skip to main content Move.org gathered dozens of quotes and posed as customers to evaluate U-Haul’s pricing, customer service, insurance coverage, and additional services. Show
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*Prices averaged for 5 home sizes (when different trucks were available) for a distance under 100 miles. Prices do not include mileage rates. **Prices averaged for 5 home sizes across 6 distances over 100 miles. Mileage included in long-distance quotes. Bottom line: U-Haul is the most widely available moving truck rental company, and it’s also one of the cheapest. Unfortunately, U-Haul has overwhelmingly negative customer reviews and unreliable reservations, so it may not be your best moving option. U-Haul is basically the only moving truck rental company with a household name, and it’s easy to see why. With over 21,000 locations1 and a larger selection of moving trucks than almost any competitor, U-Haul is an industry leader in terms of availability and customer options. To top it all off, U-Haul is one of the cheapest moving truck companies, though its prices can be higher than Budget’s and Penske’s prices. How much does U-Haul cost?We gathered over a hundred quotes from the country’s top moving truck rental companies to compare average rates, and we found that U-Haul’s prices are pretty low but not the lowest. We found that U-Haul’s average price for a local move (100 miles or less) is about $38.70 + $0.99/mile. For comparison, Budget’s average local price is $27.60 + $0.47/mile, and the industry-wide average is roughly $169.65 + $0.73/mile. For long-distance moves (over 100 miles), U-Haul’s average price is $1,945.68, Penske’s is $1,944.92, and the average industry rate is $2,077. So, while U-Haul’s rates were never the lowest we saw, they were pretty close, and they were consistently far below industry averages. U-Haul pricingTo give you an idea of what your move might cost, here’s a selection of quotes we got for U-Haul’s 10-foot and 26-foot moving trucks. U-Haul 10-foot truck rental prices
Data as of October, 2020. Prices do not include any add-on services or coverage options. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. U-Haul 26-foot truck rental prices
Data as of October, 2020. Prices do not include any add-on services or coverage options. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. U-Haul cost factorsMoving truck rates fluctuate often, and it’s impossible to predict exactly how much your move will cost before getting your quote. That said, there are several factors that can predictably affect your U-Haul rental rate:
How your move date can affect your U-Haul priceMoving truck rates are all about supply and demand, so your price will be lower if you move when less people are moving. Late spring and summer are peak moving seasons in most of the country, so you can usually get a lower price by moving in fall and winter. How your U-Haul price can change depending on when you bookRental rates increase as more people book their moving trucks, so booking early means you’ll score a lower rate than people who book after you. How mileage factors into your U-Haul priceFor local rentals, U-Haul charges a mileage rate of $0.99 per mile, which is calculated and added to your final cost after your move. The more you drive your truck, the more it will cost you. For long-distance rentals, U-Haul figures mileage a little differently. Depending on how far you’re moving, U-Haul will assign a maximum number of miles you can drive your truck and charge you for those miles upfront. If you go over those allotted miles, you’ll be charged extra. Unfortunately, you won’t be refunded for unused miles if you drive less than your allotment. U-Haul’s environmental feesFor every truck rental, U-Haul charges a small environmental fee that ranges from $1–$5. U-Haul uses this money to update its trucks and facilities to make sure they’re as environmentally friendly as possible. What will your U-Haul price be? Since truck rental rates depend on so many factors, it’s impossible to predict exactly what your price will be. The only way to know for sure is to get your own quote. U-Haul coverage optionsMoving coverage costs extra, but U-Haul doesn’t require that you buy any when you rent your truck. If you go without it, though, you’ll have to foot the bill for absolutely any damage to your truck or belongings. U-Haul has several different coverage options to allow you to choose how much protection you pay for. U-Haul coverage comparisonSafetrip®While U-Haul includes Safetrip on its moving coverage page, Safetrip is more like a glorified roadside assistance plan than a traditional moving coverage plan. Here’s everything it includes:
On average, Safetrip only costs $5, and though it doesn’t provide damage coverage, it's certainly nice to have during a long haul across the country. Consider paying for Safetrip even if you forego other coverage options. SafemoveSafemove is U-Haul’s most basic moving coverage for its trucks. Here’s what it covers:
The exact cost of Safemove coverage varies from one rental to another, but we’ve found that it costs about $77 on average, and U-Haul claims that it can net you up to $80,000 in potential benefits. Safemove PlusSafemove Plus is exactly what it sounds like: Safemove plus a little bit more. This is all it covers:
As you’d expect, this extra coverage costs a little extra as well. On average, Safemove Plus costs about $132. SafetowIf you rent a U-Haul tow dolly or moving trailer, you can also purchase U-Haul’s Safetow towing coverage. Here’s what Safetow covers:
The cost of Safetow really depends on what you’re towing, and there are several levels of cargo protection to choose from, so it’s impossible to nail down an average price. Data as of October 2020. Prices averaged for five home sizes across six distances. Prices don't include local mileage rates. U-Haul features and services
U-Haul’s moving trucksAccording to U-Haul’s website, it’s the only moving truck company that works directly with truck manufacturers to specifically design its trucks for household moving.3 We can neither confirm nor deny that U-Haul is the only moving truck company that does this, but the focus on household moving really shows through in the design of U-Haul’s trucks. Every U-Haul truck comes with a low loading deck to make it easy to lift heavy boxes and furniture into the truck from the ground. Additionally, every U-Haul truck larger than the 10-foot option comes with an EZ-load ramp to provide an easy grade up into the truck’s cargo area. U-Haul’s trucks are also equipped with gentle suspension to keep the trucks from rattling over bumps, protecting your belongings from harmful jolts and shaking. Each U-Haul truck over the 10-foot size also has a “Mom’s Attic” which is a small compartment of the cargo area that sits above the truck’s cab. This compartment is great for safely transporting fragile items like dishes and picture frames. U-Haul truck sizes and specifications
Data as of April 21, 2021. U-Haul’s cargo trailersCargo trailers offer the same protection against the elements as rental trucks—they’re just smaller and allow you to drive your own car instead of a huge vehicle. You can also tow them behind a U-Haul rental truck if you need a little more space than the truck alone could provide. If you’re transporting a small load (like a single room’s worth of furniture) or fragile items, cargo trailers are a safer bet than throwing your things in the back of a pickup truck. Here’s the full list of U-Haul’s cargo trailer sizes:
U-Haul’s utility trailersA utility trailer is perfect for hauling outdoor furniture, oddly shaped items, or heavy belongings that can take an open ride on the highway. If you have an L-shaped sectional to haul to your new house, a utility trailer might be perfect for your situation. Here’s the full list of U-Haul’s utility trailer options:
U-Haul’s car carriersIf you need to transport your vehicle—and professional car shipping is off the table—U-Haul has trailers specifically for cars and motorcycles. Its car trailers can hold between 3,450 and 5,290 pounds depending on which one you rent, and they can accommodate small to medium-sized cars (but probably not something as large as a RAM 1500). Heads up: Some people find that towing a car behind their U-Haul or personal truck makes driving up hills difficult and more time-consuming. This is just one of the many reasons hauling your vehicle, while cheaper, is far less convenient than shipping it. If you want a full cost/benefit analysis, check out our guide to Shipping Vs. Towing Your Car. Here’s the full list of U-Haul’s car carrier options:
U-Haul also sells an assortment of trailer hitches, hitch balls and mounts, trailer wiring, and other towing essentials. U-Box: U-Haul’s moving and storage containerU-Haul isn’t just for DIY-ers. If you’re looking to do a hybrid move where you load up and the professionals drive, you can rent U-Haul’s U-Box moving and storage container. The U-Box is 95 x 56 x 83.5 inches and can hold up to one room’s worth of stuff, so you may have to rent more than one. The biggest drawback is that the U-Box is made of wood, so it isn’t as sturdy or durable as moving containers made of metal like those on our list of the Best Moving and Storage Containers. To learn more about U-Haul's U-Box, go check out our U-Box Moving Container Review. What to know about U-HaulNow that we’ve talked about U-Haul’s pricing and services in broad strokes, let’s focus a little more on a few of the company’s more unique features. U-Haul is the most widely available moving truck companyLike we said earlier, U-Haul has over 21,000 locations across the United States and Canada. This doesn’t just make U-Haul the most widely available truck rental company, it makes it several times more available than its competition. For perspective, Penske has over 3,200 locations worldwide4 and Budget has around 1,600 in the continental United States.5 This wide availability can benefit you as a customer in two important ways: it can save you money, and it can make your move more convenient. How U-Haul’s availability can save you moneyLike we explained earlier, moving truck rental prices are ruled by supply and demand. Because of this, a moving truck company with more locations and trucks in a given area can offer better rates in that area. This trend really showed up in our pricing research. If you’ll remember, U-Haul’s prices weren’t the lowest; Budget has better average prices for local moves and Penske has better prices for long-distance moves. However, U-Haul’s prices were among the lowest, and they were always far cheaper than industry averages. Additionally, U-Haul’s availability means you’re likely to have a rental location near your old home and your new one. Because of this, you can save some money on mileage you’ll use picking up and dropping off your truck if you’re moving locally. How U-Haul’s availability can make your move more convenientOn top of saving you money, having U-Haul locations near your old and new home is obviously more convenient. Whether you’re moving locally or long distance, you probably don’t want to drive any more than you have to. U-Haul’s immense number of locations all but guarantees that you don’t need to drive too far to pick up or drop off your moving truck. U-Haul has the most services of any moving truck companyBetween its huge selection of trucks, diverse assortment of dollies and trailers, and add-on services like storage and moving labor, U-Haul provides far more services than any competitor. Some of these services, like U-Box, might be unnecessary for your move. However, by giving customers access to all these different add-ons and features, U-Haul brings one-stop shopping convenience to DIY moving. Whatever you need for your move, whether it's a truck and a trailer, a storage unit, or just a few moving boxes, you can find it at U-Haul. U-Haul has terrible customer reviewsUnfortunately, low prices, wide availability, and an impressive menu of services can’t make up for bad customer service. In reviews across websites like Yelp and Google Reviews, U-Haul customers report being cheated and mistreated by the company in frightening numbers. U-Haul’s unreliable reservationsOne of the most common customer complaints is that U-Haul doesn’t honor its reservations. Some customers report having to make do with different trucks U-Haul had available instead of the trucks they reserved, while others have to pick up their trucks at different locations than planned. In extreme cases, a few customers even report being left truckless on moving day or having their reservations cancelled by U-Haul. In place of an actual reservation guarantee, U-Haul pays $50 to customers whose reservations it can’t fulfill as planned. However, some customers even report being stiffed their $50. To be fair to U-Haul, we do sometimes see this type of disappointing behavior from other moving truck companies. Additionally, moving truck supply often depends on customers returning trucks on time, so it isn’t always the company’s fault if your truck isn’t available. However, the sheer volume of U-Haul customers with unfulfilled reservations is concerning, and it’s something to be aware of before deciding to rent from U-Haul. Other customer service issuesIn addition to reservation complaints, U-Haul customers also report that they were charged unfairly, they couldn’t get ahold of the company’s customer service when they needed help, and their trucks were in bad shape at time of pickup. These complaints are also common for other moving truck rental companies. In general, you should always take customer reviews with a grain of salt since people are more likely to write bad reviews than good ones.6 That said, the number of U-Haul customers reporting negative experiences is far higher than the negative reviews for most other truck rental companies. Does this mean that you should forego U-Haul completely? Not necessarily. But if a better-reviewed company like Penske is available in your area, it's probably a safer bet. MethodologyMove.org analyzes and ranks truck rental companies using a five-step research process:
FAQs about U-HaulDoes U-Haul have unlimited mileage?No. For local moves, U-Haul charges a mileage rate of $0.99 per mile. This mileage rate is calculated after you return your moving truck, and it is then added to your final cost. For long-distance moves, U-Haul estimates how many miles you’ll need to drive and charges for them upfront. If you go over this allotted mileage, you’ll be charged extra. How much does U-Haul charge per mile?For local moves, U-Haul charges $0.99 per mile. For long-distance moves, we’ve calculated that U-Haul’s rates average out to about $1.60 per mile. This long-distance rate is based on our own pricing research, not any official rate listed by U-Haul. Does U-Haul charge per day?Kind of. U-Haul advertises that a 10-foot truck starts at $19.95 per day for a local move, though it doesn’t advertise if larger trucks have higher daily rates. For long-distance moves, U-Haul calculates how many days you will need to drive to your new home, then lets you rent the truck for those days. If you go over that time allotment, you’ll be charged late fees. If you know beforehand that you need to add more days to your time, you can prepay $40 per day to avoid late fees.7 How old do you have to be to rent a U-Haul?U-Haul only lets customers that are 18 years old or older rent moving trucks. For trailers, you only need to be 16 years old to rent. U-Haul requires renters to provide a valid driver’s license before they rent moving equipment.8 Our recommendationU-Haul certainly isn’t the best moving truck rental company. The company’s customer reviews alone prove that. However, U-Haul’s rates are nothing to cry about, and the company’s huge selection of services make it a competitive option for any move. Additionally, the company’s wide availability means it might be your best choice if it’s your only option in some areas. While we don’t recommend U-Haul outright, you should at least check out the company’s services and get a quote to see what U-Haul can do for you. Ready to see how much a U-Haul rental will cost you? Now that you know all about U-Haul, it’s time to get your free quote and see how much renting your U-Haul truck will cost. If you want to see how U-Haul measures up to its competitors, check out our list of the best moving truck rental companies. Other moving truck rental picksWant to see how U-Haul compares to some of its competitors? Read these reviews to get the full scoop:
Recommended resourcesOur reports on U-Haul customers' experiencesSources
Written by Joe Roberts Joe Roberts is a professional writer with a degree in writing studies and over four years of copywriting experience. He previously worked at Overstock.com, where he wrote about furniture, home decor, and moving. Joe has moved all over Utah, so he knows his way around a moving truck—and he spends his time (and money) expanding his personal library so it will be even heavier next time he moves. What is Uhauls smallest trailer?The 4x8 cargo trailer is lightweight and easy to tow behind any vehicle, it is our smallest enclosed cargo trailer rental.
What's the smallest UOur 10ft moving truck (the smallest truck you can also tow your car behind) is used by customers who are moving a studio or 1 bedroom apartment. The 10ft truck is our smallest box truck rental available for long distance One-Way moves and local In-Town moves.
What can fit in a 4x8 cargo trailer?4 ft. x 8 ft. cargo trailer: Holds up to 1,600 pounds and is great for college students packing up their dorm rooms or anyone moving a few pieces of furniture. 5 ft.
Will a queen bed fit in a 5x8 uhaul trailer?The 5x8 enclosed trailer can hold a queen-size bed and tow up to 1,800 lbs!
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