UNITS Moving and Portable Storage Review 2024

UNITS is a clear customer favorite, boasting hundreds of nearly perfect reviews from its customers. Additionally it offers competitive pricing, excellent container and storage options, and availability across 37 states.

There’s no doubt about it, UNITS is one of the most popular moving container companies in the industry, and their positive customer reviews prove it.

Move.org’s overall rating even places them a bit higher than some of our other favorites, like U-Pack and Zippy Shell.

Weather-resistant and secure containers, same-day delivery, and flexible storage options are some of its biggest selling points—while their customer-focused policies are the cherry on top.

For example, customers have the luxury of receiving 24/7 customer service, $10,000 base-level insurance, and both on-site and climate-controlled warehouse capability.

However, there are a couple areas where other companies outrank UNITS, like online (instant) quote options (think U-Box or U-Pack), nation-wide availability (UNITS is currently only available in 37 states), and container size options—both 1-800-PACKRAT and PODS offer three.

The average cost to move with UNITS is approximately $4,227. However, prices will vary depending on your home size and trip distance. And container availability will also vary by UNITS location. For example, you can move a one-bedroom apartment about 100 miles for as little as $973. On the other hand, it could cost you more than $8,700 to transport belongings from a five-room home across the country.

UNITS pricing is on the higher-end, but it’s pretty straightforward. However it comes with a drawback: different container options based on the location. And because each location is independently owned, you’ll find the discount options will also change according to the location.

For example, some locations offer options like “spring specials” and “free delivery,” while others do not. Additionally, the company advertises two container sizes, but some locations will only offer one size for long-distance moves.

And while the company is available in over 3,500 cities, they’re not available in all 50 states. They do not currently have offices in: New Mexico, Montana, Oregon, Vermont, New Hampshire, West Virginia, Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota, Maine, Rhode Island, Arkansas, and Mississippi.

On the bright side, no matter which location you do choose, you will have two coverage options when moving with UNITS:

1. Base liability. This will insure your UNITS container and its contents up to $10,000, which is included in all quotes.
2. Extra protection. You also have the option to add additional coverage exceeding $10,000, but the pricing will vary depending on your valuation.

Plus, 30 days of free storage is included in each quote. If you need more than 30 days (or exceed that amount), the company will charge about $289 per month for additional storage. You can choose between container sizes for storage, depending on your needs.

Despite the fact that PODS is our pick for the number one moving container business, we cannot deny that UNITS seems to be a clear customer favorite. Despite the fact that UNITS is only available in 37 states at the moment, customers consistently rave about the company for several reasons:

• Fair prices. including the fact that many locations offer specific discounts starting at 10% off, and up to $10,000 included insurance coverage in each quote, which rounds out to some extremely competitive pricing.
• Stellar service. UNITS has the highest customer review scores in the moving container industry that we’ve seen. Its customers appreciate both the affordability and helpful customer service that’s available seven days a week. We’ve even seen customers who received next-day delivery for their long-distance move.
• High-quality containers. Although UNITS only offers two different container sizes, they are of the highest quality to ensure your goods remain safe and dry across any climate. UNITS containers are made of steel and completely weather-resistant. Additionally, you even have the option of storing them in a climate-controlled facility when on-site storage isn’t an option.

Each UNITS location is independently owned and operated, which means you’ll find your service is even more personalized. You don’t have to worry about being referred to a large call center outside of your service area because the agents you talk to will be familiar with your location. Additionally, this means that each location can tailor their services to you, including providing seasonal discounts that would not necessarily be available at each location.

However, we should mention that this also means container availability and pricing can vary by location. For example, some locations will only offer one container size for long distance moves, and two for local storage.

Although the company only offers service in 37 states currently, they are consistently working to increase their service area to the entire nation. Additionally, UNITS uses their proprietary “ROBO-UNIT Delivery System” to place your container in even the tightest of spaces, while always ensuring that the container is placed on a level surface. This system also significantly reduces the likelihood of your containers’ contents shifting during transit.

Finally, we should mention that customers have access to their storage containers at any time within any one of UNITS’ climate-controlled storage centers—they even offer online scheduling so you can go in and access your belongings at your convenience.

A driver or ROBO-UNIT delivery system will deliver a container to your home.

You load the UNITS container with no time constraints (and you can even call UNITS to help you find loading labor), and then you can either store the unit at your location or schedule the container for pick up. (UNITS can also store your container at one of their climate-controlled locations.)

Then, the company will transport your container and deliver it to your new home.

You have up to 30 days to unload the container, and then UNITS picks it back up.

UNITS has two container sizes.

In some cases, you’ll only have one option for a long-distance move, but we’ll provide information about both just in case.

Their smaller container is the 12-foot container, which can hold up to 8,000 pounds but is most useful for studios or 1-bedroom apartments. The larger container is 16-feet long, and is the option most commonly used by many locations for long distance moves. This container can also hold up to 8,000 pounds, and is best for 2-bedroom homes.

We’ve already mentioned it, but UNITS is a fantastic option for any of your storage needs. Each move comes with up to 30 days of free storage, but storage-only fees may vary by location. However, each location offers two options for storing your UNITS container:

• At-home (on-site) storage. You can ask UNITS to drop your container at your home and keep the unit for as long as you need it. Perhaps you’re remodeling your home, or maybe you just need extra storage space. Well, with UNITS, you have the convenience of accessing your belongings by simply walking outside.
• UNITS facility storage. Another option lets you keep your container safe at a climate-controlled UNITS storage center. The company lets you access your belongings anytime you want, and you can even schedule an appointment online in advance.

It’s important to note that to us, UNITS has the best storage options in the country, matched only by our favorite company, PODS.

Indeed, many companies offer only at-home or facility storage, while UNITS and PODS offer both.

Additionally, not all container companies (or moving companies in general) offer you access to your goods while in storage, and many do not even offer climate-controlled facilities. Bottom line: You’ll be hard pressed to find better portable storage options.

We recommend UNITS for both local and long distance moves, whether you’re moving from a small studio apartment, to a large 5-bedroom home. Offering some of the best customer service scores in the industry, as well as competitive pricing and customizable storage options, UNITS is tough to beat. And as the company continues to grow and innovate, we expect UNITS to become a fearsome competitor to its industry rivals. However, you may need to find another company if you don’t plan to move to or from one of the 37 states within UNITS current service area.

Curious if your local UNITS location is offering discounts?

UNITS moves cost, on average, about $4,227. However, your pricing will differ depending on location, distance, and home size. Additionally, storage beyond 30 days and extra insurance (beyond $10,000 coverage) may increase your final costs.

UNITS charges between $6,900 and $8,700 for long-distance moves of over 1,750 miles. Still, that’s much less than you’re likely to pay if you hire a professional moving company.

PODS is our favorite container moving company, ranking #1 on our best list. But UNITS is a worthy competitor, offering many of the same features that PODS does. In fact, PODS really only outranks UNITS in a couple areas: nationwide availability (UNITS is only available in 37 states currently) and container sizes (PODS offers three, while UNITS only offers two).

UNITS provides top-tier customer service for local and long-distance moves. Additionally, the company has excellent customer reviews, strong containers, and above-average storage options.

UNITS containers come in two sizes: a two-foot and 16-foot option. The smallest container can accommodate a studio apartment up to a one-bedroom. While the largest one can often fit belongings from one to two rooms. Each container can hold up to 8,000 pounds.

You probably need a 16-foot UNITS container for a two-bedroom apartment. While the 12-foot container may be adequate, it’s only available for storage or local moves at many locations. The 16-foot container is likely more than you need, but it’s available for local and long-distance moving needs.

Yes, UNITS containers have a weight limit. The company’s long distance moving containers can hold about 8,000 lb. each.

Moving costs are high across the entire industry because of increased demand associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the post-pandemic recession has increased the cost of fuel and service fees across most moving companies (not just moving container companies). Still, moving containers generally cost less than full-service moving companies. But they may not out-price the cost of moving yourself using a moving truck.

Our pick for the best long-distance moving company is International Van Lines. It has moving discounts, worldwide availability, and top-tier customer service.

Yes, UNITS has excellent customer service, some of the best in the business. Its customers appreciate 24/7 customer service availability, friendly and knowledgeable representatives, and customizable services to achieve customer satisfaction from start to finish.

UNITS will allow you to store a motorcycle in one of their containers, but they are unlikely to be able to ship it from location to location. For that reason, we recommend using a professional motorcycle shipping company to transport your chopper.

In this review, we used a four-step process to reach our analysis:

1. We interviewed the company. We asked management about their container sizes, the storage calculator, the payment process, and even insurance availability—among other questions.
2. We researched the company online. We took a hard look at their website, trying to determine how much information they advertised without having to dig too deep. And we found that UNITS offers quite a bit of transparency on their website.
3. We analyzed Google My Business reviews for all of their locations. We wanted to see what customers had to say, so we analyzed reviews for potential red-flags—and green ones too.
4. We requested actual moving quotes. We took it one step further by seeing what type of pricing we could get across four different move sizes and six distances in 2024. We were able to walk through the process and see exactly what the average customer might experience when requesting a quote.

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