Furniture Shipping Costs: How Much Does It Cost to Ship Furniture in 2026?

Furniture shipping costs typically range from $300 to $4,500 for domestic moves, with an average cost of about $2,400. Shipping a single large item like a couch or bed cross-country costs $300 to $800. The final price depends on distance, furniture size and weight, shipping method (white glove vs. curbside vs. freight), and the time of year. International furniture shipping is significantly more expensive, often $1,000 to $5,000 or more per large piece.

Cost Summary

Editor’s note: The ranges below align with current U.S. furniture shipping market averages but verify pricing first.

Factors Affecting Furniture Shipping Rates

There are various factors that affect the cost to ship furniture. Let’s go through each of them line by line.

Shipping Distance: Distance affects furniture shipping costs. The longer the distance, the more expensive. Usually, costs are calculated based on miles traveled, so be cognizant of that.

Shipping Method: There are several shipping methods you can use to transport furniture. FTL (full truckload) is more expensive than LTL (less than truckload), especially because with LTL, there is an opportunity to have other people’s belongings in the truck.

Furniture Type: The dimensions and weight of your furniture determines costs — the bigger, the more costlier. If you have antique furniture, it may increase your costs, as well.

Furniture Value: The value of your furniture is another cost factor. Antique furniture or very valuable furniture will drive up the cost because of the extra care and attention moving companies put on those items.

Number of Items: A sofa and bed or a single furniture piece is much less expensive to ship than an entire house filled with furniture and belongings. Expect this number to increase for each item you choose to transport.

Time of Year: The summer months see an increase in prices, as well as in January, right after the holidays. It’s best to pick the spring and autumn months.

Pickup and Delivery Location: If you live in a remote area, chances are the price will jump up and likewise if you are moving to a remote area and the dropoff is hard to get, the costs increase.

How to Calculate Your Furniture Shipping Rates

There are several ways to calculate your furniture shipping costs. We’ll outline them below so you can have a better idea of what to expect when contacting furniture shipping companies.

Determine the Weight and Dimensions of Your Furniture Pieces to Get an Accurate Estimate of the Shipping Cost

In order to get a more accurate estimate of your shipping costs, always make sure you have the proper dimensions (and if it’s possible, the weight) of your large furniture items. This way, you can plug them in when companies request that information.

Research Different Shipping Carriers and Compare Their Rates

Shipping companies usually advertise their rough estimated rates on their website, but when you contact them with details of the furniture you’d like to ship, they return back with quotes. It’s always smart to do this with several different shipping companies so you get a variety of quotes to choose from.

When doing research on furniture shipping, look after several star qualities.

• The best furniture shipping company is one that can transport any type of furniture.
• The company should adhere to all rules and regulations required by federal and state governments.
• Furniture shipping companies should provide regular updates and good communication.
• Excellent customer service means that they’ll take care of your furniture as if it were their own.

When you are comparing multiple companies, look after these important things in order to further whittle down your decision. You’ll make your decision faster and be satisfied that you made the right choice.

Read Reviews and Testimonials from Previous Customers

• Do your research and search for positive reviews.
• Join Facebook or social media groups related to furniture shipping.
• Other previous customers can share their experience with specific furniture shipping companies you’re mulling about.

Furniture Shipping Company Experience

• The best furniture shipping companies have years of experience.
• They have a proven track record of success.

Customized Shipping Solutions

The best furniture shipping companies offer customized shipping to their customers. For example, when you use CitizenShipper, you can chat with transporters before booking to make sure every detail is hammered out. When customization is possible, it means the company cares about its customers.

Consider Additional Factors That May Affect Shipping Costs

There are other factors that can affect furniture shipping costs:

Large or Fragile Items: If you have too many large items, it may affect your shipping costs. Likewise, if you have antique or fragile items that need to be taken care of with extra attention, it’ll also increase your furniture shipping costs.

Domestic or International Shipping: This is an easy one to guess. Shipping furniture internationally costs a lot more than shipping furniture domestically. And likewise, shipping across the country, instead of a state away, for example, may be more expensive.

Get your exact furniture shipping cost: Post a free listing on CitizenShipper and receive competing bids from background-checked drivers — usually within minutes. Get Free Quotes →

How Much Does it Cost to Ship Furniture?

There are three ways that traditional moving companies calculate their pricing information when using the above factors and other factors that could affect furniture shipping costs. Let’s take a look at each of them.

Flat-Rate Pricing

There are usually two kinds of pricing that furniture shipping companies use. Hourly pricing means you’re charged per hour to move furniture. Hourly pricing is better when you are moving to another location nearby and have very few furniture items.

The other kind of pricing is flat-rate pricing. This is perfect for those moving out of a large house and moving more than a hundred miles away. There will end up being a flat rate fee calculated based on the inventory you gave the furniture shipping company.

Freight Brokers

Freight brokers are usually hired to oversee any freight delivery. They manage all the logistics, whether it is international or domestic furniture shipping.

Comparing Quotes

The bottom line is that domestic shipping is more affordable than international shipping. The rough estimates are that costs can range from $300 to $4,500 with an average of $2,400. Cross country costs can be on the high end. International shipping is more expensive and sometimes can be calculated based on the inventory, costing roughly $1000 to $4,500 per piece of large furniture.

Make sure you compare quotes from all furniture shipping companies carefully, looking at each line-item to ensure that you aren’t being swindled.

Types of Furniture Shipping Services Available

There are various types of furniture transport services available and they are all tailored to what you would want. Let’s take a look at each of them so you can base your ultimate decision.

White Glove Delivery

White glove delivery sounds like what it is — a finer, fancier way of moving. It’s a service where the company does it all — pack, unpack and put everything in its new place — and not to mention they’ll pay extra attention to all of your belongings. Of course, this delivery service is going to be more expensive, but it can be well worth the cost if the furniture is particularly valuable or difficult to disassemble/assemble. They’ll even offer professional installation services for all electrical items in your house. The movers install and connect the washer and dryer, the televisions and the other electrical items and appliances around your new house.

Curbside Delivery

Curbside delivery is not as fancy or robust as white glove delivery. Furniture shipping companies will deliver all your items and leave them outside your property. Unlike white glove delivery, they won’t provide installation services; they won’t assemble any furniture items, either. It’ll be your responsibility to carry them inside and assemble each item. The upside to this option is it costs less than white glove delivery.

Freight Shipping

Freight delivery is also an option. It can be a more affordable option, but one where you are required to disassemble everything and put your items in wooden boxes. The freight delivery driver picks up your boxes at your curb and deliver them to the next curb. Keep in mind that this usually is better for those deliveries that are LTL (less than truckload), as they can potentially be loaded and unloaded several times. This is why it can be a cheaper option than white glove delivery.

International Shipping

If you have decided to move from California to Spain, there are furniture shipping companies that help you with the logistics and can ship your furniture internationally. The fees and rates will be much more expensive than shipping domestically.

Expedited Shipping

When you need your furniture really fast, expedited shipping is your friend. This is convenient when you are making a move that requires a quick turnaround time.

Cross Country Furniture Shipping Costs and Options

As stated above, cross country furniture shipping can cost closer to $4,000. Sometimes each piece of large furniture can cost anywhere from $300-$800. The options you have can be broad as there are many furniture shipping companies where they offer full services tailored to your every need. It’s always best to do your research and contact the best furniture shipping companies out there.

Shipping a single piece of furniture? List it on CitizenShipper for free and compare quotes from verified drivers. Most listings get their first bid within minutes. Get Your Quote →

Why Is Furniture Delivery So Expensive?

Furniture shipping involves much more than transporting a package from one location to another. Large household items require additional labor, specialized equipment, and careful handling throughout the move.

Professional movers typically use equipment such as furniture dollies, moving blankets, lift gates, ratchet straps, and protective wrapping materials to prevent scratches and structural damage during transport. These materials—and the trained labor required to use them safely—add to the overall cost.

Fuel is another significant expense, particularly for cross-country shipments involving large trucks. Bulky furniture also occupies considerable trailer space, reducing the number of shipments that can be transported at one time.

Insurance and liability protection also affect pricing. Professional transporters carry commercial insurance, and white glove services often include higher levels of coverage because crews enter customers’ homes to move valuable furniture.

Finally, last-mile delivery is often the most labor-intensive part of the shipment. Carrying a heavy sofa upstairs, navigating tight hallways, or assembling furniture inside a home requires additional time and skilled labor.

Seasonality also plays a role. Demand—and prices—typically increase during summer moving season, holidays, and college move-in periods when more households are relocating.

Is It Cheaper to Ship Furniture or Buy New?

Whether you should ship your furniture or replace it depends on the item’s value and the cost of shipping.

Shipping usually makes financial sense when the furniture is:

• A high-quality hardwood piece
• A custom-built item
• An antique or family heirloom
• Difficult or expensive to replace
• Worth substantially more than the shipping cost

For example, paying $600 to ship a handcrafted dining table worth $3,500 is generally a better investment than purchasing a comparable replacement.

Buying new often makes more sense when you’re moving inexpensive, mass-produced furniture. Items from flat-pack retailers or budget furniture stores can sometimes cost less to replace than to transport across the country.

A simple rule of thumb:

Ship it if the replacement cost exceeds the shipping cost—or if the piece has sentimental value.

Replace it if shipping approaches or exceeds the cost of buying a similar new item.

This decision becomes even more important during long-distance moves, where transportation costs can add up quickly if you’re relocating only a few inexpensive pieces.

Furniture Shipping Cost Calculator: How to Get a Free Quote

The easiest way to estimate furniture shipping costs is to compare multiple quotes from professional transporters.

With CitizenShipper, you can create a free shipment listing by entering basic information about your furniture, pickup and delivery locations, and preferred shipping dates. Interested transporters then submit competitive quotes, allowing you to compare prices, customer reviews, delivery timelines, and experience before choosing a provider.

Unlike requesting individual estimates from multiple moving companies, you’ll receive competing bids in one place, making it easier to find the right balance between price and service.

Before requesting quotes, gather:

• Furniture dimensions
• Estimated weight
• Pickup and delivery ZIP codes
• Photos of each item
• Preferred pickup window

Ready to compare prices? Create your free CitizenShipper listing and receive multiple furniture shipping quotes from experienced transporters.

Advantages of Using Independent Furniture Shippers

After looking at several popular options, you may not be convinced about the quotes you’ve received. Independent furniture shippers, like CitizenShipper can be an alternative to those traditional moving companies.

Flexible Pricing Options

CitizenShipper usually has flexible pricing options and can provide various offers that you can then compare and contrast in order for you to pick the best one — the right one for you.

Multiple Quotes = Best Deal

Multiple transporters compete for your business, which means you may be able to find rates that aren’t offered by traditional furniture movers. You can save up to 60-70% compared to those traditional moving companies. They’ll send you multiple quotes and you can get the best deal after looking at each one of them.

Save Money and Time

You can save money and time, as well as hassle. And the best part about CitizenShipper is that there are no hidden fees. In fact, posting a listing on CitizenShipper and receiving quotes is super easy.

1. Create a listing on CitizenShipper. Add your contact info, details about what furniture your transporter will be moving, the pick-up and drop-off locations and your preferred transport dates. It’s always free to post a listing!
2. Your listing is visible to a network of furniture moving professionals. Every driver on CitizenShipper has passed a strict background check.
3. The drivers submit bids on your listing — you’ll usually receive those bids within minutes! It’s free to look over your quotes, chat with drivers and read reviews.

It’s an easy three step process where once you choose your driver, you can book your trip. We pride ourselves in having excellent customer service and making furniture shipping run safe, seamless and stress-free. All of those belongings will be in good hands with our qualified movers, who can provide frequent updates through our internal messaging system.

Navigate to the furniture shipping page, punch in your info and get quotes faster than assembling a nightstand from IKEA!

Frequently Asked Questions