Both platforms exist to spare you from emailing forwarders one at a time. They take opposite routes to that goal, and neither is better in the abstract — they suit different shipments.
Comparison based on publicly available information as of August 2026. Freightos is an independent company and its product changes; check their site for current details before deciding.
The short answer
Freightos is an instant-rate marketplace: search a lane, see priced options immediately, book online. CargoLinked is a request-and-quote marketplace: describe the shipment, and forwarders who serve that lane compete for it. Instant rates win on speed for standard cargo on well-served lanes. Competing quotes win on unusual cargo, thinner lanes, and anywhere you want a provider relationship rather than a transaction.
How each works
| Freightos | CargoLinked | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Instant rates from participating forwarders, bookable online | You post a request; forwarders quote it |
| Speed to a number | Immediate | Hours to a day or two |
| Rate source | Pre-loaded lane rates | Quoted for your actual shipment |
| Best for | Standard cargo, major lanes | Non-standard cargo, thinner lanes, project work |
| Provider discovery | Whoever has rates on that lane | A directory of providers in 194 countries |
| Contract | Through the platform's booking flow | Directly with the forwarder |
The real trade-off
An instant rate is pre-computed, which is exactly what makes it fast and exactly what limits it. Pre-loaded rates exist where volume justifies maintaining them — which means major lanes and standard cargo. Step outside that (out-of-gauge, hazardous, temperature-controlled, a lane between two secondary countries, a shipment with awkward timing) and instant coverage thins out or the rate carries caveats you discover later.
A quoted price takes longer because a human priced your shipment. That is slower, and it is also why it holds up. The general version of this trade-off is in calculators vs real quotes and instant freight quotes explained.
Where Freightos fits better
- You ship standard cargo on a major lane and want a number in seconds.
- You are budgeting and need an indicative figure before committing.
- You prefer one booking flow over managing forwarder relationships.
Where CargoLinked fits better
- Your cargo or lane is not standard, so pre-loaded rates do not exist or do not fit.
- You want the forwarder relationship — a named contact who knows your business, not a transaction.
- You want provider discovery as well as pricing: browsing forwarders by country and service in the directory.
- You want competitive tension on a specific shipment, with quotes structured for comparison.
- You are a forwarder looking for demand rather than a shipper looking for rates.
Using both
They are not mutually exclusive, and plenty of importers use both: an instant rate to sanity-check the budget, then a posted request to see what forwarders will actually do on the specific shipment. The gap between the two numbers is itself informative — a large one usually means the instant rate omits something, and how to compare freight quotes shows where to look.
Two honest caveats about us
- We are not instant. If you need a number in the next thirty seconds, we are the wrong tool.
- Our listings are self-published. Directory profiles go live without prior review; the optional Verified badge applies only to listings that submitted documents. Do your own due diligence — see how to choose a freight forwarder.
Wider context: freight booking platforms compared and how CargoLinked works. Ready to test it? Post a freight request.
