Giant Van vs Compare the Man and Van — 2026 Comparison
An honest, side-by-side comparison to help you choose the right service for your move.
Compare the Man and Van is a trademark of its respective owner. Giant Van is not affiliated with Compare the Man and Van. This comparison reflects publicly available information reviewed on 21 July 2026; competitor details may change — check the provider for the latest.
Compare the Man and Van is a quote aggregator — it shows you prices from local operators but you transact directly with the driver, not the platform. Giant Van is a direct booking service with vetted drivers, a fixed price, and in-app tracking.
Compare the Man and Van is best for finding local hourly-hire options; Giant Van is better when you want a guaranteed, tracked service.
Who Compare the Man and Van is
Comparison platform
Compare the Man and Van is a UK quote comparison platform founded in 2013, based in London. It connects customers with local independent operators on a half-day or full-day hourly hire model. You receive multiple quotes, then book directly with the driver — Compare the Man and Van doesn't process the transaction.
This describes Compare the Man and Van’s published model rather than a private experience of it, so you can check every part of it against their own site. Read how we research these pages and our editorial standards.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
How Giant Van and Compare the Man and Van stack up across the features that matter most.
- Pricing model
- Giant Van
- Fixed upfront price
- Compare the Man and Van
- Hourly hire — half-day/full-day
- Price transparency
- Giant Van
- All-inclusive at booking
- Compare the Man and Van
- Quotes shown; final price agreed with driver
- UK coverage
- Giant Van
- Nationwide
- Compare the Man and Van
- Primarily local/regional operators
- Transit insurance
- Giant Van
- Goods-in-transit cover: £500 included, £3,000 optional
- Compare the Man and Van
- Operator-dependent; verify before booking
- Same-day booking
- Giant Van
- Yes — available in most cities
- Compare the Man and Van
- Possible — depends on local operators
- Weekend availability
- Giant Van
- Yes
- Compare the Man and Van
- Yes — most operators available
- Live GPS tracking
- Giant Van
- Yes — in-app real-time
- Compare the Man and Van
- No integrated tracking
- Online booking
- Giant Van
- Yes — instant confirmation
- Compare the Man and Van
- Quotes online; booking direct with driver
- Cancellation policy
- Giant Van
- Free up to 48 hours before
- Compare the Man and Van
- Agreed directly with operator
- Driver vetting
- Giant Van
- Vetted self-employed driver network
- Compare the Man and Van
- Platform-listed; vet individually
- Furniture disassembly
- Giant Van
- Included on eligible moves
- Compare the Man and Van
- Agreed per quote
How each side arrives at a price
The pricing model matters more than the headline number, because it decides who carries the risk when a job takes longer than planned.
One fixed price, quoted up front
You enter the two addresses and what is moving, and the quote comes back priced on distance, access and the date you picked. That figure is what you book at — there is no callback, no survey and no bidding window, and nothing about the job is priced after the fact.
How their model reaches a number
You submit your job, local operators send quotes, and you then agree terms and pay the driver yourself — the platform introduces you rather than handling the transaction. Quotes are usually half-day or full-day blocks, so the shape of your day matters as much as the rate.
What every Giant Van booking includes
These are our own terms, and they are the same on every job. What the other service includes is set out in the table above.
A price fixed before you book
Stairs, difficult parking and London congestion or ULEZ charges are worked out and built into the quote you are shown, so the figure does not move between the quote and the invoice.
£500 of transit cover included
Goods-in-transit cover of £500 comes with every booking at no cost, and £3,000 Plus cover is available for £12 if you are moving something worth more.
Live tracking from collection to delivery
You can see where the van is in the app for the whole job, rather than ringing a depot to ask.
A vetted, self-employed driver network
Drivers are vetted before they take work, so the standard you get is set by the platform rather than by whoever happened to accept the job.
Free cancellation up to 48 hours before
Cancel at least 48 hours ahead for a full refund, and every booking includes one free reschedule at the same notice.
Extras approved by you, on the day
If something has to be added once the crew is on site, it is priced and sent to you to approve before any of it is done.
How Giant Van Works
- 01
Get an Instant Quote
Enter your pickup and delivery details online. Get a fixed price in under 60 seconds.
- 02
Book Your Slot
Choose your preferred date and time. Confirm online with no deposit required.
- 03
We Collect
Your vetted crew arrives on time, wraps and loads everything with care.
- 04
We Deliver
Track your move in real time. We unload at your new address and place items where you want them.
Price Comparison: Giant Van vs Compare the Man and Van
Indicative prices for common move types. Get a live quote for your exact move — prices depend on distance, access, and date.
- Half-day hire
- Giant Van
- From £150
- Compare the Man and Van
- Pricing varies — check provider
- Man and van (1-bed flat)
- Giant Van
- From £150
- Compare the Man and Van
- Pricing varies — check provider
- Full house removal (2-bed)
- Giant Van
- From £280
- Compare the Man and Van
- Pricing varies — check provider
- Long-distance move (200+ miles)
- Giant Van
- From £350
- Compare the Man and Van
- Pricing varies — check provider
Prices are indicative and accurate as of June 2026. Actual prices vary by distance, date, floor level, and access conditions.
Before you book with Compare the Man and Van
Whichever way you go, these are the things worth settling in writing first. Most moving-day disputes trace back to one of them being left vague.
Confirm whether you are paying the platform or the driver, and by what method.
Check whether the quote is a half-day or full-day block, and what an overrun costs.
Ask the operator for their own insurance details in writing before the day.
Agree the crew size — an hourly quote for one person is not the same job as two.
Which Service Is Right for You?
Choose Compare the Man and Van If…
- You want to see multiple local operator quotes before choosing
- Hourly hire fits your job better than a fixed price
- You prefer dealing directly with a local driver
- You're looking for the cheapest short-distance half-day rate
Choose Giant Van If…
- You want an instant, all-inclusive fixed price
- Booking protection and clear cancellation terms matter
- You want live GPS tracking throughout the move
- Consistent vetted drivers are important to you
- You want to manage the whole move through one app
How this comparison was made
We compare the things that can be checked: the pricing model each service uses, what a booking includes, and the terms you agree to. Where Compare the Man and Van’s answer varies by provider or by job, the table says so instead of printing a number that would be wrong by the time you read it.
We do not publish a competitor rating, review count or price we cannot point at, and we do not rank providers on anything we cannot show you. Giant Van’s own figures come from the same price engine and insurance products the booking flow uses, so the numbers here and the numbers at checkout are the same numbers.
This page was last reviewed on 21 July 2026. If something here no longer matches what Compare the Man and Van actually does, that is a defect and we would rather fix it than defend it.
If you want a fixed price, live tracking, and a vetted crew, Giant Van is the better choice. Compare the Man and Van may suit you if you want to see multiple local operator quotes before choosing.
Giant Van vs Compare the Man and Van — FAQs
Is Compare the Man and Van cheaper than Giant Van?
Hourly-hire operators on Compare the Man and Van set their own rates, so pricing varies — check the quotes you receive. For short, simple moves an hourly rate may be cheaper; Giant Van's fixed pricing is often comparable for larger jobs and includes insurance and tracking.
How does Compare the Man and Van work?
You enter your move details, receive quotes from local operators, and then contact and book directly with your chosen driver. Compare the Man and Van doesn't handle payment or provide a booking guarantee — it's a lead-generation platform.
Is Giant Van better than Compare the Man and Van?
For moves where you want a fixed all-inclusive price, instant booking, tracking, and vetted drivers — yes. Compare the Man and Van is useful for discovering local operators and getting competitive hourly-hire quotes.
Does Compare the Man and Van include insurance?
Insurance is operator-dependent on Compare the Man and Van — you need to verify coverage with each driver individually. Giant Van includes £500 of goods-in-transit cover free on every booking, with £3,000 Plus cover available as an optional add-on.
Can I track my move through Compare the Man and Van?
There's no integrated tracking on Compare the Man and Van — you'd communicate directly with the driver. Giant Van provides live in-app GPS tracking throughout your move.
Which service is better for a local move?
Both work for local moves. Compare the Man and Van may surface cheaper hourly-hire options for very short jobs. Giant Van's fixed pricing and instant confirmation make it simpler and more predictable.
Is booking through Compare the Man and Van safe?
Compare the Man and Van lists real operators with genuine reviews, but because you book directly with the driver (not the platform), there's no platform-level booking protection. With Giant Van, you book and pay through the platform with clear cancellation terms.
What's the difference between Compare the Man and Van and Giant Van?
Compare the Man and Van is a comparison site — you find operators and arrange the move yourself. Giant Van is a direct booking service where you get an instant fixed price, vetted driver, live tracking, and in-app management of the whole move.