The short answer
Use a parcel courier for small boxed items, a dedicated single-item service for furniture and awkward goods, a man-and-van for a room's worth of belongings, and a full removals firm for an entire furnished house. The wrong choice is usually the most expensive one.
Four service models, side by side
| Parcel courier | Dedicated item courier | Man and van | Removals firm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Priced by | Dimension and weight band | Vehicle, distance, handling and access | Usually per hour | Survey of the whole property |
| Quote before booking | Instant online | Instant online, itemised | Usually a phone call | After a survey |
| Who carries the risk of a slow job | Not applicable | The operator, on a fixed price | You, on the clock | The firm, after survey |
| Takes a single item | Only within size limits | Yes, by design | Usually, if local | Poor value |
| Takes a whole house | No | Not the right tool | Sometimes | Yes, with packing |
| Best for | Small boxed goods | One item to a van load, door to door | Local jobs with a known operator | Full properties needing packing and cover |
Swipe the table sideways to see every option.
What is each service actually built for?
A parcel courier is built for volume: small, boxed, standardised items moving through an automated network. Its economics collapse the moment an item cannot be sorted mechanically.
A dedicated item service such as PORTR is built for things that need a van and a pair of hands but do not need a house move. One item to a full van load, between two or more addresses, on a chosen date.
A man-and-van is the traditional version of that same job, usually arranged by phone and often charged by the hour. A full removals firm is built for whole properties, with surveys, packing, materials and higher insurance limits.
How does the pricing basis differ?
Parcel networks price by dimension and weight band. Removals firms price by survey, volume and crew days. Hourly man-and-van work prices by time, which means traffic and access risk sits with you.
PORTR prices by the vehicle your items need, the real road distance, the handling time those items take, and the access at each address. Every one of those appears as a line before you pay, and the total is fixed unless you change the booking.
The practical difference with an hourly quote is who absorbs a delay. On a fixed itemised price, a slow stairwell is our problem; on an hourly rate, it is yours.
Which one fits your job?
One boxed item under a network's size limit, no deadline: parcel courier. One sofa, wardrobe, appliance or bike: dedicated single-item service. A bedroom or studio's contents you have packed yourself: a van-load booking or a man-and-van.
A three-bedroom furnished house with packing required: a removals firm, without question. Trying to run that job as a series of item bookings costs more and takes longer than doing it properly.
An urgent document, set of keys or laptop: a dedicated car courier, which is priced well below van rates and does not pass through any depot.
What should you ask before booking any of them?
Is the price fixed or hourly, and what happens if access takes longer than expected. What is actually included: does the driver load and unload, and will anything be carried inside or only to the door.
What cover applies to the goods, and what is excluded. Whether a second person is included, optional or assumed, because that single question accounts for a large share of quote differences.
Ask for the answer in writing. A fixed itemised quote you can read before paying is the simplest protection against a disputed invoice afterwards.
The verdict
- A small boxed item inside network limits
- Parcel courier. Anything else is overpaying for capacity you do not need.
- One sofa, a wardrobe, an appliance, or a room's contents
- Dedicated item courier. This is exactly the job PORTR is designed and priced for.
- A three-bedroom house with packing required
- Removals firm, without question. Running that job as a series of item bookings costs more and takes longer.
- An urgent document, set of keys or laptop
- Dedicated car courier. It is priced well below van rates and does not pass through a depot.
Frequently asked questions
Ready to move it? Get an instant price — your addresses and item list is all it takes.
Related service: Single item delivery