U-Haul makes our list of the best moving container companies because it’s affordable and widely available. The company has served American households for over 80 years, and has held a strong reputation for its reliability, affordable rates, and convenience. Like many moving companies, U-Haul has struggled with customer service, and the smaller U-Box size doesn’t fit items much larger than a king-size mattress.
U-Haul U-Box Moving Container Review 2026
Our U-Haul U-Box moving container review found that they are widely available, but customer service can be a hassle. Find out if U-Haul is worth it for your move.
*Data as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Average cost calculated by comparing moving costs for four home sizes across six distances.
Why you can trust Move.org
movers helped every month
20k
moving grants awarded
24
moving companies evaluated
156
years of expert experience
80+
For over 8 years Move.org experts have examined pricing, credentials, and real customer reviews to give you (human) recommendations you can trust. See how we review.
8 min read
Reviewed ByRebecca EdwardsWith 20+ years in home services and tech, Alina shares insights from her 15+ moves. She writes for CBSNews, MSN, and more while renovating her country house.
Pros
Nationwide availability
Low prices
Local and long-distance options
Free furniture pads 
Cons
Customer service struggles
Only one container size U-Haul U-Box is available at thousands of locations across all 50 states.
Table of contents: U-Haul U-Box moving container review
U-Haul U-Box prices
The cost to move with a U-Haul U-Box varies depending on how many containers you need and the moving distance.
U-Haul U-Box rates are primarily determined by the number of containers you use. For example, 1 container fits about 1.5 rooms — equivalent to a studio or dorm room.
The shipping rate may include discounts or add-ons such as free rental furniture pads and no fuel cost.
U-Haul U-Box moving container price comparison table
Data as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Average cost calculated by using the U-Haul cost estimator tool. Quote estimates used the following locations for a moving date two weeks out: Provo, UT to Brigham City, UT; New Rockford, ND; and Syracuse, NY.
Can a couch fit in an U-Box?
Yes, you can probably fit a couch in a U-Box container. The dimensions of a U-Box container are approximately W 4' 8" x L 7' 11" x H 6' 11.5," and most couches are at least seven feet long. So that means your couch should fit lengthwise in a U-Box container as long as it's shorter than 7 feet 11 inches.
U-Haul U-Box fees
Like all moving companies, U-Haul charges extra fees. Keep potential fees in mind when you review your quote and ask about any potential extra fees. Here's a look at some of the costs and fees you may see on your final bill:
- U-Box rental fee: U-Box charges a container rental fee that ranges from $80 to $200 per month, just like a traditional self-storage unit.
- Shipping fee: This is the bulk of your moving quote — it's the cost to get your belongings from Point A to Point B.
- Delivery rates: A single delivery fee for drop-off and pick- up of your container. This is not always included in the quote. The rate depends on which delivery option your select.
- Moving supplies. U-Haul includes 24 free furniture pads with your order. Any other supplies you order during checkout get added to your tab (like moving boxes, packing tape, and bubble wrap).
Make money back for unused boxes!
U-Haul will refund the full purchase price of any unused box you return. There are two refund programs:
- Unused U-Box Containers: You get a full refund if you have any unused U-Box containers. This means you can get money back for the ones you don't end up using.
- Unused Moving Boxes and Packing Supplies: You can get a refund for any unused supplies when you return them with a receipt.
- Moving Help®. U-Haul can connect you with workers to help with things like packing and heavy lifting. At around $45 per hour, U-Haul Moving Help is more affordable than most moving labor companies, but its network of movers may include workers that aren’t licensed or insured.
- Protection coverage. You can purchase protection coverage for your belongings if you plan to keep them at a U-Box storage facility. There’s an average monthly fee of around $20 based on the declared value of your personal items.
To avoid sticker shock, make sure you verify what extra fees you can expect for added services, supplies, etc.
As an example, we wanted to calculate the estimate to transport one U-Box container from Provo, Utah to Brigham City, Utah. Screenshot taken from U-Haul U-Box website.
U-Haul U-Box review: protection coverage
U-Haul offers two protection products: SafeStor and SafeHaul. Each product has multiple coverage levels available for up to $20,000 in protection for each container. See all the details below:
What’s covered?
- Fire
- Flood (ground or surface water)
- Hurricane
- Tornado
- Wind
- Vandalism
- Vermin
- Lightning
- Earthquake
- Hail
- Building collapse
- Explosion
- Leaking water
- Burglary
- Smoke
What’s not covered?
- Theft
- “Mysterious disappearance”
- War
- Climatic conditions (such as rust or mildew)
Just be aware that these coverage options don’t apply to specialty items like antiques, artwork, documents, furs, jewelry, money, motorized vehicles, bills, art, property deeds, credit cards, or securities. Make sure those items are covered during your move by specialty moving insurance or see if there's a way to use your homeowners or renters insurance.
"We were very nervous using U-Haul’s U-Box service given all of the negative reviews. But I’m glad we went ahead anyway as it was a great experience. All went smoothly. They delivered the box on time with minimal damage. It was an easy process with no hiccups of note." -Jae, U-Haul customer
U-Haul U-Box compared to other companies
Company | Median quote | # of states | Details |
| $3,900 | 46 | Get My Quote | |
| $3,700 | 37 | Get My Quote | |
| $4,582.50 | 35 | Get My Quote | |
 | $1,875 | 38 | Get My Quote |
 | $4,000 | 50 | Get My Quote |
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.
U-Haul is more widely available than any other container company. At the same time, U-Haul has racked up more negative customer reviews than we'd like to see. Companies like U-Pack and PODS tend to get better customer reviews, so that's something to consider while you're shopping around.
It’s rare to find a company with such a unique combo of strengths and weaknesses. U-Haul U-Box is your best option if you need to find a location anywhere in the US. But if you want a combination of high-quality containers, strong customer service, and affordable prices, we recommend you go with a company like PODS.
For a more thorough breakdown of moving container comparisons, like container size, storage options, container quality, and price, check out our roundup of the best moving and storage containers.
What is better than U-Box?
PODS is better than U-Box due to better container quality, customer satisfaction scores, and more than one container size. While U-Box is available in all 50 states, PODS is in all but four states (Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming) and is often cheaper with discounts like 10% off for Move.org readers.
Video: U-Box Move & Store—How Much Can Fit in a U-Box Container
This video demonstrates the unloading process of one container that was filled to capacity. Each U-Box container fits about a room and a half.
Image: U-Haul
No moving container company is more widely available than U-Haul. You can use the U-Box to move to thousands of locations across all 50 states. That matters a lot. Even if you find a company with a lower quote, it doesn’t matter if you can’t find a nearby location. That’s where U-Haul comes in: odds are no matter where you live, you can find a U-Haul location.
U-Haul also has more than 1,500 locations that support U-Box customers, with greater rural availability than competing moving container companies.
Affordable rates
U-Haul is known for low rates across all of its moving services, and moving containers are no exception. The container service can save you about $170 on an average move. Those numbers get even more impressive if you have a small home. Our analysis of more than 300 quotes found that the U-Box is $300 less than the industry average for one and two-bedroom living spaces.
Looking to save money on a moving container?
The U-Box moving container
U-Haul has rolled out new steel-framed U-Box containers over the last few years, so there are two types of containers you could receive, a steel-framed model or a classic wooden container with a vinyl cover. Both models have similar dimensions and function the same. Inventory varies by market and customer's can't select which one they prefer.
The approximate capacity of one U-Box container is:
- 257 cu. ft. (7.3 cu. Meters)
- Up to 2,000 lbs. (907 kgs)
- About one and a half rooms
You may want to double-check a few details if you have especially large or valuable items:
- The U-Box has compact dimensions, but still spacious. It fits most of a one-bedroom apartment in one (check out the video below).
- If you use a wooden container, keep in mind that this may be less strong than the steel models.
- The U-Box comes in one size. While packing, our advice is to organize your belongings by room for each container, such as having one container with kitchen items and toiletries, and one with all the clothes and bedding.
Customer experience
U-Haul’s industry-leading size means you can almost always find a nearby location. But that also means you deal with the hiccups inherent in enormous companies.
Our analysis of nearly 2,000 U-Haul reviews reveals a few things that can lead to a stressful moving experience:
- Long waits. Reviewers said they consistently waited 30 minutes to speak with a U-Haul customer service representative. Need a supervisor? Add another half hour.
- Frustrating service. U-Haul customer service representatives seem to be doing the best they can with the knowledge they have. The problem is that they often can’t answer your questions. We’ve spoken with U-Haul reps countless times over the years and are surprised by how little they know about their own products and services.
Can I trust a professional moving company?
(From Move.org’s State of Moving survey of 2,500 Americans)
👍 Nearly 8 in 10 people who used a professional mover didn't have any issues.
👎 2.5% had a professional moving issue that wasn't resolved.
👎 The most common issue was damaged property, with 17% reporting it.
👍 14% reported a pricing dispute, with 8% receiving a resolution that they accepted.
What it means for you: Despite the horror stories that are out there, the overwhelming majority of people who use a professional mover have a positive experience. And those who do report an issue are more likely than not to have an acceptable resolution.
Visit our Marketplace to compare quotes from trusted movers.
U-Haul U-Box review: features and services
- Local moving
- Long-distance moving
- International moving
- At-home portable storage
- Company facility portable storage
- Moving supplies
- Moving labor
U-Haul U-Box at a glance
| Description | U-Haul U-Box information |
|---|---|
| Average price |
$3700
|
| At-home storage |  Yes |
| Facility storage | Yes |
| Container materials | Plywood |
| # of containers | 1 |
| # of states | 50 |
| Average customer review score (out of 5) | 
|
U-Haul U-Box review: international services
U-Haul has some of the best international moving container services in the country. The company offers U-Box moving and storage services to nearly every global port. It also provides fast quotes for moves to and from the United States and Canada. Plus, U-Haul gives you a customs guide for your destination country. All in all, it’s an impressive setup for a moving container company that specializes in low-cost domestic moving and storage.
If you're unsure about using U-Haul for such a big move, we recommend considering a professional international moving company for overseas relocations.
How has U-Haul U-Box changed over time?
We’ve carefully researched U-Haul U-Box for the last three years. Our analysis of thousands of reviews, hundreds of quotes, and countless hours of research yielded three notable trends:
- Prices went up. U-Haul U-Box costs went up 30% from 2020 to 2025. While that’s in line with the industry average, it falls short of container companies like Zippy Shell, which kept price hikes under 10%.
- Customer satisfaction went down. An analysis of over 16,000 customer reviews shows that U-Haul ranked last place in customer satisfaction in 2020. The outlook hasn’t improved. Its average review score dropped from 2.8 to 2.3 stars (out of 5).
- Wide availability held strong. U-Haul U-Box remains the largest moving container company in the industry, although the company couldn’t tell us how many locations it has. However, our research suggests it could be in the tens of thousands—even more than U-Pack, the only other container company with 50-state availability.
What will U-Haul U-Box be like in the future?
We anticipate that U-Haul U-Box will continue to follow industry norms when it comes to pricing—hopefully remaining on the more affordable end of things. Similarly, we expect U-Haul to continue leading the pack for availability. Finally, we hope the company renews its commitment to customer service so we can see those customer reviews improve.
U-Haul and U-Box moving container review FAQ
The U-box is seven feet long, five feet wide, and seven feet tall. That’s large enough to fit a queen mattress or king mattress, but you may need multiple containers if you have more than a one-bedroom apartment.
You can fit up to 2,000 pounds of household goods in a U-Box container. U-Haul recommends spreading out heavy items between several containers.
U-Haul has three cargo trailers and five utility trailers. Cargo trailers are ideal for home improvement projects, and utility trailers help with odd-shaped items like furniture and construction materials.
U-Box moving containers are relatively safe, with a latch that can fit a padlock to which only you have the keys or combination.
However, U-Box containers are built out of plywood with weatherproof covers rather than steel models other container companies use, so they're not as strong.
Also, U-Box doesn't include insurance for loss or damage while in transit or while your container is stored in a U-Box warehouse. You would need to pay for SafeStor damage coverage if you want to get coverage for accidental damage during storage. You would also need to pay for SafeHaul damage coverage to protect your belongings during transit.
On average, the U-Haul U-Box typically costs around $3,700, while moving with PODS costs around $4,511. The U-Box also costs about $170 less than the average for U-Pack, so yes, the U-Haul U-Box costs less than a PODS or U-Pack moving container.
Items such as hazardous materials, flammable liquids, explosives, perishable food, live plants, cash, jewelry, and important documents are not allowed and are prohibited by U-Haul from being shipped. Other items, including antiques, artwork, and electronics, may require additional insurance or specialty moving services.
No, U-Haul U-Box does not have a waiting period. You can reserve a container and schedule a delivery as soon as availability allows on the U-Haul U-Box website or on the app.
However, U-Haul doesn't typically offer same-week availability, especially during busy summer months, but it may be available in low-demand months such as February, March, and April.
U-Haul U-Box gets mixed reviews on its reliability. While the service is available nationwide, customer experiences vary when it comes to reliability.
Move.org follows a six-step process to identify the nation’s best moving container companies:
- Compare quotes. We obtained and analyzed nearly 300 quotes from seven of the nation’s largest moving container companies over three years.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Site visits. We invite industry experts and company executives to visit our headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah. We grill them on everything from pricing and customer reviews to insurance coverage and the latest industry trends.
- 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.
Final word: Our recommendation on U-Haul
U-Haul is one of our best moving container companies because it's widely available and more affordable than the industry average. The container service has thousands of U-Box locations in all 50 states, so it’s easy to find one. U-Haul also has affordable rates. The main caution to take is that U-Haul’s single small container size could be limiting if you have oversized furniture.
Ultimately, we recommend U-Haul U-Box if:
- You can find one nearby.
- You like the price.
- You have moderately-sized items.
- You’re willing to roll the dice on customer experience.
Recommended resources
Sources
- U-Haul. “Play It Safe While Moving, Storing, or Towing.” Accessed December 15, 2024.
- Trustpilot, "U-Haul." Accessed December 15, 2024.
Your Privacy Choices
