5 Best Local Moving Companies of 2024

Are you planning on moving soon, but only a short distance? Odds are good that you won’t need to look at any of the big shipping companies to help you out. These sorts of movers are only cost-effective only for long-distance journeys. Instead, you’ll want to hire a local mover! We’ve created a quick overview of the top 5 best local moving companies. To make it easier to understand, we’ve sorted our list by moving specialty. 

We picked movers that offer different benefits and drawbacks. So before you start Googling for “local moving companies near me,” read on and learn what qualities you should look for in a local moving company.

DIY Local Moving Companies

The most basic type of short-distance move is the do-it-yourself approach. You’ll simply rent a vehicle and do all the packing, loading, transporting and unloading yourself. Local DIY moving companies set you up with a van or truck but the rest is up to you. Depending on your location you’ll have plenty of DIY options. Because there’s so much competition between DIY moving companies they offer the lowest prices. 

5. Budget Truck Rental

Budget Truck Rental is the second-largest truck rental company in the United States. It boasts 32,000 trucks across its 2,800 locations and was founded in 1998.

Pros

• Budget Truck Rental is available almost everywhere in the United States.
• The company has a strong reputation and some of the best rates for renting a moving truck.
• It offers special discounts to military personnel and other groups.

Cons

• Budget only offers three different truck sizes — if your needs are more specific you might need to look elsewhere. 
• While it’s very widespread, Budget has fewer locations than its biggest competitor U-Haul.
• Customer reviews for Budget are more mixed compared with some competitors’.

4. U-Haul

U-Haul is one of the country’s oldest moving companies. It was founded in 1945 in Washington state and grew through franchising. It offers a wide range of vehicles for moving, all featuring the distinctive logo of the company.

Pros

• U-Haul has thousands of locations.
• Its prices are the same whether you order the truck online or in-person.
• There are no administrative fees associated with renting a truck from U-Haul.

Cons

• It has the lowest customer review scores in the industry.
• U-Haul trucks are more suited for medium to small moves; they may not be able to accommodate a large move.
• Most U-Haul trucks cannot tow anything.

Full-Service Local Moving Companies

Way over on the other side of the spectrum from DIY moving is full-service movers. These companies go above and beyond hauling your stuff from point A to point B. They offer loading, unloading and packing assistance. Others offer vehicle-tracking and some will even perform demolition services or debris removal.

This type of service comes at a premium cost compared to a simple truck rental. But don’t let that discourage you — just do more research and you may find something that fits your budget! If you Google for “short distance moving companies near me,” you’ll may get hundreds of results depending on your location. Add the words “full service” to that search query to narrow it down significantly. 

3. Mayflower Transit

Mayflower Transit is a full-service local moving company based out of Missouri. It was founded in 1927, making it one of the most experienced companies in the business. One benefit of Mayflower is that it doesn’t just offer domestic moves — they’re also pros at international moving. 

Pros

• Mayflower Transit has been in the business for almost a century.
• It’s famous for handling fragile items.
• The company operates throughout the continental United States and beyond.

Cons

• The quality of customer-service can vary depending on location.
• You cannot get an online estimate — you have to arrange for a walk-through to get pricing. 
• The cost is significantly higher than a DIY moving truck rental.

2. Two Men and a Truck

With one of the most unique names in the moving industry, Two Men and a Truck certainly stand out.  As the name would imply, the company started out as two high school kids and their truck. However, this isn’t some rinky-dink operation; over the years the company has grown significantly. Its employees have completed more than seven million moves and the company now has franchises across the United States.

Pros

• Two Men and a Truck has strong user reviews.
• Its movers are professionally-trained and pre-screened, plus they undergo a drug test.
• The company offers senior and military discounts.

Cons

• While it’s a national company, it has fewer locations than competitors like Mayflower Transit.
• Because it’s a franchised company, the quality of service may vary.
• Two Men and a Truck doesn’t offer international moves.

Hybrid Local Moving Companies

We’ve covered DIY and full-service movers. So what does that leave out? Everything in between, obviously! No two moves are the same and flexibility is always in demand for local moving companies. “Hybrid movers” are companies that offer that flexibility.

Maybe you already have a truck and would like to rent just a storage container? Or you’d like your possessions shipped between not just two, but three or more locations? Perhaps you requirements that are even more unique?

In that case, you might need to contact each mover directly and discuss things in great detail. Your best bet for finding this kind of deal is an open online marketplace like CitizenShipper.

1. CitizenShipper

Pros

• You can list your own move for free and wait for movers to bid on it.
• After you receive bids on your question, you have the ability to message with the driver to work out every detail.
• Each mover that contacts you is an independent entity.
• Drivers using the CitizenShipper marketplace are pre-screened, feedback-rated and verified.
• When drivers bid against each other for your business, you’ll get a much lower price compared with full-service and DIY moving companies.

Cons

• CitizenShipper isn’t a dedicated local moving company.
• It only offers service in the continental United States.

Post a local moving job on CitizenShipper’s unique peer-to-peer marketplace. Once you’ve posted for free, you’ll get bids within minutes and find out how much you can save! Stay safe and happy shipping!