Penske vs. U-Haul: Which Rental Company Is Right for You?

Overall opinion: You probably already know that U-Haul and Penske are two of the biggest names in moving truck rentals. Both appear on our list of the best moving truck rental companies, but deciding which one is right for your move can be tricky.

Penske offers higher quality trucks and service, but at higher prices. U-Haul is more affordable and has better availability, but service isn’t always the best.

Read on for a full comparison of these two companies.

Comparing Penske vs. U-Haul

The name U-Haul is practically synonymous with moving trucks. U-Haul Truck Rental is the company that pioneered one-way moving truck rentals after World War II. Since 1945, U-Haul has been giving budget-conscious movers a way to pack and drive box trucks to save on costs, and those generations of experience have paid off.

But Penske Truck Rental is nothing to shake a stick at, either. Penske has been in business since 1969, and is known for being a high–quality truck rental company. They also offer numerous discounts for qualifying customers and have rolled into the digital age with an easy-to-navigate website.

Here’s a quick breakdown of how these moving companies compare:

Penske vs. U-Haul: Pros and cons

While both companies are relatively similar in terms of their service offerings for DIY moves, this doesn’t mean they’re equal. Here’s what we love (and don’t) about Penske and U-Haul.

Penske pros and cons

What we love: Let’s face it — driving a moving truck isn’t the most environmentally friendly thing you can do. But Penske offers low-emission trucks with fuel-efficient diesel engines to make its business more sustainable (and to help you save on gas costs on long-distance moves).

Penske also has a strong reputation for customer service for both its one-way and round trip rentals, with features like 24/7 roadside assistance and guaranteed reservations.

What we don’t love: There aren’t a ton of downsides to choosing Penske, but the biggest negative is probably its availability. Three thousand locations nationwide may sound like a lot, but this pales in comparison to U-Haul. Penske’s prices also tend to be higher, especially for round-trip local moves. They usually aren’t the cheapest option for long-distance moves, either, though these come with unlimited mileage.

U-Haul pros and cons

What we love: U-Haul is everywhere. It has more than 20,000 locations in all 50 states. In non-rural areas, there are often multiple locations close together, which means a high likelihood you’ll get exactly the right moving truck you need, even if your closest U-Haul shop is sold out of them.

U-Haul also offers much lower prices than Penske for both local and long-distance moves. A wide range of truck sizes and trailer options makes it easy to find a solution that fits your needs.

What we don’t love: U-Haul gets slammed in customer reviews for tacking hidden fees onto moves, something no budget-conscious mover wants. The company offers day base rates of $19.99–$24.99, but that’s rarely what you’ll end up paying after they add in things like environmental fees, fuel surcharges, cleaning fees, and taxes. Another major con is that reservations aren’t guaranteed, meaning you could show up on moving day and the truck you reserved isn’t actually available.

Penske vs. U-Haul: Services

Penske and U-Haul are both DIY moving companies, which means you get cost savings if you’re willing to do most of the work yourself. While they do offer moving labor and packing supplies for an additional fee, the cost of these additional services can dramatically increase your total expenses.

Both companies make their truck rentals available for local round-trip moves and one-way long distance moves. They’ll hand over the keys to a truck, and then it’s up to you to pack, load, drive, and unload. It takes a lot of elbow grease but is generally the most affordable way to move.

In addition to moving truck rentals, both Penske and U-Haul offer vehicle towing options. U-Haul has more trailer options, however, with more trucks that are capable of towing a vehicle and multiple utility trailer options. Penske just offers a car carrier and tow dolly.

Many U-Haul facilities also offer onsite self-storage, and the company has its own moving container service, U-Box. Penske doesn’t offer its own self-storage, but instead partners with SpareFoot and CubeSmart to make it easier for its customers to find convenient self-storage options.

It’s important to note that some online reviews complain about discrepancies in what services are available at different locations, especially for U-Haul.

Before booking your move, you should call locations near you to ensure the services you need are offered at your local Penske or U-Haul franchise.

Penske vs. U-Haul: Truck options

When it comes to the trucks and fleets that are available, U-Haul offers more sizes than Penske. However, this isn’t the only factor to consider when comparing your truck options.

Penske truck sizes

Penske offers five different truck sizes, which is standard in the industry. Their size options are:

• Cargo vans
• 12-foot trucks
• 16-foot trucks
• 22-foot trucks
• 26-foot trucks

Each truck size is suited for different sizes of moves. Cargo vans can only fit the contents of a small studio apartment and have a 3,500-pound capacity. On the opposite end of the scale, 26-foot trucks can hold up to seven rooms. Penske’s two largest truck sizes have a weight capacity of up to 10,000 pounds.

Penske’s 22-foot and 26-foot trucks have diesel engines, which makes them slightly more fuel-efficient than the competition. But what sets Penske’s trucks apart is that the company frequently switches them out for new ones.

The average age of a Penske truck is just two years. That means they’re generally in good shape and reliable, making you less likely to break down en route to your new home. Just in case, though, Penske includes roadside assistance with all reservations, which is a big plus.

Penske also offers tow dollies and car carriers. Only one size is available for each option. Penske’s tow dollies have a load capacity of 4,300 pounds, while car carriers’ capacity ranges from 4,055–5,000 pounds, depending on the size of your moving truck rental.

U-Haul truck sizes

U-Haul offers seven truck sizes, including a pickup truck and cargo van. They also offer trucks in the following sizes:

• 10 feet
• 15 feet
• 17 feet
• 20 feet
• 26 feet

Pickup trucks and cargo vans —as well as 17-foot trucks — are only available for local moves, while the other moving trucks can also be used for long-distance moves.

The range of sizes makes it easy to find the right option for your move. While the 10-foot truck is best suited for a studio or one-bedroom apartment, the 26-foot truck can hold the contents of a three- to four-bedroom home.

Weight capacity can vary compared to Penske. While U-Haul’s 15-foot truck can hold more weight than a 16-foot Penske truck, its 26-foot truck has a lower weight capacity.

Overall, U-Haul’s trucks are not as high-quality as Penske’s. They’re turned over frequently, so excessive wear and tear could become problematic. However, like Penske, U-Haul includes free roadside assistance with all reservations.

Additionally, U-Haul offers more trailers. In addition to providing tow dollies and car carriers, U-Haul offers several sizes of cargo trailers and utility trailers, ranging in size from 4 x 7 feet to 6 x 12 feet. The largest utility trailer size also includes a ramp for easy loading of ATVs and other equipment.

Penske vs. U-Haul: Cost

With both U-Haul and Penske, your costs can vary significantly because of all the factors that go into pricing a move:

• The time of year
• The day of the week
• How much stuff you have
• What size truck you need
• Whether you add on any services or insurance
• Moving labor
• Fuel costs

That being said, Penske’s base prices are usually (but not always) higher than U-Haul’s — though U-Haul does have a reputation for sometimes adding hidden fees, according to customer reviews.

Before you make any decisions based on the price of either of these companies, you should get a personalized quote from them. Luckily, they both make it easy to get a price quote online. Our moving cost calculator can also give you a better idea of what you should expect to pay for a DIY truck rental.

Penske cost

Penske is well-known for having no hidden fees, so we’re confident that the actual cost for these moves would be similar to the quotes they provided. This is especially true for long-distance moves, which include unlimited mileage.

U-Haul cost

Customer reviews have called out U-Haul for less-than-transparent pricing, so be careful with their quotes. Ask lots of questions and carefully review the terms of your quote to protect yourself from getting slapped with extra fees you’re unprepared for.

Also, note that U-Haul doesn’t include unlimited mileage for one-way moves. The quoted prices come with a mileage cap; if you go over that, you may incur steep fees.

Penske vs. U-Haul: Availability

Penske and U-Haul are both nationwide companies with great coverage in the U.S., but U-Haul comes out on top in this area. U-Haul has more than 21,000 locations in all 50 states and Canada. Penske, on the other hand, is not available in Alaska, though they do service parts of Canada. However, with only about 3,000 locations nationwide, the nearest Penske location may not be as convenient to you.

Penske does partner with Home Depot for rental truck pickup and drop-off at select locations, though once again, availability may vary. Depending on where you are moving to, U-Haul locations will likely be more convenient.

What can’t be guaranteed is what’s available at every location. Truck and trailer inventory will vary, so whatever U-Haul or Penske location is closest to you may not have exactly what you need. This is especially true of U-Haul, which has a somewhat negative reputation for reservations not always being available for pickup.

Penske vs. U-Haul: Featured reviews

Even though U-Haul and Penske are rental truck providers where you’ll do the heavy lifting yourself, it’s still worth considering the experiences of other movers so you can have an idea of what to expect. Here are some noteworthy experiences from some of our Better Moves Project participants.

“A tire on the car carrier that I was towing behind the moving truck blew in the middle of the night. We stopped at a hotel and called roadside service. They said they fixed it but the replacement tire blew, as well. We had to drive in the wrong direction to get a replacement car carrier.” – Chandra, Penske customer

“The process was relatively painless and the truck was in good shape. We got an average of 11.5 miles per gallon, which is better than U-Haul (they promise 10 miles per gallon, at best), and also got unlimited miles and five days with the truck instead of U-Haul’s four-day limited mileage. I’d definitely recommend Penske trucks.” – Katie, Penske customer

Other moving options

U-Haul and Penske are far from the only options the moving industry has to offer. Here are a few other moving companies you might wish to consider for your move.

Budget Truck Rental

Another popular truck rental company, Budget Truck Rental is one of the most affordable DIY options out there. They’re a great pick for when you’re really trying to stick to a budget, with unlimited mileage on long-distance moves, a wide range of discount programs, and some of the industry’s lowest overall prices.

However, Budget Truck Rental only has a cargo van and three moving truck sizes, which can make it harder to find a size that works for your move. Their add-on services also tend to be more expensive than their competitors, and, with 2,800 locations, they have less availability than U-Haul or Penske.

Mayzlin Relocation

If a DIY move sounds too intimidating, Mayzlin Relocation could be a better option. As one of our picks for the best moving companies, this full-service mover can help with local and long-distance moves big and small. As a carrier rather than a broker, you can expect consistent quality no matter where you’re moving.

Of course, full-service moving comes at a much higher price than a rental truck. However, having someone else load and unload the truck, transport your goods, and potentially even help with packing and unpacking can save a lot of work and stress.

Safeway Moving

Safeway Moving is another excellent option if you’re interested in a full-service mover. As one of our best interstate moving companies, Safeway has earned a strong reputation thanks to their triple-check verification system for quoting, as well as price matching and flat-rate pricing with no hidden fees.

Safeway also offers 30 days of free storage on all interstate moves, giving you added flexibility for your move schedule. However, they do not service local moves, so you’ll need to find someone else if you’re moving locally.

U-Pack

As a moving container company, U-Pack strikes a solid middle ground between rental trucks like U-Haul and Penske and full-service movers. U-Pack drops off moving containers at your property, after which you’ll have three business days to load them yourself. U-Pack’s drivers will then take care of transportation, and you’ll unload everything at your new place.

As one of our best moving container companies, customers love U-Pack’s fast delivery times and the fact that you only pay for the space you use. You don’t have to pay for unused containers or unused space on a freight trailer rental. Pricing is higher than rental trucks, but much cheaper than full-service movers. However, U-Pack does not service local moves.

PODS

Another of our top moving container companies, PODS provides great flexibility and affordability for your move. PODS rentals provide unlimited loading and unloading time, as each reservation includes 30 days of storage (which can be extended). This gives you more time to pack everything. PODS can also be used for local moves.

PODS pricing tends to be higher than U-Pack, and it is only available in 44 states and Washington, D.C. Available container sizes are limited for long-distance moves. However, if you want to do a moving container move but need more time to load and unload, PODS is a good option.

Penske vs. U-Haul FAQs

Can I pay for a Penske truck with cash?

Yes, you can pay for a Penske truck with cash. Penske accepts cash payments of $5,000 or less. You can also make payments using a credit card or cashier check.

What are the key differences between Penske and U-Haul truck rentals?

Penske replaces its trucks on a more frequent basis, so in general, their trucks are of a higher quality than U-Haul. Penske also offers unlimited miles on long-distance moves.

U-Haul sets a mileage limit and charges an extra fee if you go over. However, U-Haul offers more truck sizes than Penske, and generally has lower prices.

How do Penske truck rental prices compare to U-Haul’s for long-distance moves?

Penske’s prices for long-distance and cross-country moves are usually more expensive than U-Haul, but this can vary based on your location, time of year, and even truck size.

Sometimes, Penske will be cheaper than U-Haul for some truck sizes and more expensive for others. However, unlimited mileage and no hidden fees means you don’t have to worry about paying more than your original quote.

What should you look for in a moving truck rental company?

If this is your first time using a moving truck rental company, a few things could help the process go more smoothly.

First, compare what is and isn’t included in your quote. Check for any add-on fees you might be charged later. Review available truck sizes, reservation and cancellation policies, as well as if the company has any additional equipment you might need for your move.

Extras like roadside assistance and insurance coverage can also give you peace of mind.