The Best Professional Moving Companies of 2024

What is the best moving company?

Orchestrating a move can be a lot of work, but it doesn't have to be complicated. We rounded up the best professional moving companies for a variety of situations. This includes if you're moving down the street, across the country, or you just need a few extra hands or a truck to rent. 

Our top picks for moving companies

International Van Lines is the best moving company in the country, with an unbeatable selection of services, award-winning customer service, and worldwide availability. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right mover for your situation, though. We recommend getting quotes from a few different companies—including companies with different services like PODS and Penske—to find the best mover for your needs and your budget.

How to choose the best moving company

Picking a good moving company means doing a little research beforehand. To find the best mover for you, look for these services and qualities in every company you consider:

• Reliable pricing: Don’t just default to hiring the moving company that offers you the lowest price. It might be tempting, but if the company’s pricing is unreliable, you might end up paying far more than you expected. Look for movers that offer binding estimates or flat-rate pricing to get a price you can bank on. You might need to call a company’s customer service number to ask about its pricing.
• Great customer reviews: Learn about a company by reading reviews from previous customers. Check third-party review sites like Yelp and Google Reviews instead of relying on the cherry-picked reviews that moving companies feature on their own websites. If you mostly find reports of dishonest pricing, damages, and late deliveries, avoid hiring that company. Alternatively, if most customer reviews about a mover are positive, you’ll probably have a great experience too.
• Government certification: Every legit full-service moving company has a USDOT number you can use to track its certification with the Department of Transportation. Any mover that doesn’t feature a USDOT number on its website shouldn’t be trusted. Similarly, if the company’s listing on the USDOT site doesn’t say the company is “Authorized,” you shouldn’t hire it. This step doesn’t apply to moving container, truck rental, or hourly labor companies.

Any moving company that clears these requirements can be trusted, and your move with that company will probably go off without a hitch. And while we always recommend doing your own research, we’ve done some of the heavy lifting for you. 

International Van Lines is the best mover in the business. IVL is a moving broker and carrier that cleared every test we threw at it, and the company pairs transparent pricing with unmatched customer service for a winning combo. If you want to hire a company that can professionally and affordably provide every service your move will require, you won’t find a better option than IVL.

IVL handles local (under 100 miles) and long-distance (over 100 miles) moves alike. And since IVL has nationwide availability, it can get you from point A to point B no matter where the two points are. IVL boasts over 3,000 global partners, so it’s even a great option if you’re moving internationally. We love a company that lives up to its name.

From crane lifts and piano transport to full-service packing and car shipping, International Van Lines can handle all aspects of your move. Additional highlights include easy online and over-the-phone moving quotes, both short- and long-term storage options (plus 30 days of free storage), and junk and debris removal.

We like to give you choices, so we decided to give you another option for top pick. Colonial Van Lines is one of the best professional moving companies because it specializes in cross-country and out-of-state moves. Plus, Colonial ensures that every client, regardless of the distance, receives the support they need, including a dedicated Account Manager to guide them through each step of the process.

What truly sets Colonial Van Lines apart is its in-depth training program at Colonial Van Lines University (CVLU). Every employee undergoes an intensive two to four weeks of training, ensuring they are fully equipped to handle everything from standard household items to delicate and specialty goods. Customers can benefit, too. The company offers short courses on preparing personal belongings for the move. This ensures a smooth and efficient relocation, whether you're packing up a home or an office.

Another reason Colonial Van Lines excels is its commitment to transparency and customer satisfaction. Its binding estimates offer peace of mind, locking in the moving costs upfront and eliminating surprises on moving day. With the ability to adjust the estimate if circumstances change and a price match guarantee against qualified competitors, Colonial offers both flexibility and competitive pricing.

Like IVL, American Van Lines has exceptional customer service. It only scored slightly behind IVL in Newsweek’s best customer service rankings. American Van Lines also brings deluxe moving services to the table and uses a pricing system that ensures you always know exactly how much you’ll pay.

In addition to typical moving services like packing, delivery, and storage, American Van Lines offers deluxe options that are a little harder to find. Some of the American Van Lines' more uncommon services include antique moving, fine art shipping, and professional piano delivery, making it a fantastic option if you’re moving with exceptionally costly items.

The company uses a flat-rate pricing system, meaning that once you get your estimate, your price won’t go up from there. Most companies won’t give you that same peace of mind.

North American Van Lines—also called northAmerican—has been in the moving business for over 88 years, and this wealth of experience really shows through in stellar customer reviews. Customers frequently praise the company’s reasonable pricing and friendly moving crews. The best part is that northAmerican lets you tailor your moving services to perfectly fit your unique needs and budget.

You can take on just about any task your move will require instead of paying northAmerican’s crews to do it, the only thing northAmerican won’t let you do is drive the truck. You can also hire northAmerican to do just about anything you don’t want to do yourself. Deluxe treatment like this costs extra, but it means you can sit back and relax while professionals do everything for you.

North American Van Lines also lets you track your shipment using its GPS system. Most movers don’t. If you’re the type of person who craves constant updates about deliveries—and who isn’t, really?—then North American Van Lines might be the best mover for you.

Allied Van Lines has been doing business for almost 100 years. Longevity like that is one of the best trust signals in the moving industry since scammy movers don’t stick around very long. Additionally, Allied makes it easier than just about any other moving company to get a virtual quote, so you can quickly determine if moving with Allied will work for your budget.

Unfortunately, Allied’s customer reviews are some of the lowest among those for companies on this list, and these reviews run the full gamut of bad experiences: late deliveries, damaged goods, bad customer service, etc. On average, customers are less satisfied with Allied’s service than that of IVL or northAmerican. That said, because moving prices can vary by region, Allied might be the most affordable option in your area.

Moving storage is one area where Allied pulls ahead of its competition. The company’s storage facilities are climate-controlled, equipped with alarms, and include 24-hour security. The best part is that you can store with Allied short-term (only a few weeks) or long-term (basically as long as you’re willing to pay for it). This makes Allied one of your best options if your move will require storage services and you want to ensure your stuff is in good hands.

PODS is the very best container company money can hire if you want some of the convenience of hiring a full-service mover mixed with some of the affordability of a DIY move. 

DIY movers love container moving companies because they offer the flexibility to pack and load your belongings on your own time without requiring you to do the actual driving your delivery will require. Moving containers can even double as flexible, on-site storage solutions (say, for home staging or renovation projects).

PODS isn’t the most affordable moving and storage container company. That would be Zippy Shell. However, PODS prices are still a little below the industry average. And when paired with PODS’ durable containers, wide availability, and great customer reviews, the company’s rates are honestly stellar.

Additionally, Move.org readers can knock at least 10% off their PODS price by calling (855) 706-4758 or using the promo code MOVEORG when they book online.

Penske is the best rental truck company in the country. Of all the moving services you can choose from, renting a moving truck will save you the most money, but you’ll have to handle all the packing, loading, and driving yourself. If all this labor doesn’t intimidate you, then renting a moving truck is a great option for you. 

If you’re moving over 100 miles, then renting a Penske truck is the cheapest way to get it done. The company’s rates for one-way truck rentals are about $130 below the industry average. Additionally, Penske has an impressive selection of discounts for students, military members, and AAA members, so you might be able to snag an even lower price. If you’re moving locally, we recommend getting a quote from Budget as well as Penske. We’ve found that Budget’s rates are the industry’s best for moves under 100 miles.

Penske’s customer reviews are the best—or rather, the least bad—in this category. Its average customer score is more than one full star higher than almost any direct competitor. The only company that comes close to Penske’s customer ratings is Enterprise which only offers local truck rentals.

Montway Auto Transport is our choice for the best car shipping company. If you’ve already got a plan for moving your household goods but you’re not sure how to move your vehicle(s), we recommend hiring a car shipping company, especially if your moving company doesn’t offer auto transportation.

Montway’s auto transport rates are some of the lowest. They sit 5% below the industry average. And our favorite thing about Montway is that, despite its low prices, it doesn’t compromise on customer service.

Montway’s customer reviews are mostly positive, and the company even takes time to respond to every negative review, offering advice and options for rectification if something legitimately went wrong with a customer’s experience. Few companies in any industry match that kind of dedication to their past customers.

Services like the company’s guaranteed pickup dates (few auto shippers offer this) and comprehensive carrier vetting can help put your worries to rest before and during your transport job. Montway also provides a lot of shipping coverage for your vehicle in case something goes wrong.

HireAHelper is our choice for the best moving labor company. Think of this company as an Uber-type service for hiring helping hands. Sometimes the most stressful part of a move is simply packing and loading your belongings into a moving truck or container. Professional moving laborers work fast and let you spend your energy organizing and planning instead of lifting furniture and boxes.

HireAHelper is quite a bit pricier than Dolly and TaskRabbit, two of its biggest competitors. Exact rates vary depending on which laborers you hire through any of the three services, but on average, HireAHelper’s rates are roughly double those of the other two. However, that extra cost does get you better service. All of the movers on HireAHelper are licensed and insured. The other two companies let amateurs register.

Of the three moving labor companies we’ve mentioned, HireAHelper is the most widely available. It connects users with movers in over 1,000 major cities, and it’s available in all 50 states. Dolly and TaskRabbit operate in less than 100 cities.

The total cost of your move depends on four main factors:

• Type of move: Professional movers cost the most, while container moves are less pricey. If you’re looking to save every penny, rent a moving truck for a DIY move.
• Home size: The more stuff you own, the more it’ll cost to move it. Expect to pay more if you own a larger home.
• Moving distance: The farther you move, the higher your moving costs. Cross country moves can be several times more expensive than a local move in the same zip code.
• Time of year: Summertime is peak moving season, which means availability goes down and costs go up. If you want to save, try to move between September and April.

Because of all these factors, you can’t know exactly how much your move will cost until you start getting quotes. That’s why you should get estimates from at least three moving companies. And beware of unusually low quotes—if a company’s moving estimate sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

If you can afford the convenience of a professional mover, hire the best: International Van Lines. No other moving company can compete with IVL. But ultimately, choosing the right moving company for your move will depend on what services you really need—and which ones you really don’t. Additionally, getting quotes from multiple moving companies is the only sure-fire way to find the best price. Request estimates from a few companies on this list to ensure you get what you need at a price that works for you.

Other moving companies we recommend:

• JK Moving Services
• United Van Lines
• 1-800-PACK-RAT
• Zippy Shell
• U-PACK
• Budget Truck Rental

Move.org evaluates and identifies the moving industry’s best moving services using a fivefold research approach:

• Compare pricing transparency. We gather quotes, check for binding estimates, and read customer reviews about pricing to ensure each moving company’s prices are trustworthy.
• Review accreditation. We check every company’s records in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s database to confirm companies are properly authorized to transport household goods.
• Mystery shopping. We review every company’s website, pose as customers in calls to companies, and read customer reviews to analyze every company’s moving services, transit protection, and customer service. We also interview actual customers to learn how their moves went from start to finish.
• Site visits. We invite moving companies to our headquarters in Salt Lake City, UT, to share data and expertise. We verify the information they provide by comparing it to data gathered through independent research and interviews with other movers.
• Regular review. We routinely repeat this process to update our recommendations to reflect current data and trends. We also revise each review annually and make updates throughout the year.

• The Best Long-Distance Moving Companies
• Best Apartment Moving Companies
• Cheapest Moving Container Companies
• Questions to Ask Before Hiring Movers

• How Do I Transport My Car Cross Country?
• How Do I Pay for My Move?
• Do I Need Moving Insurance?
• What is a Moving Permit (and When Do I Need One)?
• How Do I Update My License When I Move?
• How Do I File a Damage Claim with My Moving Company?
• How Do I Plan a Moving Road Trip?

Asha Kennedy and Kurt Manwaring both contributed to this article.