7 Best Moving Container Companies of 2025

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There’s a lot to love about PODS, especially their three container sizes, flexible storage options, and local and long-distance moving pods and storage services. If you’re moving locally (within 50 miles), you can use an eight-, 12- or 16-foot container. The 12-foot container is only available for local moves, however.

All container rentals allow for open-ended monthly storage. You can store your containers on your property or at a nearby PODS storage facility, which is a perk that U-Pack and MovingYourself don’t offer.

PODS’ cost is often higher than competitors, especially if a PODS location is more than 50 miles away, but they’re known for routinely offering discounts and promos that can significantly bring pricing down.

Discounts: PODS is giving new customers the following discount through Aug. 12 on local and long-distance moves when you book through our moving cost calculator:

• 25% off initial delivery
• 25% off the first month’s rental
• 25% off redelivery and final pickup

Long-distance customers will also get an additional 10% off transport (on top of the 25% off deals) through Aug. 12.

The company offers 10-foot and 15-foot containers, as well as a 22-foot trailer. The internal capacity of the containers is slightly smaller than competitors, so be sure to compare sizes when evaluating Zippy Shell vs. PODS and other top companies.

We like that Zippy Shell makes it relatively easy to add loading and unloading help, and their base package includes 30 days of storage. They also have several insurance options to protect your goods in case of an accident.

Zippy Shell doesn’t offer online quotes, but you can fill out a form with your information to receive a personalized estimate by email.

You can also call the customer service number at 1-888-947-7974 to receive a quote over the phone. Zippy Shell calculates costs by considering the storage container size and distance for a given move.

Better Moves Project participants like Michelle and Danielle appreciated Zippy Shell’s flexibility and affordability. While Danielle’s move went smoothly, Michelle experienced communication issues and delivery delays, which ultimately led her to rent a U-Haul to finish the job.

Like 1-800-PACK-RAT, Zippy Shell is only available in 34 states and Washington, D.C. You can’t get an instant quote online, and their customer reviews aren’t as strong as other moving container companies.

As a well-established leader in the DIY moving space, U-Pack offers two shipping options: their eight-foot ReloCube storage containers and a 28-foot moving trailer.

You can order multiple ReloCubes for your move if needed and only pay for the space you use — meaning you won’t pay for empty space on the trailer or for any ReloCubes you don’t end up using.

U-Pack tends to consistently beat the competition on pricing for moves of around 250 miles and offers good prices for longer distances, as well.

We like U-Pack vs. U-Haul U-Box, another leader in the moving container industry. You can easily get a quote using our moving cost calculator to see how they compare.

Better Moves Project participants like Chloe and Ryan praised U-Pack’s moving process, shouting out the company’s quality communication, accurate and transparent pricing, and timely deliveries.

While U-Pack serves the entire continental U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada, they don’t handle local moves and only provide storage at off-site locations. If you don’t need on-site storage or local moving services, customer reviews suggest U-Pack is a dependable pick.

MovingYourself is hard to beat for large moves. The trailer comes equipped with all the moving pads, straps, and dollies you’ll need. You can even transport a car in the trailer directly with your home goods.

For smaller moves, MovingYourself also has 22-foot trucks. Whatever truck size you choose, you’ll load it up and they’ll drive everything to your destination.

Like many other moving container companies, MovingYourself offers up to three days to load and unload. In addition, the company doesn’t provide local moves or instant online quotes.

MovingYourself requires you to submit a contact form for a callback or contact them directly during business hours. Estimates include sales tax, fees, and toll charges, so you won’t be hit with any hidden fees. Once you confirm your quote, it’s guaranteed for that amount.

We evaluated dozens of Google reviews and BBB reviews for MovingYourself to gauge their customer experience. MovingYourself has garnered positive reviews, frequently earning praise for their customer service, responsiveness, and professionalism. Multiple reviews also called out their timely delivery and prompt pickup.

1-800-PACK-RAT offers the same container size options as PODS. While many competitors have plastic or wood-constructed containers, 1-800-PACK-RAT containers have steel frames, walls, and doors.

The metal construction is weather resistant, so you don’t have to worry about your things getting wet, moldy, or mildewy in storage. This degree of protection makes 1-800-PACK-RAT an excellent choice if you’re moving antiques or specialty items.

They also feature barn-style doors, making loading and unloading easier than elevated containers with ramps.

Plus, the door design increases the usable space inside the container so you can fit more stuff. For example, when Desmond rented one of the company’s 16-foot containers, he was easily able to fit the contents of his three-bedroom, 2,000-square foot home.

The company says they can accommodate moves in all 50 states. If you don’t live in one of the states with a PACK-RAT branch, we recommend contacting the company directly to ensure they can handle your relocation and storage request.

PACK-RAT costs range from a couple hundred dollars for a local move to close to $7,000 for a long-distance relocation. With local moving and storage, you’ll pay rental and delivery fees once the company drops off your container. Cross-country moves require a $500 deposit, due about five days before container delivery.

Better Moves Project participants like Batool, Desmond, and Carrie appreciated 1-800-PACK-RAT’s flexible container options and the control it gave them over their moves.

While there were a few hiccups like minor damage or delivery timing issues, they all found the service to be affordable and convenient. Their experiences show that with clear communication and planning, 1-800-PACK-RAT can be a solid choice for a balance of cost and control.

Unlike PODS and 1-800-PACK-RAT, which have three container sizes to choose from, U-Box only offers one container option.

U-Haul’s container has the smallest internal dimensions of any moving container on the market and is made of fairly thin wood. We’ve seen some complaints about the containers falling apart and suffering from water damage, which is worth noting if you have valuables or are moving a long distance.

From our research, U-Box pricing is almost always competitive.  U-Box is definitely worth looking into for moves on a budget.

We can’t get over how easy U-Haul’s website makes it to book a moving container. Based on our secret shopping, we found that it’s one of the best booking experiences in the moving and storage industry. In less than 30 seconds, you can get a price from U-Haul’s website for pretty much any interstate move.

Better Moves Project participants like Jarom, Nancy, and Janelle chose U-Haul U-Box for their moves, valuing their DIY flexibility and affordability. While Jarom had a smooth move, Nancy and Janelle ran into logistical challenges. Nancy had to hire local movers when her container couldn’t be delivered to her apartment, and Janelle dealt with damaged items and a delay.

Their experiences show that U-Box can be a budget-friendly option, but delivery logistics and careful handling are important to consider.

SMARTBOX’s wooden portable storage containers aren’t the best moving container on the market. While they feature a weather-proof covering, we found that they’re more susceptible to damage, something to keep in mind if you’re shipping nice furniture or expensive items.

Local moves with one SMARTBOX container cost about $200, and long-distance moves cost about $1,800, on average. The company offers the first month’s storage for free. After that, onsite storage is $89 per month and warehouse storage is $69 per month. SMARTBOX also charges a $99 delivery fee.

Overall, if SMARTBOX has a location in your area and your move is relatively small, you should at least get a free quote, especially since they’re likely to price match quotes you receive from other companies.

Our Better Moves Project participant Marilyn chose SMARTBOX for her move and appreciated the convenience of their container delivery and the option to hire unloading help.

Her experience went smoothly with no major issues to report, echoing a lot of the customer reviews we evaluated on third-party sites. These reviews suggest SMARTBOX is a reliable option for a simple move.

At moveBuddha, we conduct extensive research on moving container companies using our unique methodology so we can provide reliable recommendations. Each company’s analysis is determined by the following metrics:

• Customer satisfaction (30%): For this metric, we interview Better Moves Project participants for their real-life perspectives and look at third-party reviews on Google, TrustPilot, the BBB, and elsewhere.
• Standard services (20%): We look at how a moving container company’s services stack up against its competitors — especially any added or missing services.
• Reputation (15%): This metric is based on industry ratings (including membership in professional organizations), compliance with government regulations, and insurance options.
• Add-on services (10%): We look at the number of add-on services and perks —such as climate-controlled storage and third-party labor help — the company offers in addition to their standard services.
• Availability (10%): We evaluate the availability of the company in each state, as well as the types of moves (local, long-distance, and cross-country) it offers.
• Type of mover (5%): The type of service a moving company provides — such as full-service vs. DIY — can directly impact your experience.
• Payment (5%): We determine how easy it is for moving customers to review their charges and make a payment, including the type of payment options available.
• Scheduling (5%): We also look at how easy it is to schedule your move, including what is needed to get an estimate or how the company addresses delays.

Whether PODS or 1-800-PACK-RAT is better depends on your unique moving needs. PODS has a much wider coverage area than PACK-RAT, and more container availability overall. In our research, 1-800-PACK-RAT’s prices usually come out a bit lower, and their containers are a bit tougher with all-steel walls, doors, and framing.

U-Pack is the cheapest moving container company in terms of overall value. With U-Pack, you only pay for the space or containers you use. Other low-cost options like U-Haul U-Box and SMARTBOX could potentially be cheaper than U-Pack, but their containers are not as high-quality.

We recommend that you get moving quotes from three moving container companies in your area to compare your options.

PODS’ biggest competitors are U-Pack and U-Haul U-Box. 1-800-PACK-RAT is also a major competitor for PODS.

Other moving container companies besides PODS include our top picks:

• U-Pack
• 1-800-PACK-RAT
• Zippy Shell
• U-Haul U-Box
• MovingYourself
• SMARTBOX