Best National Moving Companies Of 2023

Professional movers know that even local moves can cause a huge amount of stress for even the most well-prepared family. From exploring new job opportunities to selecting a new home, moving cross-country comes with a ton of tasks to add to your to-do list. However, interstate moving doesn’t need to be a nightmare when you work with one of the best moving teams available to you. The best movers know how to pack all of your things in a way that prevents damage, plan and execute the perfect route, and help you settle into your new home with less stress.

There are hundreds of long-distance movers offering services across the country. How can you possibly be sure that you’re working with one of the best moving companies when there are simply so many options? At House Method, we understand that long-distance moves can be confusing. We’ve created a comprehensive guide to a few national moving companies with a track record of successful moves and satisfied customers. Read on to learn everything you need to know when planning a major move and get to know our top national movers. 

If you aren’t moving across the country, check out top moving companies for small moves.

The 7 Best National Moving Companies 

Our top recommended national moving companies for 2023: 

• Best Full-Service Mover: International Van Lines
• Most Transparent Pricing: American Van Lines
• Most Moving Partners: Moving APT
• Most Customizable Moving Experience: JK Moving Services
• Most Vehicle Shipping Options: Allied Van Lines
• Best Overall Container Service: U-Pack
• Best Pricing Options: North American Van Lines

Compare The Best National Moving Companies

Company	Website	Our Take	Our Rating	BBB Rating	Local Cost
International Van Lines	Site	Best Full-Service Mover	9.8	B	$600 – $1,200
American Van Lines	Site	Most Transparent Pricing	9.7	N/A	$500 – $1,000
Moving APT	Site	Most Moving Partners	9.6	B
JK Moving Services	Site	Most Customizable Moving Experience	9.5	A+	Call for a quote
Allied Van Lines	Site	Most Vehicle Shipping Options	9.4	A+	$750 – $1,350
U-Pack	Site	Most Widely-Available Container Service	9.3	A+	N/A
North American Van Lines	Site	Best Pricing Options	9.2	A+	$750 – $1,350

International Van Lines: Best Full-Service Mover

Why We Recommend IVL

International Van Lines (IVL) has made a name for itself in the moving industry with years of continued commitment to their customers. IVL’s standout feature is its well-trained customer service team — you can access IVL’s customer support through phone, email, or even text, which can provide you with peace of mind when moving through multiple time zones. Newsweek has even recognized IVL’s standout customer service, gracing the company with its title of Best Customer Service for multiple years. Forbes has also recognized IVL as the number one full-service moving company throughout the country.

IVL offers its services across the United States, including service both to and from Alaska and Hawaii. As the name suggests, IVL is truly an international company — their team is skilled in everything from short, local moves to major international moves. With a wealth of add-on services and top-notch customer service, IVL is our pick for the top full-service moving company in the United States. 

Services Offered

There are multiple types of moves, and the moving company that you choose will play a major role in how much work you need to invest into your own moving preparations. International Van Lines is a full-service moving company, which means that it offers a wider selection of services beyond what you’d expect from a partial moving company. 

You can currently book any of the following services through IVL’s team: 

• Packing services
• Unpacking services
• Loading and unloading services
• Furniture disassembly and reassembly
• Crating
• Specialized packing services for fragile items (like antiques and pianos)
• Storage solutions for both short-term and long-term periods
• Packing supplies
• Auto transportation services
• Military moving services
• Commercial moving services

How Much Does International Van Lines Cost?

Pricing a move can be challenging because every homeowner is unique in their shipment and their moving needs. Moving service providers usually take two major factors into consideration when providing you with a quote. 

• Distance: The further away from your current home you’re moving, the more you’ll pay for service. 
• Home size: If you’re moving a larger home, your service provider may need to supply more than one moving truck, which increases costs. 

We’ve collected some pricing information from past IVL customers to help you better estimate what you might pay for service. Here’s what the average IVL customer paid for their moving services based on home size and distance traveled. 

	<250 miles	500 miles	1,000 miles	2,000 miles
Two-bedroom home	$1,400 to $4,400	$1,900 to $4,900	$2,100 to $5,100	$2,400 to $5,400
Four-bedroom home	$3,200 to $6,200	$5,100 to $8,100	$5,700 to $8,700	$6,200 to $9,200

State Availability: All 50 states

Get a quote from IVL here.

American Van Lines

Why We Recommend American Van Lines

Besides being a veteran moving company with more than two decades of moving experience, American Van Lines (AVL) is notable for its unique pricing policies. AVL employs a flat-rate pricing schedule that’s easy to understand, as well as personalized invoices so you can see exactly where each of your dollars is going. AVL’s team even includes experts experienced in moving and packing fragile items — a major bonus if you’re moving with an instrument or another fragile piece.

Worried that you’ll book with AVL and find a better price later? American Van Lines encourages its customers to compare prices by offering a price-matching guarantee. If you can find in-person or online quotes for your move that are more affordable than AVL’s quote, they will match the price of the lowest competitor. This guarantee can help you save more while also enjoying AVL’s level of professionalism. 

Services Offered

American Van Lines is a full-service moving company. You can currently book the following optional services alongside your move with AVL: 

• Packing and unpacking services
• Storage options
• Specialty packing services for items like pianos and antiques
• Furniture disassembly and reassembly
• Crating for large items (like pianos)
• Moving supplies
• Office moving services and corporate relocation
• Military moves

How Much Does American Van Lines Cost?

Here’s what the average American Van Lines customer paid for their moving services based on home size and distance traveled. 

	<250 miles	500 miles	1,000 miles	2,000 miles
Two-bedroom home	$1,700 to $4,700	$2,300 to $5,300	$2,600 to $5,600	$4,200 to $7,200
Four-bedroom home	$4,800 to $7,800	$5,600 to $8,600	$7,400 to $10,400	$10,800 to $13,800

State Availability: 48 States

Get a quote from American Van Lines here.

Moving APT

Why We Recommend Moving APT

Unlike the other options on our list, Moving APT isn’t a moving company itself, and its team doesn’t offer any moving services. Instead, the company operates as a broker, connecting you with local service options based on your moving needs. After connecting with a Moving APT professional, the broker will use its rolodex of connections with local carriers to schedule a move that fits both your needs and budget. This unique process can help you save more on your moving services by capitalizing on household goods movers that happen to have availability when you need it.

Moving APT is our recommended moving broker thanks to the company’s large network of partnered carriers. The company has a total network of more than 2,500 carriers they work with, and the Moving APT team has brokered moves for more than 500,000 customers to date. They even offer price-matching services to be sure that you’ve got the most affordable move possible. 

Services Offered

Moving APT is a moving broker, which means that it does not provide the actual services it schedules. This means that service availability might vary depending on which of the company’s 2,500 partners you end up working with. Some of Moving APT’s most commonly scheduled moving services include the following: 

• Commercial and residential moving
• Piano moving
• Auto shipping
• Packing services
• Packing supplies (included on some moves)
• Appliance connection services
• Limited furniture disassembly and reassembly

How Much Does Moving APT Cost?

Moving APT offers price matching on its moves, which makes it difficult to collect the most accurate data on what previous customers paid for service. As a general pricing example, a recent 1,000-mile move for a four-bedroom home was quoted at a price of $7,800 from Moving APT. Be sure to claim your free quote from this broker using the link below.

State Availability: All 50 States

Get a quote from Moving APT here.

JK Moving Services

Why We Recommend JK Moving Services

JK Moving Services is the largest independent moving company in the United States, with more than 40 years of experience in the moving industry. The company is best known for its completely customizable moving packages, which can be ideal for homeowners with special care needs and considerations. For example, if you’re moving your home office alongside the rest of your residential space, JK Moving Services can provide file archival services to keep client data secure. 

JK’s team even allows you to customize your payment process. While you can pay for your entire moving bill in a single lump sum, you also have the option to finance your move. Financing from JK Moving Services splits your moving bill into more manageable monthly payments, which can be ideal if you’ve underestimated how much you’ll spend on your move. Interest rates are available as low as 0% APR for applicants who qualify, which means that financing can be affordable for any applicant as well as convenient. 

Services Offered

JK Moving Services is another option if you’re looking for a full-service moving company. You can currently book the following optional services alongside your move with JK:

• Packing and unpacking services
• Loading and unloading services
• Long-term and short-term storage unit arrangement
• Transportation and delivery
• Freighting
• Crating
• Furniture disassembly and reassembly services
• Specialty services for items like antiques and pianos
• Specialized services for commercial moves for law firms, hospitals and other specialized workplaces
• Government moving services
• Archive services
• Auto relocation services

How Much Does JK Moving Services Cost?

Like Moving APT, JK Moving Services prefers to connect with its customers to learn more about their specific moving needs before issuing an estimate. A two-bedroom homeowner can usually expect to pay between $2,500 and $5,500 when moving 500 miles, which is a bit pricier than competitors. However, your move price will vary depending on your route and home size. Be sure to get a free quote to finalize your pricing. 

State Availability: All lower 48 states.

Get a quote from JK Moving Services here.

Allied Van Lines: Most Vehicle Shipping Options

Why We Recommend Allied Van Lines

Allied Van Lines is a national moving company best known for its selection of unique vehicle shipment options. From speedy sportscars to sailboats, Allied’s team is prepared to move nearly any type of automobile or other vehicle. With years of experience providing many types of moves and open and closed transport both available, Allied Van Lines can be a smart choice for anyone moving a vehicle along with them.

If your moving experience will take you across the country, you might be worried about your vehicle’s shipment arriving on schedule due to work or school obligations. Out of all the long-distance moving companies we’ve reviewed, Allied Van Lines is the only one that offered a guarantee on automobile and vehicle transportation services. If your vehicle shipment doesn’t arrive when it was originally scheduled, Allied’s team will cover the cost of a rental vehicle to get you where you need to go until your car or truck gets to you. 

Services Offered

Another full-service moving company, Allied Van Lines allows its customers to add any of the following services to their move:

• Packing services and unpacking services
• Fragile-only packing
• Storage for in-transit items
• Arrangement of long-term storage units
• Shipment tracking
• Furniture disassembly and reassembly
• Auto and boat transport
• Extended insurance coverage

How Much Does Allied Van Lines Cost?

Here’s what the average Allied Van Lines customer paid for their moving services based on home size and distance traveled. 

	<250 miles	500 miles	1,000 miles	2,000 miles
Two-bedroom home	$1,800 to $4,500	$2,400 to $5,400	$2,700 to $5,700	$4,400 to $7,400
Four-bedroom home	$3,300 to $6,000	$5,700 to $8,700	$7,500 to $10,500	$10,900 to $13,000

State Availability: All 50 states

Get a quote from Allied Van Lines here.

U-Pack

Why We Recommend U-Pack

If you’re looking for a more affordable way to move across the country, you might want to consider using a moving container service like U-Pack. When you book a moving date with U-Pack online, their team will deliver one or more moving containers to your property. Each moving container is about the size of a parking space and is built to withstand any weather conditions. After loading your home into your containers, U-Pack will return to your home to pick up your moving containers and deliver them to your new home, where you’ll begin unloading. This efficient process is ideal for anyone looking for an affordable small move. 

View our list of other affordable container moving companies.

Services Offered

U-Pack is a moving container service, which means that it offers fewer services than the other companies on our list. You can currently book the following services through U-Pack: 

• Long-distance moving
• Storage services

U-Pack only provides moving services on moves of more than 150 miles. If you’re traveling fewer than 150 miles, consider a competitor like PODS. 

How Much Does U-Pack Cost?

Here’s what the average U-Pack customer paid for their moving container services based on home size and distance traveled. 

	<250 miles	500 miles	1,000 miles	2,000 miles
Two-bedroom home	$600 to $1,600	$1,200 to $2,200	$1,600 to $2,600	$2,100 to $3,100
Four-bedroom home	$800 to $1,800	$1,800 to $2,800	$2,800 to $3,800	$4,100 – $5,100

State Availability: All 50 States

Get a quote from U-Pack here.

North American Van Lines

Why We Recommend North American Van Lines

North American Van Lines is a full-service moving company that can help you better balance costs and services when you move. Unlike many competing moving companies, North American Van Lines allows you to choose “not to exceed” pricing, which sets a maximum on the total amount of money that your moving company can charge you for your entire set of processes. Additional specialty pricing structures are also available, and you can consult with a representative to choose the best type of pricing that fits your needs before you book your moving date. With service from Florida to California and everywhere in between, North American Van Lines can effortlessly help you pack and move across the United States. 

View best moving companies in California for other great options in that state.

Services Offered

North American Van Lines is our last recommended full-service moving company. You can currently book the following services through North American Van Lines: 

• Full-service packing
• Fragile-only packing
• Boxes and moving supplies
• Appliance disconnection and reconnection
• Furniture disassembly and reassembly
• Custom crates
• Loading and unloading
• Crane vans for large items
• Storage
• Auto transport
• Basic liability coverage
• Full-valuation coverage

How Much Does North American Van Lines Cost?

Here’s what the average North American Van Lines customer paid for their moving container services based on home size and distance traveled. 

	<250 miles	500 miles	1,000 miles	2,000 miles
Two-bedroom home	$1,800 to $4,500	$2,400 to $5,400	$2,700 to $5,700	$4,400 to $7,400
Four-bedroom home	$3,300 to $6,000	$5,700 to $8,700	$7,500 to $10,500	$10,900 to $13,000

State Availability: All 50 States

Get a quote from North American Van Lines here.

What To Look For In National Moving Companies?

Moving across the country is a major endeavor — which means that it’s worth the extra effort to be sure that you’re working with a legitimate national moving company. With so many moving companies operating throughout the country, choosing the best option for your needs can be tough. Be sure to look for the following characteristics in every moving company that you consider working with to be sure that you don’t end up trapped in a moving scam.

• Federal registration: Every moving company that offers moves that cross state lines must be registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), a government body that oversees the moving industry. You can verify that a company is registered with the FMCSA by asking for the company’s USDOT number. A USDOT number is a unique identifying number that the FMCSA gives to each registered company — you can verify that a company’s USDOT number is current by searching for it here. Do not work with any moving company that claims they do not need a USDOT number, as these are commonly rogue movers operating outside the bounds of the law.
• A positive online presence: The best moving companies want to make it as easy as possible for potential customers to find them online. Look for a moving company with reviews across multiple third-party review platforms and look for common compliments or complaints between reviews. You should also review each company’s Better Business Bureau profile to be sure that they have multiple years of experience providing nationwide moving services. Selecting an experienced provider will help you move without the stress that comes with an inexperienced team.
• An organized contract process: No legitimate moving company will ever ask you to sign a contract that you haven’t fully read or that has not yet been completed with details of your move. Never sign a moving contract that you haven’t reviewed and be sure to ask any lingering questions you might have before you agree to the price on the contract.

What Costs Are Involved With National Moving Companies?

As you compare moving companies, you’ll notice that each mover will offer you its own pricing on your moving services. Understanding the factors that play a role in the pricing of your move can help ensure that you don’t end up overpaying for your move. Some of the factors that will play a role in the price that you’ll pay when you book a national move include the following.

• The total distance you’re moving: If you’re moving further across the country, your moving company will need to budget more money for things like labor costs and toll charges. As a general rule, you can expect to pay higher rates the further you’re traveling.
• The weight of your shipment: Professional moving companies know that there are strict laws in place that control the total weight of each moving truck on the road. If you have a larger home (and more things to move) you’ll pay more for your moving services. An easy way to lower the total cost of what you’ll pay for your moving services when moving across the country is to downsize as much as possible before booking your moving date. The more you’re able to get rid of before loading day arrives, the less you’ll pay to move long-distance.
• Any extra services you schedule: Moving across the country can be an exceptionally stressful and time-consuming process. If you’re moving on a tight schedule, you might request that your movers provide you with additional services like packing your things at your current property or booking storage services on your behalf. While these services will make it easier for you to get out of your current space on schedule, remember that every additional moving service you schedule will increase the overall price that you’ll pay for your move.

Additional factors might also play a role in your move’s pricing. Be sure to get a quote from at least three competing moving companies before you book your moving date. 

Final Thoughts

As you begin to price relocation services, you might find large price differences from one moving quote to the next. This is because each individual moving company uses its own formula to determine what to charge for your unique moving process. It’s completely possible to get the exact same residential or corporate relocation services from ten different moving companies at ten drastically different prices.

Moving across the country can be expensive — which is part of the reason why we recommend that you get a free quote from each of our recommended service providers listed above. Getting multiple quotes helps you find the lowest moving rates in your area, potentially saving you thousands of dollars. Remember — you have no idea if you’re overpaying for your move until you know what competitors are offering!

House Method Rating Methodology

At House Method, our primary goals are to be a reliable source of information and to be totally transparent to our readers. With that in mind, we’ve developed the following formula to render objective ratings – on a scale of 10 points – for the moving companies we review.

• Transparency (3.0): Communication and being fully straightforward regarding company policies and licensing are incredibly important. A given mover’s willingness to display these, to supply quick quotes, and to provide clearly-worded moving contracts all factor into the three points within this single rating criteria.
• Cost (2.5): A mover’s cost relative to industry averages, as well as accessibility to cost data play a role in the customer experience as much as anything else. We know that being sure of what you’re paying – and being confident that you’re not overpaying – will ultimately make for a positive move. We’ve weighted cost factors accordingly in our ratings.
• Customer Service (2.0): Establishing an easy line of contact with your movers during the booking process or during the move itself is a huge asset for any moving client. The stress of moving, in general, can be greatly eased by knowing you can talk to a licensed professional whenever you need to, which is why we’ve listed this as a key rating category. This is where customer reviews come into play; since the majority of complaints stem from poor customer service, feedback from BBB, Yelp, Google, and other review platforms factor into this criteria.
• Services Offered (1.5): This rates lower on our priority list than many would think, simply due to the fact that many movers provide a similar line of services. However, breadth of service offerings does still vary to a degree.
• Customization Options (1.0): Having the autonomy to fully customize your move should rate highly on any moving checklist. Here, we’ve taken moving package customization ability, as well as pricing for more involved add-ons. Steep pricing for such services can provide something of a soft barrier for clients looking to add to their move, and we’ve taken this into consideration.

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