Life Storage 2022 Review

Bottom Line: Life Storage is one of our best storage unit companies, and we recommend it to everyone from folks on the move to homeowners looking to downsize. It offers helpful perks like truck rentals and a virtual size estimator tool. Plus, Life Storage focuses more on security than most self-storage companies. It’s no wonder the company has the highest customer reviews in the business. On the downside, Life Storage is expensive and relatively hard to find.

Life Storage costs about $200 per month (not including a one-time $25 administrative fee)—or about 10% more than the industry average. Move.org analyzed nearly 750 Life Storage quotes and found that its climate-controlled storage units typically cost about $20 more than standard storage units.

Storage unit costs depend on a few things:

• Size. Smaller units (often used for boxes) are more affordable than larger ones (typically used for boxes, furniture, and appliances).
• Climate control. Expect to pay about $20 more per month to rent a climate-controlled storage unit with Life Storage. (These units offer increased protection for items like furniture and photographs that can be damaged by weather and humidity.)
• Availability. You can get a great deal if there are lots of available units—or you might pay more if there are only a few open spots.
• Online sales. You can almost always save money by looking for deals and ordering online (in-store reservations cost more).
• Extra fees. Life Storage charges a one-time $25 administration fee and requires insurance (starting at $12 per month). You also have to pay your state sales tax. All of these fees add about $50 to your bill.

Want to save money with online sales?

Life Storage offers coverage plans beginning at $12 per month. Coverage details vary by location, so check with a Life Storage on-site manager to learn more. Life Storage also allows you to use your homeowners insurance if you provide a copy of your policy declaration page that details your storage unit coverage (contact your homeowners insurance agent for more information).

Life Storage puts a premium on security. You can often tell when companies care about security because their websites break down exactly what they do to keep your stuff safe. Life Storage’s security page details several attractive features:

• Digital surveillance system. Life Storage has 24-hour video surveillance. Rather than using old-fashioned videotape storage, Life Storage uses digital storage that preserves high-quality video and lowers the risk of blank spots (from switching out tapes).
• Lighting. Life Storage lights the exterior of its storage buildings to scare away thieves and uses motion-activated lights inside your unit so that you’re never in the dark.
• Locks. Life Storage says it uses the best storage unit locks in the industry. While we haven’t verified the locks are as good as our top picks, we think it’s a good sign Life Storage talks about locks on its website (many companies don’t mention security at all).
• Password protection. You’ll receive a unique password that you must enter into an electronic keypad to enter a Life Storage facility. This security feature lets Life Storage limit who can access the facility and gives Life Storage the ability to track every person who enters and exits the storage buildings.

Life Storage has its own moving trucks that customers can rent to transport their belongings to and from their homes. It’s a great perk for people who are moving within the same city. Rather than rent a truck from a separate company like Penske or Budget, you can get your truck and storage unit at the same place. The convenience is a lifesaver if you feel stressed out or short on time during your move.

New customers (at participating locations) get their Life Storage truck rentals at a discount. Life Storage confusingly says rental trucks are both free for new customers¹—and available for only $19.95.² You’ll want to check with your local Life Storage facility to find which is true in your case, but even at the $19.95 rate, new customers save a few bucks.

For other customers, Life Storage charges fees comparable to the best truck rental companies, including a $29.95 rental fee, $.0.89 per mile mileage fee, and $19.95 Collision Damage Waiver (an insurance term that refers to coverage for a rental vehicle).

Life Storage has a virtual storage unit size estimator that lets you visualize what fits instead of trying to imagine it. For example, if you convert a bedroom to an office after your child moves to college, you can use the tool to see if you need a 5 x 10 or 5 x 15-foot unit for their stuff. It’s a helpful feature if you want to “see” inside the unit without going to the self-storage facility.

Life Storage gets the best customer reviews in the business. While the average storage facility pulls in only 3.5 out of 5 stars, Life Storage scores an industry-leading 4.4 stars—a full star higher. Customers frequently rave about Life Storage’s incredible customer service and the cleanliness and security of its units.

Life Storage isn’t cheap. Its average price of $200 per month is about 10% (or $20) higher than the industry average. At the same time, high prices often indicate better quality. Life Storage’s top-notch customer reviews back that up. An extra $20 per month is a lot, but customers seem to think it’s worth the money.

Life Storage can be hard to find—but it’s growing fast. In the last year, Life Storage has ballooned from around 800 storage facilities to more than 1,000 in 35 states. However, that still puts it on the lower end of nationwide competitors.

Life Storage makes the list of our favorite storage unit companies. We’re blown away by its track record—no one scores better with customers. We also love its perks and focus on security. Life Storage’s strengths are legit—but so are its weaknesses (high prices and relatively few locations). We recommend Life Storage primarily if you put a premium on customer service and security.

Looking for the company with the best customer reviews?

Life Storage’s high prices can leave you with sticker shock. Check out our reviews of these storage unit companies with lower prices:

• Simply Self Storage
• CubeSmart
• Public Storage

Life Storage has vehicle units for all kinds of vehicles ranging from compact cars to oversized RVs (depending on availability). The company’s outdoor vehicle units cost about $270 per month.

No, you can’t rent a storage space from Life Storage on Craigslist. Life Storage allows you to reserve a storage space online or at the store. Move.org recommends you rent your unit online to save money (online prices are cheaper than in-store reservations).

Life Storage typically charges a late fee five days after the payment due date. The storage company says that it follows all state laws governing fees for late payments.

Uncle Bob’s Self Storage changed its name to Life Storage in 2016 after purchasing Life Storage, LP. The storage company has more than 1,000 locations in the United States, including cities like Manhattan, Baton Rouge, and Tampa.

No, you can’t store food in a storage unit at Life Storage. The storage company takes cleanliness seriously and also prohibits containers that previously contained food.

No, Public Storage isn’t better than Life Storage. While Public Storage has nearly three times as many locations, Life Storage gets much better customer reviews.

Yes, Life Storage has boat storage. Depending on the size of your boat, it may fit into one of Life Storage’s vehicle units that range from 20 to 30 feet long.

Move.org calculates industry averages and identifies pricing trends by following a fourfold research approach:

1. Compare quotes. We collected more than 2,500 quotes from 8 different companies in 5 cities. We analyzed prices with and without climate control for more than a dozen storage unit sizes.
2. Mystery shopping. We called companies posing as customers and visited select storage facilities in-person.
3. Research. We conducted thorough research on industry features, services, and requirements such as storage unit insurance, company discounts, climate control specifications, and security details.
4. Annual calendar. We repeat this process every year and save our data so that we can compare trends over time.

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• What Size Storage Unit Do I Need?
• Do I Need Insurance for My Storage Unit?
• What Should I Know Before Renting a Storage Unit?
• What Is Climate Control?
• What's the Cheapest Way to Move?

1. Life Storage, FAQ. Accessed December 30, 2021.
2. Life Storage, Use Our Truck or Van for Free When You Rent Storage. Accessed December 30, 2021.