A broker is an intermediary. It finds a carrier for a shipper’s load, negotiates the rate, and coordinates the move, but the freight travels on the carrier’s authority and the carrier’s bill of lading. The broker never handles the goods.
A forwarder is more hands-on. It may receive, warehouse, and consolidate freight, arrange the international legs (ocean or air) plus inland drayage, handle customs documentation, and issue its own house bill of lading. It acts more like a principal in the transportation than a matchmaker.
For a domestic truckload carrier, most day-to-day freight comes from brokers and shippers directly. Forwarder freight tends to show up as drayage and inland moves tied to imports and exports.
Terms in this answer: Bill of Lading (BOL), Drayage, Intermodal