Home Depot Truck Rental Review 2023

We gathered over a hundred quotes, interviewed real customers, and assessed top services from top moving truck rental companies across the US.
Best for cheap local moves
Home Depot logo
3.1 out of 5 stars
3.1
  • pro
    Nationwide locations
  • pro
    Penske's 5 truck sizes, plus 4 more
  • con
    High rates for most moves
Avg. local rental price*
Avg. one-way rental price
Learn more
$324.07$2,337.13

All data as of October 15, 2020.

*Prices averaged for 5 home sizes (when different trucks were available) for a distance under 100 miles. Prices do not include mileage rates.

**Prices averaged for 5 home sizes across 6 distances over 100 miles. Mileage included in long-distance quotes.

 
Joe Roberts
Dec 20, 2022
bullet9 min read

Bottom line: If you’re moving locally, can work quickly, and can squeeze everything into a Home Depot Load ‘N Go rental truck, Home Depot is one of your cheapest truck rental options. Home Depot’s long-distance moving trucks are supplied through a partnership with Penske Truck Rental, (but Penske’s trucks can cost more when rented through some Home Depot locations).

pro
Pros
pro Affordable rates for in-house trucks
pro Unlimited mileage on in-house trucks
pro Penske’s 5 truck sizes plus 4 more
pro Nationwide locations
con
Cons
con No Load ‘N Go truck reservations in advance
con High rates for most moves
con No tow trailers available
con High prices for Penske trucks

If you’re moving long-distance or you have a lot of stuff to move, get quotes from the other companies on our list of the best moving truck rental companies.


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How much does Home Depot cost?

Like we mentioned, Home Depot has two different types of rental trucks, and they come with different rental policies.

For long-distance moves or large moves that require big trucks, Home Depot supplies customers with Penske trucks. Home Depot’s rates for these trucks are almost identical to Penske’s, though they can be a little higher in some locations.

Because of this price difference, you should just rent directly from Penske if you’re moving long-distance or you need a Penske truck.

Home Depot quotes for Penske’s 26-foot truck rentals

Move distance
Quote
50 miles$324.07 + $1.29/mile
463 miles$980.64
1,033 miles$4,273.79
2,060 miles$2,682.49

Home Depot quotes for Penske’s 12-foot truck rentals

Move distance
Quote
463 miles$980.64
1,033 miles$2,689.32
2,060 miles$2,366.84

Data as of October 2020. Prices do not include add-on services like moving coverage or additional equipment rentals. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Only the 26-foot truck was available at the Penske location where we requested 50-mile quotes.

For local moves, you can get one of Home Depot’s Load ‘N Go rental trucks instead. Prices for these trucks start at affordable 75-minute rates. The 75-minute rates make Load ‘N Go rentals your most affordable option if you can complete your move in an hour or two. You can also rent them per day or per week, though they cost a lot more if rented for that long.

Home Depot Load ‘N Go rental rates

Truck size
F250 flatbed truck
T250 flatbed truck
Cargo van
Box truck
75-minute rental rate
$19
$19
$19
$29
Daily rental rate
$129
$129
$129
$139
Weekly rental rate
$903
$903
$903
$973

Data as of April 21, 2021. Exact pricing will be determined at the store.

If you need a truck for a whole day or longer, Budget’s rates are usually better for local moves. You should also keep in mind that even the largest Load ‘N Go truck is smaller than most of Penske’s and Budget’s moving trucks. If you want to see exactly how big Home Depot’s trucks are, check out the truck size section below.

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Deposits for Load ‘N Go trucks

In order to rent a Load ‘N Go truck, Home Depot requires you pay a refundable $150 deposit. This deposit is payable by credit card only.[1]

Home Depot moving truck rental cost factors

Moving truck rental prices are largely determined by supply and demand. If a lot of other people are moving when you are, prices will be higher. Supply and demand isn’t the sole determining factor, though. Your price will also be affected by a few other factors:

  • Your move date
  • When you book
  • Taxes
  • Mileage
  • Add-on rentals and services
  • Moving coverage

If you want to learn a little more about these factors and how they can affect your price, check out our guide to moving costs.

The prices for Load ‘N Go trucks can also differ from what Home Depot lists on its website. The exact price for your Load ‘N Go truck will depend on the availability at the location where you get your truck.

However, a few of the factors listed above like moving coverage, environmental fees, and mileage (which we’ll talk about more in a second) don’t apply to Load ‘N Go rentals. This makes prices for Home Depot’s Load ‘N Go trucks a little more stable and predictable than Penske’s rates.

 

Unlimited mileage for Load N’ Go Rentals

Home Depot’s Load N’ Go trucks come with unlimited mileage. This really sets Load ‘N Go rentals apart since renting a truck for a local move from any other company means getting charged for every mile you drive.

The industry average mileage rate for a local truck rental is $0.73. This might not seem like a lot, but if you have to drive your truck 50 miles or more, your final price might be more than double your original quote. Home Depot’s unlimited mileage means you never have to worry about how far you’re driving.

Keep in mind that this only applies to Load ‘N Go rentals, not Penske trucks rented through Home Depot. Every Penske moving truck comes with a $1.29/mile rate for local moves, though Penske does offer unlimited mileage for one-way rentals.

Home Depot’s unlimited mileage almost makes up for how small its trucks are since it means you can make multiple trips without affecting your final price. Just remember to keep an eye on the clock and refill the truck’s gas tank before you return it. If you bring your truck back late or running on fumes, you’ll end up paying more.

Ready to get your quote?

Check Home Depot’s availability in your area and get your quote to see exactly how much your move will cost in a Home Depot truck.

Home Depot’s coverage options

Penske trucks rented from Home Depot come with all of Penske’s coverage options, including things like roadside assistance, damage waivers, and liability coverage.

For Load ‘N Go rentals, however, Home Depot doesn’t offer any moving coverage. To get a Load ‘N Go truck, you need to bring proof of automobile insurance. If you get in an accident while driving your Home Depot truck, any coverage will have to come from your personal policy.

Keep in mind that automobile insurance often comes with vehicle weight limits, so double-check your policy to ensure your Home Depot moving truck will be covered if you get in an accident.

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What about roadside assistance?

Unfortunately, Home Depot doesn’t provide any roadside assistance for its Load ‘N Go rental trucks. This isn’t a huge deal since these trucks are only available for local moves and you’re unlikely to run into any serious problems moving up the street. If you catch a flat or your engine dies, though, you’ll have to pay for your tow yourself.


Compare Home Depot to Move.org's top moving companies

While you can save on costs by renting a moving truck from Home Depot, you may also be able to save by renting a moving container from a company like PODS. Using a truck rental or moving container means you will do all or some of the work on your own, though. Full-service movers like IVL or American Van Lines are the most expensive moving option, but you will do the least amount of work. 

Company
Company type
Move.org rating
Packing & loading services
Pricing
Learn more
Moving container company
4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6
bulletNo
$$
Professional mover
4.9 out of 5 stars
4.9
bulletYes
$$$
Professional mover
4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5
bulletYes
$$$
Moving container company
4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5
bulletNo
$$
Moving truck rental company
3.1 out of 5 stars
3.1
bulletNo
$

Home Depot features and services

  • Long-distance, one-way rentals
  • Local, round-trip rentals
  • Multiple truck sizes
  • Moving and packing supplies
  • Home repair supplies and equipment

Home Depot’s moving trucks

Home Depot offers four moving vehicle sizes plus Penske’s five truck sizes. Home Depot’s largest option is smaller than all but two of Penske’s trucks, but they’re large enough for smaller moving jobs like transporting a sofa or moving out of a dorm.

Home Depot Load 'N Go Rental Truck Sizes

Data as of April 21, 2021

All Load ‘N Go trucks offer help for reverse driving, whether through a backup alarm for the pickup, a rearview sensing system for the cargo van, or a rearview camera for the box truck.

Some trucks also include cargo tie-downs to secure your stuff and cargo lights so you can see where everything is if you’re still loading or unloading after dark (we’ve been there). The only extra security feature you may want is a pack of furniture pads, which Home Depot sells right in the store.

Plus, the box truck comes with a loading ramp, so you don’t have to worry about breaking your back to throw stuff in the truck.

Home Depot Penske Rental Truck Sizes

Data as of April 20, 2021.

To get the full scoop on all of Penske’s truck sizes and features, read our Penske review.

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Which truck should I rent?

Need help deciding which Home Depot truck is the right fit for your move? Use our moving truck size guide to figure out how much space you’ll need for your stuff.


What to know about Home Depot

Now that we’ve talked about Home Depot’s trucks and rates, we wanted to highlight a few of the most important things to know about the company’s truck rental services.

Penske Trucks aren’t available at all Home Depot locations

Unfortunately, your local Home Depot might not participate in the Penske partnership, so you won’t be able to get a Penske truck there. However, there are over 2,000 Home Depot locations in the US,[2] so there’s a good chance you can find a nearby location with Penske trucks.

Luckily, Home Depot's website will let you know where Penske trucks are available, so you don’t have to call or waste too much time to learn whether or not you can get a Penske truck.

Despite this feature, the limited number of participating Home Depot locations is another reason you should probably just go to Penske directly if you need a Penske truck.

Availability for Load ‘N Go rental trucks is pretty limited

Most Home Depot locations only have a small supply of Load ‘N Go rental trucks. This can make it difficult to get your hands on one, especially considering you can’t book Load ‘N Go trucks in advance.

That’s right. Load ‘N Go rentals are first come, first served, and you can only rent one in store. You can’t make reservations.

Paired with the company’s limited truck availability, this inability to reserve a truck makes Load ‘N Go rentals an unreliable option. If you plan your moving day around getting a Home Depot truck, you might be left truckless at the last minute.

That said, if your moving day is flexible, you can still save money by waiting for an available truck from Home Depot. Additionally, if your U-Haul reservation falls through (which happens often), Home Depot can be a good backup option.

It offers one-stop shopping convenience

DIY moving is fraught with small accidents. Even if you’ve moved several times on your own, there’s always the risk that you might break the leg off a table, put a hole in your drywall, or scrape your hardwood floor. This is where Home Depot’s home improvement specialty comes in.

When you return your Home Depot truck, you can just pick up anything you might need for small repairs to your home or furniture instead of making a second stop. It might not seem like much, but this one-stop shopping convenience can spare you a lot of traffic and time at the end of an exhausting day of moving.

Additionally, Home Depot sells plenty of moving supplies like boxes, dollies, and furniture pads, which you can pick up along with your truck. The company even offers a handy moving calculator that can help you determine how many moving supplies you need.

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Where to get moving boxes

Home Depot is a great option for packing supplies like moving boxes, but if you want to see what else is available, check out our list of places that sell moving boxes.


FAQs about Home Depot moving truck rental

Can I rent a dolly from Home Depot?

Yes, you can rent hand trucks and dollies for hauling your belongings to and from your truck.

Do I need to reserve a truck in advance?

Short answer: no. In fact, reservations aren’t even an option for Home Depot’s Load ‘N Go truck rentals. But you can check the Home Depot website or call your store before you drive over to make sure there’s a truck on hand.

Does Home Depot offer insurance for its rental trucks?

Home Depot doesn’t have coverage plans for its local truck rentals. To rent a truck, you must be 21 years old and have proof of your own insurance. We recommend that you call your auto insurance company to make sure your policy applies to moving truck rentals.


Our recommendation

Home Depot’s limited supply of Load ‘N Go trucks, high rates for Penske trucks, and no reservation policy make it unreliable at best for most moves. However, if you’re moving locally out of a small apartment and budget is your biggest concern, the low prices for Load ‘N Go rentals are worth seeing what Home Depot has on hand at your local store.

Check Home Depot’s availability

Ready to see what Home Depot can do for you?

Other moving truck rental picks

If you want to see what a few Home Depot competitors have to offer, check out these reviews of the best moving truck rental companies in the industry:

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Move.org Moving Grants: The 411

At Move.org, we offer financial assistance to individuals and families who are moving in exchange for details about their experience. Their candid reviews help us provide unique, real-life perspectives about the moving process.

Visit our Moving Grant hub to find out which companies we’ve worked with and to apply for funding for your next move!


Methodology

Move.org analyzes and ranks truck rental companies using a five-step research process:

  • Compare quotes. We gathered 118 quotes from five moving truck companies. These pricing quotes included trucks that can move single-bedroom apartments, five-bedroom houses, and everything in between. Prices also included moving distances ranging from 50 miles to 2,060 miles.
  • Mystery shopping. We thoroughly review each company’s website and call every company several times to appraise the moving services, transit protection, and customer service provided by each truck rental company.
  • Analyze reviews. To understand how customers feel about each truck rental company, we read through hundreds of customer reviews and analyzed thousands of star ratings customers leave on third-party review platforms like Yelp and Google Reviews.
  • Truck comparisons. We compare companies based on the moving truck sizes and truck types they offer (moving vans, flatbed trucks, box trucks, etc.). We also look at moving-specific features like loading ramps and tow dollies included with their trucks.
  • Annual review. We annually revise our truck rental reviews and update them throughout the year to keep our recommendations up-to-date.

Recommended resources

Whether this is your first time moving in a rental truck or you’ve done it half a dozen times, these tips and recommendations can help you prepare for a successful move:

Sources

  1. The Home Depot, “Moving Box Truck Rental.” Accessed December 20, 2022.
  2. The Home Depot, “Built From All the Right Materials.” Accessed December 20, 2022.
Joe Roberts
Written by
Joe Roberts
Joe Roberts is a professional writer with a degree in writing studies and over four years of copywriting experience. He previously worked at Overstock.com, where he wrote about furniture, home decor, and moving. Joe has moved all over Utah, so he knows his way around a moving truck—and he spends his time (and money) expanding his personal library so it will be even heavier next time he moves.