5 Best Interstate Movers Of 2021
We researched over 500 interstate moving companies, cross-referencing verified customer reviews, license data, insurance data, and federal complaint records to find you the best long distance moving companies in the industry.
| Best customer experience | Best cross country mover | Best Estimate Accuracy | Best customer service | Best for accurate pricing |
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| (800) 283-9615 | (844) 843-4644 | (888) 983-8762 | (866) 918-8232 | (844) 733-2564 |
Proud American Van Lines
- Professional Drivers
- Packing & Unpacking
- Loading & Unloading
- Moving Supplies
- Moving Insurance
- Storage
- 1-month free storage on interstate moves
- Guaranteed express delivery
- Quick ballpark estimates available
- Very responsive customer service
Compass Van Lines
- Professional Drivers
- Packing & Unpacking
- Loading & Unloading
- Moving Supplies
- Moving Insurance
- Storage
- "Meet or beat" price matching policy
- Free storage and re-delivery up to 30 days
- Virtual "in-home" estimates offered for accurate pricing
Moving Direct Van Lines
- Professional Drivers
- Packing & Unpacking
- Loading & Unloading
- Moving Supplies
- Moving Insurance
- Storage
- Detailed binding estimates
- Price match guarantee
- Full packing services available
Amherst National Moving and Storage
- Professional Drivers
- Packing & Unpacking
- Loading & Unloading
- Moving Supplies
- Moving Insurance
- Storage
- 24/7 customer service line
- Fast, over the phone quote
- Binding estimates
- 1 month free storage
Safeway Moving Systems
- Professional Drivers
- Packing & Unpacking
- Loading & Unloading
- Moving Supplies
- Moving Insurance
- Storage
- 1 month of free storage for all interstate moves
- Veteran owned
- Handle small and large cross country moves
- A portion of every move is donated to charity
The top 5 long distance moving companies in 2021 are...
- Best customer experience — Proud American Van Lines
- Best cross country mover — Compass Van Lines
- Best Estimate Accuracy — Moving Direct Van Lines
- Best customer service — Amherst National Moving and Storage
- Best for accurate pricing — Safeway Moving Systems
Proud American Van Lines
Services
- Professional Drivers
- Packing & Unpacking
- Loading & Unloading
- Moving Supplies
- Moving Insurance
- Storage
The Good
- Guaranteed express delivery
- Binding estimates on all interstate moves
- 1-month free storage on interstate moves
- Quick ballpark estimates available
- Very responsive customer service
The Bad
- Deposits required on interstate moves
- Website lacks some information
Customer Reviews
Well handled and executed move from Jersey to Florida. One truck, my stuff, 2 days...perfect.
We did an over the phone estimate and went room by room listing out everything we had. The price ended up being the same as other companies but Proud American was faster about getting back to us and answering questions. We packed our boxes they did all the loading and unloading and shipped 2 cars as well. Everything went great, highly recommend.
We decided to move some items last minute so the pricing was off from the original estimate. Otherwise everything went well including our vehicle being shipped.
moveBuddha Review
Proud American Van Lines is always trying to find ways to improve quality while still keeping costs affordable. The company is constantly sending us updates with new initiatives and programs they’re rolling out to make customer’s moves even better. This is one of the main reasons Proud made our list this year. Companies that constantly work to improve their service tend to outperform their competitors.
An example of this is when it comes to delivery time frames. Late deliveries are a common complaint in the moving industry. But Proud American created an entire scheduling and logistics program around making sure items are delivered fast. This is a major perk for customers concerned about how quickly their items will arrive.
The company offers Binding Estimates based on the inventory of your move. Both phone and video estimates are available. Proud American also has a very competitive price matching policy if you find a better quote from a competitor.
Like many of the companies on this list, the company does typically require a deposit for long-distance moves which we aren’t thrilled by. Their website could also use a little more information about how they operate and which services they offer.
Bottom line, Proud American is definitely a company to check out.
Compass Van Lines
Services
- Professional Drivers
- Packing & Unpacking
- Loading & Unloading
- Moving Supplies
- Moving Insurance
- Storage
The Good
- "Meet or beat" price matching policy
- Free storage and re-delivery up to 30 days
- Virtual "in-home" estimates offered for accurate pricing
- Appliance disconnection and reconnection
The Bad
- Require a deposit at booking
- Not a good option for small moves
- No local moves
Customer Reviews
We had two companies bid the job. Compass was the best and did a terrific job.
Arrived when stated. Good communication from moment of booking until after move completed. I really couldn't recommend these guys more - they were fantastic!!!
Movers were timely and fast. Overall good experience.
They were fast and very polite. All our furniture was moved in pristine condition and wrapped up very well and carefully. Mike and Michele became almost like family with how friendly they were while they helped us move for about five hours. Overall I would highly recommend Compass Van Lines and the two employees, Mike and Michele that performed my move today.
moveBuddha Review
There is a big difference between moving down the block and moving cross country. Most moving companies aren’t equipped to properly move customers from one coast to the other. But Compass Van Lines has specifically built the company to handle the complications of long distance moves. The company has partnerships throughout all 48 states to provide moving services to just about anywhere.
When comparing Compass’s pricing to other long distance movers, the company was very competitive, often offering some of the best pricing we could find. On top of already great pricing, the company offers a “meet or beat” price matching policy in case another company comes in with a better offer. The company does require at least a phone call to get a binding estimate.
Again, Compass is focused on interstate moves so they don’t offer any local moving options. The company also doesn’t service moves smaller than a one bedroom apartment. And, like most movers on this list, the company requires a deposit at booking.
Moving Direct Van Lines
Services
- Professional Drivers
- Packing & Unpacking
- Loading & Unloading
- Moving Supplies
- Moving Insurance
- Storage
The Good
- Detailed binding estimates
- Price match guarantee
- Founded in 2011
- Services residential and commercial moves
- Full packing services available
The Bad
- No local moving services
- Website lacking some information
- Need to call for a quote
- Deposit required on interstate moves
Amherst National Moving and Storage
Services
- Professional Drivers
- Packing & Unpacking
- Loading & Unloading
- Moving Supplies
- Moving Insurance
- Storage
The Good
- 24/7 customer service line
- Fast, over the phone quote
- Binding estimates
- 1 month free storage
- Offer local and long distance services
The Bad
- Deposit required at booking
- No pricing on website
Safeway Moving Systems
Services
- Professional Drivers
- Packing & Unpacking
- Loading & Unloading
- Moving Supplies
- Moving Insurance
- Storage
The Good
- 1 month of free storage for all interstate moves
- Handle small and large cross country moves
- A portion of every move is donated to charity
- Verification process to guarantee pricing and quality of service
- High level of customer service and support
- Veteran owned company
The Bad
- Require a deposit at booking
- No local moving services offered
Customer Reviews
I have moved a lot in my life as former military. This was a big move. We got a lot of quotes, Safeway gave us a price in the middle but their rep Andrew was the most detail oriented and gave me confidence in the price. A few minor issues parking the truck at pickup. Otherwise, move went very smooth.
Getting quotes from long distance movers was a real pain, would love to see the process be improved. Overall, Safeway did what we hired them to do. No frills, but they got it done.
Fantastic experience. I was able to get through on the phone to a live person when I initially called then given an account manager I could call directly which was helpful. We got our inventory done over the phone in less than 10 minutes and boom we were scheduled for a pick up window. The movers themselves were incredibly courteous and understanding. I don’t like to sit around and watch so I helped where I could but when they knew something was heavy they insisted on moving it and my back has them to thank for not being sore next day. Everything came out of the truck safe and sound and they were very innovative in getting the large furniture up stairs and through small doorways. I was genuinely impressed by their swiftness and efficiency. The foreman was very easy to talk to when there were specific instructions I needed to give. Really a great, personalized experience that I will recommend.
We had our previous company fall through, and we found ourselves in need of a truck in 3 days, to move 730 miles! They were able to walk me through the process and get our inventory detailed. We set everything up on Friday afternoon around 3pm. Saturday we were in constant communication with Safeway. The movers were supposed to arrive Wednesday, but the weather wasn’t ideal, so Thursday morning the movers were able to pack up the entire truck in 4.5 hours. They departed at 1pm and they were professional/well mannered. The next day, the crew of 3 delivering our belongings called with a delivery time of 12:30/1:00pm. They arrived at 12:30 and began unpacking. The only hold up was Safeway approving the payment amount because the movers were so fast! We got them paid, and they departed at 5:30pm with everything put together in the correct rooms. The company was in constant communication and was able to answer any questions we might have. We will be buying a house next year, and this is the moving company we will use, and recommend to others.
About 3 months ago my husband and I decided to move due to better opportunity. We had no time between trying to find a place, interviews, finding a great school for the kids so we came to the conclusion we were going to use a moving company. I reached out to a friend of mine who moved about a year back because I remembered her mentioning how great her moving company was. As soon as she told me the name I looked them right up and called, pricing was reasonable and so was delivery time. Only complaint I have is the three day pick up window but other than that everything went a lot better than I anticipated. Crew showed up on time, greeted me and my husband and did a walk through of the home with me. Very professional guys!! Clean cut with great attitude. On delivery our things arrived in the same condition they left in and they put everything where we asked. I appreciate their hard working crew!! Thank you
Moved from Ann Arbor, MI to New Haven, CT . Company was helpful, called several times to check inventory and ensure pick up and delivery went well. Was not happy with movers they picked. Insisted they arrive early to pack up our things and then arrived later than they said they would without providing explanation. Also charged more than original price quoted.
moveBuddha Review
Safeway Moving Systems LLC (not to be confused with Safeway Moving and Storage) was founded by US Army Veteran Rad Freeman. Taking many of the key principles from his time in the military, Rad brings discipline, reliability, leadership, attention to detail, and a strong moral compass to an industry with a less than perfect reputation.
Something we like about Safeway is they’ve built a network of over 100 moving trucks across the country which allows them to find really competitive shipping rates. Safeway provides long-distance moving services to all 48 states but does not service Alaska or Hawaii.
If you’ve done any research on the moving industry you’ll know moves rarely go perfect. There is always some kind of issue; some worse than others. And problems typically stem from some kind of miscommunication. What’s unique about Safeway is they’ve built a system of follow-up and quality assurance throughout the moving process. This greatly reduces the frequency of problems. The company’s focus on quality is a big reason why they made our best interstate moving companies list.
We also really like that Safeway offers up to 1 month of free storage services for all interstate moves. Many companies charge hundreds of dollars per month for storage, so this a huge perk if you book with them.
Their quoting and booking process is fast and easily done over the phone. Or Safeway also offers video or in-home surveys if needed.
Like many other movers on this list, Safeway does charge a deposit to book a move with them. They also can take longer on delivery for certain cross-country moves. Please be sure to ask your rep about expected delivery times.
Regardless, Safeway is certainly a company worth getting a free quote from.
What is the average cost of long distance move?
Larger, 4-5 bedroom homes on average can cost $2,000 to $5,000 going less than 100 miles and $8,500 - $15,000 going cross country.
The type of moving company, time of year, and any specialty items or service requests can also affect pricing. To get a ballpark estimate of moving costs check out our moving cost calculator.
How early should I book a mover?
What services do professional moving companies provide?
- Loading and unloading of all items
- Breakdown and reassembly of basic furniture
- Moving blankets, pads, straps
- All moving equipment (dolly, rollers)
- Fuel, tolls, taxes
- Parking permits
- Basic valuation coverage (not insurance)
The following services typically cost extra:
- Packing supplies like boxes, paper wrap, etc.
- Full pack service of boxes & loose items
- Short or long term storage (sometimes free)
- Additional insurance coverage
- Breakdown & reassembly of complicated furniture (IKEA)
- Packing of fragile or bulky items
- Full unpacking of boxes and loose items
How do I choose an interstate mover?
- Active Department of Transportation (DOT) license and insurance
- Positive FMCSA complaint history
- Check online review sites
- How long has the company been in business?
- Is the owner or employees listed on LinkedIn?
- Are they active on social media?
- Can you google their address? Are there trucks or a warehouse?
How can I move interstate cheaply?
- Consider “Do-it-yourself moving options
- Move during off-peak times
- Find free moving boxes and supplies
- Downsize as much as possible
Check out our article on cheap ways to move out of state for more ideas and tips.
Do interstate movers have a minimum size requirement?
During the peak summer moving season (May-August), some moving companies increase their minimum size to 2,000 or even 3,500lbs. This is about the average weight of a one-bedroom apartment.
Do moving companies offer storage?
If you’re relocating over 1,000 miles or cross country, you’ll want to consult your mover about delivery timeframes to make sure storage services are necessary. It’s not uncommon for deliveries to take over 2 weeks.
Can you hire movers just to load a rental truck?
Do moving companies charge extra fees?
Good moving companies will try to estimate the cost of your move as accurately as possible. Be sure to work closely with your mover and take the time to provide them with all the necessary details about your move.
Our article on legitimate ways a mover can increase your final cost is a good way to make sure you’re fully prepared.
How much does a moving company cost?
For moves within 50 miles companies typically charge $50 to $200 per hour depending on how many movers are needed.
For interstate moves, pricing is based on the distance and size of the move. Costs can vary greatly depending on the requirements of the move.
Be sure to check out our moving cost calculator to get a more accurate idea on what your move may cost.
| 1 Bedroom | 2-3 Bedroom | 4-5 Bedroom | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <50 miles | $300 – $700 | $500 – $1,100 | $1,000 – $2,900 | |||
| 250 miles | $700 – $1,900 | $1,600 – $2,900 | $2,100 – $3,950 | |||
| 1,000 miles | $1,100 – $2,700 | $1,900 – $4,500 | $4,100 – $7,800 | |||
| 2,500 miles | $1,500 – $3,500 | $2,900 – $6,500 | $7,900 – $13,700 |
How can I save money when I'm moving?
We went deep undercover with industry insiders and got them to spill the beans on how you can save money when you use a professional mover.
Get multiple quotes
Long distance moving is a game of logistics. Different schedules, availability and more allow some moving companies to offer better prices than others.
Getting several quotes increases the odds you find a mover in a position to offer a discounted rate. Just make sure you find reputable movers!
Book early
Ideally, you should book your mover 30-60 days in advance. Moving companies will increase prices for moves booked last minute or worst case they may not have any availability at all.
Flexible pickup & delivery
Moving is a tough business and movers often face unexpected delays like weather or traffic issues. Customers with flexible move dates enable moving companies to build some cushion into their schedule. Often times resulting in a better price for you.
Sell, donate, trash items
Roughly 70% of your total cost is determined by how much you’re moving. Downsizing can help you save money, but be aware most movers have minimum size requirements so don’t get rid of too much.
Move mid-month
Rental leases typically turnover at the end of the month causing spikes in demand on those last few days. Avoiding the rush by moving in the middle of the month can often result in better pricing.
Move mid-week
Weekends are always a more popular time to move. If you move mid-week availability and pricing will typically be better.
Prep your move properly
Avoid getting charged for expensive packing materials on moving day by properly preparing your move. Mattresses should have covers, glass table tops need to be protected, all loose items need to go in boxes.
Work with your move coordinator directly to understand who is responsible for packing certain items. If you’re packing yourself, make sure you understand the mover’s packing standards or they will have to repack items at your expense.
What types of additional fees do movers charge?
A good moving company will always try to include all charges in their initial estimate. But details can change so it’s important to know any possible extra charges that may arise during the move.
Long carry
Most movers will charge an additional fee if the distance to your front door from the truck is over 75ft. If you live in an apartment building, the distance is measured from the front door of your actual apartment, not the building.
Stair carry
If there are more than 1 or 2 flights of stairs leading up to your residence, movers will typically charge a fee per additional flight of stairs.
Elevator
Some movers will charge an elevator fee if your residence is located on a floor that requires a lengthy elevator ride or if your building has a narrow elevator requiring a lot of trips.
Extra stops
Need to stop by a local storage unit or your in-law’s house? Movers will typically charge a fee for additional stops beyond the primary residence.
Handling fees
Movers will typically charge a fee for items such as heavy safes, riding lawnmowers, pianos, hot tubs, large tool chests, etc. These items typically require additional equipment and labor to ensure safe transport.
Connecting appliances
Some companies may charge an additional fee to disconnect and reconnect appliances such as washers, dryers, and dishwashers.
Storage-in-Transit (SIT)
For long distance moves, most movers offer 30 days of free storage. For storage longer than 30 days, typically a monthly fee applies. If you require 6 months or more of storage you may want to consider delivery to a local storage unit or using a portable storage container for your move.
Additional valuation coverage
While every long distance moving company includes $.60 per pound of valuation coverage in their base price, it’s highly recommended you consider increasing this amount.
Expedited delivery
For an additional cost, movers agree to expedite your delivery and have your items delivered on or before a specific date.
Shuttle services
Most long distance moves will be done with a 53’ tractor-trailer (like you see on the interstate). If a full-size tractor-trailer can’t get to your residence, a smaller, shuttle truck may be necessary. Shuttles are frequently required in urban areas and can increase move costs significantly.
Guaranteed delivery
The movers will guarantee a specific date when your items are delivered. Depending on the distance and locations guaranteed delivery can be very expensive.
Full-packing
Most movers will offer the option to pack all your loose items into boxes for you. Having professionals pack everything will also extend your valuation coverage to all boxed items. So if a box isn’t packed properly the movers will be on the hook for it, not you.
Specialty packing & crating
Fragile items such as mirrors, glass table tops, grandfather clocks, flat screen TVs, chandeliers, etc., require specialty packing or crating to prevent damage. Work with your mover directly to understand who is responsible for packing delicate items. If you’re packing fragile items yourself, make sure you meet the movers packing standards or they will have to repack items at your expense.
What’s included with a professional mover?
Every moving company generally offers the same set of services for a basic full-service move.
Keep in mind, there are different types of moving estimates that can be hard to compare.
When getting quotes, ask every company to verify the exact services they’re offering.
What seems like a cheaper quote may actually just be because certain packing services weren’t included or the quote was done in cubic feet instead of weight.
If you’re working with a moving broker get the name of the actual moving company who will be performing the move.
- All loading and unloading
- Breakdown & reassembly of basic furniture
- Moving blankets, pads, straps
- All necessary moving equipment (dolly, rollers)
- Fuel, tolls, taxes
- Parking permits
- Very limited valuation coverage ($.60/lb)
- Packing supplies such as boxes, bubble wrap, etc.
- Packing of boxes & loose items (additional cost)
- Storage (additional cost)
- Additional insurance (available for purchase)
- Breakdown & reassembly of complicated furniture (IKEA)
- Packing of fragile items (additional cost)
How does a professional mover work?
A professional mover is the most convenient way to move but that doesn’t mean that you are off the hook entirely. Here’s how it works.
The in-home estimate
In order to give you an accurate quote, the movers need to know exactly what you are moving.
To do this, each mover will send an agent to your residence to complete a survey of your move.
One week before the big move
If the mover isn’t the one packing and unpacking all of your belongings you need to make sure that it is already done before the mover arrives.
If it’s not, you may end up paying more.
Moving day
The big day is here, all of your belongings are boxed up and you’re ready to get started.
When the movers show up the first thing they’ll do is disassemble all of the basic furniture that needs it.
Then, they’ll make sure everything is wrapped in pads and blankets before they load it on the truck.
The waiting is the hardest part
You’ve made the trip to your new home and now all you have to do is wait for the movers to show up.
Make sure you know ahead of time when you can expect your movers to arrive.
Delivery
When the movers arrive at your new residence, they’ll do everything they did before but in reverse.
They’ll unload the truck, and reassemble the furniture that needs it. If you paid for unpacking, they’ll do that too.