The Best Moving Container Companies of 2024

Top pick: PODS is the best moving container company. It boasts better customer reviews than its competitors, a 10% Move.org discount, strong moving pods, and multiple storage options. Best of all, PODS is available from coast to coast, so chances are—no matter where you're moving—PODS should have you covered.

Here are the most important things to look for when picking a moving container company:

Availability. Most companies aren’t available nationwide. Make sure you find one with moving services in your origin and destination cities.

Price. Low prices aren’t just good for your pocketbook. They can also indicate whether a company can keep up with the increased COVID-19 moving demand.

Container sizes. Multiple sizes mean multiple options—and potential savings. Look for a container company with more than one size or charges only for the space taken up by your belongings.

Customer reviews. Few things matter more than what other customers say. Companies like U-Pack that get rave reviews mean that you’re more likely to have a positive moving experience.

Storage options. The best moving container companies let you store your containers either at your home or their company storage warehouses.

Container quality. Your options range from steel to plywood. Candidly, they all keep your items pretty secure. But there’s something to be said for seeing your belongings safely tucked away inside a 1-800-PACK-RAT or PODS heavy-duty container.

PODS is the best moving container company in the nation. No company has done a better job meeting demand during COVID-19. Plus, PODS keeps its rates reasonable while offering top-notch containers and on-site and at-home storage. The company also has a Move.org discount worth about $400 for the average move. The only real drawback is understanding the costs. PODS has so many separate billing charges that it’s hard to keep them straight.

If you want to learn more, read our full review of PODS.

1-800-PACK-RAT barely missed out on our top spot. It boasts the most robust moving containers in the industry and lets you choose from multiple sizes. Plus, 1-800-PACK-RAT price matches with PODS. You even get free 24/7 surveillance if you use a 1-800-PACK-RAT storage facility. On the downside, it’s available in only 30 states and tends to score below average with customers.

If you want to learn more, read our full review of 1-800-PACK-RAT.

UNITS has several great qualities as a container moving company, but its most notable services include customizable storage services and 24/7 customer service. You have two container options when choosing how to store your belongings, and you can also choose between storing the container on-site, or in one of their climate-controlled warehouses for as long as you need. Additionally, with UNITS you can call to ask questions any day, at any time...they're available on weekends too! Paired with up to $10,000 insurance coverage for each move, and seasonal discounts at various locations, you know you'll be getting competitive pricing. The only downsides: UNITS is not currently available in all 50 states, and both container sizes may not be available for long-distance moves.

To learn more, read our full UNITS review.

Zippy Shell has the lowest moving container prices in the nation. It also has a sizable 15-foot steel container and lets you choose between at-home and facility storage options. Zippy Shell is available in 34 states and is continuously expanding. Even with its limited container sizes, its low prices and high-quality container are significant enough to warrant a fourth-place rank on our list of the best moving container companies. Zippy Shell is tough to beat if you can find a nearby location.

To learn more, read our full Zippy Shell review​.

U-Pack stakes its claim to fame on two important qualities: excellent reviews and nationwide availability. No other moving container company has such an impressive one-two punch. U-Pack also offers a $25 discount for online orders and has an extra insurance option if you care about damage protection. The drawbacks are significant, though. U-Pack doesn’t come cheap, can’t do long-distance moves, and isn’t an option for at-home portable storage longer than three days.

To learn more, read our full U-Pack review​.

Move.org follows a six-step process to identify the nation’s best moving container companies:

1. Compare quotes. We obtained and analyzed nearly 300 quotes from 7 of the nation’s largest moving container companies over 3 years.
2. Mystery shopping. We do a top-to-bottom analysis of each company’s website and even call posing as customers. It helps us get a feel for what real-life customers experience.
3. Analyze reviews. We read dozens of reviews for each company to see what most impresses (and turns off) customers. We also conducted a meta-analysis of more than 16,000 reviews to calculate an industry customer review average.
4. Pay real-life customers for honest feedback. Move.org routinely gives away $500 moving grants in exchange for candid feedback about using moving container companies.
5. Site visits. We invite industry experts and company executives to visit our headquarters in Salt Lake City, UT. We grill them on everything from pricing and customer reviews to insurance coverage and the latest industry trends.
6. Annual review. Every year, we repeat the process to ensure that our list of the best moving container companies stays current. That means our top recommendations and industry prices may change each year.