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Making a move to a new state across the country can be a stressful experience. From packing all of your belongings to finding the right transportation to ship it all, long-distance moves can be tedious and time consuming. One way to alleviate stress during the moving process is to hire a full-service moving company.
These professionals can help you with the entire moving process, such as furniture disassembly, shipping and unloading. To help you find the help you need, we researched and ranked the best options for long-distance moving companies, looking into key factors like availability and cost. This guide outlines key details and prices for each of our top picks.
4 Best Long-Distance Moving Companies
- International Van Lines: Best Moving Company
- Allied Van Lines: Best Customer Assistance
- American Van Lines: Best for Specialty Moving
- North American Van Lines: Best Pricing Options
International Van Lines: Best Moving Company
With its nationwide availability and array of services, International Van Lines is our top pick for a long-distance mover. In addition to offering more traditional services, such as packing and shipping, the provider also gives its customers the option of special services like auto transport and storage.
International Van Lines’ long-distance services aren’t confined to the United States. The licensed company can also help with international moves, using sea and air freight to get your belongings to over 180 countries worldwide.
Pros and Cons of International Van Lines
✓ Has over 20 years of industry experience
✓ Available in every state
✓ Moves pianos and other specialty items
✘ Only operates branches in a few states nationwide
✘ Charges extra for inconveniences like using an elevator or climbing multiple flights of stairs
Pricing of International Van Lines
The cost of your interstate move depends on a variety of factors, including your location, the number of items in your home and the distance of your move. While International Van Lines doesn’t provide sample pricing on their website, they do offer free quotes online and over the phone.
Additionally, the provider has a unique online moving price calculator that gives potential customers a rough estimate of the cost of their move. We used this helpful feature to receive a quote for moving a two-bedroom home in Raleigh, North Carolina, to one in Bentonville, Arkansas. We were quoted between $2,015–$3,445.
What Customers Say About International Van Lines
International Van Lines isn’t accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), though the provider earned a B rating from the review site.
Here’s a look at a few of the provider’s BBB customer reviews:
“Diane and other[s] arrived promptly and wasted no time putting protective blanketing over [my] furniture and getting my things over to storage. I will gladly recommend the quality and efficiency of their work! Great job…”
— EDWARD VIA BBB.
“…The movers were kind [and] moved quickly but also with care for our items. However, our items were then loaded onto a second truck for transport to Colorado. Our delivery experience was terrible. Communication with International Van Lines on the status of our move was very difficult.”
— KAYLA VIA BBB
Get a custom quote from International Van Lines.
Best Customer Assistance: Allied Van Lines
Allied Van Lines is a full-service mover that helps customers with their cross-country move. The provider is a veteran within the moving industry, having over 80 years of experience helping homeowners safely move their belongings.
Along with traditional packing and unpacking assistance, Allied Van Lines offers an array of specialty moving services, such as fragile-only packing, vehicle relocation and storage services. The company also offers a unique do-it-yourself packing option, which allows customers to save money by boxing their own belongings with materials provided by Allied.
Pros and Cons of Allied Van Lines
✓ Provides customers with moving supply kits upon request
✓ Transports a variety of vehicles
✓ Offers GPS tracking on all shipments
✘ Pricing may be higher than some competitors
✘ Some customers mention difficulty contacting claims department
Pricing of Allied Van Lines
The cost of using Allied Van Lines for your long-distance move depends on a number of factors, including your location, the distance of your move and your selected services. Luckily, the provider offers an online calculator that gives potential customers a general idea of how much their move will cost.
We used this online feature to gather a quote for a two-bedroom move from Raleigh, North Carolina, to Bentonville, Arkansas. Allied breaks down its cost by the amount of items you have. Here’s a look at the quote we received:
| Amount of items* | Cost |
| Not much | $4,021–$4,710 |
| Average | $4,710–$5,383 |
| A lot | $5,463+ |
*These descriptors were used by Allied, with an average number of items denoting what most customers need help moving for an average-sized job.
What Customers Say About Allied Van Lines
Allied Van Lines is accredited by the BBB, where it holds an A+ rating from the review site. However, the provider has received a mixture of positive and negative reviews from customers.
Take a look at a snapshot of the provider’s BBB customer reviews below:
“I moved in July 2021 with Allied Van Lines, and it was a good experience. I started look[ing] for a moving company (like 1.5 months in advance), and I was just moving a small [one] [bedroom] apartment. Probably because the schedule was too tight and I was not a big customer, most moving companies I asked for a quote didn’t reply to me. Allied was the only one that called me … “
— WENXIAO VIA BBB
“We needed our furniture to be in storage for about one month. The sales team and coordination was good and the movers arrived on time and moved us out apparently [okay]. We put our contents into what was supposed to be air-conditioned storage in the month of August. The delivery was on time, we only had [three] men to unload where we supposedly should have had six. They did the best they could but on inspection we had serious damage to our furniture.”
— DAVID VIA BBB
Get a custom quote from Allied Van Lines.
American Van Lines: Best for Specialty Moving
American Van Lines is a full-service mover that helps homeowners across the continental United States safely and efficiently relocate to their new homes. What sets this provider apart from others is its crew of full-time movers. While most companies hire on a contractual basis, American Van Lines has full-time employees that hold an average of 10 years of experience.
Additionally, the provider uses binding estimates that won’t fluctuate the day of your move. This up-front payment model eliminates surprise costs related to factors like labor and mileage. The company also offers a budget-friendly partial-pack move that lets customers save money by boxing their own belongings.
Pros and Cons of American Van Lines
✓ Handles special items like antiques, pianos and artwork
✓ Has a price-matching policy
✓ Offers private storage units
✘ Doesn’t offer online quotes
✘ Requires up-front security deposits
Pricing of American Van Lines
Like many professional movers, American Van Lines doesn’t have sample pricing on their website. Your specific move will vary in cost based on a variety of factors, such as your location, number of items and distance to your new home.
However, American Van Lines does offer special pricing for homeowners making long-distance moves from specific cities, such as New York, Miami and Los Angeles. For example, here are the company’s special offers for customers moving out of New York:
| Destination | Cost |
| Washington D.C. | $2,882 |
| Austin, Texas | $4,096 |
| Miami, Florida | $3,930 |
| San Francisco, California | $5,579 |
What Customers Say About American Van Lines
American Van Lines isn’t accredited by the BBB but holds a B– from the review site. Despite the low rating, the provider has a decent mixture of positive and negative customer reviews. Here’s a look at a few of them:
“Took the fear out of pricing by weight. Priced by room content and had an opportunity to amend it prior to actual move. Found them very responsive and friendly. Would recommend them again.”
— DARA VIA BBB
“The good: Local movers who picked up and dropped off my things were courteous and professional The bad: Initial estimate was wildly off, by nearly $3k. The revised estimate did not come up until the day movers loaded and everything was already on the truck.”
— MATT VIA BBB
Get a custom quote from American Van Lines.
North American Van Lines: Best Pricing Options
North American Van Lines is a full-service company with extensive experience carrying out long-distance and international moves. The provider uses a network of over 500 local movers to service homeowners across all 50 states and in more than 130 countries.
One of the unique features of North American Van Lines is its reliable pricing information, which includes flat-rate pricing following a thorough in-home estimate. This helps reduce hidden fees on moving days, so you know exactly what you owe before the process even begins. Additionally, the company helps its customers save money by offering self- or partial-packing moves.
Pros and Cons of North American Van Lines
✓ Has a designated claims support line
✓ Allows those moving internationally to track progress through the MoovScout app
✓ Offers customers a library of online moving resources
✘ Varies by location for storage availability
✘ Can have inconsistent customer service due to its use of local movers
Pricing of North American Van Lines
The cost of your move with North American Van Lines will vary based on your location, the number of items you’re moving and the distance to your new residence. It’s important to note that North American Van Lines offers flat-rate pricing, which uses in-home inspections to offer you an estimate that’s honored on moving day.
North American Van Lines is also unique in that it offers discounts to some qualifying customers. For example, the provider offers $100,000 in replacement coverage on household items in transit for American Legion members, totaling about $850 in bottom-line savings.
What Customers Say About North American Van Lines
North American Van Lines is accredited by the BBB and holds an A+ rating from the review site. Despite its high BBB rating, the company has received relatively low BBB customer ratings.
Here’s a snapshot of the provider’s BBB customer reviews:
“This was my highest quote but I went with it because my move could be [two] weeks quicker. Well, my stuff was transferred to a warehouse and delivered a week late.”
— J.W. VIA BBB
“All of my belongings were not delivered to my home. The first load came in four days, however, the second load has not arrived yet…”
— RON S. VIA BBB
Get a custom quote from North American Van Lines.
Final Thoughts
Each long-distance moving company detailed above offers quality full-service capabilities, from packing to shipping and more. However, International Van Lines, Allied Van Lines and American Van Lines stand out above the competition.
All three providers have years of industry experience and offer unique services outside of the traditional packing and shipping, such as vehicle relocation and fragile-only packing.
No matter which moving company you go with, be sure to conduct your own research to ensure they have the services you need. Additionally, it’s important to collect quotes from two or three providers so that you can compare pricing information.
What To Look For in a Moving Company
Sifting through multiple moving companies can be exhausting. However, it’s important to research a variety of providers to find the one that’s best for you. Here are a few tips on what to look for in a moving company:
- Type of moving service—Most moving companies fall under two categories: full- or self-service providers. While full-service movers take care of the entire process, self-service movers allow homeowners to save a bit of money by handling the packing, loading and unloading themselves.
- Licensing—Be sure to select a reputable mover that’s licensed, bonded and insured. All movers in this review are licensed, but you can check a company’s licensing by visiting the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and searching for the company using their USDOT number.
- Availability—While some long-distance movers are only available in particular states, there are others that offer nationwide availability through a network of local movers. Before selecting a company, double-check to ensure that they’re in your area.
Types of Moving Companies
The three most popular types of moving companies are full-service, partial-service and self-service moving companies. Here’s a look at each type of move and what makes them unique.
Full-Service Moving Companies
Full-service moving companies, such as International Van Lines, handle every part of the moving process, such as packing, shipping, storage and unloading. Customers are only responsible for selecting their moving day and destination. Full-service moving companies are hands-off and convenient, though this also makes them the most expensive.
Here’s a list of a few services they provide:
- Packing
- Shipping
- Disassembling and assembling furniture
- Vehicle transportation
- Packing of fragile items
- Loading and unloading
Partial-Service Moving Companies
Partial-service moving companies typically offer all of the same services as full-service providers but allow you to select the ones you need, helping you save money. Many of these companies are full-service providers that also offer services a la carte.
Self-Service Moving Companies
Self-service moving companies offer portable storage containers that homeowners load with their belongings. The company then ships it to their destination, where the homeowner can unload their belongings. These providers, such as 1-800-PACK-RAT, are more affordable than full- or partial-service providers, but they require additional effort.
How We Picked the Best Moving Companies
To help you find the best home warranty, our reviews team researched numerous home warranty companies, analyzing their coverage plans, pricing and customer service, among other factors:
- Coverage: Home warranty companies that provide extensive coverage and protect important systems and appliances, including your air conditioning, refrigerator and heating, scored higher than companies with minimal coverage.
- Plan variety: A provider with more coverage plans allows for more flexibility among customers. In general, most home warranty companies provide an appliances-only plan, systems-only plan and combination plan.
- Pricing: We scored providers based on their monthly plan prices and service call fees compared to the industry average pricing. Companies with more affordable coverage received more points than companies with more expensive plans.
- State availability: Where you live will determine what companies are available in your area. Home warranty companies that covered more states received more points than companies with a limited state availability.
- Trustworthiness: There are some home warranty companies that are scams and don’t follow through on their service agreements. We rated companies based on their years of experience, ratings on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and customer reviews.
To keep our data current, our team regularly updates the data points for each company to ensure their coverage offerings, pricing and availability are accurate.
