Trucking money term
Quick pay
Quick pay is an option some brokers offer to pay a carrier's invoice within a few days, instead of on standard terms such as 30 days, in exchange for a fee, usually a percentage taken off that load's pay.
In practice
Quick pay is chosen load by load. You deliver, send the signed paperwork, select quick pay in the broker's portal or on the rate confirmation, and the broker pays you sooner, minus the fee. No contract, no notice of assignment, and no effect on loads from other brokers.
EXAMPLE
Made-up load and fee. Broker fees and timing vary.
The useful question is what the fee buys you. Forty-eight dollars to have fuel money four weeks early is a good trade when the alternative is a missed load; it is an expensive habit on every load when you have a cash reserve. Track how much you pay in quick pay fees each month in your books, the same way you track any other cost; trucking accounting software can tag it, and if you run drivers, settle their pay from cleared revenue, as covered in trucking payroll software.
If you rely on quick pay for most loads, compare it with factoring and a business line of credit: see line of credit for a trucking company and run both options in the quick pay vs factoring calculator. The freight factoring guide explains the factoring side. More terms are in the trucking money dictionary.
Quick questions
How much does broker quick pay cost?
Each broker sets its own fee and timing, usually a percentage of the load, and sometimes a flat amount. Terms change, so read the fee on the rate confirmation or the broker's carrier portal before choosing it on a load.
Is quick pay better than factoring?
It can be cheaper when only a few loads need fast cash and the brokers offer it at a low fee. Factoring makes more sense when most loads would otherwise wait 30 days or more, and when you want the factor's broker credit checks and collections.
Written by
Updated October 2026. Every rate and date on this page has its source and the date we checked it. How we research