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9 min readVan line moving companies, (also called carriers) are moving brokers that connect you with other companies that fit your needs and budget. With a van line you work directly with the carrier — there’s no middleman.
Van lines move with their own fleets, but some also act as brokers so they can expand their network and range.
If you're not sure which van line to choose, don't worry! We have you covered. We did hours of research to find the best moving van lines in the biz.
Looking for other long-distance moving options? Check out our top picks in our Best Interstate Movers list.
Image: Artem Podrez, Pexels
Data as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Pricing data collected by requesting estimates from top moving container companies for four home sizes across six distances.
*Based on a 3-bedroom cross-country move.
**Based on a 3-bedroom cross-country move.
Here’s a quick breakdown of popular moving van lines, including pricing, deposit amounts, and service areas:
Allied and North American Van Lines are the most budget-friendly options if cost is the main factor. For broader coverage, United Van Lines and International Van Lines are notable for more moving locations.
Colonial Van Lines offers a range of services and options from highly trained movers to get everything in the right place, even if that place is across the country. Colonial Van Lines has established itself as a trusted choice for both residential and corporate long-distance moves.
Like many of the brands on this list, Colonial Van Lines offers full-service cross-country and regional services, but what sets it apart is the extensive training every one of its employees gets. Along with highly trained moving staff and drivers, every client gets the help of a dedicated Account Manager to help them through the moving process.
Colonial specializes in out-of-state moves, only working with customers crossing state lines. Moving deposits usually land around 40%, but with the more services you add, the more that deposit covers.
Highly trained movers and drivers
Full suite of moving services
Personalized solutions
Clear breakdown of costs up front 
Does not service in-state moves 
🔥 Use promo code MOVEORG to save up to $500 on your long-distance move with Colonial Van Lines!
Limited-Time Offer. Offer valid for new reservations only. This deal cannot be combined with other offers.
Relocating families and businesses nationwide requires careful planning, skilled hands, and strategic thinking, which is why Colonial Van Lines invests in comprehensive training through its own institution, Colonial Van Lines University (CVLU).
Every new team member undergoes an immersive training program lasting two to four weeks at CVLU. This training equips them with the most effective techniques for packing, lifting, and handling a wide range of items—from everyday belongings to specialty goods.
Moreover, Colonial extends the benefits of CVLU to its customers. Quick courses are available for preparing valuable items like dressers, chairs, appliances, books, fine china, and clothing, ensuring that customers can also take advantage of expert knowledge when preparing their possessions for relocation.
Binding estimates are something we highly recommend in a moving company because they prevent the price from changing after you sign the agreement. Although the quote is guaranteed, you can adjust your estimate with Colonial’s Quality Assurance team up until your move date. For example, if you do more (or less) packing than you expected, you can either lower your overall cost or add that service.
We spoke with Colonial Van Lines to get an idea of its price ranges and got some simple estimates for a three-bedroom home. They quoted $9,000 for a cross-country move and $5,500 for a regional move.
CVL considers various factors such as load weight, locations, and moving dates to provide a final, binding quote, guaranteeing accuracy. They also offer a price match guarantee against qualified competitors' lower quotes.
Ready to start your move with Colonial Van Lines?
United Van Lines’s services, prices, and industry expertise certainly warrant the name recognition the company receives. Plus, United uses only background-checked workers, so you can trust that you aren’t handing your belongings to a stranger off the street.
One of our Move.org staff members moved with United and reported that the crew was very friendly and the move went very smoothly.
Straightforward rates
PC network disassembly and setup
Trash and debris removal
Mixed service quality between locations Moving company van lines have a rep for being shady about their prices. For instance, lots of movers won’t tell you that carrying your stuff down flights of stairs costs extra until they show up on moving day. Or, they’ll bury the extra fee in your estimate in 10-pt. italicized font.
United, on the other hand, spells out its package pricing and add-on services pretty plainly before your move. This pricing method helps you budget properly (and avoid the feeling that you’ve been played).
United offers PC network disassembly and setup on both ends of your move. So, don’t worry about connecting your 75-inch smart TV to Wi-Fi or syncing your MacBook to your wireless printer — United will take care of it for you.
Our United Van Lines reviews found that their services include full-value protection on every move — a victory for those who care about their stuff.
Here’s the deal: Moving companies are required to include basic valuation on every move. That’s $0.60 of coverage per pound per item. So, if your 450-lb. sectional sofa breaks in transit, you’ll only get comped $270.
Full-value protection (FVP), on the other hand, offers $6 of protection per pound. With FVP, you’d get a $2,700 check for that damaged sectional. Bring on the brand new sofa!
United is one of the few moving companies to include FVP in the price of every move. We think this shows how much the company cares about protecting your belongings.
Want transparent pricing?
When you compare Allied to United Van Lines, you’ll find that Allied is a large moving van company with one of the most extensive moving networks in the world. It can tackle anything from a large, long-distance move to a smaller local one. The company offers a slew of moving services like appliance disconnection and reconnection.
One of our Move.org staff writers has moved with Allied, and we’re pleased to report that the company was transparent about its costs and had stellar customer service (though its customer service isn’t necessarily consistent across the board).
No hidden fees
Appliance connection and disconnection services
Subpar customer service in some locations
Reports of broken items Allied’s wide range of add-ons allows you to tailor your move so you’re not paying for more than you need.
Here are Allied’s à la carte services:
Curious to see what past customers are saying about moving companies? Yelp, BusinessRater, and Google reviews are great places to start.
When you put your life in the back of a moving truck, you want to know it’ll get to its final destination safe and sound. We love that Allied’s live tracking option can help alleviate some of that natural moving anxiety.
Most van lines connect you with your truck driver. That driver will then send periodic updates while they’re out on the road. But, for those of us who want to check in every few hours, the option to live track is a win.
Allied lets you track your shipment online the same way you track an Uber: you can see, in real time, how far away it is from your location. (Take that, Dominos. Now we can track more than just our pizza!) With this tracking option, you’ll have a better gauge of when your things will actually arrive. And let’s be real: you’ll probably get a better night’s sleep, too.
Want to customize your move?
North American Van Lines has locations nationwide and lots of add-on features to mix and match. It’s flexible enough to cover local moves, international moves, and everything in between.
Lots of add-on services
Packing supplies available
Online GPS tracking
Mixed customer service Moving is something you (hopefully) don’t have to do often. It’s confusing. It’s overwhelming. It’s kind of a drag. If you’ve never moved before — or if you can’t remember where to start — North American Van Lines has plenty of online resources for each step of the process, including a host of FAQs, pro tips, and general tricks of the trade.
Its resources can help keep you from signing with the wrong company — or for the wrong price. We think this says a lot about how the company values its customers — especially because it favors customer comfort over going straight for the sell.
The moving industry is full of companies with similar-sounding names. Don’t confuse North American Van Lines with others that look like it, like American Van Lines (not North American). Check your mover’s FMCSA number before you book to ensure you’re dealing with the right company.
It’s no secret that moving can get messy. Whether you’re clearing out your garden or tossing your 10-year-old mattress, North American can help you dispose of throwaways.
Plus, if there’s ever a time to pull a Marie Kondo and downsize your life, it’s when you’re moving. (Bonus: the smaller the load, the cheaper the move.) So, don’t feel obligated to pack that waffle iron you only pull out once every two years — North American will handle your post-purge cleanup.
Are you new to professional moving and looking for a place to start?
American Van Lines is our value pick thanks to its flat-rate pricing. These long-distance movers don’t tack on fees for every service — and they don't skimp on the things you need to keep your stress level low and your belongings safe. American charges a flat rate and lets you use all of its many moving services (including piano moving). The company also background checks its workers (including drug tests and background screenings). The catch? American doesn’t have GPS tracking, which is a feature our readers really like.
Wide variety of moving services
Moves high-value items
Background-checked movers
No GPS tracking American Van Lines’ flat-rate prices can save you time and money. Some state-to-state movers upsell you on services you don't need to make extra cash.
Not so with American Van Lines. The company charges a single upfront rate based on the distance you're moving, the weight of your belongings, and any extra services.
For example, let’s say you need to move your belongings across the country, including a grand piano. Most companies will charge you a base rate primarily based on weight but then tack on extra fees for things like bulky items, piano moving, and packing materials.
None of those things cost extra with American Van Lines. You pay a flat rate and then get access to everything the company offers. Is your new apartment on the third floor? AVL doesn’t charge an additional elevator or stairs fee. Need storage? Your first month is free.
The average cost of 28 sample moves posted on AVL’s website is approximately $3,820. Our research suggests that average cost is likely lower than most customers will pay. Moving expenses range widely based on the size of your home, the distance of your move, and even the time of year.
American Van Lines has an online blog with many tips, including suggestions for getting the most out of packing materials and moving boxes.
AVL’s across state movers are top-of-the-line professionals. The company puts every potential long-distance mover through an intense pre-hire screening process, including background checks and drug testing. Those who make the cut arrive at your home wearing uniforms that identify them as American Van Lines professionals.
Looking for premium quality at a great price?
After researching dozens of companies, Colonial got the best reputation score for van lines. Our score was formulated from acumulating online review ratings from real customers.
Typically, Monday through Thursday are the cheapest days. Often, Friday, Sunday, and Saturday are busier moving days, so companies charge more on those days. You may also want to consider that winter and early spring are often cheaper times to move, as well.
From our research, we believe that many problems people have with moving companies come about when they use third-party movers instead of their own. Third-party movers seem less concerned about offering good customer service and protecting the items they are moving.
When it comes to complaints about big moving companies, customers are often bothered by the lack of transparency on extra charges that may come up, like shuttle service charges.
Move.org evaluates and identifies the moving industry’s best full-service movers using a fivefold research approach:
Overall, we found that Colonial had the most going for it. It has great customer service, a fantastic line up of services, and well-trained movers.
If you still want to browse around, here are some other moving van lines reviews worth considering:
Star ratings: Star ratings reflect the editorial assessment of each company for the purposes of this particular article (e.g. Best Moving Companies for Military Moves, Best Cheap Moving Companies, etc.). These ratings may be different from star ratings found on other articles, such as Best Long-Distance Moving Companies, Best Moving Container Companies, etc.).
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