To help you in your search, the This Old House Reviews Team researched the top moving companies in Philadelphia for self-service, partial, and full-service moves. Keep reading for our recommendations of the best moving companies in the city.
6 Best Moving Companies in Philadelphia
Through in-depth research, we determined that the best moving companies in Philadelphia, PA, are:
International Van Lines: Best Overall Full-Service Mover 1-800-PACK-RAT: Best Overall Self-Service JK Moving: Most Customizable Full-Service Mover American Van Lines: Most Experienced Moving Labor uShip: Best Mobile App U-Pack: Most Affordable
International Van Lines
We recommend International Van Lines for local, long-distance, and international moves. You can request full service for both moving and packing or partial service if you only have certain items you need help relocating. International Van Lines serves all 50 states and over 180 countries, and there’s a physical location within Pennsylvania. The company also offers specialty item handling and auto shipping, so it can take care of your entire move at once. As with nearly all moving companies, International Van Lines sets prices based on the distance, timing, and size of your move. You’ll need to provide the company with specific information and an inventory to get a quote. Here are some pricing estimates for a 140-mile move from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C.:
One-bedroom apartment: $1,734–$2,104 plus $619 for packing Two-bedroom apartment: $2,065–$2,508 plus $738 for packing Three-bedroom home: $4,788–$5,668 plus $1,610 for packing Four-bedroom home: $7,980–$9,680 plus $2,735 for packing
Pros & Cons
✔ Offers specialty handling services for pianos, motorcycles, fine art, and more ✔ Has a physical location in Pennsylvania✔ Won Newsweek’s Best Customer Service Award in 2021 ✘ Requires a two-bedroom minimum for local moves✘ Doesn’t provide much information online about storage solutions✘ Its online moving calculator can be inaccurate For a free estimate from International Van Lines, fill out this easy form. Read More: International Van Lines Review
1-800-PACK-RAT
1-800-PACK-RAT provides both moving and storage on a self-serve basis. You can save money by packing your items into a storage container that can be moved to a new location or taken to a storage facility until you need it. There are three sizes of container available, and you can rent as many as you need. Although 1-800-PACK-RAT doesn’t provide labor, the company partners with Hire-A-Helper to find you packing and crating services, if necessary. The price for your move will depend on the number of containers you need and how far you need to ship them. When receiving a quote from 1-800-PACK-RAT, make sure you ask for the standard 10% discount and be aware that the company offers price-matching with other storage container companies. For comparison, our team was quoted $3,239.76 for a 720-mile move from Chicago to Houston using a 16-foot container.
Pros & Cons
✔ Is less expensive than full and partial-service moving companies✔ Its website has extensive resources for helping you plan your move✔ Provides high-quality, all-steel storage containers ✘ Doesn’t have online booking available✘ Has an unclear pricing structure✘ Representatives may try to upsell you on the largest container size Fill out this quick form to get a free quote from 1-800-PACK-RAT. Read More: 1-800-PACK-RAT Review
JK Moving Services
Offering long-distance moves to customers in all 50 states, JK Moving is a nationwide broker that provides a variety of specialty moving services. You can choose from partial or full service moving, specialty item moving, and auto shipping. The company has physical locations in only a few states, but it partners with local movers all across the country to help you manage your move. Because of its custom options, JK Moving needs extensive information to complete the quote process. You may need to submit an inventory of your belongings or schedule a walk-through with a JK Moving employee. However, a customer service representative can provide you with a ballpark estimate over the phone. For example, we were quoted $7,250 for a 720-mile move.
Pros & Cons
✔ Has more than four decades of experience in the industry ✔ Has an A+ rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau (BBB)✔ Runs background checks on all employees ✘ No local moves or storage units offered in Pennsylvania✘ Doesn’t provide instant online quotes✘ Doesn’t offer price-matching with competitors To start the quote process, call JK Moving at 1-571-487-8929 or visit the company’s website. Read More: JK Moving Services Review
American Van Lines
If packing services are your primary concern, consider American Van Lines. This moving company is a nationwide carrier, not a broker, so American Van Lines employees will be the ones performing your move. This is important to note because these employees have experience and training with handling fragile and specialty items. They can even provide you with moving boxes if you need them. American Van Lines’ moving services are priced by weight and distance, and its quotes are binding. This means you won’t be surprised with extra fees when it comes time to pay, but it also means the quote process is fairly extensive. You won’t be able to complete the process online, so you’ll need to speak directly with a representative. Here are some estimates for a move from Washington D.C. to Philadelphia:
One-bedroom apartment: $1,850–$2,338 plus $430–$816 for packing Two-bedroom apartment: $1,962–$2,640 plus $546–$992 for packing Three-bedroom home: $2,864–$4,297 plus $1,106–$1,998 for packing Five-bedroom home: $3,601–$5,930 plus $1,746–$2,886 for packing
Pros & Cons
✔ Offers flat rates and binding quotes✔ Provides full and partial moving services ✔ Available for moves in the 48 contiguous states ✘ Requires a substantial upfront deposit✘ Some customers report high-pressure sales tactics from the company✘ The contract for claim settlements includes a clause prohibiting the customer from leaving negative reviews Call 1-877-960-3186 or visit American Van Lines’ website to start the quote process. Read More: American Van Lines Review
uShip
Unlike other moving companies, uShip doesn’t coordinate your move for you. What it does is provide a marketplace where you can find long-distance truck drivers with available space in their trucks to transport your belongings. You can look for available trucks or you can make your own post declaring what you need to ship and where it needs to go. Clearly, it would be difficult to accomplish a large, traditional move using only extra transit space, but if you have a few large or unusual items to move or you have time to space out your move, you can save a great deal of money without needing to rent your own truck. Of course, this process makes it difficult to provide pricing estimates. You’ll be dependent on what’s available at any given time, as well as how much you’re willing to pay for available truck space. However, truck drivers can offer competing bids, so if you’ve got some time to put into finding the best deals, uShip’s nontraditional services may be a good option.
Pros & Cons
✔ Is inexpensive compared to traditional moving services✔ Has an A+ BBB rating and accreditation✔ Provides a mobile app for checking postings and bids ✘ Not suited to moving entire homes or apartments✘ Truck drivers aren’t vetted by uShip Create your own account on uShip’s website and start looking at the available options. Read More: uShip Review
U-Pack
U-Pack is another great budget option that can handle a move of any size. The company provides storage containers called ReloCubes for you to fill on your own, though trailers are also available for rental. If you don’t need to move right away, you can store the ReloCubes at one of U-Pack’s many facilities throughout the country. As you might expect, U-Pack prices depend on the number of ReloCubes you need, though if you accidentally order too many, you can return the unused cubes. Unlike with traditional, full-service moving companies, U-Pack can provide you with a quick online quote. Here are some pricing estimates for a two-bedroom move:
Moving 450 miles: $1,620 Moving 1,750 miles: $1,840 Moving 2,050 miles: $2,730 Storage at facility: $150 per month
Pros & Cons
✔ Customers only have to pay for the container space they need✔ Has an A+ BBB rating and accreditation✔ Offers instant online quotes ✘ Has medium-quality containers✘ Isn’t available for moves of less than 150 miles✘ Doesn’t have a tracking app for the ReloCubes To get a free estimate from U-Pack, fill out this quick form. Read More: U-Pack Review
Conclusion: Which Is the Best Moving Company in Philadelphia for You?
For your move to or from Philadelphia, we recommend International Van Lines. It offers moving services to most locations nationwide, and its employees take great care to make sure your belongings arrive safe, sound, and on time. JK Moving and American Van Lines are also excellent choices for full or partial-service moves. For self-service, container-based moving and storage, 1-800-PACK-RAT and U-Pack are your best bets, though uShip is an inexpensive option for individual item shipping. We ultimately recommend getting a free quote from multiple moving companies to compare pricing in your area. All of these companies offer free estimates, so call around before making a final decision.
What do I need to do on move day?
Having a truly stress-free moving experience may be an impossible dream, but there’s plenty you can do in preparation to keep things simple. Get plenty of sleep ahead of time, wear comfortable clothes, and get started early in the day to give you more time to handle unexpected complications. Whether you’re paying for labor or doing it yourself, keep exit paths clear and keep children and pets out of the way. Make sure you give your old residence a final inspection on the way out.
Should I hire professional movers?
Although some people prefer to save money by packing and moving on their own, many people find professional labor to be well worth the cost. Professional movers have the experience and training to move your items quickly and efficiently, greatly reducing your moving-day stress.
What’s the hourly rate for Philadelphia movers?
If you choose to pay for labor when it comes to moving, you can expect to spend between $25 and $50 an hour with a two- or three-hour minimum.
Our Rating Methodology
The This Old House Reviews Team backs up our moving company ratings and recommendations with a detailed rating methodology to objectively score each company. We conduct research by reading through the company websites, analyzing customer reviews, conducting consumer surveys, requesting quotes, and speaking with customer representatives. We then score each moving company against our review standards for services, contents coverage, scheduling, trailer and container options, additional benefits, and reputation to arrive at a final score out of 100. To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.
