What to Expect When You Move with U-Pack—Ashton’s Move

Kurt Manwaring
Apr 14, 2021
Icon Time To Read3 min read

U-Pack is our pick for the best moving container company because of its low prices and pay-for-what-you-use policy. We talked to Ashton, a real-life U-Pack customer, to see what she thought. Price was the biggest selling point for her: U-Pack was 50% cheaper than the other company she talked to. She also loved working with friendly U-Pack reps. Her experience was so positive that she awarded U-Pack a five-star rating.

Looking for low costs and friendly customer service?


Meet Ashton

Ashton is a recent vocal performance grad who’s all about things that start with C—she loves cats, coffee, and candles. In March 2021, Ashton moved the contents of her 600-square-foot apartment from Oregon to Connecticut when she got a new job working as a consultant for an eye doctor.

A woman standing on the beach and smiling

Ashton is a recent vocal performance grad who used U-Pack to move across the country.

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Why Ashton chose U-Pack

Ashton chose U-Pack because it was her least expensive option. U-Pack’s quote of $2,110 was half the price of the $4,200 quote she got from International Van Lines, our favorite full-service moving company.

Ashton’s U-Pack move at a glance

Moving company
U-Pack
Move date3/1/2021
Service typeMoving trailer
Start locationRoseburg, OR
End locationNew Haven, CT
Quoted cost$2,110
Actual cost$2,110

What to expect with U-Pack—Pricing

The average cost to move with U-Pack is about $2,610—or about 10% cheaper than other moving container companies. Ashton’s move cost around $500 less because her 600-square-foot apartment didn’t take up much space in the moving container. U-Pack’s low prices are one of the company’s biggest strengths.

How does U-Pack compare to other moving container companies?

U-Pack typically costs about 10% less than other moving container companies. Ashton didn’t get quotes from any of U-Pack’s competitors, but she likely wouldn’t have found a cheaper option—especially for such a small home size. Our research for long-distance moves shows U-Pack is almost always the least expensive option.

U-Pack long-distance moving container prices compared to industry average

Home size
U-Pack
Industry average
Amount above or below industry average
1 room$1,560$2,410$850 ↓
2 rooms$2,730$3,000$270 ↓
3 rooms$3,830$3,620$210 ↑
5 rooms$4,630$5,420$790 ↓

Data as of 8/10/2020. Average cost calculated by comparing moving costs for four home sizes across 2,050 miles. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.


What to Expect with U-Pack—Customer service

U-Pack has slightly above-average customer service. While most moving container companies get an average review rating of about 3.5 out of 5 stars, U-Pack comes in a bit higher at 3.8 stars. In Ashton’s case, her experience was so good that she gave U-Pack a perfect five-star rating.

  • Friendly reps. U-Pack reps gave Ashton helpful, attentive service at each step of her move.
  • No-hassle scheduling. Ashton had some things come up and needed to change the pickup date and the drop-off location for her trailer. In both cases, U-Pack representatives quickly took care of her requests and were "really nice about it."
  • Knowledgeable driver. Ashton’s U-Pack driver walked her through her contract’s details and showed her how to load the trailer.
  • Tailored service. U-Pack suggested that Ashton schedule a “live unload” since she had so few belongings. Rather than drop off her trailer and come back for it another day, the delivery driver stayed while Ashley unloaded her stuff.
A table, chairs, and boxes in a small apartment

Ashton’s U-Pack driver waited while she unloaded her belongings and moved them into her new home.


What surprised us about U-Pack

  • Exact final price. Most moving companies (including U-Pack) often have a final bill that’s higher than your initial estimate. We were pleasantly surprised to learn Ashton’s quote and final price were exactly the same.
  • Wet trailer. Ashton noticed puddles of water in the corners of her trailer. “I packed accordingly to prevent water damage, but I’m glad I noticed,” she said.
  • Heavy loading ramp. Ashton mentioned she was a bit anxious loading her trailer—something we haven’t heard before. “The ramp was really scary!” she said. “It was heavy and hard for one person to unfold. It was also bent in the middle which made going up and down pretty tough.”
  • A perfect rating. Even with a wet trailer and scary loading ramp, the rest of Ashton’s experience was so smooth that she gave U-Pack a five-star rating. We’re always surprised when a company lands a perfect customer review—even when it’s our top moving container company.

Our take

We recommend U-Pack—and so does Ashton. She had a couple of minor bumps with some of the equipment, but they were not enough to detract from her overall experience with U-Pack’s low prices and excellent customer service. Overall, Ashton was so pleased that she gave the moving container company a perfect five-star rating.

Want a five-star moving experience?

Kurt Manwaring
Written by
Kurt Manwaring
Kurt Manwaring brings nearly a decade’s worth of research experience as a business consultant to the Move.org team. He specializes in taking complicated issues (like moving) and presenting them in a way that everyone can understand. His writing has been featured in hundreds of publications, including USA Today, Martha Stewart Living, Country Living, Good Housekeeping, Heavy, Slate, and Yahoo! Lifestyle. He brings a BS in sociology and an MPA (masters of public administration) to the Move team. He would love to hear about your moving experiences and questions at kurt@move.org.