Best Local Moving Companies Compared

You have a few choices for getting to your new home if you’re moving across town, and borrowing a friend’s truck isn’t one of them.

Despite the fact that there are thousands of local moving companies around the country, we concentrated our efforts on comparing the best local movers in three categories.

Continue reading to learn about the best moving companies we selected for each group, as well as why you may want to choose one over the other.

Each form of transfer has its own set of benefits and drawbacks, so take a look at the list below to see which choice is best for you.

Full-service local moving companies

College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving

Moving with a full-service moving company is the most stress-free and customizable choice. Full-service transfers, on the other hand, are the most expensive.

The only national full-service mover with a junk and donation removal division, giving it an advantage over other full-service movers.

In addition to providing a comprehensive list of packing and moving services, it also provides what we believe is the perfect option for getting rid of unwanted items or donating them during your move.

Pros:

Great customer service
Over-the-phone estimates for small moves
Junk removal and recycling services
Donation pickup
Wide variety of hourly labor services

Cons:

Fewer locations than TWO MEN AND A TRUCK
Limited information online about moving coverage and claims

Why are they the best?

They’re more than a one-trick pony. While the company’s name emphasizes its junk-hauling operation, it’s no slouch when it comes to moving.

College Hunks provides a wide variety of moving services that can cover almost all movers’ needs, from delivering moving materials to packing and transporting your belongings to your new home.

We like College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving because it addresses a need that many people overlook while planning a move: the disposal of any unnecessary items discovered when packing.

College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving is the only mover on our list that can professionally collect those things and carry you to your new house, whether you need miscellaneous junk thrown out or recycled, or you have belongings you’d like to donate.

Its hourly labor services can lighten the load of your move

When it comes to moving, it’s a one-stop-shop. It also provides hourly services to give you an extra pair of hands at every step of your move, in addition to moving and junk removal.

Home staging
Furniture rearranging
Light demolition
Storm recovery and debris removal

When it comes time to sell your house, investing in a little extra support to stage your home or finish some light demolition for a final renovation will pay off in the long run. To get a better idea of the hourly labor rates in your city, request an estimate.

Moving and storage container companies

Renting a moving and storage container is the way to go if you’re planning a hybrid transfer.

Renting a moving and storage container is less costly than hiring a full-service moving company, but it is more expensive than renting a moving vehicle.

PODS (Portable On Demand Storage)

It is one of the most well-known and well-known storage container companies in the industry. PODS appeals to us because it provides some of the highest-quality containers in the industry, as well as a wide range of container sizes to accommodate any size local transfer.

PODS containers	16 foot	12 foot	7 foot
Interior space (cu. ft.)	835	689	385
Weight limit (lbs.)	4,200	4,700	5,200
Capacity (rooms of furniture)	3–4	2–3	1
Construction	Metal	Metal	Metal
Dimensions	16 ft. x 8 ft. x 8 ft.	12 ft. x 8 ft. x 8 ft.	7 ft. x 7 ft. x 8 ft.

Pros:

Availability in almost every state with additional locations abroad
Multiple container sizes
Weather-resistant, metal-constructed moving containers

Cons:

No instant online quotes for moves over 50 miles

Why are they the best local moving and storage container company?

PODS has container options to suit your needs, whether you’re moving to a one-bedroom apartment or a tiny villa. It has three different container sizes to handle the majority of typical household moves:

A seven-foot container
A twelve-foot container
A sixteen-foot container

Larger homes can need multiple containers, but we like that you can order multiple PODS containers if you can’t fit everything into one.

They are available nationwide

PODS pioneered the idea of portable storage containers in 1998. Despite the fact that many other movers have since copied the concept, PODS is still one of the most common and widely available moving container providers in the country.

PODS is accessible in 44 states throughout the United States (Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming were not included), as well as a number of locations in Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

Other moving and storage container firms don’t have as many places to choose from. PODS may thus be the best and only choice for others.

Related
What Is the Cost of Moving a Mobile Home?

Moving van and truck rental companies

Leasing a moving truck is the most do-it-yourself choice for a local transfer.

Truck rentals are the cheapest option for moving to your new house, but they need you to be present at every stage of the process—literally and metaphorically.

U-Haul

As previously said, U-Haul is a well-known name in the moving industry, and with good reason. U-Haul is the most well-known and well-known moving truck rental company, with five truck sizes to match any local transfer.

U-Haul should be the first company on your list if you’re looking to hire a truck for a local move.

Truck sizes	26 foot	20 foot	17 foot*	15 foot	10 foot
Interior space (cu. ft.)	1,682	1,016	865	764	402
Weight limit (lbs.)	9,010	5,700	6,160	6,385	2,850
Capacity	3- to 4-bedroom home	2-bedroom home to 3-bedroom apartment	Up to 2-bedroom home	1-bedroom home to 2-bedroom apartment	Studio to 1-bedroom apartment
Internal dimensions	26 ft. 2 in. x 8 ft. 2 in. x 8 ft. 3 in.	19 ft. 6 in. x 7 ft. 8 in. x 7 ft. 2 in	16 ft. 9 in. x 7 ft. 8 in. x 7 ft. 2 in.	15 ft. x 7 ft. 8 in. x 7 ft. 2 in.	9 ft. 11 in. x 6 ft. 4 in. x 6 ft. 2 in.

If you need a second vehicle for odd jobs or heavy-duty errands, U-Haul even rents pickup trucks and freight vans.

Pros:

Nationwide availability
Easy online reservation process
5 different truck sizes
Trucks with low decks and “EZ-Load” ramps

Cons:

Reservation changes if truck inventory is low

Why U-Haul is the best local van rental company

It offers a wide selection of rental trucks with easy-to-load decks.

If your in-town transfer is big or small, U-Haul is sure to have a truck that will meet your needs. U-Haul has the most options of any moving truck rental company, with five different truck sizes to choose from:

A ten-foot truck
A fifteen-foot truck
A seventeen-foot truck
A twenty-foot truck
A twenty-six-foot truck

Low-height loading decks are standard on all U-Haul vehicles, making it much easier to load and unload your belongings. We like how this function isn’t limited to the company’s smaller moving trucks, ensuring that your lower back is protected no matter which truck you pick.

Several other companies’ moving trucks have loading decks that are far higher than U- Hauls. The loading ramp would be at a steeper incline as a result, making it much more difficult to load large objects like furniture into the truck (which are difficult to move to begin with).

It has nationwide availability

If you need to hire a moving truck, you’re probably close to a U-Haul spot. U-Haul truck rentals are available in all fifty states, and populated areas often have several U-Haul sites.

We appreciate the fact that you’ll almost never have to wonder if there’s a U-Haul nearby. This is not only easy, but it also means that you can get a truck in your desired size without having to book too far ahead of time.