Money Research Collective’s editorial team solely created this content. Opinions are their own, but compensation and in-depth research determine where and how companies may appear. Many featured companies advertise with us. How we make money.
The Seven Best Portable Container Services for 2023
By Susan Doktor MONEY RESEARCH COLLECTIVE
Here’s a fact that might surprise you. Back in the 1950s, moving was twice as common in the US as it is today. But we’re a still nation on the move. In 2021, about 28 million US residents pulled up stakes and relocated to new homes. And they spent about $19 billion in the process.
Hiring a professional mover is the costliest way to move. The average cost of hiring a mover to move a two- to three-bedroom household of goods 1,000 miles is about $5,000. That’s a big bite out of anyone’s budget. So it’s no wonder people are looking for cheaper solutions.
Enter portable moving containers: a less expensive, more flexible way to get from point A to point B. It takes more muscle to move via portable moving container. But if you’re willing to put in the time and sweat a little, it might be the right choice for you. Let’s take a closer look at some of the best moving container companies in the US and learn what it’s like to use their services.
Table of Contents
- Our Top Picks for Best Portable Container Services
- Guide to Portable Container Services
- Portable Container Services FAQs
- How We Chose the Seven Best Portable Container Services
Our Top Picks for Best Portable Container Services
PODS
PODS stands for Portable On Demand Storage. The company was founded in 1998 and is credited with disrupting the moving industry with its DIY services.
PODS does business in 46 states nationwide. The company also does business in Canada and a few locations outside of North America. However, the company cannot move your container internationally.
Customers can choose between moving services and storage services or order up both as their moving needs and budget dictate. You can take all the time you need to fill your PODS container. When you accept delivery of your pod, you’ll pay a fee that covers one month of keeping it in place. But you can pay for more months if necessary. Afterward, you can move your container to your new home or office, or store it indefinitely in one of PODS’ secure storage facilities.
Unfortunately, PODS does not offer a free quote on its website. But if you fill out a form, you’ll get a unique job number. You can then call the company for pricing. The company does provide an online calculator that can help you estimate the container size you’ll need to fit all of your belongings inside. And it also offers discounted prices to active military service members.
SmartBox
Smartbox is another established leader in the portable container service industry. The company was founded in 2002.
The company offers container drop-off and delivery services nationwide. You can also hire moving helpers from the company to help you with loading and unloading. The company offers short- and long-term storage in secure facilities. This is particularly helpful for customers who must vacate their former residence before they are able to move into their new home.
We requested an estimate for moving a 3-bedroom house from Boston, Massachusetts to Toledo, Ohio. The company suggested that we’d need three of its 8x5x7-foot containers to accomplish the job. These containers are relatively small compared to some competitors so if you’re moving a lot of goods, you will likely need multiple containers.
We received a quote of $6,508 for our move. We had the option of hiring 2 moving helpers for 2 hours for an additional $822. That fee covers 30 days between delivery of your storage unit(s) to drop off. Unfortunately, Smartbox doesn’t allow you to include storage services in your estimate. You’ll have to call for a separate quote on that. But the company does offer both short- and long-term storage solutions.
Smartbox’s moving quote is actually in line with hiring a moving company to make the same move. But Smartbox does offer the convenience of packing and unpacking according to your own schedule.
U-Haul U-Boxes
U-Box services are offered by U-Haul, a company founded in 1945 and a pioneer in DIY moving. The name U-Haul is virtually synonymous with truck rental. It launched its portable container service in 2008.
Like Smartbox, U-Haul U-Box offers just one container size. The company calculated that we would need four of them to accommodate the contents of a three-bedroom house. We received a quote of $2,327, which included 30 days rental, two dozen furniture blankets and free fuel for delivery. U-Box estimated that it would take 8 days to deliver your containers to your final destination.
While U-Haul is known for DIY moves, when you choose U-Box, you have the option of requesting additional services. You can have your belongings professionally packed. For our hypothetical move, the company quoted a price of $842 for professional loading into your containers. You can also save money by picking up your container(s) at a U-Haul location in your neighborhood.
You can store U-Box containers at a nearby U-Haul facility. One month of storage is included in the price of renting your containers, whether that’s at your location or in U-Haul storage. You have a choice of renting a climate-controlled storage space or using one of U-Haul’s drive-up storage units if you need more frequent access to your belongings. The company assesses the same fee per month whether you keep your container at your location or in a storage facility.
Go Mini’s
Go Mini’s is a Better Business Bureau-accredited business and earns an A+ rating for all of its locations. The company provides moving and storage services via 79 locations in 39 states. But local offices are few and far between, which may make using the service inconvenient for some customers.
Go Mini’s 20-foot containers are large enough to accommodate the contents of a three- to four-bedroom home. That can be a money saver, versus renting multiple containers.
Go Mini’s can be an affordable moving solution if you’re moving locally. According to Move.org, Go Mini’s storage containers cost approximately $380 to move, but fees may vary quite a bit by location. Go Mini’s operates as a franchise business.
Here’s how Go Mini’s fees break down. It costs just over $200 to rent a Go Mini’s container for a month. The longer you keep your container, the more you’ll pay. But you have the choice of storing your container at your location or at a Go Mini’s storage unit for the same price. The average cost of delivering your container is $90 each time it’s moved.
Unfortunately, Go Mini’s does not provide moving estimates online and its website is not very transparent. We deduct points for these omissions because it makes comparing Go Mini’s to other container services more difficult for consumers.
U-Pack
U-Pack earns kudos from us for ease of quoting and price transparency. It takes just a minute to get an estimate. Simply provide your drop-off and delivery address zip codes and the size of container you’ll need to get the information you’re looking for.
For our hypothetical three-bedroom home move from Boston to Toledo, we received a quote of $2,299. That estimate was based on renting a 17-foot container. You can also rent smaller U-Pack ReloCubes if you need less capacity for your belongings.
U-Pack differs from other portable container companies in that it doesn’t include monthly storage rental fees in its quotes. The monthly charge for keeping a container, whether on-site at your home or in storage is $150 per container. That can get pricey, depending on how many containers you need to rent.
Don’t want to load your container yourself? The company can connect you with local moving labor. And if you need to store your container for any length of time, U-Pack offers secure storage facilities nationwide.
You can save money on moving with U-Pack by loading and unloading your containers at one of the company’s neighborhood facilities. That may be an option for customers who are moving out of an apartment, where parking a container isn’t feasible. Otherwise, it creates complexities and may not be worth the savings. U-Pack advises that if you can be flexible with your drop off and delivery dates, you may be able to secure a lower rate. In addition, the company gives customers a $25 discount when they book their rentals online.
Zippy Shell
Zippy Shell is an Australian company that began offering services in the US in 2010. It’s a franchise business. Some of its locations are accredited by the Better Business Bureau. But as a franchise, you can expect service quality to vary among locations. We noted that all accredited and many non-accredited locations earned A+ ratings from the BBB. You probably don’t want to use the company’s Zeeland, Michigan franchise: it earns an F rating.
Zippy Shell differs from other portable container services in several ways. For one thing, you’re only allowed three days from your drop-off date to fill your Zippy Shell container and get it ready for pick-up. So you’ll have to be quite organized to use the service comfortably. No packing at your own pace for you! In three days, the company will take your belongings to one of its container storage facilities. If you’re unable to pack your container in that short a time, you must have it redelivered to your location for an additional fee or bring your remaining belongings to the site and pack them there. If you’re moving furniture and other large items, that may not be feasible. So the best strategy for using a Zippy Shell container is to load all of your furniture into the container first.
Perhaps the oddest thing about Zippy Shell containers is that they are not fully closed to the elements. They’re built on a lightweight metal frame, but the top of the containers is made of wire. Zippy Shell touts the “breathability” of its containers, but we are skeptical about how weatherproof such open containers are. No one wants a rain-soaked sofa arriving at their new home.
Lower container weight is one way Zippy Shell keeps its rates low. Move.org reports that Zippy Shell services can price out several hundred dollars less than other container services. But we have to ding Zippy for being considerably less transparent about its pricing. You can’t get an instant quote on the company’s website. Optional loading, packing and unpacking services are available, but the company doesn’t quote prices for those services. The same goes for monthly storage rental. And once again, because Zippy is a franchise, the company advises that fees are subject to change depending on your location.
1-800-PACK-RAT
Founded in 2003, 1-800-PACK-RAT is one of the best-known portable moving container services in the US. The company is accredited by the Better Business Bureau, which awards it an A+ rating. Consumers who review 1-800-PACK-RAT on Trustpilot give the company a great rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars. Customers cite the ease of doing business with the company, its reliability and excellent customer service as reasons for their positive reviews. They say you get what you pay for, though: according to Move.org, 1-800-PACK-RATS is among the more expensive portable container moving services you can choose.
1-800-PACK-RAT offers moving, on-site storage and secure storage services. The company also partners with outside companies if you need help loading your own container. 1-800-PACK-RAT has 63 self-storage facilities across 30 states. If you can’t find a storage facility near you, 1-800-PACK-RAT may refer you to its sister company Zippy Shell.
The company charges a monthly rate for keeping your 1-800-PACK-RAT container on-site at your home or at one of its secure storage facilities. Storage prices depend on the size of your container and the facility location.
Guide to the Best Portable Container Services
Main things to know before hiring a portable container service
As is the case with virtually every service, it pays to shop around and compare. Here are a few of the factors you should consider when looking for a portable container service:
- Not all container companies serve all locations. Find one that operates within a convenient distance from your old home and your new home.
- Find a company that offers a variety of container sizes.
- Investigate all of the fees associated with delivering and picking up your containers, keeping your container at your home or in storage, and actual moving costs.
- Get a firm quote that includes all fees before hiring a company.
- Learn what materials containers are made from and whether they are fully closed or partially open to the elements.
- Find out what kind of loss and damage protection the company offers.
What states are covered in portable container services?
Some, but not all, portable storage container companies operate nationwide. Others have a more limited service area and some only perform local moves. A few companies perform international moves, as well.
How much do portable container services cost?
Like full-service movers, portable container service costs can vary widely. The primary factors that influence the final cost of your move include the size of the container(s) you rent, the distance you move them and how long you need to keep your container on-site at both your delivery and drop-off locations.
What are the differences between portable container services and movers?
In most cases, portable container services require more customer participation than traditional moving companies. Normally, customers load their containers themselves. The service provider then transports the loaded container to its final destination or to a storage facility. Traditional movers load your furniture, appliances and moving boxes onto their trucks for you. They give you one moving date by which you need to be packed up and ready to go.
Portable storage containers, by contrast, are delivered to your property, where they can sit for 30 or more days while you fill them up. They’re useful when you want the flexibility of gradual packing. Both traditional movers and portable container services offer storage options. Some portable container services offer packing. In some, but not all cases, customers may spend less on a portable container move than they would a traditional move. It all depends on how much property you need to move, how much storage space and time you need, and the extra services you may opt for.
How do portable container services work?
The process is fairly simple. Once you hire a portable container service provider, the company will deliver a container to your starting location. The company will help you choose the number and size of containers you need to accommodate your belongings. Most container companies allow you to keep your container on-site for as long as you need it. This provides you the flexibility to take your time when packing. They also offer temporary storage. The longer you keep your container, the more you’ll pay for services.
Normally, customers load their boxes into the container on their own, though some companies offer loading services. When you’re all packed up, you schedule a pick-up date. The company will then move your container to your new home or to a storage facility, according to your needs. You may have easy access to your container while it’s in storage. Some container companies offer several kinds of storage, including climate-control.
The cost of your move will depend on the size of the container(s) you choose, the distance you’re moving them and how long you keep your container on-site at your pick-up location, in storage or at your drop-off location.
Portable Container Services FAQs
How We Chose the Seven Best Portable Container Services
To come up with our list of the best moving container companies, we looked for businesses with a long history of providing service. We also considered the range of services each company offered and the container options they provided. We read media and customer reviews to learn which companies provided the best customer service. We reviewed each company’s insurance options. And we researched pricing to help you find competitive prices and the best value for your moving investment.
