Consumer Apps

Best Apps for Cargo Van Loads (2026): 7 Apps Worth Downloading

Compare the 7 best app for cargo van loads options, from $39/month load boards to free gig apps, with every price checked today, November 4, 2026.

Shamim Mia, Founder, SerpAstraLast verified November 4, 202612 min read

We compare pricing pages, documentation and public reviews. We never accept payment for rankings.

Key takeaways

  • DAT One leads for most cargo van owners at $59/month; 123Loadboard follows at $39/month as the cheapest full board, and Truckstop at $42/month for broker vetting.
  • Uber Freight, uShip and Roadie are free, and GoShare costs a one-time $49 admin fee — four ways to find loads without a monthly bill.
  • The single most important buying factor is the equipment filter: on the big boards 'van' means a 53-foot dry van trailer, so confirm sprinter and box truck freight exists in your lanes before you pay.
  • Entry prices hide the real cost: DAT Standard has no lane rate data, Truckstop's Rate Insights wait for Pro at $159, and the free apps take a cut of every job.
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Quick comparison

Starting prices checked November 4, 2026 on each vendor's pricing page
ToolBest forStarting priceFree plan
DAT OneCargo van and box truck owner-operators who want the largest load pool in North America$59/moNo (trial)
123LoadboardNew carriers and cargo van owners who want the cheapest full load board with no long-term contract$39/moNo (5-day trial)
TruckstopCargo van owner-operators who want broker vetting and a free TMS on a national board$42/moNo
Uber FreightCargo van carriers who want instant, upfront-priced bookings without paying a monthly board feeFreeYes (free app)
uShipCargo van owners who want to bid on vehicle, furniture and freight shipments instead of paying a board feeFreeYes (free)
GoShareCargo van owners who want local same-day delivery and moving gigs between longer hauls$49 one-timeYes (free app)
RoadieCargo van and box truck owners who want scheduled, higher-paying delivery blocks in select US citiesFreeYes (free)

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The best app for cargo van loads

#1

DAT One

Best for: Cargo van and box truck owner-operators who want the largest load pool in North America

4.6/5 on G2 (86 reviews, checked Nov 2026)
Visit dat.com
Starting price$59/month (Standard, billed monthly)
Free planNo — free trial available

DAT One leads this list because it has the largest load pool in North America, and its $59 Standard plan is built for box trucks and sprinter vans. Standard covers up to 500 load searches and truck posts a month, and the DAT One mobile app is included in every subscription. Enhanced costs $149 a month and adds 15-day lane rate averages; Pro costs $169 and adds TriHaul routing and DAT Assurance payment support.

The catch is what Standard leaves out. There is no lane rate data at $59, so you price lanes on posted rates and your own notes until you pay for Enhanced. G2 reviewers report double-broker listings and load details that are not always current. Buy DAT when you run full-time and want the deepest pool; start with 123Loadboard when the budget is the constraint.

What we like

  • The largest load pool here — DAT says it posts 2.5 times more loads than any other board
  • Standard is built for box trucks and sprinter vans, with 500 searches and truck posts a month
  • The DAT One mobile app is included in every subscription, with trip planning, truck parking and fuel prices
  • Load Recommendations surface best-fit loads based on your lanes and equipment

Watch out for

  • Standard has no lane rate data — 15-day averages start at Enhanced, $149 a month
  • No free plan, and at $59 a month Standard is the priciest entry plan here
  • G2 reviewers report double-broker listings and load details that are not always current
#2

123Loadboard

Best for: New carriers and cargo van owners who want the cheapest full load board with no long-term contract

Visit 123loadboard.com
Starting price$39/month (Standard, billed monthly; 5-day free trial)
Free planNo — 5-day free trial

123Loadboard is the value pick: Standard costs $39 a month for unlimited load searching and truck posting, with live loads, load alerts and backhaul search. Every carrier plan carries a 5-day free trial, and there are no contracts, setup fees or unsubscribe fees, per the vendor's own help center. Premium costs $59 a month and adds mileage, routing and broker credit scores; Premium Plus costs $79 and adds Rate Check.

The trade-off is volume. 123Loadboard's load pool is smaller than DAT's and Truckstop's, so some lanes and regions show fewer loads, and Rate Check waits for the $79 plan. There is also no instant booking — bidding exists only where the broker enables it, and the broker still follows up by phone. Buy 123Loadboard when you are starting out; add DAT when you need the deepest pool.

What we like

  • The lowest entry price of the paid boards here, at $39 a month for Standard
  • No contracts, no setup fees and no unsubscribe fees, per the vendor's own help center
  • A 5-day free trial on every carrier plan, with a profit calculator and load alerts included
  • PC*Miler mileage, routing and toll tools on the higher plans, with Rate Check on Premium Plus

Watch out for

  • A smaller load pool than DAT and Truckstop, so fewer loads in some regions
  • Rate Check waits for Premium Plus at $79 a month, so Standard buyers price lanes without it
  • No instant booking — bidding exists only where the broker enables it
#3

Truckstop

Best for: Cargo van owner-operators who want broker vetting and a free TMS on a national board

4.0/5 on G2 (413 reviews, checked Nov 2026)
Visit truckstop.com
Starting price$42/month (Basic, per user; plus a $42 application fee, credited to month one if approved)
Free planNo

Truckstop is the other national board, and its $42 Basic plan is the cheapest way onto a big board with broker vetting included. Basic covers unlimited load search, truck and lane posting, private loads, backhaul search and a route map, plus broker factorability data and a free TMS on every plan. Advanced costs $135 a month and adds broker ratings and Book It Now; Pro costs $159 and adds Rate Insights, live loads and load alerts.

The fine print is the application fee: $42, non-refundable, credited to your first month only if your application is approved. Rate Insights, the feature most owners actually want, waits for Pro at nearly four times the Basic price. G2 reviewers also report duplicate listings for the same load under different broker names. Buy Truckstop when broker checks matter more than rate data.

What we like

  • Unlimited load search and truck posting on the $42 Basic plan, with no search cap
  • Broker factorability data on every plan, so you can check whether a broker pays before you haul
  • A free TMS is included on every plan for managing loads and paperwork
  • Route map, backhaul search and Canadian loads included on Basic

Watch out for

  • A $42 non-refundable application fee applies on top of the first month, credited only if approved
  • Rate Insights and live loads wait for Pro at $159 a month — a steep jump from Basic
  • G2 reviewers report duplicate listings for the same load under different broker names
#4

Uber Freight

Best for: Cargo van carriers who want instant, upfront-priced bookings without paying a monthly board fee

Visit uberfreight.com
Starting priceFree (no subscription; carriers book loads in the app)
Free planYes — free app, no subscription

Uber Freight is the free way into booked freight: the app costs nothing, and you book loads at an upfront price straight from your phone, with facility details shown before you commit. Once you book, the load is confirmed, with in-app proof of delivery and rate confirmations, and booking runs around the clock. There is no monthly fee and no trial to expire — the app is the product.

The limit is that you only see Uber Freight's own loads, not the open market, so it works best as a second source rather than your only board. Carrier approval and onboarding come first, and there is no lane rate history or market data to check the rate against. Use Uber Freight to fill gaps between board loads; pay for DAT or Truckstop when you need the whole market.

What we like

  • No monthly fee — the app is free, per Uber Freight's own help center
  • Instant booking with upfront rates and facility details, so the price is set before you drive
  • In-app proof of delivery and rate confirmations, with booking available around the clock

Watch out for

  • You can only book loads inside Uber Freight's own network, not the open market
  • Carrier approval and onboarding are required before you can book anything
  • No lane rate history or market data, so you cannot compare the rate against the wider market
#5

uShip

Best for: Cargo van owners who want to bid on vehicle, furniture and freight shipments instead of paying a board fee

Visit uship.com
Starting priceFree (no subscription; uShip takes a service fee on booked shipments)
Free planYes — free to join and list

uShip is a bidding marketplace, not a load board: shippers list vehicles, furniture, freight and heavy equipment, and carriers bid and name their own price. Joining and listing are free, there is no monthly subscription, and a new shipment is listed every 30 seconds, per uShip. uShip Payments handles the money, and the Ship with Confidence Guarantee covers payment disputes and damage up to $500.

Bidding cuts both ways. You set your price, but you wait for the shipper to accept, and there is no guaranteed pickup date until the booking is confirmed. A service fee applies to booked shipments, so the winning bid is not the amount you keep, and quality varies by shipper — vet each listing before you bid. Use uShip for vehicle and furniture loads that fit a cargo van.

What we like

  • Free to join and list, with no monthly subscription of any kind
  • You bid and set your own price instead of taking a broker's posted rate
  • Ship with Confidence Guarantee covers payment disputes and damage up to $500

Watch out for

  • A service fee applies to booked shipments, so the winning bid is not the amount you keep
  • Bidding means no guaranteed work — you wait for shippers to accept your bid
  • Quality varies by shipper, so vet each listing before you bid
#6

GoShare

Best for: Cargo van owners who want local same-day delivery and moving gigs between longer hauls

Visit goshare.co
Starting priceFree app; $49 one-time admin fee (non-refundable; $154 with New York history)
Free planYes — free app (one-time $49 admin fee to join)

GoShare is a marketplace for local same-day delivery and moving gigs, built around pickups, cargo vans and box trucks. Projects show their pay before you accept, you keep 100% of tips, and payment arrives by direct deposit within days. There is no monthly subscription — joining costs a one-time $49 admin fee that covers the background check, load board access and the Driver App.

See the fee clearly first: $49 is non-refundable, and $154 if you have lived, worked or had a citation in New York. GoShare also takes a percentage of every project fee, and there is no pay for deadhead — you bill only project time, not the drive to the pickup. Trustpilot reviewers give it 2.9 out of 5 from 38 reviews. Use GoShare for gigs between hauls, not as your main income.

What we like

  • Cargo vans and box trucks are first-class vehicles here — projects are built for them, not adapted from semi-truck freight
  • Pay is shown before you accept a project, with weekly direct deposit and 100% of tips kept
  • No monthly subscription — one $49 fee covers the background check and load board access

Watch out for

  • The $49 admin fee is non-refundable, and $154 if you have lived, worked or had a citation in New York
  • GoShare takes a percentage of every project fee, so the posted pay is not what you keep
  • No pay for deadhead — you bill only project time, not the drive to the pickup
#7

Roadie

Best for: Cargo van and box truck owners who want scheduled, higher-paying delivery blocks in select US cities

Visit roadie.com
Starting priceFree (no subscription; drivers are paid per gig)
Free planYes — free to join

Roadie is the gig app for van owners who want scheduled work: the standard app pays $25 to $50 per multi-stop gig delivering for major retailers, with pay and mileage shown upfront. RoadieXD is the cargo-van tier — single-stop warehouse pickups, scheduled Blocks and longer multi-stop gigs for cargo vans, sprinter vans and box trucks. Scheduled Blocks pay at least $108, and routed gigs pay up to $200.

The catch is availability: RoadieXD runs only in select US cities, so it may not operate where you drive. Standard gigs are the fallback, and at $25 to $50 they pay less than van freight on a load board. Trustpilot reviewers give Roadie 3.6 out of 5 from more than 36,000 reviews. Join Roadie free and check whether RoadieXD runs in your city before counting on it.

What we like

  • RoadieXD is built for cargo vans and box trucks — single-stop warehouse pickups and scheduled Blocks
  • Scheduled Blocks pay at least $108, and routed gigs pay up to $200
  • No interviews or vehicle requirements to start, with Instant Pay after 7 days and 5 deliveries

Watch out for

  • RoadieXD runs only in select US cities, so it may not operate where you drive
  • Standard gigs pay $25 to $50 per multi-stop gig — the big money needs RoadieXD
  • Trustpilot reviewers report low pay per mile and slow support on some gigs

The best app for cargo van loads is the one that matches how you actually work: a paid load board if you run your own authority and want the whole spot market, or a free gig app if you want per-job pay without a monthly bill. We ranked the seven apps below by fit for the most common buyer — a cargo van owner-operator who needs steady work, honest pricing and no surprises — and every price was checked on November 4, 2026.

How to choose the best app for cargo van loads

  • Start with your authority. The paid boards serve carriers with their own operating authority, and brokers check it before booking you. The free gig apps need no MC number — a vehicle, license and insurance are enough.
  • Check the equipment filter. On the big boards "van" usually means a 53-foot dry van trailer, not your cargo van. DAT Standard is built for box trucks and sprinter vans; filter by sprinter or box truck before you pay.
  • Decide what the fee buys. Paid boards sell access to the whole market; free apps pay per job and keep a cut or charge the shipper. A $39 board is cheap only if the loads are there.
  • Look for rate data where it matters. If you price your own lanes, you need lane rates — DAT Standard has none, and Truckstop Basic has none either. Budget for the tier that has the data, not the entry price.
  • Test the work before the year. Use trials and free apps with real loads in your lanes; a board with no freight near you is a donation.

Your authority also decides which apps you can even open. DAT, Truckstop and 123Loadboard serve carriers with their own MC number, and brokers check it before they book you. If you drive under someone else's authority or have no authority yet, the free apps are the starting point: Uber Freight, uShip, GoShare and Roadie sign you up as an independent driver with a vehicle, license and insurance, and you can move to a paid board once your own authority is active.

Once the app is picked, the business still needs customers finding it. Before you publish a page for the services you sell, run the title through the free SERP snippet preview tool — it shows exactly how the title and description will look in Google.

Bar chart of starting prices billed monthly: Uber Freight $0, uShip $0, Roadie $0, 123Loadboard $39, Truckstop $42, DAT One $59
Starting prices, billed monthly. Uber Freight, uShip and Roadie are free apps, so they show as $0. GoShare charges a $49 one-time admin fee, not a monthly subscription, so it has no bar.

App for cargo van loads pricing: what you will actually pay

Run one cargo van for a month and buy all three paid boards: 123Loadboard Standard $39, Truckstop Basic $42 and DAT Standard $59 — $140 a month, or $1,680 a year. Drop DAT and the two cheaper boards cost $81 a month, or $972 a year. The free apps cost $0 a month: Uber Freight, uShip and Roadie charge no subscription, and GoShare costs a one-time $49 admin fee instead of a monthly bill. One RoadieXD Block pays at least $108 — that covers two months of 123Loadboard Standard ($78) with $30 to spare.

Two costs sit outside the subscription math. Truckstop charges a $42 application fee on top of the first month, credited only if your application is approved. And on the free apps the money comes out the other end: GoShare takes a percentage of every project fee, and uShip takes a service fee on booked shipments, so the pay you see is not the pay you keep.

A cheaper starting setup is one paid board plus the free apps: 123Loadboard Standard at $39 a month plus Uber Freight, uShip and Roadie at $0 comes to $468 a year, plus GoShare's one-time $49 if you want local gigs. That setup covers the open market, instant bookings and bidding for less than one month of DAT Pro. Add the second board only when the first one misses loads you can see on the other.

Matrix showing what each entry plan includes: daily updates, free plan, AI visibility and white-label
What the entry plan includes, checked November 4, 2026. A dash means the feature is not included on the entry plan.

Know the difference: a cargo van load vs a dry van load

The confusion in this category starts with the word "van." On DAT and Truckstop, "van" almost always means a dry van trailer — a 53-foot box pulled by a semi — not the cargo van you drive. Search for sprinter van, box truck or straight truck freight instead, and check the equipment filter before you pay: DAT's Standard plan is explicitly built for box trucks and sprinter vans, which is why it leads this list.

The second confusion is between a load board and a gig app. A load board sells access: you pay $39 to $59 a month, search freight posted by brokers, negotiate the rate and invoice for the work — and you need your own operating authority to do it. A gig app pays per job: you join free, accept work the platform offers at a set price, and the platform handles billing — no authority, no negotiation, and no monthly bill. Neither is wrong; they are different jobs.

A third distinction is who sets the price. On DAT, Truckstop and 123Loadboard the broker posts a rate and you negotiate it up. On Uber Freight and Roadie the price is shown upfront and you take it or leave it. On uShip you bid and name your own price. On GoShare the project shows its pay before you accept, then GoShare takes a percentage.

Quick comparison: tool type by need

BuyerBest pickWhy
Most cargo van ownersDAT OneLargest load pool, Standard built for box trucks and sprinters, $59/month
Tightest budget123LoadboardCheapest full board at $39/month, no contracts, 5-day trial
Broker vetting mattersTruckstopFactorability data on every plan, free TMS, $42/month
No monthly billUber FreightFree app, instant booking at upfront prices
Name your own priceuShipFree to join, bid on shipments, keep bidding until one lands
Local gigs between haulsGoShareCargo-van projects with pay shown upfront, $49 one-time fee
Scheduled van workRoadieRoadieXD Blocks from $108 in select cities, free to join

Mistakes to avoid

  • Paying before checking the equipment filter. "Van" on the big boards means a dry van trailer. Confirm the board lists sprinter and box truck freight in your lanes before the first payment clears.
  • Forgetting the fees outside the monthly price. Truckstop adds a $42 application fee; GoShare charges a $49 admin fee. Both are non-refundable if you are turned down.
  • Buying the entry plan for data it does not include. DAT Standard has no lane rate data and Truckstop Basic has no Rate Insights. If you price lanes yourself, budget for Enhanced ($149) or Pro ($159).
  • Treating a free gig app as a load board. Gig apps pay per job at platform-set rates and need no authority; boards give you the whole market and need your own MC number. Pick the model that matches how you operate.
  • Bidding without doing the fee math. On uShip and GoShare the platform takes a cut, and GoShare pays no deadhead. Subtract the fee and the empty miles before you accept.

How we chose

We checked each vendor's own pricing page on November 4, 2026 and recorded the starting price exactly as shown: DAT's carrier page, Truckstop's pricing page, 123Loadboard's pricing page, Uber Freight's help center, GoShare's driver FAQ, uShip's site and Roadie's RoadieXD page. We ranked the apps by fit for the most common buyer — a cargo van owner-operator looking for steady work — not by brand size. Two prices need a note: DAT's G2 page still lists $54 a month, but DAT's own carrier page shows $59, and the vendor's own page wins; GoShare's $49 is a one-time admin fee, not a monthly price, so it has no bar in the chart. Ratings come only from G2 and Trustpilot pages opened on November 4, 2026. Uber Freight carries no rating here because its G2 profile mixes in reviews of Transplace TMS, a shipper product, rather than the carrier app. No vendor paid for a place in this list, and none of the links here are affiliate links.

What to do next

Start with the free apps and the trials: download Uber Freight, uShip and Roadie, run GoShare's $49 signup only if local gigs exist in your area, and take 123Loadboard's 5-day trial for a real week of searching in your lanes. If the paid boards earn their keep, add DAT Standard for depth and keep Truckstop Basic for broker checks. If the work is sorted but new customers are not finding you, our monthly SEO service handles the visibility side. Once your tools are in place, find out what's holding your rankings back.

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Sources we checked (13)
Shamim

Shamim

Founder of SerpAstra

A full-stack SEO and digital marketer who spends most days on Local SEO for dental practices, AI search visibility and lead generation.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best app for cargo van loads?

DAT One is the best fit for most cargo van owners: its $59 Standard plan is built for box trucks and sprinter vans, and it has the largest load pool in North America. 123Loadboard is the cheapest paid board at $39 a month, and Uber Freight is the best free option for instant bookings.

How much does a cargo van load app cost?

Paid load boards run $39 to $59 a month: 123Loadboard Standard is $39, Truckstop Basic is $42 plus a $42 application fee, and DAT Standard is $59. Uber Freight, uShip and Roadie are free, and GoShare charges a one-time $49 admin fee instead of a monthly price.

Do I need an MC number to use a load board app?

Yes for the paid boards: DAT, Truckstop and 123Loadboard serve carriers with operating authority, and brokers check it before booking you. The free gig apps — Uber Freight, uShip, GoShare and Roadie — do not need an MC number; you sign up as an independent driver with a vehicle, license and insurance.

Can I find cargo van loads for free?

Yes. Uber Freight, uShip and Roadie cost nothing to join, and GoShare charges a one-time $49 admin fee. Free apps pay per job and set the rate or take a cut, while paid boards give you the whole market to negotiate in. Many van owners run one paid board and one or two free apps together.

What is the difference between a load board and a gig app?

A load board charges a monthly subscription for access to freight posted by brokers; you negotiate the rate and need your own authority. A gig app is free to join and pays per job at a set price, with the platform handling billing. Boards suit full-time carriers; gig apps suit part-time or fill-in work.

Is DAT worth $59 a month for a cargo van?

Yes if you run full-time and your lanes have sprinter and box truck freight, because Standard is built for that equipment and DAT has the deepest load pool. If you run part-time or mostly local, start with 123Loadboard at $39 or the free apps, and add DAT when the van is rolling most days.

Can I use more than one load app at the same time?

Yes, and most van owners do. A common setup is one paid board for the open market plus Uber Freight or uShip for free bookings between loads. The three paid boards together cost $140 a month, so start with one, check the freight in your lanes, and add a second only if it finds loads the first misses.

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