Best Moving Companies Of

How We Determined the Best Moving Services

Planning for a move can be daunting, no matter the size or distance. But with the right moving company, the process can be smooth and hassle-free. Whether you’re moving locally, internationally or anywhere in between, finding a reputable moving service that you can trust with your belongings is paramount.

The process of moving can be overwhelming, so if the task of finding the right company seems unbearable, you’ve landed in the right place. You’ve seen our list of the top moving companies—now it’s time to learn about the criteria we used to rank them.

Our Criteria

When evaluating a moving company, we look at their services and specializations, credentials, experience and reputation, equipment, staff professionalism, pricing and fees. With these criteria in place, we’re able to narrow down the field significantly.

Services & Specializations

One of the first things we consider when checking out a moving company is what services they offer and whether they have any specializations, such as large or fragile item handling. We also look at what types of moves they’re capable of handling and whether they offer any extra services, such as temporary storage.

Move Types

• Local: While not as complex as a long-distance move, local moving can still be difficult to coordinate, especially if you live in a big city, large home or have bulky or fragile items to move. Local moving companies specialize in moves within a single geographical area, typically within a 50-mile radius, and the best ones will be licensed and insured, have good ratings and reviews and offer the services you need—within your budget.
• Long Distance: More complex in nature, long-distance moves require the ability to coordinate many different aspects of the move, which is where hiring a moving company can be a big help. If you’re moving to a different state, this can pose even more logistical challenges to navigate. The best state-to-state and long-distance moving companies will be able to serve both your current location and your destination. Aside from location, you’ll need to make sure they offer any additional services you might need, from helping you pack to storing your items until you’re ready for them. You’ll also want to make sure that they have the appropriate licenses and insurance to protect your stuff, all the way from point A to point B. 
• International: Moving anywhere is a test of organization and logistical skill; however, moving overseas is a whole new ball game. Moving to a new country requires extra preparation and organization, and hiring a professional moving company to help you navigate the process is a must. The best international moving companies offer door-to-door service, customs handling and secure transportation. They have the expertise to manage the complexities of international relocation, including navigating the regulations of different countries and ensuring the safe transport of your belongings across borders.

Services Offered

There are several categories of moving services to consider, too:

• Full-Service Movers: Handle everything from packing and unloading, to disassembling and reassembling furniture.
• Self-Service Movers: Provide the truck, loading, unloading and transport, while you handle the packing; you may also opt to save money by loading and unloading the truck yourself.
• Labor-Only Movers: Provide workers to help with heavy lifting or loading and unloading, while you take care of packing, securing and operating the truck.
• Specialty Movers: Offer moving services for items like pianos, art and antiques.

Storage Options

Some moving companies also offer temporary storage services. This may be something to consider if you’re planning a long-distance move, or in situations like selling or buying a home, when there’s extra time between the move-out and move-in dates. Storage is an added fee, and can range from a weekly rate to a monthly rate, depending on the company.

Specialty Items

Many people have specialty items to consider in their move. This includes large, heavy or hard-to-move items like pianos, gym equipment and pool tables, as well as valuables like artwork, antiques and expensive electronics.

If you fall into this category, you will definitely want to find a company that is experienced in working with the specific items you need to move. This ensures they’ll have the right equipment and expertise to move your items safely and avoid damage.

Licensing & Insurance 

Another important detail in finding a trustworthy and reputable moving company is to verify that they are licensed and insured. For out-of-state moves, they should be licensed with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). For local moves, they should carry any required state- or city-specific licenses.

It’s also important that the moving company is fully insured, and that you understand what type of coverage they offer. For instance, basic liability insurance may not fully protect your belongings, and you may need to look into purchasing additional insurance.

Full-value protection provides more comprehensive coverage, but be sure to ask what’s covered and what isn’t—some items like high-value jewelry, electronics or collectibles may not be covered and may require additional insurance. 

Experience & Reputation

To assess a company’s experience and reputation, we look at a few different details:

• Years in Business: How many years has the company been in business? Ideally, they should have several years of experience, especially if you’re planning for a long-distance or complex move.
• Customer Reviews & Ratings: We scour online reviews on sites such as Google and Yelp, looking for patterns in customer feedback, whether it’s positive or negative. We also take into account ratings on sites like the Better Business Bureau and Trustpilot.
• Word of Mouth: Which moving company would your family, friends, coworkers or neighbors recommend? A referral from someone you trust can give you confidence in a company’s reliability. While this isn’t something we can measure, we do look for reviews that specifically say they would recommend this service to others.

Equipment & Staff

A good moving company should have the right equipment to handle your belongings safely and efficiently, including moving trucks that are clean, well-maintained and the appropriate size for your move. They should also have the proper accessories like blankets, straps, dollies, furniture sliders and specialty equipment for any oversized or valuable items. Full-service moving companies should come equipped with quality packing materials, including boxes, bubble wrap, packing paper and specialized boxes like wardrobe boxes, dish packs, TV boxes and crates for artwork.

The skill and professionalism of the company and moving crew are just as important as the equipment they use. A reputable company should be easy to reach and communicate with. How quickly did they respond to your inquiry and how clearly did they explain their services and fees? Asking these questions can quickly help weed out the companies that do—or don’t—prioritize customer service. 

The best moving companies hire trained, professional movers that are courteous and skilled at handling furniture and fragile items. The crew should arrive on time, handle your items with respect and be able to deal with any issues with ease. And while this is another factor that you can’t necessarily evaluate ahead of time, this is the type of thing we look out for in customer reviews and ratings.

Pricing, Fees & Estimates

The cost of a moving company typically depends on the distance of the move, the volume of items being moved, any specialty services needed and the time of year. For instance, fall and winter moves are less expensive than moves in peak season months like July and August. 

Moving companies typically offer two main pricing models—hourly and flat-rate pricing:

• Hourly Rates: Typically covers labor, the truck and basic moving equipment; often the pricing model used for short-distance or local moves. Number of movers, time of year, distance between locations and complexity of the move (think stairs, long carries and oversized items) are all factors that determine the hourly rate.
• Flat-Rate Pricing: Out-of-state or long-distance moves will typically be quoted as a flat-rate price. This is a fixed rate that’s based on the total weight of your items, distance and additional services (like packing, furniture disassembly or special handling), and includes all aspects of your move, from packing and loading, to unloading and assembly.

It’s important to get several estimates before choosing a moving service. There are three main types of estimates in the moving world; here’s what you need to know:

• Binding Estimate: This is a fixed-price estimate that guarantees your total cost no matter how long the move takes or if the actual weight of your items is higher than estimated. 
• Binding Not-to-Exceed Estimate: This type of estimate provides a fixed cost that won’t exceed the quoted price but could be lower if the actual weight or time is less than estimated.
• Non-Binding Estimate: This is an approximation of the cost based on the initial assessment, either through a phone call, video or in-person walk through. The final cost may be higher or lower than the estimate, depending on the actual weight, distance and time.

In addition to basic hourly or flat-rate charges, there may be additional fees for certain circumstances or services. It’s important to know this information up front, as it may significantly impact the overall cost of your move. Additional fees and charges to be aware of include travel or transportation fees, stair or elevator fees, long-carry fees, heavy or oversized item fees, packing fees, disassembly and reassembly fees, storage fees, insurance fees and cancellation or rescheduling fees.