Shiply is one of the best-known names in UK removal quotes — but it's not the only option. Before you post your job there, it's worth understanding how the model works, what it costs drivers, and whether there's a better alternative for getting genuinely competitive prices.
How Shiply works
Shiply operates as a reverse-auction marketplace. You post your job and registered couriers or removal drivers bid for it. You pick the best quote and pay a deposit to Shiply. Sounds straightforward — but the business model has a significant effect on the prices you're quoted.
Shiply charges drivers a commission on every job they win — typically 12.5% to 17.5% of their quote, depending on their subscription tier. That commission gets passed on to you in the form of higher quotes. A driver who needs to earn £300 on a job has to quote £350+ to cover Shiply's cut.
How We Got The Move is different
We Got The Move operates on a completely different model. Drivers pay zero commission. The only fee in the whole transaction is a £9.99 introduction fee paid by the customer when they accept a bid. That's it.
Because drivers keep 100% of their quote, they can afford to bid lower. The same driver who has to quote £350 on Shiply can quote £300 on We Got The Move and still earn the same amount. The competitive pricing you get is genuine.
Side-by-side comparison
| We Got The Move | Shiply | |
|---|---|---|
| Commission on drivers | £0 — zero | 12.5–17.5% |
| Customer fee | £9.99 on acceptance | Deposit (variable) |
| Driver incentive to bid low | High — they keep everything | Lower — they lose a cut |
| Free to post | Yes | Yes |
| Driver reviews | Yes | Yes |
| Coverage | UK wide | UK wide |
How much does a house move actually cost?
Before you can tell whether a Shiply quote is fair, it helps to know the going rate. These are typical 2026 UK prices for a standard move with a man-and-van or small removal team, based on jobs posted on We Got The Move:
| Move size | Local (under 20 miles) | Long distance (150+ miles) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio / single room | £120 – £250 | £300 – £500 |
| 1-bed flat | £180 – £350 | £400 – £700 |
| 2-bed home | £280 – £500 | £550 – £900 |
| 3-bed home | £400 – £700 | £750 – £1,300 |
| 4-bed+ home | £600 – £1,000+ | £1,000 – £1,800+ |
For a fuller breakdown by property size, distance and city, see our average removal costs UK guide and our man with a van cost guide.
Budgeting a move: what the commission actually adds
Here is why the platform model changes your bill. Say a driver needs to clear £300 to do your move at their genuine rate:
- On Shiply (12.5–17.5% commission): the driver has to quote roughly £343 – £364 so that, after Shiply takes its cut, they still net £300. You pay the higher quote, plus your deposit.
- On We Got The Move (zero commission): the driver quotes £300 and keeps all of it. You add a single £9.99 introduction fee — total £309.99.
On this example that is roughly £33 – £54 less for the exact same driver doing the exact same job — and the gap widens on bigger, pricier moves where the percentage bites harder. When you are budgeting a house move, that commission is the hidden line item worth planning around.
What about the quality of drivers?
Shiply has a large driver base built over many years, which means good coverage for obscure routes or specialist loads. We Got The Move is growing quickly, with particularly strong coverage in major UK cities and popular routes.
For most standard house removals, van hire, and delivery jobs in and between UK cities, both platforms will return multiple bids. The key difference is the price floor — ours is lower because drivers aren't losing a commission slice every time.
Comparing the big players? AnyVan charges drivers even more — see our AnyVan alternative guide, Bark alternative, and Compare My Move alternative for the same breakdown.
Shiply alternatives: your questions answered
Is there a cheaper alternative to Shiply? Usually, yes. Because We Got The Move charges drivers no commission, they can quote their genuine rate instead of adding 12.5–17.5% to cover a platform cut. For most standard moves and deliveries that means lower bids for the same work.
Why are Shiply quotes sometimes higher than expected? The commission Shiply charges drivers is built into the price you're quoted. A driver who needs to clear £300 has to bid £350+ to absorb the fee, so the winning quote is rarely the true market rate.
Is Shiply safe to use? Shiply is an established platform with a large driver base, reviews and deposit handling, so plenty of people use it without issue. The trade-off is usually price, not safety — which is exactly why it's worth comparing quotes before you commit.
Do you have to pay upfront for a Shiply alternative? Not with We Got The Move. Posting your job and receiving bids is free; you only pay the £9.99 introduction fee when you choose to accept a bid. There's no obligation to accept any quote you receive.
Which alternative is best for me? If your priority is the lowest honest price, a zero-commission marketplace will usually win. If you also want to weigh up lead-selling sites like Bark or Compare My Move, see our Bark alternative and Compare My Move alternative guides.
Which should you use?
If price matters to you — and for most people it does — We Got The Move will typically return lower bids for the same job. Post for free, compare what comes in, and pay just £9.99 when you accept. There's no obligation to accept any bid you receive.
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