2019’s Top 4 Self-Storage Companies

Renting a storage unit from a reputable company is one of the best ways to store your belongings for weeks, months, and even years. Whether you’re a business owner with extra inventory, a homeowner trying to declutter, or a mover in need of a place to temporarily stash furniture, self-storage offers convenience and security that your car, garage, or friend’s basement might not.

That said, not all self-storage facilities are created equal, and different companies offer a range of prices, security features, and services. To help you find a storage unit that provides exactly what you need at a price you can manage, we researched over a dozen self-storage companies and listed our favorites below.

Best self-storage companies

With over 100 million square feet of rentable storage space across the US, Extra Space Storage is an industry leader based on size alone. Extra Space Storage also offers a slew of services at affordable prices, making it our #1 self-storage company.

Why we recommend Extra Space Storage

 Best value for the price

With prices as low as Extra Space Storage’s, you’d expect the company to skimp on security, pest control, or customer service. But Extra Space Storage offers the most impressive assortment of services and features when compared to competitors in the same price range.

Extra Space Storage facilities have electric gates, video surveillance, and on-site managers, and each facility is treated for pests like insects and rodents every month.

Depending on your local facility, you can rent an indoor, climate-controlled storage unit for heat-sensitive items like vinyl records and old photographs, or an outdoor unit you can drive right up to and fill with lawn decorations, patio furniture, or even your car or boat.

If getting all your stuff to the facility is a concern, then Extra Space also has you covered there. The company partners with Budget Truck Rental, so when you reserve a storage unit, you’ll get a 15%–20% discount on a moving truck rental.

On top of all this, Extra Space has a wide assortment of unit sizes, allowing you to rent a storage unit that meets your exact needs.

Excellent customer recommendations

All of this may sound impressive, but how do customers feel about Extra Space Storage? We surveyed self-storage customers and asked them about their experiences with the companies they rented from. Every Extra Space customer we surveyed said they would work with the company again if they ever needed self-storage in the future.

If you want to learn more, go check out our full Extra Space Storage Review.

In addition to its reputation as a moving company, U-Haul is also a trusted name in self-storage. U-Haul’s prices can run a little high, but if you want to protect your belongings with some of the best security in the self-storage industry, look at what your local U-Haul storage facility can offer.

Why we recommend U-Haul

Reason #1: It has a portable storage option

When your collectibles, your essential documents, or your classic car are in storage, you shouldn’t have to worry about break-ins. U-Haul gets it: the company’s storage facilities are protected 24/7 by electronic gates, video surveillance, and facility managers.

At some U-Haul storage locations, individual storage units are also equipped with their own alarms. So even if a burglar snuck past your facility’s other security measures, your alarm would alert the site manager to the burglar’s presence if they attempted to break into your unit.

Safestor® self-storage insurance

Sometimes, even the best security in the biz isn’t foolproof. That’s why U-Haul offers Safestor, an optional insurance program that covers your belongings while they’re in storage. If you purchase Safestor, U-Haul will replace any of your stuff that gets stolen or destroyed.

Safestor doesn’t apply to exceptionally valuable items like jewelry, artwork, or vehicles, so check with U-Haul to make sure your policy covers the things you want to store.

In addition to self-storage, U-Haul also offers U-Box, a storage pod service. You can read more about that in guide to our favorite storage container companies.

Other exceptionally secure self-storage companies

• Extra Space Storage
• SecurCare Self Storage
• Life Storage

Public Storage has thousands of locations across the country, so you can almost always find a Public Storage facility near your home. In addition to this availability, Public also has some of the lowest prices in the industry, which is why we recommend Public Storage to anyone looking to store their possessions on a tight budget.

Why we recommend Public Storage

Low prices

Of all the self-storage companies we researched, Public Storage’s rates were almost always the lowest.

Keep in mind, though, that self-storage prices vary from location to location—regardless of which company you choose. These inconsistencies make it difficult to accurately predict prices, and it means that the budget option at one location may not be so budget friendly in another. For example, prices at Extra Space Storage facilities are sometimes a little lower than prices at nearby Public Storage facilities.

Public’s prices are lower on average than Extra Space’s, but we always recommend shopping around if you’re trying to save money.

Extensive availability

Public Storage has over 140 million square feet of rentable storage space across the country, making it the largest self-storage company in the nation. Public’s considerable availability can affect you as a customer in two ways.

First, it means that you can almost always find a Public Storage facility near your home. Whether you need to access your storage unit every day or just once a year, Public provides the convenience of having a nearby facility you can get to quickly.

Second, it can result in lower prices. Since Public Storage has so much rentable space, it always has vacant units it needs to fill. One way companies ensure their units are full, and therefore earning money, is to keep their prices lower than their competition.

Other budget-friendly self-storage companies

• Extra Space Storage
• Simply Self Storage
• SecurCare Self Storage

With CubeSmart, you can store just about anything—from your RV to the old clothing your kids grew out of but that you can’t bear to give away. The company’s range of storage options ensures that you can find a safe home for the stuff that’s lingering in your attic, your garage, or your company’s warehouse.

Why we recommend CubeSmart

Diverse storage unit sizes

CubeSmart’s units range from 5 ft. x 5 ft. lockers to 10 ft. x 30 ft. vaults, meaning that you can find the perfect size for your storage needs whether you’re moving, downsizing, or just doing some spring cleaning.

In addition to accommodating any amount of stuff, CubeSmart’s different sizes can actually save you money. Larger units are (obviously) more expensive, and if you rent a unit from a company with fewer size options, you may end up paying for more space than you actually need.

CubeSmart’s wide range of storage unit sizes ensures that you only pay for what you’re going to use.

Storage for vehicles of all sizes

While all the companies on our list offer car storage, CubeSmart also offers storage for boats, RVs, trailers, and motorcycles. CubeSmart’s vehicle storage can be either long- or short-term, so you can store a recreational vehicle for a single winter or a vintage car for several years.

Plus, CubeSmart’s facilities have both indoor and outdoor vehicle storage space, meaning you can keep your priceless collectible car in an indoor unit for extra protection.

Other self-storage companies with plenty of size options

• SecurCare Self Storage
• Extra Space Storage

Our recommendations

• Extra Space Storage— Extra Space Storage is our favorite self-storage company, but it doesn’t have facilities in every state, and it might not meet your specific needs. If you’re looking for something that Extra Space Storage doesn’t offer, check out our other recommendations.
• U-Haul—If the safety and security of your possessions is your number one concern, we recommend you rent a unit from U-Haul.
• Public Storage—If you’re shopping for a company that will work for your limited budget, then Public Storage is one of your best options.
• CubeSmart—Last but not least, if you have unique storage needs, then CubeSmart might be your best bet.

What you should know about using self-storage

The difference between self-storage and full-service storage

With full-service storage, the company packs your belongings into storage units for you, then ships those units to a storage facility. With self-storage, you take your belongings to the facility yourself and pack them into your rental unit.

If you need to get something out of a full-service unit, you have to wait (and pay) for the company to deliver the unit back to you. Once it arrives, you’ll probably have to rifle around to find what you’re looking for since someone else packed your stuff away.

In contrast, getting something out of a self-storage unit is as easy as showing up anytime within the storage facility’s hours of operation (many are open 24/7). And, since you packed the unit yourself, you’ll probably be able to find the item you need much quicker. This makes self-storage a better solution than full-service storage if you’ll need your stored belongings often or on short notice.

Some items need climate-controlled facilities, others don’t

Climate-controlled storage units feature heating, air-conditioning, and humidity controls, just like homes, to maintain the right temperature and humidity for storage. This prevents delicate items from rusting, molding, rotting, or changing colors, but it can also raise your monthly rent a substantial amount. Also, some items don’t even need this special treatment.

Old documents, artwork, vintage clothing, wine, and wooden furniture all need to be stored in climate-controlled units to make sure they last, but if you’re storing things like plastic lawn ornaments, a hot tub, or an RV, you probably don’t need to worry about it.

Sometimes a storage pod can do the trick

If you need to temporarily clear up some space—but you want to keep all your belongings on your property—consider renting a storage pod or container instead of a unit at a storage facility. Storage containers basically work like portable sheds that you can keep on your lawn or driveway until you’re done using them.

If this sounds like a better option for your situation than self-storage, go check out our favorite storage container companies.