Top 3 Cheapest Rental Truck Companies of 2021
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Best local prices
The cheapest rental truck companies
- Budget Truck Rental—Best prices on local moves
- Penske Truck Rental—Best prices on one-way moves
- U-Haul—Cheapest insurance
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Budget Truck Rental—Best prices on local moves
Budget Truck Rental has the lowest overall prices and is especially affordable for local moves. The moving company also has several discounts, including an automatic discount of about 9% for one-way reservations booked online. Although it has high fuel costs and insurance prices, it’s still one of the best budget truck rental companies.
Budget Truck Rental costs
| Budget Truck Rental | Our top truck rental companies |
| $1,520 | $1,550 |
Data current as of 6/19/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Average cost calculated by comparing rental costs plus fuel for four home sizes across seven distances.
PROS
- Lowest local prices
- Lowest overall prices
- Instant online discounts
- Includes mileage in quotes
CONS
- High fuel costs
- High insurance costs
What sets Budget Truck Rental apart?
Budget Truck Rental has the lowest overall prices
The average cost to move with Budget Truck Rental is $1,520—or $30 less than the average of the other companies on our list.
Even better? Budget Truck Rental is $60 more affordable on average than its highest-priced competitor, U-Haul.
Budget Truck Rental is your cheapest in-town truck rental option
Budget Truck Rental scores off the affordability charts for local moves. The average cost for a local move with a Budget rental truck is $80—or $70 less than the average.
Budget Truck Rental costs for local moves
| Budget Truck Rental | Penske Truck Rental | U-Haul |
| $80 | $110 | $260 |
Data current as of 6/19/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Average cost calculated by comparing rental costs plus fuel for four home sizes for a local move of 50 miles in which the moving truck is returned to the same location.
Want a cheap moving truck for an in-town move?
SAVE 10% ON A BUDGET TRUCK RENTAL RESERVATION
SAVE 10% ON A BUDGET TRUCK RENTAL RESERVATION
You receive an automatic discount of about 10% if you reserve a truck online with Budget Truck Rental.
Learn more in our Budget Truck Rental Review.
Penske Truck Rental—Best prices on one-way moves
Penske has the most accurate quotes of any company we researched (meaning your quote will be basically the same as your final price). It also has the lowest prices for one-way moves and larger trucks for moving big homes.
While it has high prices for local moves and smaller trucks (for smaller homes), its overall rates are lower than average. Its trucks also get the best gas mileage of any company in the business.
Penske Truck Rental costs
| Penske Truck Rental | Our top truck rental companies |
| $1,540 | $1,550 |
Data current as of 6/19/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Average cost calculated by comparing rental costs plus fuel for four home sizes across seven distances.
PROS
- Lowest one-way prices
- Most accurate quotes
- Lowest prices for big homes
- Best gas mileage
CONS
- High prices for local moves
- High prices for small homes
What sets Penske Truck Rental apart?
Penske Truck Rental has the lowest one-way prices
The average cost of a one-way move with Penske Truck Rental is $1,750—or about $30 less than average. If you’re moving to another city, it’s tough to beat Penske Rental Truck’s prices.
Penske Truck Rental one-way prices
| Penske Truck Rental | Our top truck rental companies |
| $1,750 | $1,780 |
Data current as of 6/19/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Average cost calculated by comparing rental costs plus fuel for four home sizes across seven distances.
Penske Truck Rental has the most accurate prices
At first glance, Penske Truck Rental looks like it’s hundreds of dollars more expensive than other companies. In reality, the company is just more up-front with customers about final costs.
Here’s why:
The cost to rent a moving truck is almost always higher than what you see in your initial quote. Many companies don’t include fees, deposits, or taxes in your estimate—and those can amount to hundreds of dollars.
We like Penske Truck Rental because it has the most straightforward pricing. Its quotes are nearly 100% accurate: the only cost not included is fuel.
By comparison, the average company charges about 40% more than your quote.
Truck rental quotes compared to final prices
| Initial quote | Final cost | Amount above quote |
| $1,360 | $1,540 | $180 |
| $1,170 | $1,520 | $350 |
| $1,180 | $1,580 | $400 |
Data current as of 6/19/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Average cost calculated by comparing initial quotes and final prices (including fuel costs) for four home sizes across seven distances.
Want a quote that matches your final price?
Penske Truck Rental has the best gas mileage in the business
Don’t forget that you’ll need to fill up your truck’s gas tank when you move. That’s not a big deal if you’re moving only a short distance.
But the costs add up if you’re traveling across the country. Different moving truck sizes get different gas mileage rates—which also vary from company to company.
We found that Penske Truck Rental can save you up to $60 in fuel costs compared to competitors.
Penske Truck Rental fuel costs
| Penske Truck Rental | Our top truck rental companies |
| $20 | $20 |
| $180 | $200 |
| $350 | $410 |
Data current as of 6/19/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Average cost calculated by comparing rental costs plus fuel for four home sizes across seven distances.
Learn more in our Penske Truck Rental Review.
ANOTHER OPTION FOR LOCAL MOVES
ANOTHER OPTION FOR LOCAL MOVES
Enterprise Truck Rental didn’t make our list because it offers only local moves, but we like the company’s 14 different moving truck sizes (including a pickup truck and a cargo van). Learn more in our Enterprise Truck Rental Review.
U-Haul—Best insurance prices
U-Haul is probably the most well-known moving truck rental company. It has low prices for moves of 100 and 1,000 miles and the cheapest insurance.
On the other hand, U-Haul’s overall costs are typically high, and its quotes aren’t very accurate: an average move with U-Haul costs about $400 more than what the company quotes you.
U-Haul costs
| U-Haul | Our top truck rental companies |
| $1,580 | $1,550 |
Data current as of 6/19/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Average cost calculated by comparing rental costs plus fuel for four home sizes across seven distances.
PROS
- Lowest insurance prices
- Low prices for moves of 100 miles
- Low prices for moves of 1,000 miles
CONS
- Inaccurate quotes
- Highest overall prices
What sets U-Haul apart?
U-Haul has low prices for moves of 100 and 1,050 miles
U-Haul often gives the lowest quotes but has the highest final prices. However, there are two instances in which U-Haul has the cheapest rates:
- Moves of 100 miles. U-Haul’s price of $210 is $30 cheaper than the average.
- Moves of 1,050 miles. U-Haul’s price of $2,310 is $260 cheaper than the average.
Want to save more than $200 on a move of 1,000 miles?
CHOICES, CHOICES!
CHOICES, CHOICES!
U-Haul has six different trucks to choose from, including a cargo van and a pickup truck for smaller moves. You can also rent equipment, like hand trucks and furniture pads. Learn more in our U-Haul Review.
U-Haul has the lowest insurance prices
Truck rental companies allow you to purchase insurance to cover costs due to accidents, injuries, and even roadside assistance annoyances like flat tires. While each company has slightly different offerings, U-Haul’s average insurance rates are about $50 lower than the competition.
U-Haul insurance costs
| U-Haul | Our top truck rental companies |
| $70 | $130 |
Data current as of 6/19/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Average cost calculated by comparing rental costs plus fuel for four home sizes across seven distances.
U-Haul has very inaccurate quotes
U-Haul has attractive quotes, but your quote does not equal your final price. U-Haul quotes include the cost of a moving truck rental and an environmental fee, but they don’t include other expenses:
- Taxes
- Fuel costs
- Mileage fees on local moves
U-BOX: A U-HAUL MOVING CONTAINER
U-BOX: A U-HAUL MOVING CONTAINER
U-Haul has a moving container called a U-Box. Like with its moving trucks, final U-Box costs are much higher than initial quotes. But there are times when the U-Box has the lowest rates compared to other moving container companies.
The result is that your final U-Haul price is about 60% more expensive than your initial quote. For local moves, your final price is about 240% higher, while one-way moves set you back an extra 30%.
That means an average move with U-Haul will cost $400 more than your quote.
U-Haul quotes vs. final prices
| Initial quotes | Final prices | Differences |
| $30 | $110 | $80 ↑ |
| $1,370 | $1,830 | $460 ↑ |
| $1,180 | $1,580 | $400 ↑ |
Data current as of 6/19/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Average cost calculated by comparing initial quotes and final prices (including fuel costs) for four home sizes across seven distances.
Learn more in our U-Haul Review.
Recapping our three best cheap truck rental companies
- Budget Truck Rental—Best prices on local moves
- Penske Truck Rental—Best prices on one-way moves
- U-Haul—Best insurance prices
Not all rental truck companies are created equal. Budget Truck Rental has the best overall prices and really shines for local moves. Penske Truck Rental has the cheapest rates for one-way moves. And U-Haul is your go-to company for low insurance costs.
Other cost-saving resources
Not sold on a truck rental company? Learn about other ways to save money on your move:
About Kurt Manwaring
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