User Review of Same Day Courier Network (SDCN) (2023)

Official Logo of Same Day Courier Network SDCN

Basic Background

A trading-platform for couriers & hauliers. That’s the simple statement that greets you when you visit the Same Day Courier Network (SDCN) website. And simple statements are good with us – they clarify exactly what you should expect from a particular product or service.

I believe this platform was launched around 2018-2019, and so it’s still fairly new compared with many of the other services on our list. They started out on the right foot, with the right intentions to be successful in this challenging environment.

From the very beginning the website and app has been clean, efficient and user-friendly. That’s the easiest way to get people onboard.

The second part of the challenge is getting the work listed/sold.

How did we review Same Day Courier Network?

We’ve been using SDCN for the last few years ourselves. We’ve used both the website and the app to both sell and win loads, so it’s fair to say we’ve covered virtually every aspect of what’s available.

Will SDCN actually get you work and help you earn money?

I know you’re probably going to get sick of the amount of time I’ll end up using the ‘S’ word during this review, but this platform uses that old management acronym to perfection. K.I.S.S. Keep it Simple, Stupid.

SDCN isn’t overwhelmed with options and menu systems unlike some other courier work websites. That makes is extremely user friendly to get to grips with from the start.

The fact is that sometimes there can be features just for features’ sake and there’s no real purpose to a lot of tools that are included. So SDCN have done well to keep the focus on what’s really important.

Whether searching for loads or selling one, you don’t have to search through page after page to get what you’re looking for. From your account screen it’s one click to find available jobs, and just one click to begin listing a job for sale.

There are Loads Available!

Okay I know I go on about this too much when I review work exchange websites, but the whole point of them is WORK. And SDCN is actually fulfilling it’s purpose on that count.

Alright, it’s still some way behind the Yellow team (Courier Exchange) currently, but it’s doing alright and seems to be growing steadily.

It’s mid 2023 and I am seeing daily job notifications come through on my emails. Not thousands of them, but regular notifications is GOOD. And we’ve seen it get fairly busy at peak periods, so expect it to have more in the run up to Christmas.

What helps separate SDCN from the lower scoring delivery work apps in our top 20 list, and keep it heading towards a battle with CX, is the type of work being posted here is more commercial / B2B.

A lot of the work being sold on many of the services in the bottom half of our top 20 is the eBay/budget/removal type jobs you will find on sites like Shiply and Delivery Quote Compare.

What does that mean for you? Well you’re more likely to earn a half-decent rate per job.

These are dedicated loads and it’s not a case of ‘pile it high, sell it cheap’ like the ebay transporters do when they co-load jobs (have you ever seen Shipping Wars?)

And the other companies you will work with are likely to become good contacts for the future too.
Is that a Load or an Empty Van?

So it’s not ALL perfect. There are a few little niggles that could be improved.

I’m not a fan of the fact that empty vehicles and loads are mixed in together which can sometimes be confusing.

You think you’ve spotted a load on a route you want, but it’s actually someone else running that route and letting people know they have space available. You get used to it, but I’d still prefer these things to be completely separate.

Is it a safe place to share work – Are the other users trustworthy?

The following statement is true for any load-sharing platform – Sometimes the driver you hire is a nightmare.

SDCN (just like the operators of any of these services) can’t do a lot to protect you from that, it’s more a case of intuition and gut instinct who to work with.

One thing I sometimes wonder about is if there is a risk that more of the ‘dodgy’ operators will use a cheaper platform because they don’t want to pay CX’s high membership fees, but I can’t know that for sure.

There are arguments for/against this theory so I don’t waste too much time thinking about it.

The App is slick and seems to provide all the same access that you get in the website, a feature that beats the CX app which limits owner drivers.

You can view live loads, list jobs you need covered and post your availability with ease. That’s exactly how it should work. There’s not much else I can say. Did I use the word ‘simple’ yet? I have now.

Have you used Same Day Courier Network (SDCN)?

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This review is the personal opinion of Stuart, written for publication on Couriers TV.

screenshots of sameday courier network SDCN
screenshots of sameday courier network SDCN

Costs

4.5/5
4.5/5
Cost of Membership: £277 per year
Costs:

SDCN is priced far more competitively right now that its main competitor. The only reason that it doesn’t score higher is simply down to the work volumes. If you’re based in the right location and find yourself with regular loads being listed nearby, then this fee is easily covered and you make your money back quickly. But as with all of these services, if you’re in a quiet part of the country it doesn’t matter if the price is £10 or £100, it’s still hard to justify if you can’t win any work to earn it back. For any small business though, these prices should be manageable and worth a shot to see if you can make a go of it. The more people that think like that, the more chance there is of this platform growing.

Price (per month) = £19.25 + VAT (Total £277.20 inc VAT) or Paid Annually = £195 + VAT (Total £234 inc VAT) Save £43.20 by paying upfront

Loads

2.5/5
2.5/5
Load Availability:

This was a difficult rating to give, but it’s taken in context against all other competitors. None of the platforms we’ve reviewed have scored a perfect 5-stars, because to do that the loads posted would have to vastly outnumber the drivers available, meaning everyone could find work every day. SDCN beats the vast number of its competitors by a long way and we fully expect it to continue growing.

Features

2.5/5
2.5/5
Features and Benefits:

For the price you pay, there are great opportunities to be had here. The website and app are included and you don’t pay extra for listing loads, plus there is a members benefits page where you get access to other services (just like here at CTV! – check out some of our partners below).

We’ve heard from SDCN directly that new improvements are coming to the site/app in 2022 so expect this to improve later this year too.

Risk

2.5/5
2.5/5
Credibility and Risk Factors:

Again this is one of those things that is very hard to quantify. There are probably going to be some bad actors on every work exchange site you join, but the vast majority are there for the right reasons and you just have to learn who to trust. The review system helps you see at a glance who has already shown themselves to be worth working with, so use that to your advantage.

Pay Rates

2.5/5
2.5/5
Pay Rates Summary:

This is mostly sub-contracted B2B delivery work that gets shared, so you will have a good chance of earning the same subby rates you would get on CX. And you can bid outbound rates as well as backload prices. As for getting paid after doing the work, you’ll probably have to agree to the sellers schedule (30 days, 45 days etc) and from what we’ve seen most people are genuine and pay invoices in good time – although as mentioned, there will always be one or two dodgy operators on any service so take care.

Overall Rating Score

3/5
3/5
Summary:

It’s fast. It’s easy to use. And it actually has some work. That makes it a great choice as an affordable option to help you find more work. There is still nowhere near the volume of work that CX has, but you could easily get started here, or if you already have CX then add this to your arsenal.

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