Bottom line: U-Pack is in the middle of the pack of our favorite moving container companies in terms of pricing, but it's got 50-state availability and excellent customer reviews.
U-Pack 2024 Review: Pricing & Services
We analyzed more than 300 quotes and 16,000 reviews over 3 years to select U-Pack as one of the best moving container companies.
Kurt simplifies moving with nearly a decade of research experience. His writing appears in USA Today, Slate, and Martha Stewart Living. He holds an MPA.
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6 min read
Reviewed ByRebecca Edwards
Pros
Excellent customer reviews
Nationwide availability
Extra insurance
$25 online discount 
Cons
No moves under 50 miles
No at-home storage U-Pack provides long-distance moving container services in all 50 states.
How does U-Pack compare to other companies?
Company | Least expensive quote | Median quote | Most expensive quote | # of states | Details |
|
$962
| $5033 | $14,712 | 46 | Check Prices | |
|
$973
| $4349 | $8708 | 37 | Check Prices | |
|
$1151
| $3065 | $7876 | 50 | Check Prices | |
|
$1170
| $2887 | $6572 | 30 | Check Prices | |
|
$1111
| $2743 | $6243 | 28 | Check Prices |
Data as of 6/2023. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Average cost calculated by comparing moving costs for four home sizes across six distances.
U-Pack has better review scores than any other container moving company. However, it isn't great for local moves and it has limited container options. That leads us to recommend U-Pack mainly if you can pay a little more for top-notch service or if you can’t find a better alternative in your area.
U-Pack pricing
The average cost to move with U-Pack is approximately $3,319. The company's moving price includes everything from transportation to equipment and delivery to coverage. For storage needs, you can work with a U-Pack rep to identify the best cost and option for your situation. Monthly storage (prices currently starting at $150 per container per month) will be listed as a separate item on the quote.
U-Pack includes basic liability coverage for fires or theft of the trailer or container, overturned trailers, and trailer collisions. You can also purchase additional insurance to protect against loss or damage resulting from carrier negligence.
U-Pack discounts
- $25 discount for online orders (Use promo code MOVE25)
- $25 discount for reading the U-Pack blog (use promo code BLOG25)
- $50 discount for military members (use promo code MIL50)
- Unspecified discounts for students and senior citizens
U-Pack moving container prices
Data as of March 2022. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Average cost calculated by comparing moving costs for four home sizes across six distances.
What to know about U-Pack
U-Pack is available nationwide
U-Pack is one of only two moving container companies available in all 50 states. In fact, many moving container companies with smaller service areas refer customers to U-Pack for moves that they can’t handle. It’s one of the company’s best features. Look how it stacks up to the competition:
U-Pack ReloCube availability compared to other companies
Data as of May 2022.
U-Pack gets excellent reviews
U-Pack moving reviews are exceptional. We analyzed thousands of them, and U-Pack scored better than any other container company. Consider 1-800-PACK-RAT, our second-ranked company. Customers give it an average rating of 2.4 out of 5 stars. U-Pack blows that out of the water with an industry-leading 3.5-star rating.
What do customers like about U-Pack?
We reviewed U-Pack ReloCube customer reports on 10 popular review sites like Google Reviews and Yelp. A few positive trends caught our eye:
- Safe delivery. U-Pack customers often express praise that their belongings arrive safely. Anyone who has moved before knows that damages are common in even the best circumstances. Safe delivery is a big deal.
- U-Pack costs more than other moving container companies. Still, customer reports indicate that the company can often save you big bucks compared to professional movers that charge upwards of $10,000.
- Many customers are caught off guard by how many belongings they could fit inside the U-Pack ReloCube. This surprises us, too, since the six-foot by eight-foot by seven-foot ReloCube is one of the industry’s smallest container sizes. But customers sometimes feel that the ReloCube is like Mary Poppins’s bag or Doctor Who’s TARDIS: it’s bigger on the inside.
U-Pack has extra insurance options
U-Pack includes no-cost general liability coverage for your move. However, the company also offers extra coverage to protect your belongings against negligence that leads to fires, overturned trailers, collisions, or theft.
The “carrier negligence liability” plans start at 10 cents per pound per item (meaning your 10-pound gold bar would have $1 worth of coverage). U-Pack’s fee schedule suggests that most customers select higher amounts (you can purchase coverage up to $3 per pound per item):1
U-Pack carrier negligence liability plans
Data as of May 2022. Individuals should review their rental contract—including addendums—for a complete description of the policy’s terms, conditions, and exclusions.
The U-Pack ReloCube is disappearing
U-Pack staked its claim to fame on the ReloCube—a metal weatherproof moving container measuring six feet long, eight feet wide, and seven feet tall. The U-Pack website is filled with videos about packing the ReloCube container, blogs with ReloCube tips, and marketing materials that highlight the space and strength of the U-Pack ReloCube compared to competitor models.
This video shows the manuverability of the ReloCube and how easy it fits into a parking space, walks you through U-Pack’s pay-what-you-use policy, and discusses its loading and moving process.
The only problem is that U-Pack rarely uses ReloCubes anymore. Most of U-Pack’s moves now use an ABF trailer instead of a ReloCube. The concept works the same. U-Pack will drop the trailer off at your home and deliver it to your new address. You can still use the trailers for storage, and our data even suggests that U-Pack’s trailers are cheaper than ReloCubes.
But it feels weird calling U-Pack a “moving container” company when the moving container doesn’t seem to be at the heart of its business.
The service you get from U-Pack, whether you get a trailer or a ReloCube is simliar. We’ve asked customers for their experiences with both. Take a look at these examples of a U-Pack move of a customer using a ReloCube and a moving trailer.
What is ABF U-Pack?
ABF U-Pack is a partnership between the freight transportation company, ABF, and the moving container company, U-Pack. Sometimes, the two entities also refer to themselves as a single company (“ABF U-Pack”).
Features and services
You can use the U-Pack ReloCube or moving trailer for several types of long-distance moving and portable storage services:
- Job relocation
- Military moves
- Senior moving
- Small moves
- Student moves
- On-site storage
Note: U-Pack doesn’t allow the use of its U-Pack ReloCube or ABF trailer for monthly storage on your property.
U-Pack sizes
We’ve been able to narrow U-Pack sizes down to five options measured in lengths ranging from 6 to 35 feet (the company doesn’t yet have reliable online information, so these details may change):
- 6-foot U-Pack Relocube
- 13-foot ABF U-Pack trailer
- 17-foot ABF U-Pack trailer
- 28-foot ABF U-Pack trailer
- 35-foot ABF U-Pack trailer
U-Pack at a glance
| Description | U-Pack information |
|---|---|
| Average price |
$4500
|
| At-home storage |  No |
| Facility storage |  Yes |
| U-Pack ReloCube materials | Metal weatherproof |
| # of containers | 1 ReloCube |
| # of states | 50 |
| Average customer review score (out of 5) | 
|
U-Pack international services
U-Pack provides long-distance moving services to and from Canada and Puerto Rico. However, facility storage is available for only customers residing in the United States. At-home storage options may vary on a case-by-case basis.
We recommend using a reputable international moving company if you need to transport your belongings overseas for a job relocation or permanent change of scenery.
U-Pack long-term review
U-Pack long-term pricing trends
U-Pack has turned around their prices in the past year. A few years ago, U-Pack was nearly the most expensive container company we reviewed. Now, they've lowered prices to an average quote of $3,319—more than $600 lower than the $3,948 national industry leader average.
While Zippy Shell and 1-800-PACK-RAT still have lower prices, U-Pack has poised itself as a well-priced, easily available option if you need a moving container.
Data as of 6/2023. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Average cost calculated by comparing moving costs for four home sizes across six distances over three years.
Additionally, U-Pack now uses trailers (rather than ReloCubes) for most of its moves and can no longer honor its delivery guarantee. That means you may see extra long delivery timelines.
Our recommendation
We recommend U-Pack if you're willing to pay a little more than some other companies for excellent customer service and safe delivery. Not only does U-Pack include basic liability insurance, but it also sells extra coverage if you want to protect your stuff against carrier negligence. U-Pack costs more than other moving container companies, but it’s easy to find with locations in all 50 states. U-Pack may no longer be our number one company, but it still brings a lot to the table.
U-Pack has the industry’s best customer reviews
U-Pack moving container FAQ
U-Pack moving services cost about $3,319. Prices vary depending on your home size, move distance, and storage duration.
U-Pack costs about $7,876 for a 5-bedroom cross-country move of 2,000 miles. You'd pay more if you used PODS or UNITS, and you'd pay less for Zippy Shell and 1-800-PACK-RAT.
U-Pack provides service for long-distance moves only. It considers a local move anything under 50 miles.
U-Pack trailer sizes vary based on what’s available when you place your order. The most common U-Pack trailers are 13 feet, 17 feet, and 35 feet long. However, U-Pack’s website also advertises a 28-foot trailer.2
No, U-Pack isn’t cheaper than a U-Haul truck. Its average $3,319 price tag is almost twice as expensive as a U-Haul moving truck.
Yes, the U-Pack ReloCube has more space than a U-Box container. For example, you need about four ReloCubes (or seven U-Box containers) to move a five-bedroom home.
U-Pack no longer offers its guaranteed delivery service (even though its website says it does).3 Before COVID-19, the U-Pack guarantee meant that the company would refund up to 100% of your transportation charges if it didn’t deliver on the scheduled date.
Methodology
Move.org follows a six-step process to identify the nation’s best moving container companies:
- Compare quotes. We obtained and analyzed nearly 300 quotes from 7 of the nation’s largest moving container companies over 3 years.
- Mystery shopping. We do a top-to-bottom analysis of each company’s website and even call posing as customers. It helps us get a feel for what real-life customers experience.
- Analyze reviews. We read dozens of reviews for each company to see what most impresses (and turns off) customers. We also conducted a meta-analysis of more than 16,000 reviews to calculate an industry customer review average.
- Pay real-life customers for honest feedback. Move.org routinely gives away $500 moving grants in exchange for candid feedback about using moving container companies.
- Site visits. We invite industry experts and company executives to visit our headquarters in Salt Lake City, UT. We grill them on everything from pricing and customer reviews to insurance coverage and the latest industry trends.
- Annual review. Every year, we repeat the process to ensure that our list of the best moving container companies stays current. That means our top recommendations and industry prices may change each year.
Recommended resources
People also asked
Other moving container picks
Our reports on U-Pack customers’ experiences
Sources
- U-Pack. “Liability Statement.” Accessed May 16, 2022.
- U-Pack. “How Big Is a U-Pack Moving Trailer?” Accessed May 10, 2022.
- U-Pack. “Guaranteed Delivery.” Accessed May 10, 2022.
