Courier Work Platforms UK 2026: Best Platforms Compared for Owner-Drivers

TL;DR: The best UK courier platforms are Hauly (free, direct same-day work), Courier Exchange (£30–£60/month, subcontract load board), mtvan (£25–£50/month, van load board), and Haulage Exchange (£40–£70/month, for larger vehicles). Hauly is best for direct customer work with no fees. Load boards are best for filling spare capacity. Most drivers use 2–3 platforms together.

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Choosing the right courier platform can make or break your earning potential as an owner-driver. Some platforms charge monthly subscriptions, others take a commission, and a few — like Hauly — are completely free for drivers. This guide compares every major UK courier work platform so you can choose the right mix for your business.

How courier platforms work in the UK

There are three main types of courier platform:

1. Direct booking platforms (like Hauly)

Customers post jobs directly on the platform, and drivers receive the full job price. The platform makes money from the customer (booking fee or margin), not from the driver. No subscription, no commission.

2. Load boards (like Courier Exchange, mtvan)

Companies and individuals post delivery jobs on a load board. Drivers browse available loads and bid on them. The platform charges a monthly subscription fee for access. Prices are competitive — you are bidding against other drivers.

3. Parcel network platforms (like DPD, Amazon Flex)

Drivers work as contractors for a single parcel network, delivering pre-assigned routes. Pay is per drop or per route, and the platform sets the terms. These are not covered in this guide as they are employment-style arrangements rather than owner-driver platforms.

Platform comparison table

Platform	Type	Monthly fee	Commission	Vehicle types	Best for
Hauly	Direct booking	£0	0% from driver	Car, small van, medium van, large van	Direct same-day courier work
Courier Exchange	Load board	£30–£60	0% (subscription)	All vehicles	Subcontract work, backloads
mtvan	Load board	£25–£50	0% (subscription)	Vans only	Van drivers, local and national
Haulage Exchange	Load board	£40–£70	0% (subscription)	HGV, 7.5t+	Larger vehicles, haulage work
Shiply	Quote platform	£0	5–10% per job	All vehicles	One-off delivery quotes
AnyVan	Managed platform	£0	20–30% per job	Vans	Removal work, large items

Hauly: Direct same-day courier work

Hauly is a direct booking platform that connects customers who need same-day courier services with vetted, insured owner-drivers. It is the only major UK platform that charges drivers nothing — no subscription, no commission, no listing fees.

How it works

1. Customers request a quote on hauly.co.uk by entering pickup and delivery postcodes
2. Hauly calculates a fixed price and offers the job to nearby drivers
3. The driver accepts, collects, and delivers — keeping 100% of the job price
4. Payment is handled by Hauly and transferred to the driver

Driver requirements

• Valid UK driving licence
• Hire and reward insurance (minimum UK-wide, same-day dedicated cover)
• Goods-in-transit insurance (minimum £10,000)
• Public liability insurance (minimum £1 million)
• Vehicle less than 10 years old (for most jobs)

Pros

• Completely free for drivers — no subscription, no commission
• Direct customer work — you are not bidding against other drivers
• Fixed prices — no haggling or undercutting
• Payment handled by platform — no chasing invoices
• Works alongside other platforms — no exclusivity required

Cons

• Limited to same-day courier work (not parcel network or haulage)
• Coverage growing but not yet nationwide in all areas
• Newer platform — fewer jobs than established load boards in some regions

Best for

• Owner-drivers who want direct customer work without fees
• New couriers building a client base
• Drivers who want to keep 100% of their earnings
• Couriers who do same-day dedicated delivery work

Join Hauly as a driver →

Courier Exchange: The established load board

Courier Exchange (CX) is the UK's longest-established courier load board, launched in 2000. It connects companies with spare courier capacity with drivers looking for subcontract work.

How it works

1. Companies post delivery jobs on the CX platform
2. Drivers browse available loads and contact the poster to negotiate price
3. The driver completes the job and invoices the company directly
4. CX charges a monthly subscription for platform access

Pros

• Large volume of available loads across the UK
• Good for filling spare capacity between direct jobs
• Established platform with many regular posters
• Includes insurance verification and trading history

Cons

• Monthly subscription (£30–£60/month) regardless of whether you win work
• Competitive — you are bidding against other drivers
• Prices can be driven down by competition
• No guaranteed work — you may pay the subscription and win no jobs

Best for

• Experienced couriers with established routes looking for backloads
• Drivers who want to fill spare capacity
• Couriers with existing direct clients who need occasional subcontract work

See our Courier Exchange alternative guide for a detailed comparison with Hauly.

mtvan: Van-specific load board

mtvan is a load board specifically for van drivers, founded by Martyn Travis (hence the name). It focuses on van-based delivery work rather than HGV or haulage.

How it works

Similar to Courier Exchange — companies post van loads, drivers browse and bid. mtvan charges a monthly subscription for access.

Pros

• Van-specific — no HGV loads to filter through
• Active community of van drivers
• Good coverage of local and national van work
• Includes forum and networking features

Cons

• Monthly subscription (£25–£50/month)
• Smaller load volume than Courier Exchange
• Competitive bidding can drive down prices
• No direct customer work — all loads are subcontract

Best for

• Van drivers looking specifically for van loads
• Drivers who want a community-focused platform
• Couriers who want to supplement direct work with backloads

Haulage Exchange: For larger vehicles

Haulage Exchange is designed for drivers of 7.5t+ vehicles and HGVs. It is part of the same group as Courier Exchange but focuses on larger vehicles and haulage work.

Pros

• Large volume of HGV and 7.5t loads
• Good for filling return legs on long-distance haulage
• Established platform with verified trading partners

Cons

• Highest subscription cost (£40–£70/month)
• Only suitable for larger vehicles — not for car or van couriers
• Competitive bidding environment

Best for

• HGV and 7.5t drivers
• Haulage companies looking for backloads
• Drivers doing long-distance work who need return loads

Shiply: Quote-based platform

Shiply is a quote-based platform where customers post delivery requests and drivers submit quotes. It covers everything from small parcels to house moves.

Pros

• No monthly subscription — you only pay when you win a job
• Wide variety of job types
• Good for one-off or irregular work

Cons

• 5–10% commission per job
• Highly competitive — many drivers quote on each job
• Prices often driven very low by competition
• Not suitable as a primary source of work

Best for

• Drivers looking for occasional extra work
• Couriers who want to fill specific gaps in their schedule
• One-off or unusual delivery jobs

How to use multiple platforms together

Most successful owner-drivers use 2–3 platforms simultaneously. Here is a typical setup:

1. Hauly — Primary platform for direct same-day courier work (free, no commission)
2. Courier Exchange or mtvan — Secondary platform for subcontract loads to fill spare capacity (£30–£50/month)
3. Shiply — Tertiary platform for occasional one-off quotes (pay per job)

This approach gives you direct customer work through Hauly, subcontract work through the load boards, and occasional extra jobs through Shiply — without overcommitting on subscription costs.

Important: Insurance must cover all work types

If you use multiple platforms, ensure your hire and reward insurance covers all types of work you do. Some policies distinguish between:

• Same-day dedicated delivery (Hauly)
• Subcontract delivery work (CX, mtvan)
• General carriage of goods (Shiply)

Most H&R policies cover all of these, but check with your broker. See our complete courier insurance guide for details.

Which platform is right for you?

New drivers

Start with Hauly — it is free, gives you direct customer work, and requires no subscription. Add a load board once you have steady work and want to fill spare capacity.

Experienced owner-drivers

Use Hauly for direct work plus Courier Exchange or mtvan for backloads. The combination gives you the best of both worlds — direct earnings plus subcontract work to fill gaps.

HGV and large vehicle drivers

Use Haulage Exchange for haulage loads and Hauly for same-day courier work if you also do van-based deliveries.

Drivers looking for removal work

AnyVan specialises in removals and large item delivery, but the 20–30% commission significantly reduces your earnings. Consider Hauly for large-item same-day delivery instead.

Getting started

Ready to start earning? Here is what to do:

1. Make sure you have the right courier insurance — H&R, GIT, and PL are required
2. Register as a Hauly driver — free, under 10 minutes
3. Browse courier work in your city: London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds
4. Read our owner-driver guide for a complete setup checklist
5. See our Courier Exchange alternative guide for a detailed Hauly vs CX comparison

For more on courier costs and earnings, see our courier cost index and courier pricing per mile guide.