Table of Contents
Moving your base of operations from one place to another is not an easy task. And as an adult, you don’t want to be the one who is forced to enlist the help of your family and friends for such a tedious task. Yes, you can try to rent a moving truck and transport everything yourself, but the best moving companies with their professional moving services can make your life easy, whether it’s a trip across town or across the country.
A professional moving service may be the most expensive option, but it is certainly the most comfortable way to get your life from point A to point B. (The average person moves about 12 times (in their lives; professionals do it every day.) To make your move as easy as possible and to help you find a moving service you can trust, we’ve rounded up the best moving companies operating in 2024 below.
Best moving companies
This best list is based on government sources, such as the General Services Administration’s rating for moving services and the Department of Transportation’s rating for safety classificationsas well as online customer reviews and first-hand experience getting quotes for different moves. A good rule of thumb is to compare at least three moving quotes before choosing a moving company. Each company should ask for a detailed inventory of your home before they offer a quote — this is a great way to judge their moving process.
National Van Lines meets all the requirements I have set. It has an excellent 103 rating from the GSA, an excellent safety record with the DOT, and impressively positive customer reviewsBut more than that, it felt as a company to which I would entrust all my possessions.
It only took 90 seconds to navigate the phone tree and get a human on the phone. The operator immediately felt more like a consultant than a sales pitch. She was ready to set up a virtual tour of the house right away and answered all my questions with ease.
JK Moving Services specializes in corporate, long distance, and international moves and has a history of handling complex moves safely and on time. It has a GSA rating of 104 and a 3.97/5 in customer reviews with the Better Business BureauJK also has the lowest percentage of trucks and drivers I’ve ever seen delayed due to failed inspections.
So what kept JK from the top spot? The quotes I got for long distance moves were $5,000 higher than other companies. It’s still worth going through the quote process, but if you’re looking to keep costs down, you may find that JK isn’t your best option.
While you can also use North American Van Lines for long distance moves, they are one of the few moving companies that had everything I was looking for: a history of safety, high customer ratings, industry certifications, plus the ability to handle local moves. Most interstate moving companies leave local moves to local movers, but with over 500 locations nationwide, North American Van Lines can handle them in-house.
The quote process took a little longer than some of the other moving companies we evaluated, but once I got someone on the phone, I was able to book a quote to your home in under eight minutes. With over 1,400 drivers in the U.S., North American Van Lines also had more flexibility with the move date than other companies.
Moving to another country can be incredibly stressful, and it helps to have a company on your side that knows the paperwork inside and out. Interstate International has a GSA score of 110, which means that when the U.S. government sends people overseas, this is the company they trust to handle the details. Interstate also has both of the certifications we look for in an international moving company: FAIM Quality Certification by FIDI and membership in the International Association of Movers.
There’s a reason PODS has become the household name for moving containers. It offers the most affordable (and transparent) prices of any moving container company, and you can choose from three sizes. You can also purchase add-ons like packing services, vehicle transport, and short- and long-term storage.
One of the benefits of using a moving container like PODS is that you can go at your own pace. The container is placed in your driveway and you pay monthly for as long as you need it. You are limited to four free hours to load the container in places without driveway space.
If you want to do it all yourself, renting a box truck and bribing some friends with pizza is by far the most affordable way to move. It was a close call, but Penske had the upper hand over U-Haul and Budget because of their affordable prices and the many rental locations.
You can choose from three truck sizes and one van, and the price is $30 plus 59 cents per mile (the largest truck increases to $30 plus 79 cents per mile). For comparable sizes, U-Haul charges $30 plus $1.59 per mile, while Budget charges $30 plus 79 cents.
How We Found the Best Moving Companies
Moving companies are hard to judge. Since I couldn’t realistically judge the towing skills of each mover myself, I relied on the experiences of other customers. The most reliable source is the Form GSA3080 that government employees fill out to rate movers after they relocate for work. That data is combined into an all-in-one score for movers. From my original list of over 50 interstate movers, I eliminated all movers with a score below average.
From there I looked at each company’s data with the Ministry of Transport. Were there enough drivers on staff to move across the country in a timely manner? How is safety? I excluded any companies with below average vehicle or driver inspection scores.
Then I tested what I could: the quote process. I filled out online quote forms from 22 moving companies and waited for my phone to blow up. It should only take about 10 minutes to get a quote over the phone. I skipped all the companies that put their sales pitch before my questions or asked for a large deposit right away. The best moving companies ask for a detailed inventory of the items you’re moving before they give you a quote, and they can explain their policies in plain, simple language.
Finally, I dug into reviews and complaints at the Better Business Bureau. This was less about a total number — moving is the kind of industry where people typically only leave reviews if there’s a problem — and more about finding a pattern of complaints. I also prioritized companies that were certified as ProMover by the American Trucking Association. This means they have passed an annual review of their business practices, including their complaint history.
Frequently asked questions about moving
How do I know if a moving company is reliable?
All interstate moving companies have a US Department of Transportation number, which is usually displayed at the bottom of their website. You can look up this number on the DOT website to see information about the company’s safety record. Red flags for moving fraud Examples of this include making a quote without a detailed inventory, unusually low prices, or asking for a down payment in cash, money order, or bank transfer.
How much should I tip movers?
An average tip for movers is about $5 per person for every hour of work. It is also a nice gesture to have water or snacks on hand for movers while they are loading or unloading items in your home.
How much does it cost to hire professional movers?
Local moves cost an average of $500, while interstate moves can cost as much as $10,000. Of the 22 companies I received quotes from, this is the average for moving:
- <25 miles: $465
- 100 miles: $2,059
- 500 miles: $2,538
- 1,000 miles: $3,512
- 3,000 miles: $5,404
Extras such as packing services and vehicle shipping can significantly increase the final cost.
What should I look for when comparing moving companies?
It’s tempting to just go with the moving company that gives you the cheapest quote, but it pays to put in a little extra effort. For starters, you can consult the federal government moving reviews who uses it for employee moves. A high score is no guarantee of a positive experience, but it is a good place to start your list of moving companies to get quotes from.
A reputable moving company should offer an in-person or virtual tour of your home before providing a written estimate. The contract you sign is called a Bill of Lading, and it should detail every little aspect of your move, from estimates to services provided, as line items. This can (and should!) include everything from how much you’ll be charged for the move itself to whether the moving company will bring its own bubble wrap.
If you don’t understand something in your contract, ask your moving coordinator. A company with a strong track record can explain any problems in simple terms.
