The Shiply Alternative
for jobs that can't wait for bids.
Shiply's reverse auction finds cheap spare van space, if you can wait for bids to arrive. When the wardrobe must move today, TowManVan prices the job instantly and sends a dedicated vetted driver now. Two models, honestly compared.
TowManVan is the on-demand alternative to Shiply: instead of listing a delivery and waiting for courier bids, the app shows a fixed price instantly (about £70 for a typical single-item delivery), allocates the nearest DBS-checked driver with a dedicated van, and tracks it live - same-day by default with no urgency premium. Shiply's auction still wins for non-urgent flexible-window long hauls. Launching in 24 UK cities on 1st of October 2026.
Dedicated van, direct route, loading help included. Your item is the whole job, not cargo on someone's way home.
TowManVan vs Shiply, honestly
| TowManVan | Shiply | |
|---|---|---|
| How pricing works | Instant fixed price in the app | Couriers bid on your listing over time |
| Speed | Driver allocated immediately, same-day default | Wait for bids; delivery when a route matches |
| Your item's journey | Dedicated van, direct route | Often shared loads along existing routes |
| Handling | Driver loads, straps, blankets, unloads | Varies by courier |
| Tracking | Live GPS of your van | Varies by courier |
| Best for | Urgent, same-day, fixed-time, local jobs | Non-urgent flexible-window long hauls |
Comparison reflects the two booking models as publicly described, June 2026. Check Shiply for their current process.
Auction vs on-demand
Auction time is the hidden cost
Reverse auctions are clever economics: drivers bid to fill empty space, so flexible deliveries go cheap. But the auction itself costs time - bids trickle in, you compare couriers, and delivery happens when a route matches. TowManVan removes the auction: the algorithm prices the job in a second and the nearest driver starts toward you. You pay for directness; you save the wait.
A dedicated van, not shared cargo
On a shared-load route your sofa rides with strangers' freight and arrives within a window. A TowManVan booking is a dedicated vehicle on a direct route with a driver who loads and unloads at both ends. For fragile, valuable or simply urgent items, that directness is the product.
Where Shiply genuinely wins
Filling spare van space is efficient and often the cheapest way to move a non-urgent item a long way - and there is an environmental logic to it too. If your delivery can wait for the right route, use that model with our blessing. When it cannot wait, you know where the instant button is.
Questions, answered
Everything about pricing, coverage and response times in UK.
Needs to move today?
Skip the auction. Fixed price in 60 seconds, dedicated van dispatched now. Launching 1st of October 2026.
Download free
iOS and Android from the 1st of October 2026. No membership, no annual fee and no account charge. You only pay when you book a job.
Book securely
The fixed price is shown before you confirm, not after the work. Card, Apple Pay and Google Pay are handled in-app, so no cash changes hands at the kerb.
Track the driver
Once a job is accepted you see the driver's name, vehicle and live position on the map, with an arrival time that updates as they travel.
Every operator is DBS checked, insured for hire and reward, and rated after each job. Prices are fixed before dispatch, never quoted as a range.
Own a van or recovery truck? Take jobs through the same app~£70 single items · Dedicated van · Direct route · Live tracking
Mel Carrington - Head of Removals Operations
Mel ran national removal fleets at Pickfords for 15 years before joining TowManVan. She signs off every van-size recommendation, hourly rate and handling standard on this page. Questions? Email mel@towmanvan.co.uk. All figures reviewed August 2026.
Last updated August 2026. Prices verified August 2026 by Mel Carrington.