The Best Moving Companies

Thursday, May 22nd

2025 Moving Company Reviews

Pods

• Local moves around $466 to $506
• Around $3,163.35 to $5,386.21 for long-distance
• 8, 12, and 16 ft pods
• Insurance around $35 per month
• Local, long-distance, and military member moves
• Storage options and professional packing offered
• 4.2-star average rating
• "A+” rating and accreditation from the BBB

Pods has been helping customers move and store their belongings for over 25 years, and it's one of the most often-used companies. Ever seen a neighbor with a storage unit sitting in their driveway? Odds are you saw one offered by Pods. Whether you're planning to move locally or move long-distance, Pods can help you. They start by dropping off a container at your home, and you can pack at your own pace. From there, you can choose to store the pod in your driveway or at a facility if you're going to take a while to move. Then, when you're ready, Pods will deliver the storage unit to your new home. The pods are all steel-framed, weatherproofed, locked with a key only you have, and include roll-up doors. The containers come in three sizes: 8 ft, 12 ft, and 16 ft.

Move local or long-distance

According to our research, Pods offers moving services for local, long-distance, military, and corporate moves. If you need it, Pods offers packing and storage solutions (either at your house or at a temperature-controlled facility). However, packing is a service that Pods subcontracts out to third-party companies. So, if you want everything to stay in-house, you may want to do your packing yourself.

Easy quotes online for local moves

You can put together a quote online by filling out the Pods questionnaire. This includes questions about your starting location and your future address (you can just use a zip code if you haven't chosen your new home yet). Pods will suggest a container size (and number) depending on the size of your house and how furnished it is. You'll need to put in an email to finish the quote process. Notably, the online quotes only work for local moves. If you want to do a long-distance move, you'll need to call to get a quote. The calling process is a little tedious, as you have to answer a bunch of "press one for... ” questions before you connect to a rep. However, once we were connected, the representative was helpful and polite throughout the call.

Local pricing from $466 to $506 and long-distance from $3,163.35 to $5,386.21

For our research, we created a test customer looking to do a long-distance and a local move. The pricing for a local move included a single Pods container sized 8 ft for $466. This includes the fee for drop-off and delivery ($307) and $149 per month for the container itself. For a 16 ft pod, the total price is $506 with a $189 pod monthly fee and a $307 drop-off and delivery fee. At the time of our review, we could not get a 12 ft pod delivered to our area for the next 7 months. For a long-distance move, we called in for a quote. They offered staggered pod delivery, so if you order too many pods, you can cancel the later pods so you don't pay for a container you don't need. For a shipment from Florida to Illinois, we were quoted $442.35 for a 16 ft container and $302.40 for an 8 ft container. We were not recommended the use of a 12 ft container. According to the representative, transport from Florida to Illinois was a separate cost of $4,387.06 (if we used two containers: one 16 ft and one 8 ft) or $2,593.80 for just a 16 ft container. Redelivery (to put the container down at your new location) was $254.40 for two containers or $127.20 for just a 16 ft container.

Add-on protection

There are two protection options at Pods: container-only protection, which covers only damage to the container itself for $10 per month, or container and contents protection, which costs $35 per month (for the amount of time you keep the pod). The second option covers damage to the containers plus all of your items.

High praise for going above and beyond

Our research indicates that Pods currently holds an "A+” rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, and it holds a solid reputation from reviewers as well. According to Trustpilot, which shows more than 7,000 individual reviews, Pods has a 4.2-star average rating out of 5. Recent feedback highlights the top-notch experience customers had with Pods as well as the fair price. The Pods containers are noted for being clean, easy to load, and truly weather-safe. There are also plenty of reviews praising Pods' professionalism. One reviewer said that Pods went the "extra mile” to put the container exactly where she needed it, and another customer was thrilled with the tips and tricks offered by Pods to make the move as smooth as possible. She noted that Pods went "beyond the scope” of their required assistance and made the process a breeze.

Top choice that doesn't break the bank

Pods stands out as one of the easiest moving companies to use on this list. With the container delivered right to your home, you can get everything packed on your schedule. The fees are listed online, and they are much lower than many other moving services in our review. Pods is also a company that has high praise from former customers, making it a fan-favorite across the board. With a solid reputation and lower-than-average costs, Pods earns a 5-star rating in our review.

International Van Lines

• Local moves around $5,950
• Around $9,000 total for long-distance
• Moving trucks provided by company
• Added insurance up to entire truck value
• Local, long-distance, and international moves
• Storage options and professional packing included
• 4.2-star average rating
• "A+” rating from the BBB
• In business for 25+ years

International Van Lines has been in business for 25 years and provides a variety of moving services, including long-distance, international, small moves, and even vehicle transport. With coverage across the entire U.S. and over 150 countries, they have a much larger reach than many moving companies in our review. International Van Lines operates as a carrier, so they will be using their own trucks, and you can trust that your items won't be outsourced to other companies to move your home from one place to the next.

Focus on moving out of the country

International Van Lines is another site that struggles with transparency. The site offers a brief discussion of long-distance moves, international relocations (with air or ocean freight), vehicle transport (for cars, boats, and motorcycles), and some small moves across state lines. However, there are no specific details or prices that we could find on the website. International Van Lines doesn't even have a navigation bar or tabs.

Extremely helpful and kind representatives

The only way to get a quote from International Van Lines is to fill out their form and wait for a call or call the company directly yourself. We contacted International Van Lines to grab some quotes over the phone, and the rep we talked to was extremely friendly and helpful. He was able to do a basic estimate with just a short description of our rooms, home size, and basic furniture items. He also let us know that a more accurate inventory could be taken virtually by taking videos of the rooms and uploading them to a link sent by International Van Lines. We were also able to confirm that International Van Lines does offer some additional services like shipping for antiques and pianos.

More costly than most competitors

For our example customer to get pricing, we looked at a local move between two cities in Florida and a long-distance move between Florida and Illinois. For the close move, we were quoted around $5,950. For the long move, the quote was far more costly. For a four-bedroom home, the cost for moving was estimated between $9,000 to $9,500.

Buy additional insurance

If you want to insure your items for transport, International Van Lines offers Full Value Protection, which covers the full amount of all items in the truck. If you don't choose to purchase this option, International Van Lines defaults to the standard Limited Liability insurance, which covers your items up to $0.60 per pound. You can also secure third-party insurance for your items if you're extra worried about your shipment (which may be less expensive than the Full Value Protection).

High praise across the board

Currently, International Van Lines holds an "A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau. The company also holds a 4.2-star average rating on Trustpilot. Our research shows that verified customers who used International Van Lines loved the level of care offered by the drivers and professionals who unpacked and moved the boxes and furniture items. Recent reviews praise how simple it was to work with International Van Lines and how quick and straightforward the process was for the entire move. In general, customers say that the service is affordable, so it is possible many reviewers are getting better quotes than we are for their local areas.

Great option if you need a long-distance move

Despite the high price on our test quote, International Van Lines stands out as a top-notch service. While we'd love to see a little more transparency on the company's website, their customer representatives are extremely helpful and friendly. The process of getting a quote over the phone was simple and took very little time. With high praise from customers who had zero problems with their deliveries and the option to move internationally with this moving company, there are lots of positives that make it a highly competitive option. For this reason, International Van Lines earns a near-perfect rating in our review.

American Van Lines

• Local moves around $2,300
• Around $6,700 total for long-distance
• Moving trucks provided by company
• Added insurance up to entire truck value
• Local, long-distance, military, and corporate moves
• Storage options and professional packing offered
• "A+” rating from the BBB

American Van Lines has been open since 1967 and is known for being the corporate mover for many large corporations. Headquartered in Pompano Beach, FL, American Van Lines also holds regional moving services through its "hubs” in Lancaster, TX, and Greensboro, NC. However, since they only have locations in these three states, these are the only places you can get a local move. You can get a long-distance move in 48 of the US states, but these will be more costly. If you live outside of FL, TX, or NC, you may need to consider other options for local pricing.

Specializes in long-distance

American Van Lines offers a range of different moving services. You can choose between Local (only in the three states listed above), Long Distance, Military Moving, Corporate Relocation, and Employee Moving. All of the moves include accurate item inventories of everything that American Van Lines moves, protective padded wrapping for all furniture, and specialty moving services for fine arts, antiques, and pianos.

Call for a quote

Like a few other sites in our review, there isn't a lot of pricing transparency on American Van Lines. The company does offer a few different example costs for specific moves like "Special offers moving from Miami!” with estimates from $2,880 to $5,227 depending on where you are planning to move to. However, to get official quotes, you will have to wait for a call from American Van Lines. You can also call directly if you need the info ASAP. When we called in with our test persona, American Van Lines suggested we have an in-person estimate completed, but they were also able to give us a basic estimate on the phone.

Pricing from around $2,300 local and $6,700 long-distance

The representative was extremely polite and helpful, asking detailed questions about the home to get as accurate of an estimate as possible. For our local move, which is between two addresses in Florida, we were quoted $2,300 for a large family home full of furniture. For our long-distance move, which was between Florida and Illinois, we were quoted $6,700.

Two kinds of insurance

American Van Lines offers two different types of insurance. You'll find this in a PDF on the website. You can get Full Value Protection which means the mover is liable for any lost or damaged goods in the shipment. The standard option is Released Value which offers coverage for up to $0.60 per pound of your belongings. The Full Value Protection option will have additional costs at the time that you schedule.

Solid ratings for customer service

At the time of our review, American Van Lines held a solid "A” rating from the Better Business Bureau. On top of that, this moving company has also earned praise on third-party review sites like Trustpilot. Currently, the average customer rating for American Van Lines is 3.9 stars out of 5. Customers are happy with most parts of their move, and many of the reviews leave specific "shout-outs” to particular customer service members and drivers who did a good job. While there are some negative reviews about broken items and issues getting recompensed for the damage, most customers are fairly happy with the service at American Van Lines.

Best if you live in their local service area

Considering our fantastic experience with their phone reps and the positive reviews for American Van Lines, this is one of the better services for moving. However, the drawback of only offering local pricing for three US states is a bit of a problem for those living outside of the local service area. However, if you need specialty items moved, like pianos (or you're moving within NC, TX, or FL), American Van Lines is definitely worth a look.

JK Moving Services

• Around $14,000 to $15,000 total for long-distance
• Moving trucks provided by company
• Added insurance with $0 to $500 deductibles
• Local, long-distance, and international moves
• Storage options and professional packing included
• "A+” rating and accreditation from the BBB
• In business for almost 50 years

With 44 years of experience, JK Moving Services is known for its top-notch customer service that finishes approximately 15,000 moves per year. This moving company handles everything from residential moves to corporate relocations, and as an added layer of security, all staff members at JK Moving Services receive background checks. Further, JK Moving Services also offers financing for your move with a 0% interest rate. This way, you can get your move at the best possible price and spread the cost out over time.

Services for every type of move

JK Moving Services specializes in two primary types of relocations: Residential and Commercial. Each category includes different types of services, making it easy to find the right type of move for you. Residential services cover local and long-distance moves from homes, apartments, and dorms. You can also find residential employee relocations, government moves (for those in the military), and a range of storage options if you need to keep your items with JK Moving Services while you find a new place. On the commercial side, JK Moving Services offers office relocations, facility management, data center moving, and IT services.

Long-distance moves from $14,000 to $15,000

Unfortunately, like many moving services, JK Moving Services does not post its pricing on its website. Instead, you have three ways to complete your quote:

• Virtual Self-Survey: This is an AI tool that allows you to complete a self-guided tour of your home.
• Virtual Consultation: This allows you to work with a consultant at JK Moving Services where you complete a live virtual survey of your home and receive an online move estimate.
• In-Home Consultation: This is the standard option where an employee from JK Moving Services comes to your property to do the survey in person.

To get an idea of the costs, we called in to ask for a ballpark estimate that did not include any of the methods above. JK Moving Services was extremely helpful and offered us clear details on possible pricing for a move from a single-family home. Usually, we price out a local move and a long-distance move. However, JK Moving Services has limitations due to licensing within states. At this time, they only offer moves across state lines for many locations in the US. For our long-distance quote, we asked for a move from Florida to Illinois and were quoted $14,000 to $15,000 for services that included furniture dismantling, moving, and setting up in the new home.

Moving insurance with a $0 to $500 deductible

JK Moving Services offers excellent customer support with 24/7 assistance and a clear breakdown of Valuation Coverage for protecting your belongings right on the website. Their team consists of full-time, background-checked employees who have also passed drug screenings - no subcontractors here. Every moving truck is company-owned, so you're only contracting JK Moving Services, and you won't get any third-party drivers. If your homeowner's insurance doesn't cover moving liability, JK provides additional coverage with deductible options ranging from $0 to $500.

Reputation has fallen in recent years

According to our research, JK Moving Services holds an "A+” rating and accreditation with the Better Business Bureau. However, from third-party review sites, JK Moving Services' ratings have fallen slightly in recent years. While before, it held an average rating of around 4.4 stars, this moving company now holds a 3.2-star average across different review sites. Regrettably, many recent reviews for JK Moving Services have headlines like "would strongly NOT recommend” or regular complaints that items were broken when using JK Moving Services. Some customers note that the lack of transparency around fees was a huge downside, where even with quotes, the costs came out higher than expected. There are some positive reviews still, but most of them focus on the customer service team rather than the move experience.

Best for those with a hefty budget

Due to the high costs and limitations for in-state moves, JK Moving Services doesn't stand out from the pack as well as it used to. Considering that its reputation has fallen in recent years as well, it comes in as a mid-tier service overall. It might be worth it if you have a move that crosses state lines, but you might want to plan a pretty big budget. For these reasons, JK Moving Services earns just an average rating in our review.

Two Men and a Truck

• Pricing available by quote
• Moving trucks provided by company
• Added insurance is federally mandated
• Local, long-distance, and junk removal services
• Storage options and professional packing included
• 4.6-star average rating
• "A” rating and accreditation from the BBB
• In business for about 20 years

Two Men and a Truck has been operating for almost 20 years, and it focuses on three different services: moving, junk removal, and storage. Two Men and a Truck is its own provider with a team of trained movers who use high-quality equipment to help make the experience smooth and safe. Keep in mind that Two Men and a Truck is a franchise company, so each location may be a little different in terms of the services and employees. For example, not all locations of Two Men and a Truck offer piano moves, while some locations do have trained individuals to help with more complex or antique items.

Local and long-distance moves

Whether you're relocating from a house, apartment, or condo, Two Men and a Truck can handle any kind of local move. They also offer packing, unpacking, and all the supplies you might need. If you're moving long-distance, you can choose between their Value Flex or Expedited options, depending on your timeline (and budget). Beyond moving, they provide junk removal services, including furniture disposal, garage cleanouts, and full home cleanouts. For storage, they offer flexible solutions such as portable units or secure warehouse storage, giving you options to keep your belongings safe. Our favorite feature? Two Men and a Truck operates by "The Grandma Rule”, which promises that they treat every customer the way you would want your grandma to be treated.

Can be hard to get a quote

You can start the quote process online. You'll just need to input your name, email, and phone number. Then, Two Men and a Truck will ask you about what type of place you're moving out of, which Two Men and a Truck location is closest to your location, and how much help you'll need. At the end of the process, you can choose to tell Two Men and a Truck about your belongings over the phone or online. If you choose the online option, you'll be asked to input all of your belongings item by item and room by room. It can take some time, but you'll need to do something similar on the phone, too, so it's up to you which is the least time-consuming. However, if you choose the online method, you will need to wait for a specialized quote to be sent to you. We waited several hours and did not receive a quote through the online portal. We also tried over the phone, and at the time of our review, no one was available to take our call. After several hours, we did not receive a return call from our message for getting a quote.

Backed by federally required insurance

Two Men and a Truck is fully insured through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. They offer the federally required amounts of insurance for public liability, property damage, and cargo loss/damage. You can also choose to purchase third-party insurance if you feel like you need extra security for your belongings.

Solid reputation, but reviews vary by location

According to our research, Two Men and a Truck holds an "A” rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau. It also has a solid average on Trustpilot, where Two Men and a Truck has a 4.6-star rating. Customers report that the service at Two Men and a Truck was extremely friendly, and the drivers and employees arrived on time for the moving day. However, there are a few recent reviews that state that the final service was overpriced, and one reviewer said he ended up paying double what he was quoted. On the other hand, tons of reviewers were "completely satisfied” with the service. Overall, it seems that your satisfaction may depend on which Two Men and a Truck location you choose, so make sure you check local reviews for your chosen branch before booking.

Quality option, but may take time to get back to you

While Two Men and a Truck has a solid reputation overall, the company is a little hard to reach. We waited for several hours (during business hours) for a quote or a callback but didn't receive one during our research. As such, there isn't any clear information on the pricing for Two Men and a Truck's moving services. Some reviewers suggest it can be higher than other similar companies. It may still be a solid option, as the overwhelming majority of customers loved their experience with Two Men and a Truck; however, for now, it earns a more balanced spot in our review for being hard to contact for quotes.

UPack

• Around $4,410 total for long-distance
• 6, 7, and 8 ft pods
• 28 ft trailer
• Insurance up to $60,000 for catastrophes
• Extra paid insurance up to $60,000
• Long-distance, student, and military moves
• Storage options and professional packing offered
• "A+” rating and accreditation from the BBB
• In business for nearly 30 years

Upack is a moving company that's been around for over 27 years, and it promises to be a partner for your move no matter where you're headed. The in-house team of moving experts means you don't have to worry about being outsourced when you choose Upack. Plus, the company offers a range of help articles for any kind of move. One of our favorite features of the Upack website is there is a live updating number of currently available representatives who can help you get a free quote ASAP.

Moving assistance for any situation

Upack offers interstate moves, military moves, moving for students, senior assistance, job relocation, and small-scale local moves. Like a few other options in our review, Upack is a self-packing moving company: Upack delivers the container with a ramp, and you have up to 3 days to load it before Upack returns to take it to your new location. You also have 3 days to unload the container once it arrives. This is a little more limiting than other container-delivery companies as you do need to make sure you finish your work within the timeframe of the 3 days rather than paying monthly for the pod. There are two different types of containers: ReloCubes, which come in 6x7x8 feet sizes, or Moving Trailers, which are 28 ft truck beds that are delivered to your home.

Long-distance moves around $4,410

While you can start your quote online, we struggled to find any zip codes that would allow us to finish the quote for in-state moves. Oddly, Upack redirected us to another company rather than offering the local service itself. For long-distance moves, we were able to begin the quote process. With just the zip code of your origin and the zip code of your destination, you can have a basic quote in seconds. For our test customer, we said she was moving from Florida to Illinois with enough furniture for a 4-bedroom family home. The estimated cost through Upack was $4,410 for a full 28 ft trailer.

Catastrophe protection included

Upack offers liability coverage in two ways. The first is "catastrophic liability,” which covers items at $3 per pound per piece in the container. This has a maximum value cap of $60,000 per trailer. This is standard and does not require any other payment from you, but it is only usable with specific events, including a fire in the trailer, trailer overturn, trailer collision, or total theft of the trailer. If you want extra support, you can opt for Carrier Negligence Liability, which includes your items at $0.10 per pound and is related only to items that are damaged due to the negligence of Upack. You can choose this base level at no extra charge. If you want more negligence protection, you can add it on. For $75, the coverage would increase to $1 per pound, for $125, coverage would increase to $2 per pound, and for $175, coverage would increase to $3 per pound.

Almost no recent praise for Upack

According to our research, Upack held an "A+” rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau. However, the news wasn't so good when we checked out this moving company on third-party review sites. The highest rating average we found for Upack was 2.3 stars out of 5. Recent reviews show a regular pattern of Upack damaging items during transit. Many customers complained about the drivers being rude or unpleasant to deal with during the process, and there were tons of complaints about customer service. Overall, we struggled to find recent positive reviews for this moving company.

Best for out-of-state moves

While the prices with Upack are fair, the poor reviews in recent years mean that it doesn't earn a top spot in our review. Regrettably, Upack has a few customer service issues it needs to resolve before it can score higher. Plus, with limitations on in-state moves, you may not be able to use Upack if you're not moving far enough.

1 800 PackRat

• Local moves around $366 to $407
• Around $3,400 total for long-distance
• 8, 12, and 16 ft pods
• Insurance up to $75,000
• Local, long-distance, and military member moves
• Storage options and professional packing offered
• "A+” rating from the BBB
• In business for over 20 years

1 800 Pack Rat has been helping people move their furniture and home items for over 2 decades. Using portable storage containers, 1 800 Pack Rat allows you to pack at your own pace, and then their professionals drive your possessions safely to your destination. The process is simple: they drop off an all-steel moving pod, you pack it up, and they take the pod when you're finished. You can either have 1 800 Pack Rat move your items directly to your new home or put the pod into storage at a 1 800 Pack Rat facility. The company also offers professional packing if you're not confident in packing up your furniture yourself (or if you need some extra muscle).

Move near, far, or with the military

1 800 Pack Rat offers three different types of moves: Long Distance, Local, and Military. For Local moves, you can choose from just moving, just storage, or a combination of both. The containers are all steel and weatherproofed. You get to schedule the delivery and pickup times so you can pack for however long you need. Long Distance is pretty much the same process (and the same containers), but you may need to do a bit more scheduling. All of the long-distance moving trucks are equipped with lift systems to avoid any damage to your belongings. Long Distance moves also come with a no-cut lock for the truck, so only you can get inside, and $10,000 in protection for the contents as a complimentary inclusion. Military Moving also includes local and long-distance, and you can complete DITY and PMM military moves that are at little to no cost to military members.

Local moves around $366 to $407

The pricing for 1 800 Pack Rat is based on a quote. You need to put in your personal information, the location of your current address, and the location you're moving to and wait for a personalized quote. We created an example customer looking to move one city over in Florida to see what the prices might run. Our test customer wanted her pod delivered one month away from the current date. We were offered pricing for an 8 ft container, a 12 ft container, and a 16 ft container. Here's how they broke down the pricing for container delivery:

• 8 ft:
• $198 due at delivery (includes monthly container rent of $139 and delivery fee of $59)
• $139 rental fee each month that you keep the container
• Estimated transportation costs are $168
• 12 ft:
• $228 due at delivery (includes monthly container rent of $168 and delivery fee of $59)
• $168 rental fee each month that you keep the container
• Estimated transportation costs are $168
• 16 ft:
• $238 due at delivery (includes monthly container rent of $179 and delivery fee of $59)
• $179 rental fee each month that you keep the container
• Estimated transportation costs are $168

At the time of our review, 1 800 Pack Rat also offered a 40% off promotion for completing your order online rather than calling 1 800 Pack Rat directly.

Around $3,400 total for long-distance

For the Long Distance options, you can't get prices unless you call in. We adjusted our test customer details for a move from Florida to Illinois when we called in. According to the representative, our cost for the pod (monthly) would be $350 per month. This is the same cost whether you keep your pod at your house or at a 1 800 Pack Rat facility. We were quoted a transport fee of $3,050.82, which includes pickup and delivery costs, as well as a 7-day trip across multiple US states. Naturally, this cost will change if you alter your zip code, so this is only a rough estimate of 1 800 Pack Rat's fee schedule.

Insurance covers up to $75,000 of your possessions

If you want security for your items, a local plan offers coverage for damage starting as low as $9.99. This only covers very basic damage. If you want more detailed insurance where you can cover up to $75,000 of your possessions, the total cost for insurance will be $149.95.

Terrible reputation for safety

At the time of our review, 1 800 Pack Rat held an "A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. However, the feedback for this moving company isn't as stellar on review sites like Trustpilot. Currently, 1 800 Pack Rat holds a 2.3-star average rating out of 5. Customers complain that the delivery times for storage pods are all over the place. One customer received his pod 5 days late from the day it was scheduled. Other customers said that their "weatherproofed” pods came with damage, and one pod was just fixed with duct tape. All of the most recent reviews warn customers not to trust 1 800 Pack Rat. With complaints about wet belongings, zero communication, and terrible follow-through on insurance protection, there are a lot of good reasons to be wary of 1 800 Pack Rat.

Best if you live in a dry climate

While the delivery and storage options are competitive, and the costs aren't too high, it's clear you might want to do a little thinking before choosing 1 800 Pack Rat. Recent reviewers almost universally agree that 1 800 Pack Rat can't be trusted to keep your items safe. While it might be okay if you live in a climate where you're not worried about your items getting wet, there are better companies out there that provide better weatherproofing, communication, and deliver storage pods when they say they will. However, it might still be worth a look if you're hoping for a moving company that won't break the bank on local moves.

United Van Lines

• Pricing available by quote
• Moving trucks provided by company
• Added protection at extra cost
• Local, long-distance, and junk removal services
• Storage options and professional packing offered
• "A+” rating and accreditation from the BBB
• In business for over 100 years

United Van Lines has been around for over 100 years and offers moving services across the US and to international locations. The company is a subsidiary of UniGroup Headquarters, and it specializes in long-distance, international, and corporate moves. Above all, United Van Lines offers a "white glove” service that promises satisfaction for you (along with the over 1 million customers that they've moved so far).

Complicated moves are handled in-house

United Van Lines has a range of services for local and long-distance moves. You can find some specialized moving options like debris removal, packing and unpacking, military relocations, and transportation for vehicles. Unlike some other companies in our review, United Van Lines handles its specialized services (like car shipping) directly rather than outsourcing them to other moving companies.

No way to get a quote without an in-home visit

You can start the quote process online, where United Van Lines will ask you a variety of questions about your moving date, locations, what kind of building you're moving out of, and how many bedrooms it has. When we got through the process for a local move, we were told to wait for a call. For a long-distance move between Florida and Illinois, we were unable to proceed through the questionnaire. Instead, we jumped directly on a call with United Van Lines; however, they informed us that we could not get a quote online (which makes the online quote promise a bit misleading on the website) or over the phone. Instead, you have to schedule an estimator to come out and give you a "binding quote” after evaluating your home.

Value protection is quoted at the estimate

United Van Lines offers protection for your belongings in two ways: Full Value Protection and moving insurance. The Full Value Protection option will compensate you if anything happens to your items during transit. They can pay for repair for your items as well. You will have to declare a value at the time that you receive your in-person estimate. The other option is to get moving insurance from a third party.

Concerning reviews about damages

The feedback for United Van Lines is a little mixed. According to the Better Business Bureau, this moving company has a solid "A+” rating. However, on third-party review sites, the ratings are concerningly low. Trustpilot shows an average rating of 2.7 stars out of 5. There are complaints about how little care the company showed for possessions, and there were also issues with drivers showing up late. One customer documented all of the damages at $5,000, and he was offered only $40 for the total compensation through United Van Lines. Another customer said her items were marked mistakenly as "damaged” before transit (though all the items were in perfect condition), and then the items showed up damaged on arrival, and no reimbursement was offered.

Too much criticism from customers

Considering the downsides, it might be better to check out one of our highly-rated services instead of United Van Lines. While the company stands out by offering its own drivers and trucks for transporting not only your home items but your vehicles, too, the lack of pricing transparency without a full estimate and the range of poor reviews from customers makes United Van Lines far less competitive than the other moving companies in our review.

Allied Van Lines

• Priced available through in-person quote only
• Moving truck based on your home size
• Two types of reimbursement protection
• Local, long-distance, and international moves
• Storage options and professional packing offered
• "A+” rating from the BBB
• In business for nearly 100 years

Allied Van Lines is one of the oldest moving companies on our list. They've been in business for over 95 years and earned a range of awards for customer service. However, according to recent feedback, not all customers may agree (but more on that later... ). On top of transporting your belongings, Allied Van Lines provides packing and unpacking services. Their service includes a truck that Allied Van Lines drives to you, and they won't leave any pods on your property.

Minimal transparency on moves

Allied Van Lines offers three moving types: Household Moving, which includes local moves, Long Distance for moves outside of 100 miles of your starting point, and International Moves. The details regarding the moving process are pretty limited on Allied Van Lines's website. It's clear that Allied Van Lines sends packers to help put your home in their moving trucks, and you can add on things like storage solutions, but those won't be included in the primary moving cost. On all of the pages, you are directed to call a representative to learn more details.

Quotes through in-person estimate

For pricing, while we normally create an example persona with both local and long-distance moves, Allied Van Lines made it impossible to get a quote using our normal research methods. To get any kind of details on pricing, you will need to schedule an in-person evaluation of your home. Allied Van Lines will send out an agent to look at your house, see how many rooms there are, and how many items you are moving. Then, the estimator will provide an on-paper official quote at that time. When we called in to ask for further details, the agent would not provide any numbers for us without completing this process. So, if you're just shopping around for movers at this point, you may need to be prepared to jump through some hoops for Allied Van Lines.

Two protection options

Allied Van Lines offers some protection options for your shipment. Their Extra Care Protection covers the cost of repair or replacement for any household item that is documented as lost, damaged, or destroyed. The coverage also includes pairs or sets. So, if you lose one of a set of something (like lamps) in the move, you can get replacement compensation. However, this does not include multi-set items like china, flatware, or glassware. Allied Van Lines also offers basic liability protection, which covers $0.60 per pound per item if your goods are damaged or lost. You will need to complete an in-person estimate to see details for the costs of the different types of coverage.

Reports of missing and damaged items

At the time of our review, Allied Van Lines held an "A+” rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau. However, on third-party review sites, the feedback is somewhat concerning. On Trustpilot, Allied Van Lines holds a 1.9-star average rating out of 5. The company receives a range of poor reviews claiming lost items and an extensive claims process to get reimbursed. One couple noted that their bed frame went missing (that's a huge item to just "misplace”). Other reviewers called Allied Van Lines a "nightmare” to deal with and were extremely disappointed in the high costs. For the customers who received their furniture, the items were in very poor condition. Many couples and families had to replace many of their large furniture items to settle into their new homes.

Not worth the hassle

Considering the increasing number of negatives for choosing Allied Van Lines, it comes in as one of the worst moving companies on the market right now. With zero transparency on the website, claims of high costs for moves, and extreme dissatisfaction from customers who were never reimbursed for lost or damaged items, it's safe to say you might want to check out other services before going with Allied Van Lines. Overall, Allied Van Lines earns a low score given its poor customer satisfaction ratings.

North American Moving Services

• Pricing offered only through an in-person evaluation
• Moving trucks outsourced
• Local, long-distance, and international moves
• Storage options listed

North American Moving Services claims to be one of the oldest moving companies on the market, offering moves in the US and internationally. However, the website is a little clunky. While you can find details about the move types offered at North American Moving Services, the information is loaded onto one page, with only the bare minimum in details. If you want to know more about North American Moving Services, you'll have to call its customer service team.

No specific details if you don't call

At North American Moving Services, you can find household moving, long-distance moving, international moving, storage, and packing services. North American Moving Services also offers vehicle transport. However, our research shows that this company may be a broker, not a carrier. This means that while you can get moving services through North American Moving Services, you may be working with third-party individuals or drivers. This website has a feature for finding a moving company near you. However, when you click on your state, you won't be able to see any of the moving companies. You'll be redirected to the moving details page with instructions to call a representative.

Zero pricing offered over the phone

Like many moving companies in our review, North American Moving Services requires that you call a representative to get a quote. We called in as our fictional customer looking to move both between two cities and between two states. However, North American Moving Services does not offer any kind of online quoting process. During our call, the representative informed us that the moving company will not provide any sort of quote without an in-person visit to the home to estimate the cost of the move. The employee did let us know that a local move is priced at an hourly rate. For a long-distance move across state lines, the cost is calculated based on the weight of the items and the total mileage covered during the drive.

Canadian company has a newer presence in the US

Figuring out when North American Moving Services was opened is a little tricky because this moving company got its start in Canada, not the US. So, while the US Better Business Bureau page shows that North American Moving Services was incorporated in 2016, this is the timeline for the US only. In Canada, North American Moving Services has been around since 1933.

No assistance or reimbursement

At the time of our review, North American Moving Services was not rated by the Better Business Bureau. On top of that, the company holds just 1.2 stars out of 5 on average. Customers were very unhappy that they were outsourced to other moving companies who claimed to be "affiliates” of North American Moving Services. There were issues with broken items and furniture, and due to the confusion about which moving company was actually responsible, most customers claimed that they did not get any kind of refund for the damage.

Not worth the risk

Given the issues with outsourcing to other movers, and complaints from customers across the board, North American Moving Services ranks at the bottom of our list. You may want to use caution if you decide to go with North American Moving Services, as you're not getting moving trucks or employees from this company when you pay. With too many claims of broken items and a lack of reimbursement, it's safer to choose one of our top-rated moving companies instead.