Anyone who has moved before knows how expensive and stressful it can get. If you’re budget-conscious, renting a moving truck to DIY your move can be an attractive option.
4.5
One month of free storage included with your move
Provides moves in all 50 states
Offers air & ocean freighting
4.0
Flat rate pricing for all moves
Offers price matching
Expedited moves between big cities
4.2
Top-notch packing services
Nationwide partner network
Comprehensive moving calculator
The benefits of renting a truck are many, from cost to greater control of your moving process and timeline and more space than other local rental options like a moving trailer. For many renters and homeowners, renting a moving van or truck is more convenient than stuffing smaller, ill-equipped vehicles.
Renting the right truck can save you time, stress, and money. However, you’ll need to vet and plan ahead to find the most affordable moving truck for your needs and budget while avoiding moving scams and hidden fees.
The 5 Cheapest Moving Truck Rental Companies
These are the companies that have the best and cheapest moving truck rentals and what makes them stand out:
Compare The Cheapest Moving Truck Rental Companies
| Company | Our Take | One-Way Moves? | BBB Rating | Cost |
| U-Haul | Most Widely Available | Yes | A+ | $559 to $2,170 |
| Penske | Best For Long-Distance Moves | Yes | A+ | $175 to $2,000 |
| Budget Truck Rental | Most Discounts | Yes | A- | $500 to $5,000 |
| Home Depot Truck Rental | Best for Small Moves | Yes | A+ | $129 to $3,239 |
| Enterprise Truck Rental | Best for International Moves | No | D- | $49.99 to $135 per hour |
U-Haul U-Box
3.5
Our Rating
The moving truck rental industry is practically synonymous with U-Haul’s moving truck rental business. It has been serving customers since 1945 in both the United States and Canada by offering a huge number of solutions for DIY moves. When booking with U-Haul, you can find packing supplies, self-storage options, and many moving truck rental choices.
We’ve chosen U-Haul for “Best Moving Supplies” because its moving services and supply options are much more extensive than nearly any of its competitors. U-Haul offers a large range of truck sizes, moving equipment, packing supplies, tow dollies, and virtually anything you could need for your DIY move.
Customers also rave about the quality of U-Haul’s moving boxes and supplies, which afford your personal belongings better protection during the move. During our research, we even found that U-Haul’s range of protection plans was some of the industry’s most extensive. Another benefit of choosing U-Haul for your move is that the company doesn’t need a deposit if you pay with a credit card.
U-Haul is one of the, if not the most, comprehensive DIY moving companies on the market. Here are some of its top services and their going rates:
- Truck and van rental ($19.95, $29.95, and $39.95/daily without taxes and mileage fees): Most U-Haul locations offer six truck sizes and, as a massive plus, one-way rentals, which saves you the hassle of making a trip back and forth to return the truck to the same location or drop-off place.
- Moving supplies (Packing kits range from $12.95 to $541.02): If you need any packing supplies, U-Haul has you covered with its offerings, which include storage solutions, boxes, dollies, rope and tie-downs, packing tape, and even plastic moving boxes.
- U-Box Portable Storage and Moving Containers (Approximately $100 per container/month): This budget-friendly option is essentially portable storage units that the company drops off outside your home. After you’ve loaded the box, U-Haul will send a truck to pick it up and transport it to your new home, making this an excellent option for excess items that don’t fit in your truck rental or for individuals not comfortable driving a large vehicle.
Penske Truck Rental
4.5
Our Rating
With 3,200 rental locations throughout the United States, Penske is a convenient moving truck rental company with locations likely near you. We found that Penske is more straightforward with its online quotes, and customers didn’t report struggling with hidden fees or upcharges nearly as much as some of Penske’s competitors, making it a more straightforward choice for transparent pricing.
While its name isn’t as well-known as Enterprise or U-Haul, the company provides many truck-size options and some of the best gas mileage in the moving rental business. As a result, it’s our choice for “Best for Long-Distance Moves.” In addition, Penske truck rentals have huge interior storage space, with some of its trucks even featuring lifting gates, a significant plus for loading heavy boxes and oversized items.
We love that Penske offers some of the most affordable rates for long-distance moves and is transparent about its pricing. Most of its quotes include taxes, unlimited mileage, truck fees, and liability coverage for your truck for any potential damages. This pricing setup gives you a much better idea of what your long-distance move will cost compared to other providers that charge by the mile and don’t disclose truck fees or taxes as transparently.
- Truck and van rental ($175/day for a local move to $2,000 for a long-distance move total): Penske has rentals for a wide variety of truck sizes, including an 11-foot cargo van, 12-foot moving truck, 16-foot truck, 22-foot truck, and 26-foot truck. For most movers, one of these vehicles will be more than sufficient to carry all your personal belongings, whether you live in a studio apartment, two-bedroom apartment, or a large house with four bedrooms.
- Moving boxes and supplies: Penske offers moving boxes and supplies to purchase when you book your move. These supplies include furniture pads, hand trucks, towing equipment, mattress bags, packing kits, and moving boxes. Free shipping is included on moving supply orders over $100.
- Simple moving labor (Call Simple Moving Labor for a free estimate): Penske has teamed up with Simple Moving Labor to offer loading and unloading services for your rental truck. This is an excellent add-on service to consider if you have a large home or are concerned about injuries while lifting furniture.
The Home Depot
4.5
Our Rating
Founded in 1978 in Marietta, Georgia, The Home Depot is a well-known home improvement store offering tools and DIY supplies for every imaginable home improvement project. What many don’t realize is that The Home Depot rents tools and moving trucks. With The Home Depot, you can rent a moving truck for as little as 75 minutes, which is unlike anything we have seen from its competitors.
The Home Depot is a nationwide home improvement retailer with thousands of stores, most of which offer truck rental centers. As such, it has earned our superlative “Best Availability” as a highly convenient option for moving truck rentals.
However, The Home Depot is not ideal for one-way moves because you need to return the truck rental to the same location. Still, if you’re looking for low hourly rates, good availability, and are interested in a same-day in-town move, The Home Depot rentals are hard to beat. You’ll also want to know that The Home Depot is partnered with Penske, so if you need an extra-large truck, The Home Depot’s team may transfer you to Penske’s team to fill the request, which will expose you to different rates and policies. All in all, The Home Depot is an excellent choice for a quick, affordable, same-day move, especially if you’re moving locally or have a smaller household.
The Home Depot’s services and prices are best for local renters or one to two-bedroom homes because of the smaller vehicle sizes and pricing system. Here are The Home Depot’s costs and services:
- Moving truck rentals ($19/75 minutes, $129.99/day, or $903/week): The Home Depot offers multiple truck rental options, including a moving box truck, flatbed truck rental, and cargo van rental.
Since The Home Depot is a home improvement store, you can find moving or packing supplies in-store
Budget Truck Rental
3.2
Our Rating
With over 2,800 branches across 48 states, Budget is a convenient choice for moving rentals. It’s ideal for shorter, local moves because of its many locations and service offerings. It also offers two types of insurance plans: the Personal Protection Plan and the Business Protection Plan. During our research, we found that Budget offers some of the lowest flat fees per day, another huge benefit for budget-conscious movers.
Among the cheapest moving truck rental companies out there, Budget truck rentals are “Best for Local Moves” because its local move costs are some of the best in the industry. On top of its low rates, this moving company offers many discounts, including discounts for AAA members, students, seniors, military personnel, and more.
We also like that you can opt for add-on labor through Budget’s partner, Hire-A-Helper, reducing your risk of injury when moving heavy furniture. Whether you’re making a local move or traveling cross-country, Budget is a top-notch choice for people on a tight budget because of its many discounts, the huge number of locations, and low per-mile rate.
Budget provides renters with a standard cargo van and three moving truck sizes:
- Moving truck rental (Base rate is $49.99–$69.99): Budget’s moving truck rentals are offered in three sizes, including 12-foot, 16-foot, and 26-foot truck options. You can also opt for a cargo van or a smaller pickup truck.
- Labor assistance (Make a reservation for a quote): If you’re looking for help loading your personal belongings, Budget offers labor assistance as part of its add-on services with its partner Hire-A-Helper.
Enterprise Truck Rental
2.9
Our Rating
If you’re interested in renting multiple vehicles, tackling a local move in a smaller vehicle, or not overpaying for extra space, Enterprise Truck Rental is an excellent choice with its 14 vehicle options. While Enterprise is known as a car rental company, it offers a massive fleet of moving truck options, ranging from pickup trucks to 26-foot box trucks. Overall, we recommend Enterprise for those interested in local moves because of Enterprise’s competitive rates, full-day rental options with low mileage requirements, and excellent tiered insurance plan.
Paying for too much moving truck is essentially throwing money away because you’re still paying for that unused space. Nobody wants to waste money like that, so we’re highlighting Enterprise as our choice for “Most Moving Truck Sizes.” More truck size choices translate into money saved during your move, as you can choose a truck with the exact amount of space required for your move.
The biggest drawback with Enterprise is that it offers far fewer locations throughout the United States than other providers on this list. However, it does have free pickup services where Enterprise employees will pick up the vehicle at your destination at no extra charge, provided you’re within a certain range of Enterprise’s service locations.
In addition to offering many truck rental options, Enterprise provides enough moving supply choices for most standard, local moves:
- Truck rental ($89 to $230 daily, excluding mileage rates, insurance, and taxes): Enterprise has the most massive variety of truck rentals available, with 14 choices in total. However, Enterprise is a local residential DIY moving company, so if you’re interested in cross-country moves, this isn’t the company for you.
- Moving supplies (custom quote with booking): Enterprise truck rental offers moving supplies, like boxes, moving pads, cargo straps, and packing tape, to reduce how many errands you’ll need to run to gather everything for your move. You can also rent dollies, although some of these moving supply options will vary depending on your location.
How Do You Find the Lowest Cost Moving Truck Rentals?
Finding the best rental rates comes down to shopping around, moving truck price comparison, negotiating, and more. Here are our top tips for finding the lowest-cost rentals:
- Don’t pay for more truck space than you need. Carefully figure out how much space you truly need. A rule of thumb for estimating how much space you’ll need on the moving truck is estimating 3 cubic feet of space needed per room in your home. For example, a five-room home would need a 15-cubic-foot truck rental.
- Price match at least three companies. Never go with the first quote you receive. Always compare multiple moving providers and the different quotes you’re given for similar services. If you favor one company over another, ask if it will price match another company’s quote, as this could save you hundreds of dollars easily.
- Look up promotions and discounts. Many moving companies offer discounts for seniors, students, first responders, and more. Even if you aren’t in a particular group like those, you may be able to qualify for seasonal discounts, promotions, or early booking discounts.
- Rent during slower times of the week and year. Weekends and summer are the busiest times for moving truck rentals. If possible, move during a weekday other than Friday or a different season, as rental prices will likely be less expensive due to lower demand.
What Are Tips and Tricks for Saving Money on Truck Rentals?
Our biggest recommendation for saving money on truck rentals is shopping around and not being afraid to negotiate with the company. Many are shocked to learn that you could save hundreds of dollars by asking the company about available discounts, promotions, and other ways to save money. Remember, the company wants your business, so the team member you’re speaking with may have some wiggle room to give you a better deal or clue you in on some great discounts.
Start by gathering multiple quotes from several moving companies for comparable services. Then, consider which company you would prefer to work with and go to them. Always speak with the representative politely and ask about the company’s price-matching policies. We recommend asking about ongoing discounts, like early booking, seasonal deals, or discounts for seniors.
It’s well worth taking a few minutes to simply ask because even shaving 5% or 10% off your total for the move can save you a few hundred dollars.
How Do You Avoid Hidden Fees and Extra Charges When Booking a Moving Truck?
The moving process is a busy one, so we often don’t slow down to read the moving company’s pricing policies or ask about hidden fees, fuel charges, insurance fees, and more. Unfortunately, this can lead to sticker shock and busting your budget when you receive your final bill with all these hidden charges tacked on, and at that point, there is little you can do about it except pay up.
To avoid this situation, we recommend that you carefully read through the moving company’s rental policies and ask the company representative directly about fuel charges, late return fees, insurance fees, mileage fees, and other taxes that may appear on your bill later.
Remember, there is often a reason why one company may appear to have much lower rates than the other — it may be boosting the rate with hidden fees. So, look for companies with transparent pricing policies. Our research found that U-Haul and Penske offer some of the most clear-cut, transparent pricing structures.
How Do You Negotiate a Better Price When Obtaining a Rental Truck?
After shopping around for a better price, negotiating is the most critical step for obtaining a better price when renting a moving truck. Nobody wants to pay more for a service or break their budget during a move, so take advantage of negotiating before booking your reservation to take control of your budget.
Start by asking the representative for a better price, price matching a competitor, or any available discounts or promotions. If your proposal is rejected, stay confident and make a counteroffer that meets somewhere in between your original ask and the company’s quote. Your ask and counteroffer will be much more likely to succeed if it’s a fair price based on the research you’ve already done and the overall market value of the rental truck.
How Do You Save Money on Gas When Renting a Moving Truck?
During their research, many families preparing for a move neglect to consider how fuel costs can quickly add up when renting a moving truck. While some companies, like Penske, offer certain vehicles with unlimited mileage, most charge per mile so it’s critical for your budget that you find ways to save money on gas.
For starters, we recommend choosing a fuel-efficient moving truck to save money on gas. You should also choose the smallest truck that can do the job. Not only will this save you money on the rental rate, but larger trucks go through gas faster. Packing smart by lightening your load and decluttering as much as possible before your move date will help too. When packing, distribute the weight of your boxes and furniture as evenly as possible and pack them tightly to reduce wind resistance.
Lastly, The United States Department of Energy advises driving conservatively to save gas. In other words, a lead foot, particularly in city traffic, will hurt your vehicle’s gas mileage by up to 40%, so drive sensibly to save money.
So, Who Has the Most Cost-Effective Moving Truck Rentals?
For local moves, we strongly recommend Budget, which has some of the best local move costs in the industry and excellent discounts. If you’re making a larger move, you can’t go wrong with Penske, which offers vehicle rentals with unlimited mileage.
Above all else, getting an early start will help you book the most cost-effective moving truck rental. Start planning your move at least eight weeks before your expected move date to give yourself plenty of time to research, vet, plan, and book everything you need. Gather multiple quotes from moving truck rental companies to get started so that you have bargaining power and knowledge of the going rate in your area.
If you’re seeking expert assistance to seamlessly connect with the finest truck rental services available, we invite you to delve into our comprehensive review of Uship and some other options below:
4.5
One month of free storage included with your move
Provides moves in all 50 states
Offers air & ocean freighting
4.0
Flat rate pricing for all moves
Offers price matching
Expedited moves between big cities
4.2
Top-notch packing services
Nationwide partner network
Comprehensive moving calculator
FAQs About Finding Cheap Moving Truck Rental Companies
Do I have to purchase insurance coverage with a moving truck rental?
If you’re trying to save money, it’s naturally frustrating to be asked about paying even more for additional insurance. However, in the long run, opting for insurance, even if it’s not required, is beneficial for your wallet, especially if you’re not used to driving huge vehicles. Repairing a truck will always be more expensive than the temporary insurance policy or damage waiver cost.
What is the cheapest day to get a moving truck?
Generally, weekdays will be the least expensive days to rent a moving truck, with experts stating that Tuesdays in the middle of the month during the winter season is the absolute best time to get an excellent deal on moving trucks.
How much do moving truck rentals cost?
Typically, moving truck rentals cost anywhere from $150 to $2,000. The cost of a moving truck rental will vary dramatically depending on the size of the truck you rent, the distance, the company, and more. Some of the best cheap moving truck rental companies are Budget, U-Haul, and Penske.
Methodology: How We Evaluated Cheap Rental Truck Companies
At Today’s Homeowner, we strive to bring you the most transparent, accurate information for your home improvement projects. Our moving company ratings emphasize what matters most to you — reputable, affordable companies able to tackle a wide range of packing and moving tasks.
Our ratings are based on publicly available information about each company, secret shopping online and over the phone, customer-review analysis, and interviews with former and current professional movers.
A company can earn a maximum of 100 points across four categories converted to a five-star scale. We researched and analyzed dozens of full- and self-service moving companies and developed the following formula:
- Transparency (30 Points): We awarded top points to companies that supplied quotes quickly and provided easy-to-read moving contracts. We used the availability of sample pricing and quick quote features, GPS tracking, and clear customer service hours to determine this metric. Points were also awarded for upfront communication regarding policies, licensing, insurance, and the clear listing of added fees.
- Basic Service Options (20 Points): While this may seem like a given for most movers, a strong basic service profile is not guaranteed when you book your move. Movers that offer local, long-distance, and international moving while providing packing and loading with their basic service packages rate highly here.
- Customization Options (30 Points): Aside from basic services, a comprehensive list of added services indicates a mover’s quality. Assembly and disassembly, valuation coverage, piano moving, car shipping, and similar add-ons indicate a mover that puts customer service first.
- Reputation (20 Points): We assessed each mover’s Better Business Bureau (BBB) profile. We weighed BBB ratings and the company’s complaint response rate to calculate this metric.
We monitor company data on an ongoing basis to keep rankings and information up to date.
