There is no single best moving company for every household. The strongest choice depends on your route, budget, services, and the specific carrier or local agent that will handle the shipment. Use 2025 rankings as a shortlist—not a guarantee of performance—and compare written estimates for the same inventory and services before you book.
Which moving companies are worth getting quotes from?
Several 2025 rankings offer useful starting points, but they measure different things. A trust survey is not the same as a review-based award or an editorial comparison of service policies, so their results should not be combined into one universal leaderboard.
| Source and date | What it evaluated | Result reported |
|---|---|---|
| Lifestory Research, 2025 | Brand trust among people actively considering moving options, based on 59,427 surveys conducted across the United States over the prior year. This is not a controlled measure of delivery timeliness, claims, or price. | Mayflower led with a Net Trust Quotient Score of 97.3, followed by United Van Lines (97.0), North American Van Lines (96.2), Allied Van Lines (95.7), and Atlas Van Lines (95.2). Lifestory Research’s 2025 study |
| ConsumerAffairs, 2025 | Buyer’s Choice awards based on consumer sentiment across categories. The organization says the awards draw on over 4 million reviews from its site; that figure is not necessarily a mover-specific sample. | Use its awards as a review-based signal, not as a directly comparable score to Lifestory’s trust ranking. ConsumerAffairs’ 2025 moving-company awards |
| NerdWallet, November 17, 2025 | Six full-service long-distance companies scored on 13 factors, including estimate availability, payment policies, delivery predictability, and complaint rates. | Its criteria are useful comparison points; the ranking is an editorial evaluation, not a verdict for every route. NerdWallet’s long-distance comparison |
| Move.org, June 4, 2025 | More than 75 long-distance companies evaluated, with more than 10,000 reviews analyzed. | Selected Allied as best overall under its own criteria. Move.org’s comparison |
These results can help you decide whom to contact, but they cannot tell you what a particular local agent will charge, whether a company serves your route, or how your shipment will go. Your actual quote and the provider responsible for your move matter more than a national rank.
What type of move service fits your needs?
Before comparing brands, decide how much labor and coordination you want to take on. The service type affects the work you do, the services to compare, and who is responsible for transportation.
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| Option | Best suited to | What to clarify |
|---|---|---|
| Full-service mover | Households seeking help with loading and transportation, with packing or other services available depending on the quote. | Who packs and loads; whether storage or vehicle shipping is included; delivery window; and any accessorial charges. |
| Moving container | People who can pack and load themselves and want a container-based alternative to a full-service move. | Who transports the container, how long you may keep it, storage terms, delivery timing, and pickup or access charges. |
| Truck rental | People willing to drive and manage loading, unloading, and scheduling themselves. | Vehicle availability, mileage and fuel terms, equipment, insurance options, and pickup and return locations. |
These are service categories, not endorsements of particular providers. The sources cited here do not establish route-specific prices or availability for containers or truck rentals.
How to compare movers and get a reliable estimate
For an interstate move, begin with FMCSA’s Protect Your Move resources. FMCSA says interstate movers must be authorized and provides a lookup with registration information, complaint history, and safety performance records. Check the actual company handling transportation and any broker arranging it; a familiar brand name alone does not establish which business is responsible. Records can change, so verify candidates when you are choosing.
Rank #2
- Ideal for Gifting
- Ideal for a bookworm
- Compact for travelling
- Identify the parties. Ask whether the business quoting your move is the interstate carrier or a broker. Get the legal names and registration details for each relevant company, then look them up in FMCSA’s mover search.
- Confirm route and local service. Ask which local agent, crew, or carrier serves your origin and destination, and whether it handles both ends of the move. Check recent feedback about that service area rather than relying only on national brand ratings.
- Request several written estimates. FMCSA recommends written estimates from several movers based on an in-person inspection. The FTC says an estimate should follow an in-person inspection or a full description of the property. Start with FMCSA’s “Steps to Select a Mover” and the FTC’s moving-company advice.
- Make the estimates comparable. Give each company the same inventory and specify the same packing, loading, storage, vehicle shipping, delivery-window, and access needs. Ask what is included and what could trigger an extra charge.
- Ask whether the estimate is binding or nonbinding. FMCSA explains that the 110 percent rule applies to nonbinding estimates. Do not treat that rule as a guarantee that the final bill will match an estimate in every circumstance; understand the estimate type and applicable terms before signing.
- Review payment terms and paperwork. Ask when payment is due, what payment methods are accepted, and which documents you will receive before the move. Read the order and inventory documents carefully and resolve discrepancies before moving day.
FMCSA’s concise advice is: “Get a written estimate.” Its page also says, “The best defense against moving fraud is to be informed and aware of your options when choosing a moving company.” Neither statement makes an estimate a guarantee of the final price, so check its terms and scope.
How to vet a mover for a local or intrastate move
FMCSA’s interstate authorization requirements do not settle licensing rules for every local move. Intrastate requirements vary by state, and additional county or local rules may apply. Ask the relevant state, county, or local consumer affairs agency which requirements cover your move; do not assume that a federal interstate lookup alone establishes authorization for an in-state job.
What should make you pause before booking?
- The company will not identify the carrier, broker, or legal business names involved.
- A quote is unusually low but is not based on a clear inventory or inspection.
- The written estimate does not explain whether it is binding or nonbinding, what services it covers, or how extra charges are handled.
- The provider pressures you to sign or pay before you have reviewed the paperwork and payment terms.
- Registration, complaint history, or safety information raises questions you cannot resolve with the company.
FMCSA reported a nationwide enforcement initiative from April 1–19, 2024, targeting household-goods carriers and brokers with egregious complaint records or serious safety deficiencies. That was a historical enforcement effort, not a current ranking of companies; it illustrates why checking complaint and safety records is part of choosing a mover.
Plan packing without buying more than you need
Ask whether your mover supplies boxes and packing materials or offers packing as part of your quote before purchasing supplies. If you are packing some or all of the home yourself, plan for boxes, packing tape, labels, and protective materials as needed for your belongings. A full-service mover may provide materials or pack for you, so these purchases are optional rather than a requirement for every move.
Rank #4
Sources and scope
This comparison is for U.S. household moves. Company availability and quotes depend on route and date; no route-independent winner or universal price is established by the rankings above. For interstate moves, use current FMCSA records for each candidate. For local and intrastate moves, confirm applicable requirements with the relevant state or local agency. FMCSA’s Protect Your Move page also states that more than 35 million Americans move each year, but it does not state the figure’s publication year.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- It can be a gift option
- Comes with secure packaging
- Helpful in various ways
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
