Bookkeeping for freight brokers
A freight broker sells a load today, pays the carrier in days and collects from the shipper in a month or more. Factoring smooths the gap at a cost, and every load carries its own small margin. Mispar keeps receivables, carrier payables and financing costs visible per period, so growth stops feeling like a cash leak. Plans start at $229/mo.
Best for: Independent freight brokers, growing brokerages with agent networks, and carriers adding a brokerage arm.
Tracked
Loads
Paid right
Carriers
Visible
Factoring
Monthly
Cash flow
Where freight broker books usually go wrong
- Customer billings and carrier payments not matched by load.
- Carrier payments as contractors without clear records.
- Slow-paying customers carried without aging.
How Mispar keeps your brokerage books clean
Industry-specific accounts and categorization, with the reporting scope agreed before work starts.
Shipper invoices and receivables
Track invoices by customer and age, so slow-paying shippers are visible before they strain carrier payments.
Carrier payables and quick pay
Record what each carrier is owed and when, keeping quick pay discounts and fees on their own lines.
Revenue presentation
Revenue and carrier costs are presented under the gross-or-net policy agreed with your CPA, applied consistently period to period.
Factoring and financing costs
Keep factoring fees, reserves and advances distinct, so the real cost of smoothing cash flow is visible.
Load-level margin records
Where records allow, organize revenue and carrier cost per load so margin by customer or lane can be reviewed.
Agent commissions and overhead
Track agent commission splits and operating overhead separately, so each agent's contribution stays visible.
Reports a freight broker can use
- Margin by load and by customer.
- Carrier payments year to date.
- Receivables aging.
A simple, predictable process
From kickoff to your first clean close, here is exactly what happens.
Review TMS and factor reports
We start from the records you already have: TMS load exports, factor statements, carrier invoices and bank feeds.
Map receivables and payables
Shipper revenue, carrier costs and financing lines are mapped to an agreed chart of accounts with opening balances reviewed.
Reconcile payments and factor
Carrier payments, factor advances and customer receipts are reconciled to the bank each month.
Close monthly books
Monthly statements with an exceptions list and the customer-level reporting agreed for your brokerage.
Illustrative example
A shipper pays in 45 days but the carrier needs quick pay now. The factor advances most of the invoice and holds a reserve. We track the advance, the reserve release and the fees on their own lines, so the load's true margin survives the financing. This is an illustration of the method, not a customer case or a guarantee.
Freight Brokers bookkeeping — your questions
Should brokerage revenue be shown gross or net?
That depends on your contracts and your CPA's policy. We apply the agreed presentation consistently and keep both the shipper and carrier sides fully recorded either way.
How do you track factoring costs?
Advances, reserves and fees are recorded on their own lines and reconciled to factor statements, so the true cost of the facility is visible each period.
Can you show margin by customer or lane?
Where load-level records are kept, we can organize reporting that compares revenue and carrier cost per customer or lane. Complete data matters more than load count.
How are carrier quick pay fees handled?
Quick pay discounts and fees are recorded distinctly, so their cost is visible against the benefit of paying carriers fast.
Can you track margin by load?
Yes. Billing and carrier cost are tied to each load.
Does the $229 starting plan cover a brokerage?
The final plan and scope depend on load volume, agents and accounts. We agree that scope before starting; catch-up work is discussed separately.
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Learn more →Customers slow to pay?
Our in-house collections team calls and emails customers who owe your company money, so you can stay focused on the work.