Comparison · Honest Assessment
Both move freight across every mode. One is among the largest logistics platforms in the world. The other is a dedicated managed transportation partner built for the middle market. Here is an honest look at which one fits.
Last updated: July 2026. We try to keep this accurate. If you see something outdated, email info@freightplus.io.
TL;DR
You are a middle-market shipper who wants a dedicated team running your freight program end to end, with senior attention you would not command as a smaller account at a global giant.
You need global scale and forwarding, very large surge capacity, or a self-serve way to tap spot capacity, and you have the internal team to drive a platform at that scale.
Feature-by-feature
| FreightPlus | C.H. Robinson | |
|---|---|---|
| Core offering | Full-service managed transportation for the middle market | One of the world's largest logistics platforms: freight brokerage plus global forwarding |
| Scale and footprint | Middle-market focused, North America | Global, SMB to Fortune 500, tens of billions in freight under management |
| Modes | LTL, TL, intermodal, drayage, final mile | All domestic modes plus global ocean, air, and customs |
| Ideal shipper profile | $5M to $100M freight spend, wants a dedicated program | SMB self-serve up to global enterprise |
| Service model | Dedicated account team, QBRs, senior attention, you are a priority account | Scaled rep and self-serve platform for smaller accounts; dedicated teams for the largest enterprises |
| Technology | FreightPlus One AI control tower (included) | Navisphere platform |
| Carrier network | Asset-light, 10,000+ vetted carriers | Vast contracted network, hundreds of thousands of carriers |
| Pricing model | Managed-services fee (spend-based or savings-share) | Per-load brokerage margin; managed services for enterprise programs |
| Analytics and reporting | Board-ready, dedicated analyst, custom dashboards across the full program | Platform analytics and self-serve dashboards |
| Onboarding | 2 to 4 weeks full program; pilot lane in days | Self-serve signup; structured onboarding for enterprise programs |
| Best for | Mid-market shippers who want strategy plus execution and real attention | Enterprises needing global scale, or shippers wanting self-serve access to broad capacity |
The Honest Take
C.H. Robinson is genuinely formidable. Global scale, immense capacity, one of the deepest carrier networks in the industry, and a mature technology platform. For a large enterprise with a global, multi-modal network and an internal logistics team to drive it, that scale is hard to match. For a smaller shipper who simply wants self-serve access to spot capacity, the platform is a fast on-ramp.
The gap is the middle. A middle-market shipper at a mega-broker can land in a service valley: freight complex enough to need real strategy, but volume too small to command a global giant's senior attention. The result is often a scaled rep model and a self-serve tool rather than a team that actually knows your network.
FreightPlus is built for that middle. You get a dedicated team that runs your program, quarterly business reviews, board-ready analytics, and senior attention, because the middle market is exactly who we serve, not our smallest tier. The same shipper who is account number ten thousand at a giant is a priority account here.
It is not that one is better in the abstract. It is scale-and-self-serve versus a dedicated program for the middle market. If you are a global enterprise, or you want a self-serve spot tool and have the team to run it, a mega-broker fits. If you are a middle-market shipper who wants your freight program actually run for you, that is the gap we exist to fill. For the broader version of this argument, see Purpose-Built vs Mega Broker and what managed transportation actually is.
Questions
Both. It is one of the world's largest logistics platforms, combining freight brokerage with global forwarding and a technology platform. Most mid-market shippers experience it as a large freight broker.
A mega-broker executes loads at scale, often transactionally or through a self-serve platform. Managed transportation is a dedicated team running your entire freight program: strategy, execution, analytics, and continuous optimization. See freight broker vs managed transportation for the full breakdown.
Yes. FreightPlus is built specifically for middle-market shippers who want a dedicated managed program and senior attention, rather than being a small account inside a global giant.
Our focus is North American multi-mode managed transportation (LTL, TL, intermodal, drayage, final mile). If your core need is global ocean and air forwarding at enterprise scale, a global platform like C.H. Robinson is a better fit. We will tell you that honestly.
Book a 30-minute call. We will look at your freight profile and tell you honestly whether a dedicated managed program makes sense for you, or whether a global mega-broker is the better call.
Book a Meeting →