The 5 Best Cheap Moving Companies of 2023 | Move.org

What should you look for in a cheap moving company?

Every service you need

When you’re shopping for a cheap move, your priority should still be to find a company that provides all the services you require. If you just go with the cheapest option available, you’ll miss out on services that would ease your move, protect your valuable belongings, and spare your knees from aching.

Before you decide which type of moving company to hire, decide how much work you’re able to do yourself, and be honest about what you might need or want professional help with, even if it costs extra:

  • If you need professional packing services or loading help, hire a moving labor company or a full-service mover.
  • If you’re okay with loading everything yourself, but you don’t want to do any driving, go with a moving container company.
  • If you’re good with doing literally all of the work, rent a moving truck, load it yourself, and drive it to your new home without any professional help.

Competitive prices

Prices for moving services fluctuate constantly, and they also vary by location, so the only way to know you’re getting a competitive price is to gather as many quotes as possible. Before you decide which company to hire, reach out to several movers for free quotes. Otherwise, you might end up paying hundreds, or even thousands more than you need to.

At Move.org, we extensively research prices for all moving services. Once you have a few quotes, compare them to the pricing data in our reviews to determine if they’re competitive.

You should also gather quotes from multiple types of companies. While moving truck companies are almost always your cheapest option, you might be surprised by how affordable moving and storage container companies and even professional movers can be. You’ll never know what’s out there unless you gather multiple quotes.

Money

Keep an eye out for discounts!

While you’re getting quotes, look for companies that offer moving discounts. A good promotional deal can put even the most expensive moving services within reach. You can start discount hunting by checking out our list of the best moving discounts.

Affordable binding estimates

Binding estimates are the gold standard of trustworthy pricing in the moving industry. If you get a written estimate that clearly says the word “binding” on it, your price won’t go up as long as you include everything on the moving inventory you submit to your movers.

If your estimate isn’t binding, your price can—and often will—go up at any time, even on moving day. So even if a binding estimate is a bit higher than some of the instant quotes you’re seeing, you’ll probably get a cheaper move from the company that gave you the binding estimate instead of the ones that are only offering instant quotes.

Companies that don’t offer binding estimates might not necessarily be moving scams, but since their pricing isn’t reliable, it’s best to avoid them if possible.

Speaking of moving scams . . .

Watch out for moving scams

Unfortunately, the moving industry is plagued by scammers, so customers have to be vigilant when hunting for a bargain. Moving scammers prey on unsuspecting, budget-oriented customers by offering unrealistically low quotes and then holding their belongings hostage for exorbitant prices.

This is why you should be wary of incredibly low moving quotes. If a company’s price sounds too good to be true, it very well might be. On the other hand, you might just be getting a great deal from a trustworthy mover. Use our guide to spotting moving scams to tell the difference.

That said, at Move.org, we thoroughly vet every company we recommend, so you can trust the low prices from any company on this page.