Upfront price vs bidding freight
Also called: upfront pricing, freight bidding, spot bidding
Updated
Upfront pricing means the shipper sees one final price before booking, to accept or decline, and it stays locked once booked; bidding pricing relies on multiple quotes that are compared and negotiated after the shipment is requested.
The difference between the two
With upfront pricing, one final price is shown to the shipper before booking, to accept or decline without negotiation, and it does not change once the shipper books. With bidding, the shipper requests quotes from several carriers, then compares and negotiates them after posting the shipment — which can take time before a final price is set.
What changes with each
With upfront pricing, you know the cost before committing and can budget precisely. With bidding, the final price stays unknown until the round of quotes closes, and it can move with truck availability and demand at the time.
Where each model is used
Upfront pricing is common on digital booking platforms that calculate the price automatically from distance, truck type and weight. Bidding is closer to the traditional broker model, which manually gathers quotes from multiple carriers.
Why it matters for your business
For recurring loads, upfront pricing simplifies invoicing and comparing trips, while bidding adds negotiation time to every load, even similar ones.
How Mirabk works
In the Mirabk app, the price is shown before booking, calculated from the route, truck type and weight, with no round of quotes or negotiation after the request — and once you book, that price is locked.