Overview

LaneRunner connects freight sourcing and quote comparison with dispatch, shipment tracking, and documents. Shippers get the strongest fit through its free plan and private-network controls, while brokers and carriers can add paid workflow tools. Its main trade-off is that freight payments remain between the parties, and API access requires contacting support.

Key features

Shippers can route loads to a private broker network, the open marketplace, or both, then compare quotes side by side against low, average, and high amounts. That combination gives teams a way to balance trusted relationships with wider market reach and put incoming bids in context.

ATLAS AI supports voice load posting, rate insights, and bulk uploads of up to 100 loads. A load can include as many as five pickups and five drops, a useful boundary for multi-stop freight that still leaves more complex routes outside the stated limit.

Once freight is awarded, shipment details, dispatch, documents, tracking, and messaging remain tied to the load. LaneRunner says it checks motor carriers against FMCSA records and reviews shipper documents and broker credentials. These checks may help with counterpart screening, but payments are not handled by the platform: freight parties settle directly, with no transaction fee charged by LaneRunner.

The API can post loads, retrieve quotes, and sync shipment status with TMS, ERP, and internal tools. Those are relevant integration points for teams fitting freight into existing systems, though access is arranged through support rather than presented as self-service. Carrier search, booking workflow, and load alerts are also supported.

Pricing

LaneRunner has a free plan and paid subscriptions, but no free trial unless the company explicitly offers one in writing. Prices are monthly, and the listed plans make different compromises by role:

Shipper Free Access — 0.00 USD per free (billed $0/month): Unlimited load posting, open marketplace and private networks, up to five pickups and five drops per load, AI voice posting and bulk upload, and priority support. It is a substantial starting point for shippers; there is no paid shipper tier among the plans described.
Broker Load Board — 59.99 USD per month (billed $59.99/month): Unlimited load posting and searching, carriers verified against FMCSA records, route maps, mileage, and drive time. This suits brokers focused on finding and posting freight, but it does not include the dispatch, tracking, and documents bundle described in Broker Full Access.
Broker Full Access — 99.99 USD per month (billed $99.99/month per user): Adds private shipper networks, open-marketplace access, dispatch, tracking, documents, and 20 boost credits per month to the load-board features. The per-user billing matters for teams: the monthly cost scales with seats.
Carrier Full Access — 99.99 USD per month (billed $99.99/month): Includes broker load search, direct shipper freight, truck posting, ATLAS intelligence, and awarded-freight management. It is the listed carrier option for users who need more than load search.

There is no free trial to test a paid plan by default, and none of these subscriptions removes the need to arrange freight payment directly between the parties.

Platforms

LaneRunner is available on web, iOS, and Android, with API access for integrations. Its app is available on iPhone and Android; teams that need API connectivity should plan to contact support to arrange access. The company is headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota.

Who it's for

LaneRunner is built for shippers, brokers, and carriers. Shippers are the clearest match when private broker relationships, open-market sourcing, and quote comparisons need to live alongside shipment execution. Brokers can choose a lower-cost load-board plan or pay per user for the broader workflow. Carriers get search, direct shipper freight, truck posting, and awarded-load management in one subscription.

It is a weaker fit for teams that require the platform itself to process freight payments, or for brokers who want the full dispatch and shipment workflow without per-user pricing.

Pros and cons

Pros: Shippers can use private networks and the open marketplace together, with a free plan that includes unlimited posting and bulk upload.
Pros: Quote ranges, route details, and load-linked dispatch, documents, tracking, and messaging support decisions from sourcing through delivery.
Pros: The API covers load posting, quote retrieval, and shipment-status sync with TMS, ERP, and internal tools.
Cons: Freight payments happen outside LaneRunner, so parties must manage settlement separately.
Cons: Broker Full Access costs 99.99 USD per month per user, making headcount a direct pricing factor.
Cons: API access is arranged through support, and paid subscriptions have no trial by default.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, browse Load Board Software. Consider FreightLink if an entirely free service for approved members is the priority; its future subscription is 49.99 USD per month. RXO Connect is another free option for carriers and carrier representatives, intended for business use in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

123Loadboard is worth comparing for teams that want a paid load board with a free trial; its Standard plan is 39.00 USD per month and includes unlimited load searching and truck posting, web and mobile access, updates, and alerts. Trans.eu Freight Exchange may suit teams whose needs match its carrier subscription, priced at 125.00 EUR per month with 20 freight publications included and additional publications at 1 € net each.

Truckstop RMIS is an alternative to consider for carrier-risk management, with RMIS Lite starting at $340/mo. BulkLoads offers a free Load Board plan with forum, washout search, multiple users, app access, and load search. Carrier First Management has a free Broker Plan covering load postings, quote and bid management, carrier communication, automated invoicing, and document management. Direct Freight is another option with a free plan capped at three load searches per day, plus truck posting, matching alerts, an app, mileage, and maps.

Verdict

Choose LaneRunner if you are a shipper who wants free load posting, private and open-market sourcing, quote context, and a connected path from award to delivery. Brokers should weigh the per-user cost of full workflow access, while carriers get a distinct bundle for finding and managing awarded freight. Look elsewhere if freight settlement must happen inside the platform or if broker workflow costs need to stay independent of seat count.

	LaneRunner	x12port Load Board
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Free trial	No	Yes
Paid from	$59.99/mo	$99/mo
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Android, api, iOS, Web	api, Web
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Carrier search	Yes	No
Booking workflow	Yes	Yes
Mobile apps	both	—
Load alerts	Yes	—
API access	Yes	Yes
Paid from	—	199 /mo

LaneRunner vs x12port Load Board

LaneRunner

x12port Load Board