Vote now! Readers' Choice Awards Best National Moving Companies of 2026

Moving is one of the most stressful experiences a household can face, and choosing the right company to handle it can feel just as daunting as the move itself. Our panel of industry experts has already done the hard work, identifying 15 national moving companies that earn top marks for technological transparency, specialty handling, pricing integrity, breadth of coverage, service design, and more.

Whether you're shipping a single room across state lines or coordinating a cross-country relocation with a dozen moving parts, these are the picks our experts stand behind. Now we want to hear from you: Vote for the companies you trust, have used, or would recommend, and help us determine which movers our readers rate highest.

Voting period ends on May 20, 2026. We'll announce the winners on May 28.

Vote for the best national moving company!

Nominee 1: Allied Van Lines

Allied Van Lines, founded in 1928, serves all 50 states and offers local, long-distance, and international moves to over 135 countries. With a network of more than 400 agents, it handles packing, loading, vehicle transport, and custom crating. Allied stands out for its GPS-based shipment tracking, which lets customers check their moving truck’s location at any time using a six-digit registration number, from departure to arrival. The company is a good choice for customers who want clear visibility during long-distance moves, with a digital claims process and no upfront deposit. Our panel appreciates Allied’s modern, transparent approach to an industry that’s often hard to navigate.

Nominee 2: American Van Lines

American Van Lines operates in 48 states, excluding Alaska and Hawaii, and is known for its hands-on crew training and specialized handling skills. The company hires full-time movers certified in relocation of pianos and antiques, which sets them apart from other van lines that offer these services only as extras. Their crews have about 10 years of experience on average, and they build custom crates on-site for large or fragile items. With flat-rate pricing, the quote you get at the start of your long-distance move is the price you pay at delivery, as long as your inventory doesn’t change. For people moving heirlooms, instruments, or fine art across state lines, our experts highlight American Van Lines’ certified specialty crews as a real advantage.

Nominee 3: Atlas Van Lines

Atlas Van Lines started in 1948 as a group of independent moving agents and has kept this structure for over 75 years. Today, it has about 500 agents in all 50 states, under the Atlas World Group. Unlike brokers that pass moves to third parties, Atlas is a registered carrier that manages and completes the interstate moves it books. This gives customers peace of mind about who is handling their belongings. Atlas also offers virtual surveys, online shipment tracking, and a background-check promise called "No Stranger in Your Home" for its van operators. Our panel sees Atlas’s direct, transparent approach as a major benefit for interstate moves.

Nominee 4: Bekins Van Lines

Bekins Van Lines, founded in 1891 in Sioux City, Iowa, is one of the oldest moving companies in the U.S. Over more than 130 years, it has grown to over 350 agents in all 50 states and was the first van line to earn Certified Professional Mover status in 1996. Bekins offers several types of binding estimates, giving customers more pricing flexibility than most competitors. Its priority service includes a guaranteed delivery date, with a penalty if the delivery is missed. The company also provides short- and long-term storage, as well as storage-in-transit, nationwide. Our panel highlights Bekins’ long history and structure as key reasons for its strong reputation for reliability.

Nominee 5: College HUNKS

College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving started in 2005 and now has about 200 locations in the U.S. and Canada. The name stands for Honest, Uniformed, Nice, Knowledgeable, and Service, reflecting the company’s unique approach. Franchisees offer moving, junk removal, and donation pickup in one streamlined booking. Donated items go straight to charity partners like Habitat for Humanity and Goodwill, with the company diverting roughly 70% of its hauls away from landfills. For customers managing a move and cleanout, the bundled approach slashes coordination headaches. Our panel singled out College HUNKS for integrating moving, hauling, and donation services into a clear market differentiator.

Nominee 6: Gentle Giant Moving

Gentle Giant Moving, founded in 1980 in Boston, is known for hiring only full-time W-2 employees to handle moves, never brokers or subcontractors. The company works in about 12 states and offers coast-to-coast long-distance moves with its own fleet and crew. For interstate moves, Gentle Giant offers a 100% Crew Guarantee, promising a refund for any crew member if expectations aren’t met. The company describes its movers as athletic and well-trained for challenging situations, and reviewers often mention their skill with tight spaces and heavy lifting. Our experts highlight Gentle Giant’s single-crew, no-handoff approach as a big plus for customers who want consistency throughout their move.

Nominee 7: International Van Lines

International Van Lines was founded in 2000 as a cross-border specialist and has since expanded into domestic moving, now operating in all 50 states and handling relocations to more than 180 countries. As a licensed Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC) and Federal Maritime Commission-registered freight forwarder, IVL has the credentials to arrange ocean and air freight directly, enabling it to manage moves involving land, sea, and air transport under a single contract. Customers receive a dedicated relocation coordinator, and the company offers 30 days of free storage with long-distance moves. A full refund on deposits is available up to 48 hours before the move date. Our panel recognized IVL for its ability to manage complex, multimodal relocations that most domestic van lines are not equipped to handle end-to-end.

Nominee 8: JK Moving Services

JK Moving Services, founded in 1981 in Sterling, Virginia, is the largest independent moving company in the U.S. With only about 34 FIDI/FAIM-certified movers nationwide, JK meets top international quality standards. Every customer gets a dedicated move coordinator for interstate or local moves. Crews go through strict drug testing, background checks, and hands-on training at JK’s own facility. The company offers premium packing, climate-controlled storage, GPS-tracked trucks, a mobile app for real-time updates, and financing through a partner. JK’s local expertise is in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., but it also handles moves across the country. Our panel values JK’s careful crew screening and coordinator model, especially for high-value or complex moves.

Nominee 9: Mayflower Transit

Mayflower has been moving households since 1927 and is one of the most recognized names in the industry. It operates in all 50 states through affiliated agents under its parent company, UniGroup. Mayflower offers packing, vehicle shipping, debris removal, international moves to over 150 countries, and in-transit storage. The company’s digital move portal, MyMayflower, is especially helpful for customers with complex out-of-state moves. This tool keeps documents, checklists, payment tracking, contacts, and shipment status in one place, and even connects to utility setup and voter registration at your new home. Our panel sees MyMayflower as a practical resource for customers who need help managing interstate moves.

Nominee 10: MiniMoves

MiniMoves was founded in 1991 to fill a gap in the moving industry. Most van lines have minimum weight limits that make small moves expensive, and parcel carriers aren’t set up for furniture. MiniMoves offers a solution for these smaller moves. With over 135 locations nationwide, it handles interstate moves of any size, from a single piece of furniture to part of an apartment, with full-service packing and flat-rate pricing. The company also has an international division for small cross-border moves. No other nationally licensed full-service mover in the U.S. focuses on small interstate loads like MiniMoves. Our panel recommends MiniMoves for anyone moving one or two rooms across state lines without needing a whole truck.

Nominee 11: National Van Lines

National Van Lines, founded in the Chicago area in 1929, is now a 100% employee-owned company through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Few van lines in the country have this structure. With over 400 agents, National serves the 48 contiguous states. Under the ESOP, employees own shares in the company, which encourages quality and accountability on every job. National also set up one of the first independent international moving divisions and is a certified NVOCC for overseas shipments. Our panel sees the employee-ownership model as important because it means the people handling your move have a personal stake in doing a good job.

Nominee 12: North American Van Lines

North American Van Lines, founded in 1933, operates in all 50 states with about 500 agents. Like its sister company Allied Van Lines, NAVL is a full-service carrier that offers packing, storage, auto transport, and international moves to over 130 countries. The company has an online claims portal for both domestic and international shipments, so customers can file and manage damage claims directly on the website without needing to call. Reviewers say this makes resolving post-move issues easier. NAVL also has an on-time delivery pledge with reimbursement for qualifying shipments. Our panel sees NAVL’s easy-to-use claims system as a real benefit for customers dealing with post-move problems.

Nominee 13: Safeway Moving Inc.

Safeway Moving was started by a U.S. Army veteran and operates across 48 states as a full-service long-distance mover. The company uses flat-rate pricing, so the price you’re quoted won’t change at delivery as long as your inventory stays the same. Every interstate move includes 30 days of free storage, which helps when closing dates and move-in times don’t align. Safeway uses a triple-check virtual survey to avoid quote surprises and offers price matching with qualifying competitors. Military discounts are available for active-duty personnel and veterans. Our panel sees Safeway’s upfront pricing, included storage, and veteran-led culture as a strong value for long-distance moves.

Nominee 14: Two Men and a Truck

Two Men and a Truck began in the early 1980s as a side job for two teenagers in Michigan and has grown into the largest franchised moving company in North America, with over 430 locations and more than 3,000 trucks. The company operates in 46 states and also serves Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The brand is proud of its 96% customer referral rate, a number that both the company and independent reviewers highlight as proof of its focus on customer service. Services include local and long-distance moving, packing, junk removal, and portable storage containers through the Value Flex option. Our panel notes that Two Men and a Truck’s high referral rates and large franchise network make it stand out in a crowded industry.

Nominee 15: United Van Lines

United Van Lines was restructured in 1933 and has become one of the largest moving companies in the country, with over 500 affiliated agents in all 50 states. As part of the UniGroup Cooperative, United and its agents serve both cities and small towns, offering local, long-distance, international, corporate, and military moves. The company’s large agent network, especially in less-populated areas, makes it a good choice for people moving to or from places that other van lines may not cover. United provides an online move portal, virtual home surveys, and three service packages with clear coverage amounts and add-on options at set prices. Our panel points to United’s wide agent network as especially helpful for customers moving to rural or remote areas.

Vote for the best national moving company!

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Our Experts

Ryan Carrigan

Ryan Carrigan is the founder of moveBuddha and a moving industry expert with over 13 years of experience. Through moveBuddha, he has helped more than 400,000 people each year to compare moving companies and estimate costs. Ryan combines deep industry knowledge with data-driven tools and content to simplify the moving process and empower consumers to make smarter, more confident decisions.

Dan Hamilton

Dan is the founder and leader of Hamilton & Co., the highest-rated real estate team in the Upstate region of South Carolina. With over 20 years of experience and more than 1,500 5-star reviews across platforms, his team is known for helping people relocate to the Greenville area and find the right home in the right community. Connect with Dan at Hamilton & Co..

Kurt Jacobson

A man of many hats (literally), Kurt has worked as a chef for 20 years, a realtor, an aircraft mechanic, and a travel writer. Each of these career stops afforded him opportunities to travel across the U.S. and beyond, giving him a unique perspective on the art and science of relocation. He currently lives with his wife, two cats, and a dog in Castle Rock, Colorado. You can follow Kurt on Instagram at @KurtTravels2.

Susan Lanier-Graham

With decades of professional writing experience, Susan crafts stories that span lifestyle, travel, architecture, and beyond. She has navigated multiple relocations around the world, including corporate and military moves, giving her firsthand insight into the complexities of moving and storage. From managing household goods to securing storage for RVs and long-term transitions, she understands what works in real life. Her writing translates that experience into practical, trusted guidance for consumers and travelers alike. Follow Susan at Wander with Wonder.

Cori Solomon

Cori, an award-winning freelance writer and photographer based in Los Angeles, California, focuses her writing on art, food, pets, wine, and travel. Her career has ranged from residential real estate brokerage to art and writing. She connects her interests through the idea that people are always on the move, whether relocating to a new home, traveling, or exploring art and wine. Cori’s goal is to bring people together through networking to find the right home, the ideal travel destination, or the perfect bottle of wine. Read more from Cori at The Written Palette.