Best Long-Distance & Cross-Country Moving Companies 2025

Allied Van Lines, Colonial Van Lines, and United Van Lines are our top three picks for the best out-of-state moving companies, but we included several reputable companies with different strengths so you can find the best one to fit your moving needs. We prioritized customer service and experience, pricing transparency and accuracy, industry reputation, and perks like free storage to find movers that make your upcoming cross-country move less of a headache.

For nearly a decade, we've thoroughly evaluated long-distance moving companies to help you find the best option for your move. Our research includes:

• Looking at pricing transparency.
• Validating proper licensing and accreditation.
• Analyzing customer reviews.
• Getting real-life input from people who've moved with the companies we recommend.

We also conduct mystery shopping sessions and have recently used some companies we review for personal moves.

• If you want the cheapest option, North American Van Lines has the least expensive average quote.
• If you don't want to pay a deposit, go with North American Van Lines, Mayflower, Allied or United.
• If you want an extra discount from Move.org, go with Colonial Van Lines, International Van Lines, or American Van Lines.
• Most of these options will work for moves within the continental US. If you need services to/from Alaska or Hawaii, International Van Lines can help.
• If you're moving internationally, go with International Van Lines, North American, Mayflower, Allied, or United.

1. Cost. You need to balance reasonable prices with the services offered. Costs for a professional mover can vary from $1,200 up to $29,000, depending on how many miles you're moving and the size of your home. To some extent, you want your full-service move to be "expensive." Maybe not "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" expensive, but pricey enough to feel confident your movers didn't skip steps that could lead to late delivery or damaged items. Check out our Moving Cost guide to see average prices by distance and type of move.
2. Binding estimates. Pay special attention to nationwide companies like American Van Lines that offer binding quotes. The guarantee means your price won’t change after signing on the dotted line—as long as you don’t have any major changes (like adding more items to the home inventory) that you and the movers agreed on during the quote process.
3. Affordable deposit. Many moving companies charge a deposit, which can be from 10% up to 50% of the total cost. Make sure to choose a company that matches your budget. If you pay a deposit, make sure you understand the policies if you need to cancel or change your move.
4. Customer service. Pay attention to how the company communicates with you when getting a quote. Ask what kind of communication to expect—and when—before you book. If you're moving on the weekend, consider a company that offers 24/7 customer support. 
5. Perks. Look for companies like International Van Lines that go the extra mile by giving you 30 days of free storage. Other worthwhile perks include real-time GPS tracking, supplemental insurance, and special discounts.
6. Timelines. Depending on the company, moving timelines can vary based on the logistics of your move. If you need to have your move completed by a specific date, you may need to pay an extra cost for a guaranteed delivery date, so be sure to ask about that when you get quotes. Also, depending on your location, getting a guaranteed delivery date isn't always an option.
7. Carriers vs. brokers. Simply put, carriers have their own moving van fleets and in-house moving staff, while brokers coordinate with other companies. You should always check a company's licensing status and reputation before you sign a contract or pay a deposit. For more details, check out our article on the difference between moving carriers and brokers.

For more information about moving quotes, check out What Goes Into a Moving Estimate? and How to Do a Home Inventory.

Allied Van Lines stands out for its convenience, offering virtual in-home estimates and being one of the few moving companies that doesn’t require a deposit. Over the past 15 years, Allied has helped approximately 750,000 families move, earning a spot on our list of best long-distance moving companies every year since 2016.¹

Though it has fewer customer reviews than you might expect from a company nearly 100 years old, Allied excels in features that simplify the moving process, such as storage options, virtual quote options, and packing supplies. Its network of 400 local agents ensures efficient service across the country, and it offers some of the best storage solutions in the industry.

The only downside is Allied’s limited customer reviews, which represent less than one percent of all moves Allied performs each year and tend to score lower than some competitors. However, certain carriers in its network receive near-perfect ratings, so we recommend checking reviews for the specific Allied Van Lines carrier you plan to use.

Allied Van Lines was put to the test with Wilder, who received a Move.org Moving Grant to help with his move from Nashville, Tennessee to Plano, Texas. Wilder's experience with Allied was just what he’d hoped for: “fast, easy, and cheap.” The company offered the lowest price, the move was quicker than expected, and customer service was overwhelmingly positive.

Even with a few minor hiccups, Wilder said he would definitely hire Allied again and recommend the company to others.

We really like Allied Van Lines' Virtual Moving In-Home estimate service. Instead of scheduling an in-home visit for your quote, you can opt for a video chat appointment. A moving coordinator guides you through showing your home using your phone’s camera, and they use this to create your estimate. While a final binding quote still requires an in-person visit, the virtual option gives you a price idea upfront and saves time if you choose not to move forward with Allied.

Ready to book a move with no deposit needed?

Colonial Van Lines is one of our favorite choices for long-distance moving, offering a range of services and options like packing, storage, and specialized care for items like antiques and art. Colonial specializes in out-of-state moves, working only with customers crossing state lines. Moving deposits usually land around 40%, but the more services you add, the more that deposit covers.

If you (like me) prefer to do research without having to talk to somebody, this is the only company that provided an instant estimate when I filled out their online quote form. 

What sets it apart is Colonial's commitment to education. Movers undergo extensive hands-on training at the company's two-bedroom training facility, while customers benefit from a dedicated Account Manager to help them through the moving process.

Relocating families and businesses nationwide requires careful planning, skilled hands, and strategic thinking, which is why Colonial Van Lines invests in comprehensive training through its own institution, Colonial Van Lines University (CVLU).

Every new team member undergoes an immersive training program lasting two to four weeks at CVLU. Moreover, Colonial extends the benefits of CVLU to its customers. Quick courses are available for packing valuable items like dressers, chairs, appliances, books, fine china, and clothing—giving you the benefit of expert knowledge when preparing your possessions for relocation.

We recommend choosing a moving company that offers binding estimates, like Colonial Van Lines, to avoid unexpected price changes after signing. Colonial’s estimates are guaranteed, but you can adjust them with the Quality Assurance team up until your moving date—perfect for adding or removing services like packing based on your needs.

Colonial calculates final binding quotes based on factors like load weight, locations, and moving dates to give you the most accurate pricing. As long as none of those things change, you can expect to pay what you were quoted, with no costly surprises. Colonial even offers a price match guarantee for qualified lower quotes from a competitor.

Ready to start your move with Colonial Van Lines?

United Van Lines is a leading choice for your upcoming long-distance relocation with full-value protection on every move, an extensive list of services, and no need to pay a hefty deposit.

The company provides a comprehensive range of services for cross-country moves, including auto transport, home cleaning, storage, and full-service packing. This makes United an excellent option for anyone seeking a convenient, one-stop shopping experience for their move.

We especially like United's wide network of agents that can help you move across the country or across town. I used United for a recent local move and was pleasantly surprised at how easy and affordable it was. In fact, my final cost was a little bit less than the estimate I was given. 

We got to learn about United Van Lines firsthand with Kerry, one of the recipients of our Moving Grant. Overall, United met our expectations. Most of the staff were efficient and punctual, and every customer service representative was helpful throughout the process. On top of that, United exceeded its reputation for pricing transparency by lowering Kerry's estimate and sticking to that price.

I got to put United's local moving services to the test in Spokane, Washington. I needed to move my belongings I had in storage to a new apartment. After I requested my quote, I got a call within 24 hours. I was able to explain my situation and get a quote on the spot. On the day of the move, my moving crew (known as "Dr. Phil and son") was on time, friendly, and careful with my belongings. Best of all, I ended up paying almost $100 less than my estimate.

See how competitive a quote from United Van Lines is!

International Van Lines is one of our picks for the best long-distance moving companies. It offers nationwide moving services, gives multiple types of discounts, and even throws in 30 days of free storage.

International Van Lines can also trim hundreds of bucks off car shipping services if you can be flexible about timing. On the downside, the company gets lower-than-average customer reviews and has a lot of distracting pop-up ads that can take away from the online experience.

International Van Lines doesn’t try to hide its prices. The company’s website is filled with sample moving quotes for nationwide moving routes. Plus, IVL is transparent with us about how its pricing works—a rare quality in cross-country movers.

Pricing for a long-distance, full-service move doesn’t work the same way as services like moving container companies or truck rentals. Instead of looking for the lowest price, spending more on a full-service move can mean more protection for your belongings (and fewer aches for your back). 

Avoid national moving companies that refuse to break down services and prices for you. International Van Lines will tell you anything you want to know about costs. That gives you the power to make an informed decision.

International Van Lines offers impressive discounts that can save you hundreds—or even thousands—of dollars on your move. While discounts might not seem remarkable at first glance, they make a big impact on large expenses like long-distance moves.

For example, IVL’s 15% senior discount could save $1,200 on an $8,000 move. Combine that with DIY packing, and your savings could add up fast. Here are the discounts IVL offers:

• Move.org reader discount
• Military
• Seniors
• Students
• Law enforcement
• First responders
• Auto shipping

See if you can save with IVL today.

Safeway Moving gets some of the most positive customer review scores in the long-distance moving industry. In addition to 4-star reviews, price-matching, and 30 days of free storage, Safeway donates a portion of every move's costs to St. Jude's to fight childhood cancer.

Founded by a military veteran and a moving industry pro, we really like Safeway's mission to give back on top of making moving easier for people who are relocating. Our only complaint is some inconsistencies about final costs and on-time deliveries.

Safeway Moving says that long-distance moves come with up to 30 days of free storage. This can be a lifesaver if you have some downtime between when you have to be out of your old place and when you can move into your new home. You’ll want to check with the company for specific details, but moving storage is helpful in many situations:

• Home staging
• Remodel
• Late closing date
• Emergency relocation
• Corporate relocation
• Downsizing

If you're wondering which moving company on this list has the best reviews, it's Safeway Moving. Safeway has the highest review scores on Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of any long-distance mover on our list. Although there are caveats—the company's BBB rating has fluctuated from B- to D- and then up to C throughout December 2024. According to the BBB, the dings to Safeway's rating are due to how long it takes Safeway to respond to customer complaints and one complaint that hasn't had any response from the company.

Safeway Moving offers at least seven different ways to get a discount on your move, including breaks for military members, seniors, influencers, and Move.org readers. We estimate that you could save between $200 and $5,000 on your move, depending on what you qualify for.

Looking for a company with some of the best customer reviews?

Mayzlin Relocation is the youngest company on our list, but we like it for its competitive pricing, lower deposit requirement, and abundant discount options. We think Mayzlin is a good choice if you’re looking for an affordable moving company and you’re willing to give a newbie a chance.

Many long-distance movers charge a hefty deposit of up to 50% for out-of-state moves. But Mayzlin Relocation sticks to a more affordable 25%. Moving cross-country is already expensive, so a lower initial deposit makes a big difference. On top of that, you can get a full refund for your deposit up to seven days before your moving date.

Mayzlin Relocation sales agents do everything they can to make your long-distance move cheaper. Along with discounts for early booking, Mayzlin will price match with any reputable carrier.

You may also be in luck if another customer cancels their move and Mayzlin needs to fill that slot. Ask your sales agent about potential savings while you're getting your quote!

Discounts offered by Mayzlin include:

• Move.org reader discount
• Military
• Senior
• Membership discounts (AAA, AARP, Costco, etc.)
• Student
• Teacher
• Law enforcement
• First responder
• Early reservation discount
• Tariff discounts

American Van Lines is our value pick thanks to its flat-rate pricing. These long-distance movers don’t tack on fees for every service—and they don't skimp on the things you need to keep your stress level low and your belongings safe. American charges a flat rate and lets you use all of its many moving services (including piano moving). The company also background checks its workers (including drug tests and background screenings). The catch? American doesn’t have GPS tracking, and its customer service reps are available only on weekdays.

American Van Lines specializes in moving large and heavy instruments long distances. They know all the tricks of the trade to ensure that your piano arrives undamaged—and in tune.

For example, did you know that professional movers should disassemble pianos before moving them? It’s a lot different than mental images of workers loading a baby grand onto a moving truck. American Van Lines trains its staff to disassemble, load, transport, unload, and reassemble your piano in working condition.

Best of all—you don’t pay extra thanks to AVL's flat-rate pricing.

American Van Lines’ flat-rate prices can save you time and money. Some state-to-state movers upsell you on services you don't need to make extra cash. 

Not so with American Van Lines. The company charges a single upfront rate based on the distance you're moving, the weight of your belongings, and any extra services. 

For example, let’s say you get a quote from American Van Lines—and another company that doesn’t use flat-rate pricing:

It’s easy to see how your invoice looks cleaner (imagine a bill with two dozen extra line items). Plus, you can save money if you use enough high-end services.

AVL’s across state movers are top-of-the-line professionals. The company puts every potential long-distance mover through an intense pre-hire screening process, including background checks and drug testing. Those who make the cut arrive at your home wearing uniforms that identify them as American Van Lines professionals.

Looking for premium quality at a great price?

Mayflower has over 95 years of experience in the long-distance moving industry. Packing, crating, car shipping, even connecting and disconnecting electronics—Mayflower does it all. 

If you've got a daunting cross-country move ahead of you, it’s tough to find a more comprehensive moving experience than Mayflower can provide.

That is, if you have the budget.

While every company on this list can provide a full-service moving package, Mayflower just does it better than most. With one of its full-service moving packages, you can hire Mayflower to manage your move so you’re freed up to work on tackling other priorities.

Each full-service move includes the following:

• Assigned move coordinator
• Full-Value Protection (unless waived)
• Standard transport of appliances
• Qualified drivers and equipment
• Loading, transport, and unloading of household belongings
• Disassembly and reassembly of standard bed frames
• Standard furniture placement

Here is what you can expect in terms of pricing:

These full-service moving packages are offered on top of an already comprehensive list of services, all carried out by Mayflower’s highly qualified agent networks.

• Packing
• Unpacking
• Trash and debris removal
• Storage
• Car shipping
• Speciality items
• Crating
• Electronics installation
• Move protection

A common frustration consumers face when moving across the country is not knowing exactly where their belongings are. Thankfully, Mayflower has you covered with its shipment tracking portal. All you need is your order number and last name to get an update on where your household items are on their journey to your new home. 

Hand the keys to your move over to Mayflower today!

North American Van Lines lets you pick and choose moving services. That’s a big deal because some companies charge you for everything whether you need it or not. This long-distance mover even has plans with supplemental insurance coverage. Not surprisingly, North American gets exceptionally high customer review scores.

However, North American's website is clunky, and it’s tough to nail down the cost of your deposit.

North American Van Lines lets you pick and choose which moving services you want. For example, do you want to save a couple of thousand dollars by packing your belongings yourself? North American is okay with that (many companies aren’t).

The same thing goes for other cross-country moving services too. If you’re up to the task of unloading your items, the North American Van Lines crew is happy to let you do the work.

Put it all together, and you can choose which local or long-distance moving services you want to pay for:

• Packing services
• Packing supplies
• Loading
• Unloading
• Climate-controlled storage
• Installation and assembly services
• Debris removal

North American Van Lines makes it easy to know where your household goods are even when you're states away. Once your move is in progress, the company will provide you with a six-digit registration number. Just plug that number into North American’s tracking website, and it will tell you where your belongings are.

A company bragging about 24/7 customer support sounds pretty standard in most industries, but it's almost unheard of in long-distance moving. And yet, that’s what North American Van Lines brings to the table.

In most cases, if your belongings arrive on a Saturday, you'll need to wait until Monday to sort out any issues. But North American always keeps someone on call—a feature that keeps its customers happy across the board.

Want to customize your move?

Although Solomon & Sons is available across the country, it shines the brightest on the East Coast. Its sales team will expertly guide you through the quoting process to a guaranteed price based on your unique moving needs across state lines.

The sales team at Solomon & Sons really delivers a superior quoting experience. Because it's based in South Florida, Solomon can perform a detailed in-home estimate, which gives you a more accurate quote. But for folks in other areas, Solomon & Sons can set up a video call and run through a list of questions to start organizing your long-distance move.

Even more impressive, Solomon & Sons can provide its services in five different languages: Russian, Spanish, French, Hebrew, and English.

While Solomon & Sons is a nationwide mover, folks in Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming are out of luck. 

When it comes to moves originating from regions other than the East Coast, chances are your move will be brokered to one of Solomon's seven highly-vetted partners. This is a common practice for moving companies this size that are looking to take their services nationwide—but it does increase the risk of poor communication or surprise charges as your move changes hands.

Ready to start your East Coast move with Solomon & Sons?

Check out our reviews of some other companies that we looked at during our evaluation and mystery shopping but didn't make the final cut for our best-of roundup:

• Atlas Van Lines
• Bekins Van Lines, Inc.
• Bellhop
• First National Van Lines
• Interstate Moving & Relocation Group
• JK Moving Services
• Moving APT
• Two Men and a Truck

Check out our Ultimate Moving Checklist for a more detailed timeline and tips. Here is a rough timeline:

Two months before your move

• Give yourself plenty of time. 
• Get moving supplies.
• Create a home inventory.
• Choose move type according to your budget.

Six weeks before your move

• Understand the difference between moving brokers and carriers.
• Get moving estimates and compare. 
• Watch for moving scams.
• Decide and book your mover.

One month before your move

• Declutter and donate unwanted items. 

Two weeks before your move

• Set up utilities. 
• Notify important parties of your change of address. 

Moving day

• Use our Moving Day Checklist so you don't miss anything.

In late 2024, Move.org adopted an updated, more rigorous editorial strategy. This change included new editorial leadership and in-depth data collection and analysis from a dedicated data analyst. Our new approach is rooted in cutting through the noise to provide readers with honest, unfiltered information and reviews they can rely on. We are committed to bringing expert-backed insights that go beyond surface-level research.

We aim to clarify misleading marketing, uncover real customer experiences, and highlight the best each company offers. We know that moving is a deeply personal experience, and that’s why we’re on a mission to identify the good, the bad, and the ugly so you can find the cross-country mover that meets your unique needs—while avoiding the common pitfalls that can be both financially and emotionally costly. Here’s how we do it:

1. In-depth research and mystery shopping.
2. Industry verification and regulatory compliance.
3. Real-world moving experiences.
4. Collaboration with moving companies and cross-verification.
5. Ongoing monitoring and updates.
6. A 5-point rating systems that looks at pricing and value, customer service and experience, services and extras, availability and scheduling, and reputation.

To learn more about how we evaluate and review cross-country moving companies, read our full methodology.

After spending months interviewing, researching, and comparing long-distance moving companies across the U.S., three rose to the top of our 2025 recommendations: Allied Van Lines, Colonial Van Lines, and United Van Lines. Each of these companies can service moves to and from most states and have been found to treat their customers with transparency, respect, and care.

• Allied Van Lines is our best overall interstate mover. It's one of the most experienced moving companies out there and we like that you don't need to fork over a chunk of cash to book your move.
• Colonial Van Lines scores a top spot thanks to how easy it is to get an instant online quote. It's one of the only companies we've found that will give you a ballpark estimate seconds after hitting "Submit."
• United Van Lines has been helping people move for almost 100 years. We like that it can help you with long-distance or local moves, and (in our experience) it gives fair quotes and even ends up charging less than expected sometimes.

Want to move with Move.org’s top pick?

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1. Allied Van Lines, "Home page," Accessed December 16, 2024.