Spot vs Contract Load Profitability Calculator — Carrier Load Mix

Calculate profitability of spot vs contract loads for carriers and freight brokers. Compare revenue, variable cost, and contribution margin to optimise your load mix.

Quick answer: Spot loads pay 15–40% more than contract in tight markets but 15–30% less in soft markets. Contract loads provide predictable revenue. The optimal mix depends on your capacity and market conditions.

⚖️ Spot Load vs Contract Load Profitability Calculator

Load Miles

Spot Load Rate ($)

Contract Load Rate ($)

Fuel Cost ($/mile)

Driver Pay ($/mile)

Other Variable ($/mile)

Maintenance, tyres, tolls (variable portion)

Fixed Cost Per Load ($)

Allocated: insurance, payments, permits per load

Spot Load Search Cost ($)

Load board fees, broker commission, extra time

Spot Net Per Load

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Spot Contribution Margin

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Contract Contribution Margin

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How to Use This Calculator

Enter load miles and both rates — compare actual spot rate offered vs your contract rate for the same lane.
Enter variable costs per mile — fuel, driver pay, and proportional variable maintenance.
Add fixed cost allocation — insurance, truck payment, permits — allocated per load based on expected annual loads.

Worked Example

800 miles, $2,800 spot, $2,200 contract, $1.25 variable CPM, $380 fixed, $45 spot search.

Variable cost: $1.25 × 800 = $1,000
Spot contribution: $2,800 − $1,000 − $45 = $1,755 (62.7%)
Contract contribution: $2,200 − $1,000 = $1,200 (54.5%)
Spot advantage: $555/load in this market

In a tight market, spot is $555 more profitable than contract per load. In a soft market, this flips — contract rates often exceed spot. The market cycle determines the optimal mix.

Frequently Asked Questions

Contract loads provide revenue certainty, reduce empty miles from known lanes, and reduce load board fees. Spot loads maximise revenue per load in tight markets. Most successful carriers run 60–80% contract for base revenue security, 20–40% spot to capture market upside. Don't go 100% spot — you'll be scrambling for loads when the market softens.

Key indicators: load-to-truck ratio on DAT (above 4:1 = tight, below 2:1 = soft). Spot rates vs previous week/month trend. FMCSA carrier authority applications (increasing = more trucks entering). Diesel price trend. Subscribe to DAT Trendlines or FreightWaves for weekly market analysis.