Comparison
FreightBoard vs. Spreadsheets
Excel is free. It also costs you 15–20 hours a week in manual data entry, copy-paste errors, and late invoices. Here's what changes when you replace the spreadsheet stack with a TMS built for consolidators.
FreightBoard
$299/mo
Starter · replaces 6 tools
✓ One dashboard
✓ Auto docs & invoicing
✓ Live GPS tracking
✓ 14-day free trial
Spreadsheet Stack
$0/mo
Excel + QuickBooks + email
— 6–10 apps/tabs
— Manual everything
— Error-prone
— Hidden labor cost
Free but costly
The hidden cost of spreadsheets:
• Invoicing: 8 hrs/week × $25/hr = $800/mo
• Driver pay calc: 4 hrs/week = $400/mo
• Customer check-calls: 6 hrs/week = $600/mo
• Doc generation: 3 hrs/week = $300/mo
Total hidden cost: $2,100/mo
FreightBoard Starter: $299/mo
| Task | FreightBoard | Spreadsheets |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $299 | $0 (your time) |
| Time to dispatch a 3-leg load | 90 seconds | 25–40 minutes |
| BOL generation | Auto per leg | Manual copy/paste |
| Rate confirmation | Auto-generated | Word template + email |
| Customer tracking updates | Shareable GPS link | Phone call / text |
| POD collection | Photo upload + e-sig | Email chase + filing |
| Invoicing | One click from delivery | Excel → QuickBooks manual entry |
| Driver pay calculation | Google road miles auto | Spreadsheet + odometer photos |
| Per-leg P&L visibility | Built-in reports | Pivot table nightmare |
| Multi-MC entity tracking | ✓ | Separate spreadsheets |
| Double-billing protection | System flags duplicates | You catch it (or don't) |
| Data backups | Daily automated | When you remember |
| Mobile access | Full responsive app | Google Sheets on phone |
The real price of "free"
If your team spends more than 12 hours a week on manual dispatch, invoicing, and customer updates, a TMS pays for itself in the first month. Try FreightBoard free for 14 days and track the time you save.