Whether you’re moving house, apartment or office, it’s important to choose the right moving or storage pods service. There are plenty of considerations here from the sizes of the storage pods offered to the materials they use as well as payment solutions and setups. The main consideration for many people will be who is offering the cheapest pods on the market without sacrificing quality levels.
Moving Container and Storage Companies that Work the Best
There are numerous major moving companies on the market today for you to consider. While some handle long distance moves, others are really only suitable for in-state travel. It’s worth exploring each of the major companies to discover the cheapest portable moving containers that provides the best value for your money.
To do this, we’ve examined the pros and cons of each business, exploring their unique features and options that could make them the right choice for you and your needs. So, let’s match the moving team to your move.
#1. PODS
PODS is the industry leader in portable moving and storage containers. They’ve been providing this service longer than anyone else. You might be wondering if they are the best moving solution for you. But when you consider that they offer numerous promo codes that save you up to 10% off their listed rates, and that you’ll have more options for moving and storing your belongings, and that the quality of service will be top notch, most people do indeed determine that PODS is the best choice for them.
Standing for portable on demand storage, one of the biggest benefits of using PODS is that you will be able to choose between several different containers. These include:
- 7 foot
- 12 foot
- 16 foot
Do be aware though that the 12 foot pod is only available for moving locally rather than moving to a different state. That said, the offering of different pods provides a unique advantage compared to other providers. You can actually choose the pod to match your needs. That’s important because most homeowners will find the sixteen-foot container more than suitable rather than paying for multiple pods with a different company. The company does cover both long distance and local move jobs. As such, it’s a highly convenient service.
However, like U-Pack, this service isn’t available everywhere. Wyoming and North Dakota are not included in their service area. One thing to note is that PODS comes with thirty days of storage time included. Now, while that might be an advantage if you don’t want to rush the move, you will be paying for that time. But it does make them more expensive than U-Pack. Their prices are still competitive, but they don’t quite measure up to the competition regarding value.
Pros
- Available for every type of move
- Different container sizes
- No rush approach
- Competitive pricing
Cons
- Not available in every state
- Forced to pay for long storage times
- Slow turnaround time for service
- Undercut by competitors
Verdict
PODS aren’t offering a poor level of service. Indeed, some users may find their no rush approach to moving solutions a significant advantage and less stressful. The different sizes of containers also make this company more user-friendly and ensure that each individual buyer can get exactly what they want. However, the states missing support is a significant disadvantage and the thirty days of storage does drive the price up significantly. You can definitely find a cheaper deal and get a faster delivery of your items elsewhere.
#2. U-Pack
If you’re looking for a moving service that can provide fantastic turnaround times and an efficient solution, U-Pack could be the right choice. In fact, overall, U-Pack is actually the cheapest option for national moves. If you’re looking for storage pods for a short distance, U-Haul is the right choice, but for moving out of state, U-Pack in terms of price is definitely the way to go.
You might then rightfully be wondering why it’s not our number one selection. Well, while the low costs and efficient service are major benefits, unfortunately, U-Pack isn’t as widely available as U-Haul. That’s a shame as U-Pack provides more benefits as well. Since U-Pack doesn’t push you to pay upfront, this can also lead to fantastic levels of savings. If you don’t use as many boxes as you expected to, you’ll be pleasantly surprised when you pay for the service after the move is complete. This isn’t the only way U-Pack saves you money. You’ll also find that there’s no cost for storage unless you need it. If you do need it, this can be added on.
There are technical benefits too because unlike U-Haul, you can track your move with U-Pack, providing you the information that customers are often desperate for these days. This can be used through the website the company uses and allows you to precisely check the movement of the containers.
The boxes themselves are quite large with dimensions of approximately 6’ x 7’ x 8’ for each box you use. A significant improvement over the U-Haul storage pods, these are made of metal rather than being wood.
Pros
- Forget about the deposit
- Pay for what you use and no more
- Get quotes immediately online
- Awesome tracking options
- Fast and efficient
- The cheapest option for long distance moves
Cons
- Containers are smaller than U-Haul but cheaper
- Limited assistance when loading
- For local moves, they are not good value
Verdict
U-Pack is a great moving and storage pods choice and is the cheapest for long journeys. They even have international coverage now as well. However, their lack of support across the country means that they can not beat U-Haul. As well as this, the storage pods they offer are small, despite being made of a better material.
#3. 1-800-PACK-RAT
Similar to PODS, this company provides several different storage unit containers which are actually roughly the same size as PODS containers. You can choose from eight, twelve and sixteen-foot storage pods, depending on your needs. Unfortunately, this is another business that isn’t as widely available as either U-Pack or PODS but they do offer brilliant containers as well as several other benefits that might make you considering using their service.
First, let’s talk insurance. Now, while for other companies on this list you need to pay extra for insurance, this company will insure all your items that are protected for up to ten thousand for no extra cost. The steel containers are weather proof too and have barn style opening doors which makes loading them up a little easier. You can avoid issues with the doors getting stuck and they take up less space inside the unit.
Like U-Pack, this is another business that you should use if you are traveling a long distance due to the benefits that they provide for this type of move. Again, similar to PODS, this business provides you with thirty days of storage included in the price. That once again leads to the issue of paying for storage you don’t need if you can arrange a fast move which is another reason why this is more suitable for a long distance relocation.
Pros
- Different sizes available
- Secure and protection up to ten thousand dollars included in the price
- Thirty days provides a comfortable time to move
Cons
- Not available everywhere
- Must schedule final quotes on the phone
- May not need the thirty days included in your quote
Verdict
Ultimately, this business provides a service that is similar to PODs in a variety of ways. The only main additional advantage would be the design of the storage units which is helpful. However, the business still has PODS disadvantages, and their limited availability makes them difficult to recommend. Despite this, they do offer cheap storage pods that you can use for your move and could be a great choice for a long distance move.
#4.U-Box
U-Haul is certainly a household name when it comes to moving solutions and can handle larger jobs across significant distances. But do they offer the best service? Well, U-Haul offer their own storage pods called U-Box containers. These wooden containers are designed to provide customers with a flexible option and they provide three delivery options:
- Delivered to You
- Self Delivery
- Access at U-Haul Locations
The last option provides no delivery fees while a self-delivery is designed as a low-cost alternative. U-Box containers are particularly popular for local deliveries due to the low cost and reliability. They regularly provide the lowest quotes and the cheapest pods for customers. For a local delivery, you can expect a wait of one or two days while for a long distance move, you should expect up to two weeks. Choose a self-drive option, and you’ll have a lot more freedom when it comes to moving.
How big are U-Box Containers? Typically you will be provided with a box that is 95 x 83.5 x 56 inches. One box will typically be suitable for a one bedroom apartment moving job.
Pros
- Available across America
- Various insurance choices
- Order your box online
- Lower rates overall
Cons
- Boxes are made of wood
- No flexibility with pricing. A fixed price for the service you use
- No tracking available
- Smaller boxes compared to other companies
Verdict
Although people might be worried about the wooden boxes, they are still sturdy enough for the requirements of moving. Furthermore, the availability of U-Haul is a big bonus as some of the other companies are only available in certain areas. While not providing flexible payment options, the starting low quotes are enough of a reason to recommend U-Haul as the cheapest option for moving and storage pods.
#5. SmartBox
What you should be starting to see is that out of the top five contenders, there’s no poor solution. However, each company provides a specialist approach that will meet the needs of some movers better than others. For Smartbox, their service seems to be designed to perfectly suit small moves. We’re talking about a college dorm room at the end of a semester or a small apartment. One of the main reasons for this is that the cheapest containers are actually quite small. They measure just 5 x 7 x 8 which is a substantial difference compared to what the other companies offer.
As you might have guessed, this smaller business also provides a fantastic, budget-friendly solution. In fact, they will happily price match any competing cost you can bring them for a small move. So, why isn’t it higher up on this list? Well, first, the smaller containers are the only ones available. So, if you have a larger job, this really won’t be a suitable solution for you. As well as this there’s limited availability. This service is only available in 23 states across the USA. Still, if it is available in your area, it shouldn’t be dismissed. Smartbox can actually move eight containers in one trip. So, even though their boxes are small, they could still get the job done, and their cost matching scheme is difficult to pass up.
Pros
- Cheap And cheerful
- Flexible and able to handle larger jobs
- Ideal for a small move
- Able to provide several deliveries at once
- Absolutely no fuel surcharges
- A guaranteed price match
Cons
- Limited availability in certain states
- Bigger jobs could be more expensive
Verdict
Smartbox would be a lot higher on this list if it was available across the the USA in every state. Unfortunately, as of right now, that’s not the case. That said, their promise to price match makes this business a brilliant tool for movers with their service offering an excellent level of value for money. The company also helps push more savings your way with their refusal to charge for extra fuel costs. If this business is in your area and you are looking for the cheapest pods, you should definitely check them out.
With so many different moving and storage pods services to choose from it can be difficult to know who is offering the cheapest deal. This should provide you with all the information you need when making your decision. However, all the services listed above provide the qualities that you should be looking for when using this type of solution. They ensure:
- High-quality storage units
- Affordable prices
- A suitable timeline for your requirements when moving
As such, these companies are the ones that most people choose when needing this type of service.