings, and the numbers on platform pages are the platforms’ own data. Treat them as a pointer, not as proof.

In a company profile, check first of all:

• how long the company has been in business and on the platform,
• whether its licence and its carrier’s liability insurance in the documents are valid,
• the number of ratings and whether they relate to similar routes,
• recent comments about paying on time.

Where to check ratings on each platform

• Trans.eu: ratings and reviews in the company profile, with the name of the company that left them (link above).
• TIMOCOM: the rating system lets you rate a partner after a completed transaction. The general terms state that TIMOCOM does not check whether the transaction actually took place (terms § 3o(2)).
• Cargopedia: its security page describes blocking companies with many payment incidents. We found no company rating system on the pages we read (security).
• Teleroute: a verified company is added to the company directory (verification process). We found no company ratings on the pages we read.

Read reviews of the platforms themselves with care. Check when and on which plan someone used the exchange, because prices and terms change.

So check a business partner in public registers as well, such as the national business register and VIES for the EU VAT number. We go through it step by step in how to vet a carrier before booking freight.

Which freight exchange to choose: carrier or shipper

The choice depends on which side of the order you are on. Below are two lists of questions, with no ranking.

You can also use two exchanges at once, for example one with offers from Western Europe and another with offers from Romania and neighbouring countries. Then add up the total cost of both subscriptions.

You are a carrier

• Lanes. Choose an exchange with offers in the countries where your trips end, for example France or Italy.
• Return loads. Check whether you will find a load from there back towards your home base. More on this in our guide to backhaul loads.
• Trial. Use a trial period or a free plan before you buy an annual subscription.
• Contacts. Check whether your plan shows shippers’ contact details.
• Dispatchers. Count how many people need access, because the price depends on it.
• Payment protection. See which loads the guarantee covers and what a payout costs.

If your trucks load in Poland, see also Transport Orders for carriers in ONYX TMS.

You are a shipper

• Verification. Check which documents the platform checks and what its terms say about it.
• Payment term. Put it in the offer, so the carrier knows it before accepting.
• Limits of liability. Each of the four platforms states in its terms or on its pages that it is not responsible for users’ data and content, or for the performance of contracts between them.
• Written order. Put the terms of carriage in writing, as in our guide on how to post a transport order online.
• Carrier’s insurance. Set the required sum of the carrier’s liability insurance and check the policy before loading.

If you are still looking for a partner, read how to find a carrier and book road freight. If your goods load in Poland, see also Transport Orders for shippers.

Orders assigned to a carrier: a different model from a board of offers

A freight exchange is a board of offers where you search and negotiate. Transport Orders in ONYX work differently: the order goes to a specific carrier, who accepts or declines it.

On an exchange you search for the offer yourself and negotiate the rate. Here the order reaches the carrier with a price and a payment term, and the carrier decides whether to take it.

How it works

1. The shipper adds the order through a shipper account in ONYX or through the API, for example from an ERP.
2. The system picks a vehicle for the order, weighing many parameters.
3. The carrier accepts or declines the order in ONYX TMS. The carrier sees the payment term before deciding.
4. When a carrier declines, the order goes back to the system, which picks the next vehicle from the pool of all companies.

The shipper sets the maximum price. The system may find a carrier for less, never for more.

ONYX charges no commission, so the carrier receives the full amount the shipper pays. Settlement runs directly between the parties, or through ONYX when the shipper needs an intermediary.

Both sides of the order are verified. Orders cover all truck body types, from curtainsiders to reefers.

During the trip, the shipper sees the vehicle’s live position and estimated time of arrival.

Where this model fits

Orders are in the system now, with loading in Poland. We keep adding more countries and regions.

So look for a return load from elsewhere in Europe in other channels, for example on a freight exchange. An order from Poland can fill the next trip once you are back.

A domestic Polish order taken by a carrier based in another EU country is cabotage. EU rules allow up to 3 cabotage operations within 7 days after an international delivery into Poland, with the same vehicle, then a 4-day break in Poland for that vehicle (Regulation 1072/2009, Art. 8, on the GITD site).

For a shipper, it is a way to move goods that load in Poland without posting an offer on a board. The order goes to a verified carrier, and you set the maximum price yourself.

The carrier needs ONYX TMS and compatible telematics: ONYX, GBox, Transics or Trimble. You will find the details on the pages for carriers and shippers.

See Transport Orders

This guide is for information only. The platform data comes from their official pages and terms, as of 3 November 2026.