There are several moving companies worth considering if you live in Alabama. You have thousands of choices, but they offer slightly different services, quality, and pricing. International Van Lines is our pick for the best Alabama mover. However, there are some other top-notch professional moving choices as well. We’ve compiled a list of the best moving services in Alabama.
Compare Alabama moving companies
Moving company | Move type | Move.org rating | Cost | Learn more |
| Full-service (long distance) | 
| $$$$ | Check Prices Check Prices | |
| Full-service (local) | 
| $$$ | Check Prices Check Prices | |
| Moving container | 
| $$$ | Check Prices Check Prices | |
| Truck rental | 
| $$ | Check Prices Check Prices | |
| Hourly labor | 
| $$ | Check Prices Check Prices |
International Van Lines—Best long-distance moving company
International Van Lines is our pick for the best long-distance moving company. It can move you anywhere in the country and is upfront about its prices (most moving companies aren’t). IVL also offers substantial discounts if you’re a senior or need to ship a car. Plus, the moving company provides 30 days of free storage to provide a buffer when moving into your new home. On the downside, it has below-average customer reviews and annoying website pop-up ads.
Pros
Transparent pricing
Local and long-distance moving
15% car shipping discount
15% senior discount
30 days of free storage 
Cons
Below-average customer reviews
Annoying pop-up ads First National Van Lines—Best local moving company
First National Van Lines is our pick for the best local moving company. While most moving brokers focus on helping you move between states, FNVL’s expertise enables you to move within the same state. It has a network of movers in nearly all US cities and receives above-average customer reviews. First National Van Lines can also give you a quote virtually or in person and provides attractive storage options. For example, it offers all customers a free month of storage and a remote video stream of their storage space. On the downside, FNVL’s website isn’t always up-to-date.
Pros
Services most U.S. cities
Excellent customer reviews
In-home and virtual quotes
30 days of free storage
Remote video storage Cons
Out-of-date website PODS—Best moving container company
PODS is one of your best moving options. Think of the company’s containers as storage units that you can hang onto until you've set a date with a driver to pick up and hook onto the back of a specialized truck. A PODS truck drops off a moving container at your home. Once you load it, PODS picks the container up and transports it to your new home, where you unload it. The container company has top-notch customer reviews, excellent storage options, and nationwide availability. And despite confusing invoices, PODS has some of the lowest rates for moving containers in the United States. In some cases, it's even more convenient and cheaper than rental trucks.
Pros
Low prices
Multiple container sizes
Lots of storage options
Positive customer reviews
46-state availability Cons
Confusing prices Penske—Best moving truck company
Penske Truck Rental is our pick for the best moving truck company. Renting a truck is the cheapest way to move, and Penske brings a lot to the table. It offers local and long-distance moving services everywhere in the country (except Alaska), provides reliable reservations, and has moving discounts. In addition, Penske has the highest customer satisfaction rating of any rental truck company. So if you’re able to pack, load, and drive, there’s no better option than Penske Truck Rental.
Pros
Lowest moving prices
Local and long-distance rentals
Excellent customer reviews
Moving discounts
Reliable reservations Cons
No service in Alaska HireAHelper—Best hourly moving labor company
HireAHelper is an excellent solution if you need help with only a few parts of the moving process. The company’s professional contractors can help you with everything from packing and loading to furniture assembly and junk removal. It’s also easy to find, with nearly 5,000 locations in all 50 states. Plus, HireAHelper movers get excellent customer reviews. Just be aware that you must hire your workers for at least two hours. It’s not cheap compared to other hourly moving labor companies, but customer reviews suggest the premium price is worth it.
Pros
Professional contractors
Packing and loading services
4,750+ locations
50-state availability
Positive customer reviews Cons
High prices
Two-hour minimum Move.org's top pick
International Van Lines is our pick for the best long-distance moving service. It has a vast network of cross-country movers, provides one month of free storage, and offers military and senior discounts. Want to move with Move.org's #1 pick?
What type of moving company is right for you?
Professional movers
They handle it all.
Professional movers load your stuff, ship it to your new home, and unload it all for you. It’s the easiest—but most expensive—option. Learn more.
Containers
You load, they ship.
You load up all your belongings, but the movers transport your container to your new home. It’s the middle road for effort and cost. Learn more.
Moving truck rentals
You do all the work.
Worried about costs? Rent a truck, load it yourself, drive it to your new home, and unload all your things. You do it all—and save a lot. Learn more.
What to know about living in Alabama
Population
Alabama is home to approximately five million residents. It has a growth rate of 0.3%,1 and the average age is 39.2 Alabama’s most-represented ethnic groups are White, African American, and Latino. About 14% of Alabamans live in a different house than one year ago,1 and roughly 640,000 people moved last year—including 530,000 residents relocating from one Alabama city to another.3
Welcome to SEC college football!
The University of Alabama Crimson Tide belongs to the Southeastern Conference. It has a long history under coach Nick Saban of defeating teams like Ohio State, Penn State, NC State, and Oklahoma State.
Employment
The median household income in Alabama is around $52,040. Only about 57% of the state participates in the labor force,1 and the state added approximately 42,000 payroll jobs last year.4 The Yellowhammer State’s largest industries are food services, education, and construction. The highest-paying non-medical occupations are securities, software publishing, and pipeline transportation. Alabama’s wealthiest counties include Shelby County, Madison County, and Limestone County, while the poorest areas are Perry County, Hale County, and Sumter County.2
How do I ship my motorcycle?
The best motorcycle shipping companies can transport your car from California cities like North Hollywood or Beverly Hills to anywhere in the country.
Cost of living
It’s cheaper to live in Alabama than almost anywhere else in the United States. Only Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Kansas have a lower overall cost of living. Grocery bills top the list of Alabama’s most expensive items but still ranks well below the national average. Its least costly spending categories include housing and health costs.5 The median property value is approximately $150,000,1 and homeownership rates are about 5% above the national average.2
Politics
Alabama is a heavily-Republican state. More than half of residents identify with the GOP, while only 35% of the state leans Democratic.6 Republicans showed even better in the 2020 presidential election, with Donald Trump securing 62% of the vote. Alabama’s reddest counties are Winston county, Cleburne County, and Blount County, while its bluest regions include Macon County, Greene County, and Perry County.2
Which long-distance movers have the best quality?
American Van Lines is our pick for the highest-quality interstate moving company. It’s expensive, but the company has decades of experience moving high-value items like pianos and artwork.
Best movers Alabama FAQ
International Van Lines and PODS are some of the best moving services. IVL is known for its long-distance movers, while PODS makes waves for its affordable rates.
Alabama is famous for many things, including college football and Southern hospitality. The Crimson Tide regularly rank higher in the AP Top 25 than competitors like Texas A&M, Ole Miss, and Notre Dame.
The best ways to move between Alabama and another state depend on whether you value price or convenience. The cheapest moving container companies can often save you thousands of dollars, while professional companies provide top-to-bottom moving services for a premium.
The cost to move to Alabama ranges from hundreds to thousands of dollars. Motivated movers like JK Moving Services charge you a premium to do all the work, while cheap rental truck companies charge minimal rates if you put in the labor.
Alabama moving costs depend on moving distance, time of year, and home size. In addition, the number of services (like packing and furniture assembly) can also impact your final bill.
Methodology
We conducted intensive research to identify the best moving companies for long-distance moves and local moves, in addition to container moves, truck rentals, and hourly moving labor. During our searches, we:
- 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.
- Go 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.
- Perform 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.
- Set up regular reviews. 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.
Sources
- United States Census Bureau. “Quick Facts: Alabama.” Accessed October 17, 2022.
- Deloitte. “Data USA: Alabama.” Accessed October 17, 2022.
- United States Census Bureau, December 17, 2020. “Census Bureau Releases 2020 CPS ASEC Geographic Mobility Data.” Accessed October 17, 2022.
- United States Congress Joint Economic Committee, September 16, 2022. “Alabama Employment Report.” Accessed October 17, 2022.
- Missouri Economic Research and Information Center. “Cost of Living Data Series.” Accessed October 17, 2022.
- Pew Research Center. “Religious Landscape Study: Party Affiliation among Adults in Alabama.” Accessed October 17, 2022.
